Darcy Ellison MSN, RN, NEA-BC St. Mary’s Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer
Great nurses make a great hospital. It’s a slogan Darcy Ellison loves. It’s a statement she strongly believes. It’s a mantra she religiously practices. But, this motto is more than just words to Darcy.
Darcy serves as St. Mary’s Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and our Chief Nursing Officer. She was a great Labor and Delivery nurse, before rising to the ranks of Chief Nursing Officer.
Darcy bleeds St. Mary’s blue, even though she no longer wears her blue scrubs. On Saturday, October 22nd of this year – at St. Mary’s Health Foundation’s 29th Annual Cornette Ball – Darcy will receive the most prestigious honor given by St. Mary’s Health each year, the Steward of St. Vincent de Paul Award.
Under her leadership, great St. Mary’s nurses have become extraordinary. Darcy led St. Mary’s nursing staff to Magnet® designation in January 2011. Magnet® is the gold standard of nursing care – awarded to only 7% of all hospitals in the entire nation.
Only about 28% of Magnet® designated hospitals receive re-certification, but Darcy and her phenomenal nurses impressed the Magnet® site surveyors again this past February and earned the honor for four more years.
When Darcy accepts the Steward of St. Vincent de Paul Award at center stage in the West Baden atrium, she humbly said she will be accepting on behalf of all of her nurses. This servant leader knows it takes all 1,000+ St. Mary’s nurses to deliver an exceptional patient experience. It takes a team to achieve this success.
Great nurses do, indeed, make a great hospital. Darcy’s nurses back this up every day. Now, this great leader will make a great Cornette Ball honoree. I hope you will celebrate with us in October. I’m confident it will be a great time!
Blessings,
Rick Peltier
Director, St. Mary’s Health Foundation
(812) 485-4412 | richard.peltier@stmarys.org
