Lexi Futch, BSN, RN, CV-BC

Susan "Lexi" Futch is one of the 11 North Day Team Leaders and has been actively involved in numerous councils throughout her career at Mayo Clinic. Her dedication to education, leadership, and unit improvements has made a lasting impact on our team.

Lexi served as Chair of our UCC for three years, during which she accomplished many significant initiatives that benefited both staff and patients. In this role, she worked closely alongside our Nurse Manager, serving as a trusted partner and leader.

During a particularly challenging transition period, when our previous Nurse Manager took a leave of absence for personal reasons, the unit experienced leadership changes that included two interim managers before our current Nurse Manager was hired. Throughout this time, Lexi's involvement, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership were invaluable. She helped keep the interim managers informed about unit operations, ongoing initiatives, and emerging concerns, ensuring continuity and stability for both our patients and staff.

During Lexi's time as UCC Chair, she collaborated with the council to develop educational tools for both staff and patients focused on proper chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing practices. She helped create easy-to-follow diagrams and step-by-step instructions that were laminated and stocked in every patient room. These resources served as effective teaching tools for both patients and staff, promoting consistency in education and reinforcing best practices.

This initiative significantly improved our unit's compliance with CHG bathing, an important infection prevention measure. As a result, our unit successfully maintained its quality metric of zero central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). Lexi's leadership and commitment to evidence-based practice directly contributed to improved patient safety and the delivery of high-quality care.

Lexi collaborated with a previous nurse manager to develop a four-hour educational class designed to build the skills and confidence of new nurses. The class combined hands-on training with opportunities for participants to ask questions in a supportive learning environment. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive.

More recently, during the unit expansion when educational resources were stretched thin, another nurse was scheduled to teach the class but became unexpectedly ill. Lexi quickly stepped in and willingly taught the course, ensuring that the new hire orientation remained on schedule without compromising the quality of the training. Her flexibility and dedication were tremendous support to the NES team.

Lexi is deeply committed to the education and development of new staff. She has successfully oriented numerous nurses and created a comprehensive reference binder for new hires that contains essential information and resources specific to our cardiology unit. New nurses frequently rely on this binder as a valuable reference and consistently express appreciation for the practical resources it provides.

Lexi's commitment extends beyond staff education to patient education. She has made a significant impact on the education of our Heart Transplant and LVAD patients. Working alongside a previous nurse manager, she helped develop patient education binders for both Heart Transplant and LVAD recipients. She also collaborated to create a structured education plan for patients receiving advanced heart failure therapies. The plan organized education into daily teaching topics, promoting consistency among staff while making the information more manageable for patients. This approach improved continuity of care and helped reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed for both patients and staff.

In addition, Lexi created educational posters explaining Heart Transplant medications, including their purposes and common side effects, as well as posters covering key LVAD concepts and terminology. These resources have become valuable teaching tools. Nurses frequently use the medication posters during medication administration to reinforce patient education and encourage successful teach-back. The LVAD posters help patients become more familiar and comfortable with important terms, concepts, and device management.

Lexi has also built strong, respectful relationships with the interdisciplinary teams we work with. While serving as both UCC Chair and Team Leader, she has consistently identified opportunities for improvement, addressed concerns, and collaborated with others to develop effective solutions.

She has taken the initiative to educate Cardiac Fellows on the nursing care and management of pericardial drains. This collaboration has strengthened communication between providers and nursing staff, improved consistency in patient care, increased providers' understanding of the nursing role, and helped ensure patients receive timely, coordinated care.

One challenge our unit occasionally encounters is managing the behaviors of patients who have prolonged hospitalizations. Our staff is exceptionally compassionate and empathetic, which can sometimes lead them to tolerate disrespectful communication because they recognize that patients and families are experiencing significant stress. Staff may think, "They are going through a lot; they don't mean to be rude." Lexi recognizes when these situations require intervention.

She has taken the initiative to implement Behavioral Support Plans (BSPs) and facilitate difficult but respectful conversations with patients and their families to address inappropriate behaviors and establish clear expectations. During these conversations, Lexi demonstrates empathy and compassion while maintaining Mayo Clinic's high standards for respectful communication and quality patient care.

Her approach has led to improved interactions between patients, families, and staff, creating a more positive and therapeutic environment. By addressing concerns early and setting appropriate boundaries, Lexi also helps reduce staff burnout and moral distress by ensuring team members feel supported and respected while continuing to provide exceptional patient-centered care.

During the recent unit expansion and the opening of 11 South, team leaders have served as important resources for staff on the new unit. In one situation, a post-cardiac surgery patient developed atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response (A-fib RVR). Although this is a common postoperative complication, some patients become more symptomatic and require immediate intervention.

The primary nurse was speaking with the provider, who was driving, and was unfamiliar with the treatment orders being given. Lexi respectfully offered to assist with the conversation. Because of her established working relationship with the provider and her understanding of the patient's condition, she was able to quickly clarify and obtain the necessary orders, allowing treatment to begin without delay.

After the situation was resolved, Lexi took time to debrief with the nurse and staff involved, creating an open, supportive learning environment. The nurse, who is enthusiastic about learning cardiology, appreciated the opportunity to review the situation and ask questions. This interaction not only ensured excellent patient care but also strengthened the nurse's confidence and clinical knowledge.

Throughout these experiences, Lexi consistently demonstrates Mayo Clinic's primary value that the needs of the patient come first. She also exemplifies the organization's values of respect, integrity, compassion, teamwork, and excellence. Her commitment to education, collaboration, and patient-centered care has had a lasting positive impact on both our staff and our patients.