Two nurses from Emory Healthcare were named best of the best from the 2023 Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) Celebrating Nurse Program for outstanding nurse excellence in their respective roles and beyond. Honored. AJC honors 10 outstanding nurses and 1 nurse leader selected from nearly 1,000 nominations at an awards luncheon on May 12 at Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta bottom.
Mark Lee, BSN, RN-BCA nursing scholar working in Emory University Hospital’s 7E multi-medical unit, he was recognized by the AJC as one of 10 recipients of the award statewide this year. Millie Sattler, DNP, RN, CCRNEmory Healthcare’s Director of Retention and Career Development Strategy was honored as the only recipient of this year’s Nursing Leadership Award.
“Congratulations to Mark Lee and Millie Sattler for being named two of this year’s AJC Celebrating Nurses,” said Sharon, Chief Nursing Officer, Emory Healthcare. Dr. Pappas, a nurse, said FAAN. “We are so grateful for the care and compassion they put into their nursing role at Emory. We know their efforts promote a healthy environment for both patients and nurses.” .”
Mark Lee, BSN, RN-BC
Lee began her nursing career at Emory University Hospital in March 2020, just three years before the COVID-19 pandemic began, embracing a different level of patient care. rice field. “Working bedside each week early in the pandemic made it clear that this was what I had to do,” Lee says. “My daily goal has been to provide first-class nursing care during difficult times for patients, families, and team members. not.”
Lee comes to work every day ready with plans for how to make a difference for patients, their families and fellow nurses, but is flexible enough to adapt those plans as needed.
“Mark’s true compassion is best seen in the way he tailors nursing care to meet the needs of each patient to provide the best possible patient and family-centered care,” said Lee’s supervisor, MSN. Betsy Augustie of the RN-BC Division, Chief of 7E Complex Medicine at Emory University Hospital. “Mark is also a servant leader, working as the nurse in charge on weekends, scheduling shifts when the unit is understaffed, and switching shifts when colleagues need time off. It also guides new nursing graduates and experienced nurses as they join the unit.”
In addition to his diverse leadership roles within the unit, Lee is committed to improving the experience for both patients and nurses through his work on professional governance councils throughout the hospital and system. He has chaired both the Emory University Hospital Exemplary Professional Practice Council and the Emory Medical Specialty Nurse Practice Council, advising nurses on policy and practice changes impacting a system of more than 8,000 nurses. I am drawing out the voice of He also served as a founding member of the RN Wellness Clinical Advisory Board, promoting wellness across the organization through Emory’s Office of Wellbeing (EmWELL).
“At these clinical councils, having Lee stand by the bedside allows us to truly talk about what nurses need,” says Augustsy.
Lee holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Development from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master’s degree in International Health from Georgetown University. He first started his career in the global health field, focusing on maternal and child health and the impact of malnutrition in these populations. While Lee enjoyed her work in public health, she found a calling in nursing and working directly with patients, earning her BSN from Emory’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in 2019.
Although her nursing career is just beginning, Lee is already thinking about her next steps in nursing. He continues to work as Emory’s bedside nurse and is also a PhD student in the Medical Leadership, Systems and Policy Program at Yale School of Nursing.
Lee says her favorite part of her nursing job is when patients come home. “My job is to deal with patients who come to the ward on a stretcher and walk away on their own,” she says.
Millie Sattler, DNP, RN, CCRN
Sattler’s nursing career spans nearly 40 years. Prior to coming to Emory, she worked in several states in the northeastern United States as an emergency department, critical care cardiovascular intensive care unit nurse, and as a flight nurse. In 2016, she wanted to move to Atlanta for a job at an academic medical center. She was also designated as a magnet facility providing excellent nursing care. Sattler was then hired as Director of Interventional Radiology at Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital. A year later, she was appointed Emory in charge of retention and career development strategies for her 11 hospitals and Emory Her Clinics (of which her five are designated magnet facilities) within the Emory Healthcare system. Healthcare has moved into her current role as director of her corporate.
“My position is to keep nurses at Emory Healthcare, ensure their achievements are celebrated, and help them grow professionally and be recognized for their professional growth.” Sattler says. She does this by increasing nurse recognition and compensation and overseeing nurse promotion programs.
“When she took the job, Millie interviewed nurses to ask them what set Emory Nursing apart and discovered why they took pride in their work.” says Polly Willis, MSN, RN-BC, director of the Nursing Clinical Excellence and Magnet Program at Emory University Hospital. He is a colleague at Emory University Hospital in Wesley Woods, and the Sattlers. “Milley will focus on her nursing image by ensuring active participation in the DAISY Awards program at each Emory Healthcare entity and will increase the number of DAISY Award-winning nurses and teams to three. We have more than doubled.”
The DAISY Award for Specialized Nurses is an ongoing national and international recognition of the clinical skills and compassion that nurses provide to patients and families throughout the year. Sattler also introduced the DAISY Leader Award, which is given to system nursing leaders who led nursing in the early stages of the pandemic.
Focusing on nurse professional development, Sattler led a clinical grid program called PLAN (P.Professional L.Progress of Attis N.urses) Councils that assist nurses in advancing their education, certification and assuming additional responsibilities to improve safety and quality. “Under Ms. Sattler’s leadership, PLAN Council participation has increased 30% across Emory Healthcare, and there has been a 187% increase in monthly PLAN Council virtual meetings by Emory Clinic nurses during the pandemic.” Mr Willis said.
Sattler has also developed promotion programs to improve the knowledge of LPNs (Certified Practical Nurses) and nursing technicians, improve their subsequent salaries, and increase retention within these groups. Her achievements were recognized by the American Nursing Association and the PLAN Council awarded her the prestigious 2021 3rd All-Professional Team Award.
Known as the “Nurse Remainer at Emory Healthcare,” Sattler has weathered the pandemic at a time when many nurses are considering leaving their jobs. She has innovated talent initiatives to meet the needs and values of each generation to retain more nurses at Emory.
“I have worked with tenured nurses and younger nurses just starting their careers to shift into telemedicine and patient navigation positions to keep them in Emory rather than retire.” says Sattler. “My goal is to learn what a nurse’s dream job is and help them on their journey to find the best fit within our organization.”
According to figures from the last four years, at least 200 nurses continue to be employed each year thanks to Sattler’s work. Otherwise, these 800 nurses would have left Emory to retire or take jobs elsewhere.
Sattler earned a degree from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, a BSN from Youngstown State University in Ohio, a Master of Business in Executive Leadership from Chamberlain University, and a PhD in Nursing Practice from Chamberlain University.
A total of 28 Emory nurses have been nominated for the 2023 AJC’s Celebration Nurses Program.