Dan Wright, chief nursing officer at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee, has transformed nursing care through his Pathway to Distinction initiative, according to Daniel Jackson, CEO of Ascension Wisconsin. Pathway to Distinction focuses on engagement, retention, recruitment/safety, quality, professional development and stewardship.
“Dan is deeply committed to ensuring patients feel safe, respected and cared for in every interaction, fostering a culture in which every team member is empowered to anticipate challenges and achieve the highest quality possible,” Jackson said.
Under Wright’s leadership, the hospital has achieved a top national rank in fall prevention and has seen significant improvements in nurse turnover, dropping by 40% to beat the national average. Today, the hospital benefits from positive hiring trends, with nurse leadership vacancies reduced from 40% to just 4%.
Wright’s recruitment and retention initiatives led to more than 80% of nurse interns converting to registered nurse roles through a comprehensive nurse intern program, which provides interns with experience across diverse hospital units, helping them build well-rounded skills and improve retention, according to Jackson.
