FY25 Nursing
Thank you for choosing to be a nurse, and thank you for choosing to be a nurse at CommonSpirit Health.
— Kathleen Sanford, RN, DBA, FAAN, CommonSpirit Health SEVP and Chief Nursing Officer
A Story of Partnership and Progress
Welcome to the fifth CommonSpirit Health Nursing Annual Report. This report is a celebration of an exceptional year thanks to your collective efforts. This is your report, representing your achievements. In the pages that follow, know we’re telling your story. I hope as you review this report, you’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I know I personally couldn’t be more grateful for you and what you continue to do for the people we serve at CommonSpirit.
Kathleen Sanford RN, DBA, FAAN, CommonSpirit Health SEVP and Chief Nursing Officer
Reflecting on this past year, I’m particularly proud of the progress we’ve made together on every major goal we set out to achieve in the final year of our five-year nursing strategic plan. We’ve seen significant improvements in quality and patient experience scores along with nursing retention rates. I hope this makes you proud as well because each of you are crucial in achieving these outcomes.
This year, I’m particularly excited to highlight our expanded dyad leadership model in the clinical space (read more about it on page 9). My partnership with Tom McGinn, MD, SEVP and Chief Physician Executive Officer, demonstrates our commitment to ensuring clinical excellence comes from collaborative practice among all professions. Our goal is for all clinicians to work hand in hand doing our part to fulfill this organization’s mission. We’re dedicated to elevating patient-centered teamwork at every level of CommonSpirit.
We’re now preparing for our next chapter: a four-year plan aligned with CommonSpirit’s 2026–2030 strategic plan. We will be seeking your thoughts through focus groups and personal input again because your experience, ideas and vision are essential as we chart our path forward.
Even if you’ve heard me say this before, I will never stop saying it because I mean it from the bottom of my heart: Thank you for choosing to be a nurse, and thank you for choosing to be a nurse at CommonSpirit Health. Every patient whose life you’ve touched, every family member you’ve supported and every team member you’ve mentored along the way has benefited because you made this choice.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Sanford, RN, DBA, FAAN, SEVP and Chief Nursing Officer
In the pages that follow, know we’re telling your story. I hope as you review this report, you’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together.
by the
Nursing Numbers
Nurses are essential health care professionals. At CommonSpirit Health, we recognize the quality care that nurses provide as well as their important role as patient advocates. This infographic details who our nurses are.
Tenure at CommonSpirit Ethnicity
Recognizing Nurses’ Talents and Dedication
We’re filled with gratitude for the dedication, service and commitment you demonstrate to our ministry.
Our 2025 Nursing Commemorative Pins, distributed during Nurses Week, featured the theme “Collegiality & Leadership” to recognize the exceptional teamwork and innovation you’ve demonstrated. The pin was the fifth in a series of five pins that align with our Nursing Strategic Vision to recognize the talents, skills and significant contributions nurses make to CommonSpirit
and our local communities. Scan the QR code to watch a short video message that explains more about the commemorative pins. If you didn’t receive your pin, limited quantities are still available by contacting linda.pickett@commonspirit.org.
Wherever you practice nursing and whatever your role, we hope you’ll wear these symbols with pride and know you’re appreciated for using your talents to make a difference.
Nursing Vision and Goals
Our goal is for CommonSpirit Health to be the employer of choice for nurses and their teams in a system that is widely known for outstanding patient care.
CommonSpirit nurse leaders collaborated in 2019* to develop one unifying vision and launched several focus groups and surveys to gather input from nurses. Nearly 16,000 CommonSpirit nurses from across the ministry shared their thoughts to help craft our nursing vision statement:
Today and every day, we will work together with humankindness for all to advance the science and art of nursing.
This means we will… Be stronger together, achieving excellence in all we do, collaborating across the field and growing our collective knowledge.
1.
2.
Let humankindness guide us as we treat every person with holistic, personalized care for the body, mind and spirit.
3.
Advance the science and art of nursing as innovative leaders who demonstrate the power of evidence-based, compassionate care.
*Summer 2019: The concept of a nursing vision was born. Fall 2019 to Fall 2020: Feedback was gathered about the proposed nursing vision using a subcommittee, focus groups and surveys. Input was gathered from close to 16,000 nurses. Fall 2021 to Spring 2022: The first three Nursing Strategic Priorities were defined and implemented. 2023: Frontline nurse focus groups highlighted four additional priorities to improve retention and the employee experience. 2024 to 2025: All seven Nursing Strategic Priorities were expanded across CommonSpirit. FY26: Work will begin on our next multi-year plan in alignment with the CommonSpirit strategy and engaging our nurses as part of the process.
Awards
The outstanding work done by CommonSpirit nurses has contributed to our organization being recognized with multiple local and national awards every year, including many at the facility level. Here’s a list of the notable national awards we earned in FY25:
The John M. Eisenberg Safety and Quality Award in the National Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality category from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum in recognition of our approach to achieving and sustaining clinical excellence.
Finalist for the AHA Quest for Quality Prize from the American Hospital Association. CommonSpirit received the recognition for its commitment to being a high-performing organization.
The 2025 ATA Nexus Transformational Leadership Award was given by the American Telemedicine Association in recognition of our Virtual Integrated Care model.
Leading Together: The Power of Dyad Leadership at CommonSpirit Health
We’re strengthening our clinical partnerships through dyad leadership. This is a collaborative model that’s transforming how we deliver clinical excellence across our entire system.
What Is Dyad Leadership?
Dyad leadership pairs clinical leaders from different disciplines — typically nursing and physicians — to jointly oversee clinical operations, make clinical decisions and drive strategic clinical initiatives.
This isn’t about one profession managing the other. It’s about a genuine partnership where both perspectives are essential for success.
How Dyad Leadership Works in Practice
The dyad model starts at the top with Kathleen Sanford, RN, DBA, FAAN, SEVP and Chief Nursing Officer; and Thomas McGinn, MD, MPH, SEVP and Chief Physician Executive Officer.
But dyad leadership doesn’t stop at the executive level. CommonSpirit is encouraging and implementing this collaborative approach throughout the organization.
Kathleen Sanford, RN, DBA, FAAN, SEVP, Chief Nursing Officer
In some markets, CommonSpirit is expanding to triad leadership to create three-way partnerships that include operations, nursing and physician perspectives.
The Patient and Staffing Impact
When we combine the perspectives and expertise of nursing, advanced practice, physicians and the skills of all our clinical partners — pharmacists, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation therapists and more — we create excellent, coordinated and integrated patient care for every patient we touch across the continuum.”
— Thomas McGinn, MD, MPH, SEVP and Chief Physician Executive Officer
For patients, dyad leadership means more coordinated, less fragmented care. When clinical leaders work in formal partnerships, that collaboration flows into every patient interaction.
The results speak for themselves. CommonSpirit has seen improvements in patient experience scores and quality metrics that directly correlate with better teamwork and communication among clinical staff. It’s also helped boost recruitment and retention.
At CommonSpirit, dyad leadership isn’t about how we organize our leadership structure. It’s about how we honor the reality that excellent patient care has always been a team effort.
Thomas McGinn, MD, MPH, SEVP, Chief Physician Executive Officer
Strategic Nursing Priorities
Over the next few pages, you’ll learn more about the progress we’ve made and how we achieved our strategic priorities. All of these achievements are a result of your collective efforts, and you should be proud of how we’ve been able to advance the art and science of nursing together at CommonSpirit Health.
