Rae-Jean Hemway
December 2025
Rae-Jean
Hemway
,
DNP, MPA, RNC-NIC, ANLC
Obstetric and Newborn Services
New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
New York
,
NY
United States
She routinely checks in with staff—even on weekends, holidays, and her days off. Her signature question, “What can I do to help you?” is a testament to her servant leadership.
Rae-Jean exemplifies the core attributes expected of a DAISY Nurse Leader: trust, compassion, mutual respect, commitment to professional development, and unwavering ethical standards. These qualities are not only modelled by her daily life but are deeply embedded in the culture she fosters.
One of the most personally impactful examples of her leadership was her mentorship and support during my pursuit of an advanced degree. Rae-Jean consistently made herself available—often after hours—to coach and guide me, helping me stay focused and calm throughout the process. Her dedication to my professional growth was both inspiring and instrumental.
Over the past year, Rae-Jean has demonstrated transformational leadership through the implementation of the OB Outfield Nurse position. She actively listened to the steering committee, composed of frontline nurses and leadership, allowing the team to lead the planning of workflows and competencies. She provided thoughtful guidance, stepping in only when opportunities for improvement were identified, empowering the team while ensuring excellence.
Rae-Jean’s commitment to her team is unwavering. She routinely checks in with staff—even on weekends, holidays, and her days off. Her signature question, “What can I do to help you?” is a testament to her servant leadership. One memorable example occurred one evening when I needed urgent advice regarding a patient. Although she didn’t answer immediately, she returned my call within minutes—while undergoing a root canal. Her dedication knows no bounds.
Even when she’s off duty, Rae-Jean remains engaged. She requests to be cc’d on important communications, stating she’ll need to be informed upon her return—but often responds immediately, joining huddles and escalating issues as needed. When a staff nurse had to visit the ED in the middle of the night, Rae-Jean was there before 6:00 a.m. to offer support.
She holds monthly “Rae-Jean Roundtables” with all teams, including separate sessions for ancillary staff to address their unique concerns. Her approach is inclusive, thoughtful, and solutions-oriented. When nursery nurses raised concerns about monitoring babies in isolation rooms, Rae-Jean collaborated with IT to implement safe technological solutions.
Her advocacy for staff is tireless. She worked with nurse administrators to revise staffing grids during census surges, ensuring safe patient ratios. The OB Field Nurse role she championed has significantly improved throughput and reduced frontline workload, directly enhancing patient safety.
During surge events, Rae-Jean rounds on units to identify barriers and escalate issues. She even assists with patient transport to help meet DBN goals. Her leadership in multidisciplinary collaboration is exemplary—whether it’s coordinating huddles, finding NICU beds, or working with Biomed, IT, EPIC, and NICU/Nursery leadership to establish surge workflows and documentation protocols. She also recognized the need for a NICU Clinical Nurse Specialist and successfully advocated for and filled the position.
Rae-Jean ensures transparent communication between organizational leadership and frontline teams. She leads daily Tier 2 huddles, monthly Women and Newborn leadership meetings, and bi-weekly leadership check-ins. Her follow-through is consistent and thorough.
Above all, Rae-Jean is an authentic and compassionate leader. She checks in on team members during personal challenges, follows up after clinical errors with empathy, and fosters a culture of trust and respect. Her leadership inspires all of us at Cohen to strive for excellence, grow professionally, and support one another.
Rae-Jean Hemway is the embodiment of what the DAISY Nurse Leader Award represents. Her impact is profound, her dedication unmatched, and her leadership transformative.
One of the most personally impactful examples of her leadership was her mentorship and support during my pursuit of an advanced degree. Rae-Jean consistently made herself available—often after hours—to coach and guide me, helping me stay focused and calm throughout the process. Her dedication to my professional growth was both inspiring and instrumental.
Over the past year, Rae-Jean has demonstrated transformational leadership through the implementation of the OB Outfield Nurse position. She actively listened to the steering committee, composed of frontline nurses and leadership, allowing the team to lead the planning of workflows and competencies. She provided thoughtful guidance, stepping in only when opportunities for improvement were identified, empowering the team while ensuring excellence.
Rae-Jean’s commitment to her team is unwavering. She routinely checks in with staff—even on weekends, holidays, and her days off. Her signature question, “What can I do to help you?” is a testament to her servant leadership. One memorable example occurred one evening when I needed urgent advice regarding a patient. Although she didn’t answer immediately, she returned my call within minutes—while undergoing a root canal. Her dedication knows no bounds.
Even when she’s off duty, Rae-Jean remains engaged. She requests to be cc’d on important communications, stating she’ll need to be informed upon her return—but often responds immediately, joining huddles and escalating issues as needed. When a staff nurse had to visit the ED in the middle of the night, Rae-Jean was there before 6:00 a.m. to offer support.
She holds monthly “Rae-Jean Roundtables” with all teams, including separate sessions for ancillary staff to address their unique concerns. Her approach is inclusive, thoughtful, and solutions-oriented. When nursery nurses raised concerns about monitoring babies in isolation rooms, Rae-Jean collaborated with IT to implement safe technological solutions.
Her advocacy for staff is tireless. She worked with nurse administrators to revise staffing grids during census surges, ensuring safe patient ratios. The OB Field Nurse role she championed has significantly improved throughput and reduced frontline workload, directly enhancing patient safety.
During surge events, Rae-Jean rounds on units to identify barriers and escalate issues. She even assists with patient transport to help meet DBN goals. Her leadership in multidisciplinary collaboration is exemplary—whether it’s coordinating huddles, finding NICU beds, or working with Biomed, IT, EPIC, and NICU/Nursery leadership to establish surge workflows and documentation protocols. She also recognized the need for a NICU Clinical Nurse Specialist and successfully advocated for and filled the position.
Rae-Jean ensures transparent communication between organizational leadership and frontline teams. She leads daily Tier 2 huddles, monthly Women and Newborn leadership meetings, and bi-weekly leadership check-ins. Her follow-through is consistent and thorough.
Above all, Rae-Jean is an authentic and compassionate leader. She checks in on team members during personal challenges, follows up after clinical errors with empathy, and fosters a culture of trust and respect. Her leadership inspires all of us at Cohen to strive for excellence, grow professionally, and support one another.
Rae-Jean Hemway is the embodiment of what the DAISY Nurse Leader Award represents. Her impact is profound, her dedication unmatched, and her leadership transformative.