By Steven Brittain

Special to NurseWeek

Memorial Hermann elevating nurses’ status

The Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, an integrated health system known
for world-class clinical expertise, patient-centered care, leading edge technology and
innovation, has long been known for its role as one of the preeminent healthcare
providers in the southern United States. Recently, Memorial Hermann has taken several
steps towards becoming an institution where nurses and their practice are at the top of the
priority list. The creation of two new executive level positions, Chief Patient Care Officer
and Chief of Advanced Practice, demonstrate the level of commitment Memorial
Hermann has placed on giving effective nursing leaders the voice they deserve.

Bringing patient care to the forefront

Sarah Sinclair, BSN, MBA, joined the Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston in
November 2006 as the provider’s new Chief Patient Care Officer.

Sinclair brings more than 30 years of healthcare and nursing experience to this position
that was only recently created to drive a system-wide focus on high quality patient care
through far reaching policies, processes and practice standards. She is directly
responsible for leading critical care services, emergency services, surgical services, care
management, customer service, medical records, inpatient radiology, pharmacy,
chaplaincy, nursing, clinical informatics and IT and clinical education.

Ensuring every patient who enters the doors of a Memorial Herman facility has a stellar
experience is at the top of Sinclair’s priority list, she said.

“In today’s healthcare environment, it is imperative that we make sure each and every
person we treat receives a standard of care and a customer service experience that are
second to none,” Sinclair said. “I believe one of the best ways we can accomplish this
goal is to enhance the resources and support available to nurses who work at the bedside.
By providing our nurses with the best tools available, both general and technological, we
can help them be as competent as they can be, and in the end, provide the best level of
care possible.”

And, in order for Memorial Hermann to achieve their lofty goals, they’ll need plenty of
nurses who aren’t afraid to tackle the challenges ahead, Sinclair said.

“Stepping into a leadership role is all about desire. It’s about nurses who view their
profession as more than just a job, but as a career and a lifestyle. I’d encourage all nurses
who have aspirations of moving into leadership roles to gain as much knowledge as they
possibly can. Having a multi-disciplinary base of information to pull from helps you
relate to people at all levels within the organization and makes you an invaluable asset to
your team,” she said.
Prior to joining Memorial Hermann, Sinclair was a Senior Vice President at the Novant
Health System in Winston-Salem, NC. Over the course of her illustrious career, she also
has held leadership positions at Covenant Health in Knoxville, TN; Long Island Health
Network in Long Island, NY; and AtlantiCare Health Systems in Atlantic City, NJ. She
holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Nursing from Southern Adventist University in
Collegedale, TN and a master’s in Business Administration from Loyola College in
Baltimore, MD.

Establishing a cutting-edge advanced practice model

Elizabeth Fuselier, DNP., assistant professor of clinical nursing at The University of
Texas School of Nursing at Houston, has been named to a newly created position at
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston as Chief of Advanced Practice.

While continuing as a UT School of Nursing faculty member, Fuselier works to establish

a cutting-edge advanced practice model for nurse practitioners and physicians assistants
while expanding the number and types of advanced practice healthcare providers within
the hospital. She oversees all elements of the advanced practice program and collaborates
with hospital administrators and staff.

“Having a Chief of Advanced Practice position is, to my knowledge, a first in the nation,”
said UT School of Nursing Dean Patricia L. Starck, D.S.N. “This signifies that nursing
care will be at the highest level for patients at Memorial Hermann, and it also will create
an ideal learning environment for students in our doctoral and masters’ programs.”

Fuselier, who started her new role in January, said that her main goal for this new position
is to provide a consistent level of leadership that will enhance the integration of advanced
practice nurses into the hospital’s healthcare team, enhance patient care and decrease
stress on physicians.

“We expect to be creating a new frontier in nursing by merging dynamic relationships in

patient care, education and research,” said Fuselier, who left her role as executive clinical
director of UT Health Services for the new position. “Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical
Center, the nursing school and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
are on the forefront of healthcare and making nursing history by placing a nurse with a
D.N.P. in this creative position.”

Fuselier added that it’s important for nurses and nurse practitioners who aspire to move
into leadership roles to take advantage of all the opportunities and resources that are out
there.

“First and foremost, I’d say find a good mentor. Having someone who you can turn to for
advice and guidance, especially if that person already works in nursing leadership, is an
invaluable asset to have at your disposal. Don’t be afraid to ask the difficult questions and
to suggest innovative ideas. The opportunities for nurses to grow their careers are great
and they are becoming greater each and every day,” she said.
Before joining UT-Houston’s faculty in Dec. 2005, Fuselier worked as the lead nurse
practitioner at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, where she was responsible for
the administrative and professional operations of more than 75 advanced practice nurses.
She received both her bachelor’s of science degree in Nursing and her doctorate degree
from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center at Memphis.