After announcing the CommonSpirit nursing vision statement in FY21, nurse leaders determined the top priorities for the next five years that would help make the statement a reality. Ideas were evaluated on what would make the greatest impact on workplace satisfaction and improve the careers of CommonSpirit nurses.
Our priorities:
Develop a comprehensive, ministry-wide nursing residency program
Expand our virtual nursing capabilities
Create an internal nurse staffing agency with traveling nurses
Support nurse resilience and well-being
Ensure nurses have shared governance
Now that we’ve reached the end of our first five-year plan, nurse leaders will develop and select the nursing strategic priorities for the next few years, in alignment with CommonSpirit’s overall strategic priorities. As always, nurse leaders will ask for input from nurses across the ministry as our priorities are selected.
CommonSpirit Health’s National Nurse Residency Program
The nurse residency program reflects CommonSpirit’s commitment to a skilled, collaborative workforce delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.
CommonSpirit Health’s National Nurse Residency Program (NNRP) has demonstrated remarkable growth in FY25, with nearly 3,000 nurses either actively participating or successfully completing their residency.
The program’s reach expanded to include 81 acute care hospitals. This widespread adoption is underscored by the program’s aggregate retention rate of 91%, with an 84% retention rate for completed cohorts, reflecting the dedicated support and comprehensive training provided to our new nurses across all participating facilities.
The residency program expanded in FY25 with the addition of specialized tracks, including NICU, Perinatal: Mother/Baby, Perinatal: Labor & Delivery, Peds/PICU and Behavioral Health. This expansion was made possible by the collaborative efforts of subject matter experts from across CommonSpirit, who developed clinical courses for these new areas. The established Med-Surg-Tele and Critical Care tracks were enhanced with new case studies and interactive learning opportunities.
A new voluntary Career Coaching opportunity was introduced, providing residents with
individual professional guidance, resume writing, interview skills training and goal-setting for long-term growth within CommonSpirit.
Feedback from our first stakeholder survey, encompassing nearly 850 nurse leaders, educators, site coordinators and preceptors, overwhelmingly affirmed the program’s effectiveness in preparing nurses for real-world practice. Asked to rate whether, upon completion, nurses participating in the NNRP have effectively transitioned to provide safe, quality, patientcentered care respondents gave it a 3.95 out of 5.
Looking ahead to FY26, we anticipate hiring an additional 2,000 to 3,000 new graduate nurses. We also plan to finalize Ambulatory Care and Critical Access Hospital tracks and revise the PeriOp and ED clinical tracks as well as the Professional Development curriculum.
This program significantly strengthens our talent pipeline, enhances patient safety and quality outcomes, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and excellence.
National Preceptor Program: Standardizing Excellence in Mentorship
CommonSpirit also offers the National Preceptor Program to provide standardized training for preceptors. Available in pathways for multiple disciplines, this program fosters One CommonSpirit through consistent training and interprofessional continuing education units (CEUs). This unified approach ensures all new team members receive consistent, high-quality onboarding regardless of discipline, ultimately enhancing patient care and strengthening our sense of community.
Virtually Integrated Care
Virtually Integrated Care (VIC) brings assistance to the bedside care team with computer technology.
The VIC Professional Practice Model represents a significant innovation in health care by integrating VIC nurses as key members of the care team. The model harnesses advancements in technology and care delivery to improve patient outcomes, reduce workload, boost staff and patient satisfaction, and promote a learning culture within the health care environment.
VIC nurses work closely with bedside clinical nurses and other health care providers to deliver comprehensive patient
and family-centered care. They prioritize patient safety and collaborate with the bedside team to implement safety measures and elevate the standard of care.
They play a proactive role in overcoming discharge barriers through a coordinated multidisciplinary approach, ensuring a smooth transition for patients. They also focus on enhancing health literacy and obtain detailed patient admission histories to provide personalized care that considers social determinants of health.
The VIC Professional Practice Model has demonstrated the ability to transition novice nurses to proficient nurses because they’re supported by expert nurses behind the camera.
Patient beds covered by VIC 1,447 Noteworthy Numbers
nurses
Virtual patient interactions 365K
From hospital to home, the VIC Professional Practice Model is transforming nursing and interprofessional collaboration — advancing equity; driving innovation; and delivering coordinated, patientcentered care that improves outcomes, accelerates healing and elevates the value of care across our health system.”
— Linda Goodwin, RN, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, FACHE, System SVP and Chief Nursing Transformation/Clinical Nursing Informatics Officer
VIC Recognition
$2.3M
Decrease in nurse turnover 5.9% Improved quality care savings
Decrease in average patient stay 9 hours
The VIC Professional Practice Model earned multiple national recognitions, including:
• The American Academy of Nursing’s Edge Runner Award in 2024, which acknowledges VIC as a nurse-designed model of care that demonstrates significant clinical, financial and quality outcomes.
• The American Nurses Association’s (ANA) 2025 ANA Enterprise Innovations Honorable Mention, which celebrates nurse-led innovations that improve patient safety outcomes. VIC was one of seven entries honored out of 330 applicants in the award’s technology category. The honor carries a
$10,000 prize, which is being used to develop AI tools to reduce hospital-acquired pressure injuries.
• The 2025 ATA Nexus Transformational Leadership Award, also known as the Leadership in Care Transformation Award, presented by the American Telemedicine Association. The award recognizes individuals or organizations that have significantly advanced the field of telehealth and virtual care.
Cultivating a Culture of Well-Being
We’re prioritizing nurse well-being across CommonSpirit Health by addressing causes of burnout and creating environments for caregiving where people feel seen, valued and supported.
“Well-being isn’t a destination that we’ll check off a list,” says Connie Clemmons-Brown, RN, DNP, System SVP of Patient Care Service. “It’s an ongoing effort, shaped by daily actions, honest conversations, and mutual respect. As we move forward, let’s keep asking: How can we care for each other as well as we care for our patients? That’s how we build a healthier, more resilient nursing workforce — one where every nurse can thrive.”
Here are a few well-being initiatives we’ve launched:
Building Well-Being From the Start
The National Nurse Residency Program emphasizes well-being as a critical skill for new nurses. Throughout the year-long program, nurses are asked to set aside time for debriefing and practice resilience-building, which is essential for developing the art of well-being.
Ascend Leadership Development Program
Many nurses feel ready for the clinical challenges of leadership, but balancing the needs of staff, the organization, and their own wellness can feel overwhelming. That’s where the ASCEND leadership development program comes in. It’s designed to help aspiring nurse leaders build the skills they need — not just to lead others, but to care for themselves along the way.
Support Through Tough Times
The Code Kindness and Peer Ambassadors programs offer employees timely, compassionate support. The programs are currently available in the Northwest Region and parts of the Central Region (Nebraska and Iowa), with plans to expand to all five regions.
The goal of Code Kindness is to address acute needs, especially traumatic stress, which can occur in nursing units through a variety of patient care situations. In reaching out to their local Code Kindness leader, nurses and others can get a timely and compassionate response and avoid secondary trauma.
Peer Ambassadors is the official CommonSpirit peer support program, where trained peers recognize and respond to peers experiencing stress or who need a listening ear.
Belonging Circles
CommonSpirit introduced Belonging Circles in FY25 to support a work environment where every individual has the opportunity to be valued and heard. Belonging Circles are employee-led groups intended to create an inclusive environment for individuals to share a common identity, allyship, and support. The goal is to build a more connected and supportive community, ultimately enhancing our collective well-being and strengthening our mission to serve.
