Kevin Harris is the Chief Nursing Officer for our Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital. This nurse consistently goes above and beyond and exhibits everything you can envision when you think of an exceptional nurse leader. He puts his heart into the field, and it is clearly evident in his work ethic and in the compassion he shows to all his patients and fellow team members. I have worked alongside him, being the Director of Therapy Operations, and collaborated with him. This past year, I have learnt so much from Kevin, and I continue to learn from him every day.

He promotes a culture of continued mentorship, and he encourages his team to be actively involved in committees and opportunities for growth. For example, he created a preceptor program for new nurses in the field and encourages his team to attend continuing education opportunities. He demonstrates an enthusiasm to educate others in a way that makes them feel accomplished and competent. He has provided countless educational opportunities to my therapy team on best practices in nursing care.

He is a great leader, and he can tell when a fellow team member is having a rough day and will immediately clear his schedule to be available as a friend and someone to lean on. No matter how busy he is, he will stop in his tracks to answer a call light or to say hello to a visitor or patient and greet them with a smile. Kevin has made a significant impact on the outcomes of our hospital since he joined. He promotes a culture of safety, which is evident by a significant decrease in fall rate this past year.

There has also been an improvement in patient satisfaction, a decrease in acute care re-admissions, and an improvement in individualized care provided to critical care patients. I remember a patient we served who needed to go on hospice care, and how Kevin went way above the call of duty to take care of not only the patient, but also the family. Even though they were overwhelmed and confused by the whole situation, he stayed with them and provided compassionate care in their most vulnerable times, making an unbearable situation bearable. I can still remember them hugging him as they were about to leave, and thanking him for just being there for them.

Kevin embraces the value of teamwork, collaboration, and setting the standard. He leads by example and shapes the next generation of nurses. Kevin is an integral part of the team and deserves all the recognition for being an exceptional nurse and nurse leader that I and many others look up to as a true, genuine, compassionate leader with the determination to make a difference and positive impact every day.