Jamie has been our nurse educator for only a short time, but in that short time, she has made a SIGNIFICANT difference. Jamie was suddenly put in an interim supervisor role shortly after taking the job as our unit educator. She has worn too many hats to count, doing so with grace, empathy, compassion, and grit. She has been a beacon of hope in her mixed role and is the epitome of a female nurse leader. She is an advocate, a conduit, and everything in between for the cancer center. Her experience as a teacher has been vital in her role, and it has served her well in her ability to constantly adapt, overcome, and problem-solve. She is not afraid of hard work, hard situations or challenging systems that are broken (and then working to find a solution, not just a Band-Aid!).

Currently, she is working to revamp and rewrite our orientation process (which I will add again, doing so, while also being an interim supervisor and covering clinics, plus all the other things!) The cancer center has been in a unique situation for the past few years. The template of leadership at the cancer center is set up to have a nurse manager, two supervisors, and the unit educator. During the time that I have been at the cancer center, we have only had a nurse manager and an educator. Due to those constraints in leadership, I know that the orientation of new nurses has often been put on the back burner. Jamie saw the immediate flaw in this and has worked tirelessly to ensure good nurses are hired and then oriented appropriately. She has created work groups and identified CNCs as leaders themselves. She has an eye and a heart to see in others what they may not see in themselves. She uses every tool available to her to ensure the success of every individual and team.

I do not necessarily believe that 'everything happens for a reason', or fate, or any of those things, but I know Jamie is here for a reason. What is funny is that our paths have seemed to intertwine throughout our nursing history. She started as a new nurse on the Burnette Burn Unit just as I was leaving, we were paired up together during a NODA volunteer meeting and she is now my nurse educator!

Education is a calling, just as nursing is, and Jamie has been called to both. While being pulled in a million directions, she has still made the time to develop and improve our educational standards. Her ability to adapt to the many different learning styles and unique personalities of each nurse she counsels is truly a work of art, and I think it proves that she is probably the best female leader I have had the pleasure to work with. I feel so honored every day to have Jamie in our cancer center and know that her potential is unmatched. I look forward to seeing every day what she is going to accomplish.