Lyra
Many employees are taking advantage of Lyra, the organization’s mental health benefit. The Lyra program has a higher participation rate than typical employee assistance programs. To date, 20% of employees — including many nurses — have registered for Lyra, with 7.8% receiving unique care. The average time to the first available appointment is only one day, making it accessible and convenient.
How Well-Being Services Help Our Nurses
RN
Carly Krusemark, RN, a nurse navigator at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, was overwhelmed with grief in 2023 when a young patient’s disease took a devastating turn. She turned to Code Kindness for emotional support. Not only did the chaplain help in the moment but gave her coping tools she could use in the future. Thanks to the help she received, Carly felt emotionally prepared when her patient passed a month later.
“It was so comforting knowing that support was available to me,” Carly said.
Carly Krusemark,
The National Internal Travel Program
The National Internal Travel Program (NITP) currently supports 200 active travelers, including nurses and technicians, serving nine states.
These caregivers are sent to meet the dynamic needs of our inpatient operations as well as remote clinical functions, ensuring our facilities remain staffed during periods of vacancy or transition. This program has proven to be a strategic asset in ensuring continuity of care improving patient outcomes, and reducing reliance on expensive external travel nurses.
Since it started, NITP has helped:
• Ensure patients are seen in a timely manner.
• Enhance the quality of care delivered by providing experienced and trained clinicians during periods of critical need.
• Significantly reduce labor costs by using internal resources over third-party staffing agencies.
• Strengthen local facilities’ bargaining power with external agency vendors. This enables better billing rates, further reducing reliance on expensive labor.
One CommonSpirit
Centralized coordination and deployment of travelers allow for agile responses to fluctuating census and workforce challenges across regions. We’re in the process of integrating 187 additional travelers from a previously established regional program, further strengthening our national reach and alignment.
This expansion will allow for more streamlined operations, improved resource sharing and greater consistency in care delivery across all CommonSpirit facilities.
Looking forward, preliminary modeling indicates an additional $13.5 million in savings for FY26 through program expansion and integration with broader workforce strategies. Future priorities include onboarding more staff in specialized clinical disciplines, expanding into the Mountain and California Regions, and implementing advanced technology solutions to enhance operational efficiency and financial oversight.
Notable Facts
To our incredible internal travelers — thank you for your dedication, adaptability and unwavering commitment to delivering compassionate care wherever it’s needed most. Your work not only fills gaps; it lifts our entire ministry. You’re making a real difference in the lives of our patients and our teams. Keep leading with heart, purpose and excellence. We’re so proud of all you do.”
— Travis Gesell, RN, MSN, MBA, System Director, National Internal Travel Program
$2.5 million in cost savings
13 facilities served, encompassing a diverse range from smaller community hospitals to large, Level I trauma and Magnet-designated medical centers
Geographic and operational reach that supports both rural and urban markets, ensuring staffing flexibility and clinical continuity systemwide
Cultivating Nurse Leaders for Enhanced Professional Governance
Our strategic priorities have included ensuring nurses have shared professional governance across the ministry.
We make sure nurses have participation in the decision-making processes and empower them to contribute to patient care improvements. Professional governance establishes the infrastructure for clinical decision-making and actions that influence the nursing profession and health care overall.
To help facilitate this professional governance, CommonSpirit Health’s Patient Care Services (PCS) Councils have strategically re-envisioned the national governance model to match the new five-region structure. Under the leadership of Tamara Kear, SVP of Professional Practice, Research and Evidence-Based Practice — and in collaboration with the PCS Councils’ facilitators — a comprehensive proposal was developed to standardize the four PCS Councils. This proposal was subsequently approved by the Nursing Executive Council.
The refined structure mandates representation from each market, with designated regional leaders serving as voting members. Chief nursing executives from each region nominate market and regional representatives, aligning with the mission and purpose criteria outlined in each PCS Council’s charter.
Key responsibilities of these representatives include consistent attendance at council meetings, facilitating communication between the national and facility levels, and participating in voting where applicable. These system-level market and regional representatives serve as vital liaisons, fostering communication not only
within their individual facilities but also across multiple sites within their respective markets and throughout the entire region. This ensures effective information flow from facilities to councils and vice versa, directly modeling the tenets of professional governance.
Since the implementation of this new structure, the PCS Councils have worked to enhance communication and support shared decisionmaking across the ministry. Ongoing training and leadership development are recognized as critical components to further strengthen professional governance and ensure the consistent application of best practices across all regions.
The strategic evolution of CommonSpirit Health’s professional governance model represents a significant investment in nursing leadership and practice. By empowering nurses with greater ownership and accountability for their practice, CommonSpirit benefits from enhanced clinical decision-making, improved patient outcomes, and a more engaged and collaborative nursing workforce.
For our nurses, this refined structure provides a pathway for professional growth, fosters a sense of shared purpose and ensures their voices shape the future of patient care within our organization.
National Nursing Initiatives
We’re working on a number of national nursing initiatives to both enhance patient care and support nurses as leaders in clinical care. The following pages give a look at a few of those important initiatives.
CommonSpirit Health Human Trafficking Response Program
The program is designed to combat human trafficking, help survivors through outreach and support and influence policy.
The program has made significant strides in FY25 as a national influence on education and policy changes. Holly Gibbs, System Director of the CommonSpirit Health Human Trafficking Response Program, was recently appointed to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. This appointment provides a platform for us to directly inform federal anti-trafficking policies.
We’ve been involved in various educational and collaborative endeavors, such as:
• Holly Gibbs gave a Grand Rounds presentation on human trafficking at Baylor College of Medicine in January 2025, sharing insights with future health care leaders.
• The Human Trafficking Task Force at CHI Health St. Francis, in collaboration with UT Health San Antonio, provided virtual training sessions on human trafficking to behavioral health providers and associates.
• Our team members have coauthored several articles, including “Tracking Human Trafficking” in the Journal of Informatics Nursing, “Fine-Tuning a Regional Response to Aid Human Trafficking Survivors” in Health Progress Journal and “Health Care and Human Trafficking” in the Journal of Human Trafficking.
Significant progress has also been made in solidifying our internal framework. The systemwide Abuse, Neglect and Violence policy is being implemented across all regions, with the Mountain and Central Regions completing the process for acute care facilities this year.
A cornerstone of this policy is the PEARR (Provide privacy, Educate, Ask, Respect, Respond) Tool, which guides health care providers in assessing potential trafficking with a trauma-informed, patient-centered approach. An educational video was launched this year to encourage employees to use the PEARR Tool.
The Human Trafficking Response Program piloted a continuum of care program in Bismarck, North Dakota, specifically tailored to serve Indigenous populations. Additionally, a federal grant helped launch the Patient Care Navigator Program in Houston, Texas. This program is instrumental in enhancing victim outreach and delivering comprehensive, culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate case management to human trafficking survivors.
We’ve also ensured the consistent availability of awareness material for staff and patients, such as posters, brochures, and safety cards. These resources are essential for educating our staff and providing information and assistance to patients, reinforcing our commitment to proactive identification and support.
Evidence-Based Practice
CommonSpirit Health is committed to cultivating a culture of inquiry and evidence-based practice (EBP).
Our dedication to EBP directly translates into improved patient outcomes, enhanced patient experiences and optimized nursing practice. We’ve strategically invested in several key initiatives designed to significantly advance EBP across our ministries.
