Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, particularly the Department of Nursing, continuously strives to utilize Relationship-Based Care by fostering therapeutic relationships with our patients, their families, and their caregivers. When caring for our patients, collaboration and meaningful relationships among colleagues are essential to promoting a healing environment. Tricia Coyle embodies this mission and leads with compassion and trust. This allows for positive outcomes for not only our patient population but also the staff she manages on a daily basis.

E. A., CNIV, states, “Since joining as our Nurse Leader, Tricia has worked endlessly to develop and maintain a relationship of open communication and mutual respect within her team. Tricia engages her teams to optimize flow and to ensure safe and effective care is being delivered to our patients. Tricia has encouraged me to climb the NCARE ladder for CNIV, supporting me through the process and providing ample opportunities for me to engage in departmental operations. I would not have considered furthering my role if not for her steadfast support.”

L. B., an outpatient Supportive Care Nurse, reflects, “Tricia consistently communicates with staff in a very transparent and efficient manner, sharing updates from leadership as they come. She is a great communicator.” L. B., CNIV, adds, “Tricia is quick to respond to any of the team’s concerns. Whether they are big or small, she always has our back.” It is quite clear when observing her teams in practice that they are confident and know they can advocate for their patients and for themselves because they have a true leader who supports and understands the critical importance of an MSK Nurse.

Recently, Tricia was asked to change her portfolio to manage the Dermatology Service in addition to Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery at Koch. She immediately sought out to understand the role of the nurse in this service and how they care for patients from all departments throughout the institution. In the two months as Nurse Leader on the unit, Tricia has led workgroups to streamline documentation in Epic amongst the seventeen practitioners in the space to allow for better hand-off amongst the nursing team and overall improved patient care. She has also partnered with her physician and APP colleagues to ensure safe and efficient care is being provided to our patients while also communicating the importance of a healthy work environment for the staff. One staff member reports, “The morale on the unit continues to progress to a healthy place. It is evident that Tricia is present and working toward improving outcomes for the Dermatology patients as well as the staff.”

In addition to this, Tricia was pivotal in coordinating a SEEK project that developed a telephone triage nurse role in outpatient Supportive Care. During a time of staff turnover and Epic implementation, Tricia worked with the nursing and interdisciplinary team to provide clarity on the role and supporting data collection to ensure the role provided support for staff and improved patient experience and access to clinicians for symptoms related to cancer care and treatment.

Tricia promotes teamwork both while managing her nurses as well as amongst her leadership team here at Koch and throughout the organization. S. T. explains, “Since I began my role as a nurse leader three months ago, Trish has been an invaluable source of support and mentorship. She is always approachable for guidance, offers practical and honest advice, and readily steps in when needed. Trish advocates strongly for her teams, their patients, and her colleagues. She always “keeps it real”.

Tricia’s resiliency has been highlighted these past five years through the various events that have occurred in the world and at MSK. L states, “Tricia started as our Nurse Leader just a few months before COVID. She jumped right in to coordinate organization amongst her teams and was chosen to lead the Covid Vaccine Clinic at MSK, providing much-needed guidance and support to her staff and patients.” After completion of this program, Tricia acted as a true support system for her teams during the reduction in force, leading sessions as well as an open-door policy for those needing to discuss the changes. Her ability to flex and pivot at a moment’s notice does not go unnoticed. As stated earlier, she was recently asked by upper leadership to change her portfolio to oversee Dermatology. As her Clinical Nurse Manager, I am so motivated and moved by watching her ‘in action’ each day, thinking outside of the box, finding solutions that will benefit her staff and the patients, being transparent and willing to stand up and do what is right. Tricia is truly outstanding in her role and deserves recognition for what she brings to her staff, the institution, and MSK’s patients.