CommonSpirit achieved a notable milestone when 21 nurses participated in the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare program. This intensive, week-long virtual immersion, guided by nationally recognized EBP experts, equipped participants with essential skills: formulating searchable questions, thoroughly appraising and synthesizing evidence, and developing actionable practice recommendations.
Topics addressed included intradialytic hypertension, readmissions, sepsis management, bedside shift report, family meetings, culture of safety, code blue response and virtually integrated care. Following the immersion, participants received sustained support through personalized mentoring and regular quarterly cohort meetings to facilitate the ongoing development and successful implementation of their EBP initiatives.
research councils, system-level evidence-based policies and guidelines, the Nursing Excellence Showcase, Doctor of Nursing Practice Capstone review opportunities, and an EBP educational workshop series and writing workshops.
Looking ahead to the next fiscal year, our national team will introduce Ovid® Synthesis, an advanced electronic platform designed to streamline EBP and quality initiatives and enable precise progress tracking.
What’s next?
Several EBP initiatives are actively underway, including the implementation of standardized discharge phone calls to reduce readmissions, enhanced workplace violence training protocols and the establishment of best practices for onboarding international nurses.
CommonSpirit also provides a comprehensive suite of EBP resources. These include access to extensive library databases, the Nursing Research and EBP Council, various regional
CommonSpirit hosted a Nursing Research and EBP Virtual Symposium in September 2025. This event provided a platform for nurses from across our ministry to present their EBP research initiatives. We remain dedicated to expanding our mentor bench strength, fostering a culture of inquiry, and strategically leveraging EBP to improve outcomes, reduce redundancies and stop practices that lack sufficient evidence.
By prioritizing EBP, CommonSpirit aspires to be a preeminent leader in clinical excellence — a health care environment where patients confidently seek care and where nurses are empowered to thrive in their practice.
Nurses as Thought Leaders
CommonSpirit Health is dedicated to the advancement of patient care and the nursing profession through nursing research initiatives.
Our research portfolio spans diverse, impactful areas including:
• Bedside education
• Pre-hospital sepsis
• Fall prevention
• Postpartum depression
• Manager stress
• Peer coaching
Last year, 29 RN-led research studies were submitted to the Institutional Review Board.
CommonSpirit nurses as leaders in research:
The Writing Workshop Series
CommonSpirit started a sixpart writing workshop series from October 2024 to March 2025. Participants reported a tangible improvement in their writing skills.
The CommonSpirit Health Research Institute Summit
The FY25 Summit welcomed 273 attendees, including 63 nurses who represented 23% of participants. The Summit highlighted nursing excellence with two award recipients, seven special acknowledgments, four podium presentations and 15 poster presentations.
National Conference Presentation Exemplars CommonSpirit nurses are prominent presenters at national conferences, further underscoring our commitment to disseminating nursing findings and elevating the organization’s expertise:
Three CommonSpirit nursing leaders shared their expertise at the American Organization for Nursing Leadership in Boston, Massachusetts. Amrit Kamboj, System VP of Clinical Education, and Jennifer Hubek, System Director of the National Nurse Residency Program (NNRP), delivered a presentation on the National NNRP. Connie Clemmons-Brown, RN, DNP, System SVP of Patient Care Service, participated in a panel discussion about how nurses can help identify victims of human trafficking.
Barb Nickel, RN, APRN-CNS, CCRN, CRNI, Clinical Nurse Specialist, presented at the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition in New Orleans. Her presentation, “Peripheral
Above: CommonSpirit nurse researcher Barb Nickel presents her research during a recent conference at University of California, San Francisco.
Vasopressor Administration: A Risk/Benefit Analysis,” was well received by a large audience of critical care nurses and subsequently repeated for the virtual conference. She was also invited to present at two education sessions on sepsisassociated acute kidney injury, each incorporating a paired virtual reality simulation.
Numerous CommonSpirit nurses presented their work at local, regional, national and international forums.
Noteworthy Numbers
29
RN-led research studies submitted to the Institutional Review Board
73
nurses attended research writing workshops
63
nurses presented research at the CommonSpirit Health Research Institute Summit
Involvement in research fosters professional growth, enhancing nursing’s role in interprofessional collaboration and process improvement.”
— Barb Nickel, RN, APRN-CNS, CCRN, CRNI Clinical Nurse Specialist, CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island, Nebraska
CommonSpirit Health’s Regions
CommonSpirit Health’s five regions foster a cohesive network of care that supports standardized best practices and coordinated care efforts across diverse geographical areas to ensure high-quality, patientcentered outcomes.
Northwest Region
Every day, our nurses show the world what compassion in action looks like. Their skill, dedication and deep humanity touch lives in ways that statistics alone can never capture.”
— Heather Coleman, RN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer, Northwest Region
Achieving Through Patient-Centered Care
Northwest Region’s 6,422 nurses transform health care delivery while upholding high standards of compassionate care.
Accomplishments
Two Northwest Region hospitals, St. Michael Medical Center and St. Anthony Hospital, are the only hospitals in Washington state that hold the Pathway to Excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. St. Anne, St. Clare and St. Francis Hospitals are all working to join their two peers and will submit their applications in 2026.
The St. Francis leaders who are guiding the hospital’s Pathway to Excellence designation efforts.
The Northwest Region launched the Allied Healthcare Academy, in partnership with Clover Park Technical College, to offer free training for health care roles like Certified Nursing Assistants and surgical technologists.
The Academy supports individuals who’ve faced barriers to employment in health care, including those who identify as neurodivergent or face socioeconomic challenges. Through a combination of virtual and in-person learning, the program provides flexible, accessible education formats and personalized support, such as coaching, captioned content and extended timelines for assignments.
We remove financial barriers for participants by covering the full cost of training, providing full-time pay and offering access to employee
benefits. The Academy welcomed its inaugural cohort in January 2025.
One CommonSpirit
The newly launched Northwest Region Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Council is shaping the future of care by mentoring nurse residents, championing local EBP projects and connecting nurses to conference opportunities.
The Council empowers nurses to turn questions into practice-changing solutions to strengthen outcomes for patients, teams and the nursing profession. The Council coordinates with leaders from across the ministry to identify and implement evidence-based practices as One CommonSpirit.
Northwest Region nurses Stacey DeMaranville and Akiko Miller won 2024 March of Dimes awards for excellence in women’s health and innovation.
Northwest Region and community leaders gathered for the Allied Healthcare Academy ribbon cutting.
Humankindness Hero
Jaycee Wood, RN, Virginia Mason Bellevue Ambulatory Surgery Center in Bellevue, Washington
Whether she’s assisting in GI procedures, covering pre-op or helping at the front desk, Jaycee Wood steps in wherever needed. Her ability to balance clinical care with operational leadership has improved patient flow, enhanced engagement and helped build a culture
where nurses feel heard, empowered and valued. Known for her humility and hands-on leadership, Jaycee goes the extra mile by making early morning supply runs to ensure procedures stay on track and patients receive timely care. Her approach to nursing reflects the best of holistic care — addressing the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of her patients.
Pictured above, top to bottom: (Both group photos) Northwest Region teams celebrated Nurses Week and attended a regional development and well-being conference in Tacoma, Washington. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health nurse Heidi Urquhart threw the first pitch at the Seattle Mariners’ Nurse Appreciation Night where nurses enjoyed an evening at T-Mobile Park.
Central Region
The sacred connections we make with our patients result in lifelong memories, and I’m proud of the nursing excellence showcased within our region.”
— Tim Plante, RN, MSN, MHA, Chief Nursing Officer, Central Region
Delivering Excellence Through Compassionate Care
From Magnet recognition awards to zero infection records, regional nursing teams set new standards in patient care and safety.
Accomplishments
CHI Health St. Francis and CHI Health St. Elizabeth in Nebraska earned Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), signifying nursing leaders successfully aligning their nursing strategic goals to improve the organization’s patient outcomes.
Three Central Region hospitals have achieved the ANCC Pathway to Excellence designation, which recognizes a health care organization’s commitment to creating a positive practice environment that empowers and engages staff:
• CHI Health Immanuel
• CHI Health Good Samaritan
• CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs
The first Nebraska and Iowa Nursing Shared Governance Summit was in Omaha, Nebraska, this year. The event featured keynote speaker Dr. Tim Porter-O’Grady, a renowned expert in nursing governance. There were also presentations from the Nebraska and Iowa Nursing Shared Governance councils, poster presentations from nursing staff and more. This successful event has fostered the expansion and reinforcement of shared governance principles.
The Las Vegas market consistently provides quality care and makes patient safety a top priority. Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Siena Campus has reached one year without a single patient experiencing a catheter-associated urinary tract infection. This significant accomplishment demonstrates its dedication to infection prevention and patient-centered care.
One CommonSpirit
The Central Region prepared to implement the titration of continuous infusion medications in critical care policy. Recognizing that patient safety
Humankindness Hero
Jillian Quilici, RN, Charge Nurse, Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital Laveen - Glendale-Camelback Hospital Emergency Room in Glendale, Arizona
Jillian Quilici actively seeks opportunities to elevate care for vulnerable populations, always leading with empathy and heart.
Recognizing that many patients lacked access to clean, warm clothing, Jillian took the initiative to launch a clothing drive, setting up collection bins and encouraging her colleagues to contribute. In preparation for the summer months, Jillian also compiled and shared valuable resources with our teams to help support patients in need during extreme heat.
is paramount across all 52 hospitals in the region, a need for a supplemental toolkit was identified to assist our nurses in providing excellent care to our patients.
The clinical education team assembled a collaborative team of key policy stakeholders, educators and subject matter experts from each market within the Central Region. This team, representing all six states, developed a standardized toolkit now used across the entire region, embodying the spirit of “One CommonSpirit in Action.”
Jillian’s spirit of humankindness extends well beyond patients — she’s equally devoted to supporting her colleagues. Many travel nurses who once came temporarily have chosen to become core team members, thanks in large part to Jillian’s mentorship and the culture of belonging she helps cultivate. Jillian also frequently steps in to assist coworkers facing personal challenges, whether by offering direct aid or rallying team support when appropriate. Most recently, she’s begun forging relationships with local law enforcement to enhance safety and peace of mind for her team.
Opposite, top to bottom: Nurses at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, celebrate Nurses Week with the theme “Nurses Will Be There for You.” Nurse leaders at CHI St. Alexius Health in North Dakota celebrated the hospital’s 140th anniversary by dressing in nursing attire from past eras. CHI Health Schuyler team members participate in a Nebraska community parade. Team members from CHI Health Immanuel in Omaha, Nebraska, celebrate earning the ANCC Pathway to Excellence designation.
Mountain Region
“Our nurses have led quality improvements, mentored the next generation and elevated the nursing profession in every encounter. I’m proud to serve alongside each of you.”
— Stacey-Ann Okoth, RN, PhD, DNP, MBA, Chief Nursing Officer, Mountain Region
Pioneering Excellence Through Purpose and Innovation
From Flight for Life expansion to virtual nursing research, the Mountain Region sets new standards for rural health care excellence.
Accomplishments
The CommonSpirit Emergency & Urgent Care Copper earned Level V Trauma designation in November. The facility’s nursing team played a key role in obtaining the designation.
With the opening of a new helicopter base at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Fort Morgan, Colorado, Flight for Life expanded its critical care transport capabilities this year. This strategic location extends rapid access to advanced medical care to the Eastern Plains.
Beyond providing critical transportation, the Flight for Life medical crew members serve as valuable resources to the staff at St. Elizabeth Hospital. They actively participate in patient care and provide ongoing education.
Flight for Life is also working to establish a seventh helicopter base at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kansas, slated to go into service in late 2025. These two new bases represent how CommonSpirit Health is making a big investment in rural health.
The Mountain Region is pursuing Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) certification. In August 2024, nine sites across six practice settings achieved this recognition, demonstrating a commitment to providing a supportive and standardized transition for new graduate nurses. The region is continuing to build on this success, with applications submitted for PTAP accreditation for an additional eight sites and one practice setting, with final review anticipated in early 2026.
Humankindness Hero
Jillyn Graham, RN, Clinical Educator, Emergency Department, Holy Cross Hospital - Davis in Layton, Utah
Jillyn Graham, who was recognized as the 2025 Nurse of the Year by the Utah Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, worked as a paramedic and Emergency Department technician while earning her nursing degree.
Addressing the ever-present challenges of staffing and workload management in health care, the Mountain Region team has pioneered a creative solution that not only supports clinical nurses but also enhances the patient experience: Intermittent Virtual Nursing (IVN). This approach uses virtual nurses to provide intermittent support to bedside nurses, particularly during peak times or when specialized expertise is required.
The results of this effort were published in the Journal of Nursing Administration in an article titled “Intermittent Virtual Nursing: A Contingency Staffing Plan to Support Clinical Nurses.” The research demonstrates the positive impact of IVN on nurse satisfaction, patient outcomes and overall operational efficiency.
She served for seven years as the official EMS Outreach Liaison for the hospital. In that role, Jillyn facilitated numerous continuing education opportunities for Davis County first responders. That love of teaching fellow caregivers has led her to her next position — she recently accepted the role as educator for Holy Cross Hospital - Davis.
One CommonSpirit
The Mountain Region is demonstrating the power of One CommonSpirit through its robust and expanding new graduate nurse residency program. A key achievement this year was the successful onboarding of 300 new graduate nurses through three cohorts in 2024 and 2025.
Recognizing the importance of the One CommonSpirit vision, the Mountain Region has restructured its department to adopt a market-focused approach. Each market now has a dedicated New Graduate Nurse Residency Specialty Educator. This approach allows for more effective resource allocation, improved communication and a greater sense of ownership and accountability at the local level.
Opposite page, clockwise: OR nurses at Holy Cross Hospital - Salt Lake in Salt Lake City, Utah. Orthopedics staff at St. Francis Hospital - Interquest in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Stacey-Ann Okoth, Mountain Region Chief Nursing Officer (center) with Labor and Delivery team at Longmont United Hospital in Longmont, Colorado. Surgical nurses at Holy Cross Hospital - Salt Lake. This page: Cath Lab staff at Holy Cross Hospital - Salt Lake.
South Region
From bedside nurses to leadership, everyone works together to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients.”
— Veronica Martin, RN, DNP, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, South Region
Achieving Excellence With Designations
South Region teams redefine what’s possible in patient care.
Accomplishments
The South Region is committed to advanced education and innovative practice. The region has a robust cadre of more than 50 nurses with doctorate degrees who are transforming patient care. It has approximately 1,250 certified nurses, demonstrating a commitment to specialized knowledge and skill.
This dedication to advancing the profession is evidenced by more than 50 presentations, posters and abstracts at regional and national conferences in FY25. These accomplishments underscore our pursuit of excellence and commitment to shaping the future of nursing.
In addition, CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs in Arkansas achieved its second Magnet with Distinction designation. The Magnet with Distinction designation is the highest honor awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing
Center, and St. Vincent Hot Springs is one of 41 hospitals in the U.S. to earn this award. The hospital’s exceptional RN satisfaction and engagement scores, outperforming the national benchmark in nurse sensitive indicators in 18 out of 20 nursing units, truly underscore the dedication and hard work of the nursing staff.
Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (BSLMC) in Houston, Texas, achieved its sixth Magnet designation. The hospital was the first organization in Texas to receive Magnet designation, one of just 28 U.S. hospitals to be awarded a sixth or more designation.
One CommonSpirit
The National Nurse Residency Program (NNRP) remains a key driver in shaping a unified One CommonSpirit mindset across the organization, ensuring every new graduate nurse — regardless of geography
Members of the nurse residency cohort at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs in Arkansas.
or facility size — receives a consistent, high-quality onboarding experience that includes evidence-based nursing practice and professional development.
The South Region welcomed 491 new graduate nurses into the NNRP and achieved a 93% retention rate at one year of hire in FY25. Covering 23 facilities in seven markets, six specialty tracks were adopted. Three programs submitted applications in April 2025 for accreditation by the ANCC’s Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP).
Looking ahead to FY26, all facilities will either be PTAP applicants (aligned to a centralized and accredited program) or fully accredited by February 2026. The region also had 80% of learners disseminate an Evidence-Based
Humankindness Hero
Amanda McNatt, RN, Women’s Services at St. Luke’s HealthThe Woodlands Hospital in Woodlands, Texas
Amanda McNatt is a humankindness hero because of the kindness and thoughtfulness she shows her patients. Recently, she helped a woman who had a baby in the NICU. The mom came every day to see her baby, but Amanda noticed she always wore the same clothes. On her day off, Amanda went shopping and brought the mom a huge bag of clothes, toiletries, snacks and drinks. Then, Amanda put the bag at the baby’s isolette for the mom to have as a surprise the next time she came to visit. She included a note that said, “Don’t forget to take care of yourself.” When the mother opened the bag, she cried. Amanda never signed her name to the card, but she wanted the mother to know someone out there cared for her.
Practice (EBP) project at the facility level. Residents in the South Region completed 40 EBP programs.
to bottom: Pet therapy team at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs in Arkansas. Nurses at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, Texas.
Top
California Region
Our nursing teams carry the weight and privilege of shaping the future of care with courage, compassion and purpose.”
—
Ron Yolo, RN, DNP, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, California Region
Leading Health Care Innovation With Heart
From personalized end-of-life care to streamlined transfer systems, our teams transform the patient experience through humankindness.
Accomplishments
Strategic initiatives aimed at retaining and growing our nursing staff have yielded significant results. Staff turnover rates have declined, with a FY25 rate of 12.4%, below our goal of 16.49%. This turnover rate also improves upon FY24’s rate of 13.7%. A focus on internal nursing recruitment has reduced traveler and registry nurse utilization across the region.
The formation of the Market CNO-CMO dyad leadership has brought together clinical and operational expertise to drive integrated decision-making across quality, safety and patient experience. By aligning nursing and medical leadership, this new dyad model has fostered a unified approach to care delivery across the California Region.
Since launching foundational practices focused on communication, teamwork and narration of care, the region has seen improvement in patient experience, with baseline scores rising from the 21st percentile to the 30th percentile. Standardized tools like AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration,
Explanation and Thank You), care cards, discharge scripting and comfort initiatives have built trust, compassion and consistency across facilities.
One CommonSpirit
A significant achievement this year was the optimization of the California Region Transfer Center, serving as a single point of contact for patient transfers between all our hospitals across the region. Overall, the transfer center has seen an 11.5% increase in transfers into our hospitals and a 3% increase in transfers between our hospital facilities in FY25.
The team is actively working to further enhance the transfer center’s effectiveness through an ongoing focus on working as a system, automated bed placement, capacity management, physician alignment and robust Higher Level of Care outreach. These efforts include evaluating transfer protocols to increase acceptance rates and ensure patients receive timely access to the appropriate level of care.
Members of the Marian Regional Medical Center nursing team in Santa Maria, California.
Humankindness Hero
Callie Simons, RN, Palliative Care Nurse, Mercy Medical Center in Redding, California
As a palliative care nurse, Callie Simons works with patients and families who are facing decisions on how they’ll approach their chronic disease or terminal illness. Callie provides support with compassion, love and tenderness.
At her own expense, Callie purchases stuffed teddy bears and voice boxes through the Build-A-Bear Workshop. She uses the voice boxes to record the heartbeats or personalized messages of a terminal patient so they can leave something “a little extra special” for their loved ones after they pass.
Two recent stories shared by patients’ families are examples of how Callie is a humankindness hero:
• A young mother with several small children was dying of metastatic cancer. Callie procured a number of the bears, which allowed the young mother to leave special messages to each of her children.
• An older married couple was dealing with the wife being terminally ill. The husband shared he’d always listen to his wife’s heartbeat and how much he would miss that sound. Callie recorded the wife’s heartbeat and placed it into a teddy bear, bringing great comfort to the husband.
Above, counterclockwise: Members of Bakersfield Memorial Hospital nursing staff. Methodist Hospital of Sacramento nurses enjoy the annual employee BBQ. Members of the Post Acute Home Health nursing team in Santa Maria, California.
Business Lines
CommonSpirit Health’s business lines are integral to driving excellence through specialized care, innovative practices and strategic leadership. By focusing on evidence-based practices and continuous professional development, the nursing teams ensure the highest standards of patient support and care.
Elevating Care Through Excellence and Innovation
Improving senior living care through compassionate leadership.
CommonSpirit Health Senior Living and Transitional Care delivers care for aging adults and vulnerable populations across 13 locations in seven states. Backed by a 1,958-member team, it upholds the mission of CommonSpirit by providing seniors with safe, convenient options — ranging from independent and assisted living to skilled nursing, rehabilitation and memory care.
All of CommonSpirit’s senior living and transitional care communities earned four and five stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this year. The Senior Living Minimum Data Set (MDS) team improved case mix index (CMI), optimized Patient-Driven Payment Model reimbursement and elevated quality measures.
The Senior Living MDS team created a plan for improvement through targeted MDS audits and training the staff on accurate coding. The MDS team came in-house for stronger oversight and started weekly case mix review meetings to address documentation gaps. These initiatives resulted in increased CMI, improved financial performance, and, most importantly, enhanced quality of care for our residents.
CommonSpirit Health Senior Living and Transitional Care focused on reducing the
incidence of pressure injury citations during annual surveys by developing and implementing a comprehensive pressure injury reduction initiative. The initiative includes early detection, staff education and best practice interventions, along with a thorough review of clinical policies, interdisciplinary team collaboration, enhanced staff training, improved clinical assessments and strengthened quality monitoring.
CommonSpirit Senior Living and Transitional Care established a target to reduce pressure injury incidence by 7.9% in FY26.
CommonSpirit Health Senior Living and Transitional Care is committed to elevating the quality of care across all facilities. To improve survey outcomes for facilities rated two stars or lower, the team implemented biannual mock surveys and expanded them to the assisted living program. This proactive approach, combined with survey management reviews, helped Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Iowa achieve deficiency-free status in FY25. Mock surveys are now a networkwide standard to ensure compliance, maintain quality standards and support CMI goal attainment.
The work of a health care professional demands perseverance, steadiness and heart. Caring for those who can’t care for themselves isn’t just noble — it’s deeply rewarding. Be proud of who you are and the team beside you. We live each day in service to others.”
— Dianne McFarland, RN, BSN, MBA, VP of Clinical Operations
One
CommonSpirit
CommonSpirit Health Senior Living and Transitional Care is demonstrating the power of collaboration between clinical expertise and IT innovation.
By partnering with Post-Acute IT to implement an electronic Medication Administration Record system at the Dominican Oaks retirement community in California and other senior living facilities, this joint effort ensures the new system is technologically advanced and seamlessly integrates into the daily workflows of our clinical staff. To facilitate a smooth transition, all assisted living clinical staff participated in a two-day intensive education session, fostering a shared understanding and ownership of the new platform.
Noteworthy Numbers
1,958
Employees
329
Total nursing staff
2,725
Total beds
1,427
Short-term rehab residents
Data from FY25.
Humankindness Hero
Kim Duncan, LPN, Franciscan Care Center in Toledo, Ohio
Kim Duncan consistently demonstrates a positive and empathetic approach to resident care, ensuring patients’ comfort and wellbeing. She excels as a servant leader, proactively mentoring colleagues and providing insightful guidance to both new and experienced staff. Her compassion and inclusive nature foster a welcoming environment for both residents and staff. Recognized for her dedication and contributions, Kim was named Employee of the Month for May 2025.
Dianne McFarland (bottom row, center) at a leadership training with the clinical team at The Gardens at St. Elizabeth in Denver, Colorado.
Delivering Excellence Beyond Hospital Walls
Health at Home transforms patient experiences one visit at a time.
CommonSpirit Health at Home is committed to delivering quality care and comprehensive home-based services to the communities we serve. We offer home health, hospice care, palliative care, home infusion therapy and supplemental staffing.
FY25 marked a period of significant achievement for CommonSpirit Health at Home, demonstrating our commitment to providing exceptional patient care in the home setting. Our efforts focused on enhancing patient outcomes, expanding access to care, and fostering a culture of professional growth and retention. Accomplishments include:
• A 9% reduction in hospital transfers through proactive in-home care.
• Expanded virtual nurse program, focusing on high-risk patients for intensive, personalized care.
• Telehealth utilization improvement of 77%, making health care more accessible.
The Health at Home team also earned high patient experience scores, a direct reflection of the unified culture the team enjoys that leads to happier, more satisfied patients. Patients aren’t just saying, “the care was good.” They’re saying things like, “The nurse took the time to really listen to my concerns and helped me work through them.”
“Our success in exceeding patient experience goals is a collective achievement,” says Kendra Onsgard, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, CommonSpirit Health at Home. “It’s a testament to the hard work, dedication and collaborative spirit of every member of our team. We’re creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute to a positive patient experience, and the results show it’s working.”
Noteworthy Numbers
2,172 Employees 1,227
Total nursing staff
1.2M
Prescriptions administered
Miles driven by nurses
Nursing visits >15M
643,972
Data from FY25.
One CommonSpirit
We’ve advanced our patient care services through remote in-home monitoring by partnering with CommonSpirit Health Care Base Virtual Nurses. These virtual nurses help care for our patients around the clock, provide self-care education, and help patients maintain their health goals.
Humankindness Hero
Zoe Parsons, RN, St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Recently, Zoe Parsons received a letter from a patient’s wife, thanking Zoe for her compassionate care and the humankindness she showed to the entire family. Take a look:
“Zoe provided a kind of care that was not only skilled and attentive but deeply human. She approached every visit with warmth, patience and tenderness that lifted a heavy burden from our shoulders. … We will never forget her. She went above and beyond in every possible way and her impact on our lives will stay with us forever.”
We have a responsibility to care for our patients’ physical needs as well as their emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. Our nurses embody our values and have a lasting, positive impact on our patients and their family members. It’s not just about a home visit; our nurses are advancing care in the home for their patients and family members.”
— Kendra Onsgard, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, CommonSpirit Health at Home
Expanding Ministry Through Compassionate Care
From standardized documentation systems to life-changing individual support, faith partners transform community health.
CommonSpirit Health partners with more than 325 faith-based and community organizations to improve the whole-person health of the people we serve. CommonSpirit Faith Community Nurse (FCN) Coordinators provide education, evidence-based resources and ongoing support to faith community nurses and health ministers to address the diverse health and social needs of those they serve.
Our faith community partners documented 24,791 hours of health ministry activity in 2024 and more than 133,500 points of contact with clients served. We showed a cost savings of $1,054,228 to clients, our health system and payers as a result of the support provided by our partnering faith community nurses and health ministers.
CommonSpirit’s collective return on investment in Faith Community Nurse Ministry in 2024 — including improved access to care, addressing health-related social needs like food and transportation, avoided ED visits and readmissions, and in-kind service of our faith community partners — totaled $2,045,868.
Members of the Congregational Health Ministries Network attend an appreciation luncheon. The network is coordinated by Jennifer Fletcher, RN, at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Washington state.
Our FCN Coordinators and partnering faith communities incorporate evidence-based strategies to address the diverse health needs of the community, particularly the underserved. Their compassionate care expands the reach of our ministry into the community and improves health outcomes — one person, one family, one faith community at a time.”
— Lois Lane, FNP-BC, JD, MA, System VP, Mission Integration, Community Health and Emerging Markets
The Health Team Ministry at Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gretna, Nebraska, serves a hearthealthy meal to the congregation and community.
7 Employees
Data from FY25.
Noteworthy Numbers
24,791
Hours of health ministry activity
One CommonSpirit FCN Coordinators worked together in 2024 to implement a standardized, web-based documentation system across our FCN ministries. This helps us tell a cohesive story about the impact of our ministries across CommonSpirit Health.
We also collectively introduced the Faith, Activity and Nutrition (FAN) program to all
Humankindness Hero
Mindy Castro, RN, Faith Community Nurse, Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Mindy works with Tri-Lakes Cares, an organization that serves as a community safety net for those in need in northern El Paso County, Colorado. Mindy addresses health concerns and
130
Total nursing staff
1.0M Cost savings
2.0M
Return on investment
of our faith community partners. FAN is an evidence-based program developed by the University of South Carolina in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local faith communities. FAN provides activities and resources focusing on nutrition and physical activity and promotes a culture of health in participating faith communities.
secures resources to help people overcome barriers to care, such as transportation, copay assistance and financial assistance for needed medical services. She also refers individuals to support programs to help get them connected to food, housing and utilities. With her caring heart, she builds trust and shows humankindness in every encounter.
National Nursing Teams
CommonSpirit Health’s national nursing teams play an important role in maintaining and elevating nursing standards across the organization. These teams provide critical support, clinical expertise and compassionate service at every touchpoint.
National Center for Advanced Practice
The National Center for Advanced Practice positions CommonSpirit Health as a leader in optimizing advanced practice, ensuring excellent care for patients and communities.
In FY25, we expanded our advanced practice clinical immersion and operational excellence work with a three-fold approach to drive engagement and impact.
Here’s how:
1. Workforce optimization and care model redesign to align our teams around common clinical and operational goals.
2. Clinical immersion and orientation to excellence program to immerse all incoming advanced practice providers into the complex care environment of today’s health care systems and ensure they’re prepared to thrive at CommonSpirit.
3. Advanced Practice Access Initiative, which teaches all care team members the roles within Advanced Practice.
One CommonSpirit Advanced Practice executives from across CommonSpirit partnered with
Ambulatory Care Nursing
operational and clinical executives to develop a specialty care optimization and access initiative, building on a care model redesign by combining their clinical and operational expertise to support value-driven care.
This One CommonSpirit approach enables us to cut costs by providing more efficient care with a focus on patient experience and helping patients move efficiently through the system.
“Our advanced practice providers amaze me with their dedication and excellence they bring to our communities every day.”
— Barbara Martin, PhD, ACNP-BC, MPH, System SVP, Advanced Practice
CommonSpirit Health has more than 2,000 ambulatory care nurses and 5,000 clinical ancillary staff serving in more than 1,600 clinics and other locations.
The contributions of our ambulatory care nurses extend beyond direct patient care to include active participation in quality improvement initiatives, implementation of innovative care models and promoting a culture of safety and excellence.
Accomplishments:
• The Mountain Region Physician Enterprise Nursing Team strengthened ambulatory shared governance through the CommonSpirit Medical Group RN Council and sub-councils, enhancing nursing practice.
• The region is transitioning to The DAISY Award for RNs and the BEE Award for support staff to better celebrate team contributions.
• In Texas, Quality Nurses partnered with physicians and staff to implement depression screening workflows — St. Joseph’s Health Medical Group in Brazos Valley achieved an 87% screening rate.
One CommonSpirit
Ambulatory nurses are committed to promoting annual wellness visits, advocating for diabetes management and promoting a positive patient experience.
“Your commitment to excellence and patient-centered care
is
appreciated and makes our
organization stronger.”
— Shawna Sharp, RN, System Director, Ambulatory Clinical Transformation
Behavioral Health
The CommonSpirit Health Center for Behavioral Health is led by a behavioral health executive leadership team, a mix of nursing and other subject matter experts from across the system.
Accomplishments:
• Fifty staff received training as antistigma faculty instructors and provided anti-stigma education to more than 500 employees. This helps overcome the stigma of mental health.
• Through work with the California Bridge program, 13 of our hospitals made the Cal Hospital Opioid Care and Patient Safety Honor Roll 2024. This recognizes how our hospital staff helped reduce opioid overdose deaths — which have fallen by 26.9% nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• System policies are under development to address patients at risk of harming others, as well as training for sitters/ safety attendants.
Clinical Informatics
One CommonSpirit
The Behavioral Health Clinical Council and executive leadership are building a national call center to enhance access, starting in California next year with plans to scale across the organization.
“From our CEO and the executive leadership team to the hundreds of staff who participate in developing a worldclass behavioral health service line, the commitment to our mission and values is evident.”
— Paul Rains, RN, MSN, System SVP, Behavioral Health
Co-led CMIO/CNIO structure reduces regional variability and aligns clinical expertise with technology to advance patient care.
Since its founding six years ago, CommonSpirit Health has prioritized a systematic approach to informatics, envisioning a streamlined leadership model that reduces complexity and aligns with IT to support its 10-year strategic roadmap.
Accomplishments:
• Co-led CommonSpirit’s first Interprofessional Care Planning Steering Committee, focused on streamlining electronic health record (EHR) workflows to create a better care planning documentation process.
• Collaborated with IT to define mobile app standards for shared nursing devices as part of Epic Gold EHR rollout. In parallel, the team worked closely with System Operations and National IT to support the Unified EHR project, ensuring clinical informatics priorities remain aligned with the broader One CommonSpirit Health vision.
• Developed the Sustain360 program to help regions stabilize and optimize their EHR workflows post-Epic Gold implementation. They also developed the operating model for the new 24/7 Virtual Clinical Informatics and Training (VITAL24) team, which will provide real-time virtual support and strengthen clinician readiness across care settings.
“Dyad
leadership empowers two distinct clinical voices to lead as one in Informatics to achieve One CommonSpirit.”
— Linda Goodwin, RN, MSN, MBA, NEA-BC, FACHE, System SVP and Chief Nursing Transformation/ Clinical Nursing Informatics Officer
Care Base and Patient Connection Center Triage Nursing
Learn how these two teams provide centralized triage nursing, cardiac monitoring and after-hours care across multiple states.
Care Base is a virtual hospital providing services for virtual specialty consults, virtual care continuum nurses, virtual observation for patient safety, discharges and transitions of care. Care Base provides central bed placement and transfer center operations to California and Nevada, and provides 228 centralized virtual care services across the ministry. In FY25, its centralized cardiac monitoring team monitored patients for 3,315,927 hours across 3,500 miles and added locations in Texas, Nebraska and California. Its centralized communication hospital operators serve 32 hospitals and freestanding emergency departments.
To our teams: Your ability to identify patient needs and work collaboratively to meet them is inspiring and makes a profound difference in the lives of those we serve. We’re deeply grateful for your commitment.”
— Sharon Modyman, RN, BSN, PHN, System Director of Connection Center Clinical Operations
The CommonSpirit Care
Base provides unparalleled support while empowering health care without limits.”
— Gail Daly, RN, System SVP, Clinical Operations, Optimization and Integration
Patient Connection Center Triage Nursing specializes in telephone triage, a process of assessing and prioritizing patient needs over the phone. By evaluating symptoms and reviewing the patient’s medical history, a nurse is able to determine the appropriate level of care — emergency care, a scheduled appointment or offering home care advice. The team is continually expanding its services and recently extended coverage to two new states.
One CommonSpirit
The Triage Nursing team collaborated with the Care Base team to launch an after-hours program that offers comprehensive, nurse-led triage, 24/7. After normal clinic hours, the staff and virtual nurses from Care Base answer patient calls and provide the same level of service, including nurse triage and care advice.
The new initiative has significantly improved patients’ access to their care providers and ensures responsive, efficient support within the trusted CommonSpirit framework. The program has expanded in California and will expand into the South Region next year.
Clinical Regulatory and Revenue Enhancement
Clinical Regulatory and Revenue Enhancement is a new department under Nursing, integrating Care Management, Utilization Management and Internal Physician Advisory Services (IPAS).
The goal of Clinical Regulatory and Revenue Enhancement is to optimize regulatory compliance and revenue integrity across CommonSpirit Health. In collaboration with system, region and market leaders, the department emphasizes centralizing and standardizing policies, practices, resources and data reporting. This helps streamline care delivery, implement efficient revenue reimbursement processes and improve overall outcomes while maintaining adherence to relevant laws and regulations.
Accomplishments:
• Care Management established two workforce development initiatives: the Care Coordination Academy and the Social Work Fellowship Program. The Care Coordination Academy was designed to onboard nurses without prior case management experience. Fourteen nurses successfully graduated from the academy in its inaugural cohort. The Social Work Fellowship Program was created to advance clinical practice and support social workers in becoming Licensed Clinical Social Workers.
• Utilization Management lowered bill hold days by 23% (from 7.4 days to 5.7 days) through timely clinical and authorization documentation. This has helped us get paid faster.
• Physician Advisory successfully spread its status determination as well as peer-to-peer reconsideration support to CommonSpirit Health as a whole. This has resulted in systemwide consistency for determining patient status in accordance with regulatory guidelines and improvements for overturning payer denials for payments of services.
One CommonSpirit
Through the integration of our teams, we’re able to provide effective and efficient care. Standardization and centralization of processes further facilitate consistency and quality of care for all patients and are an example of One CommonSpirit in Action.
Our teams are dedicated to facilitating efficient and effective care for hospitalized patients. We advocate for patients because we understand their overall health is significantly impacted by both their hospital experience and financial wellbeing. We work to ensure appropriate care is provided, as well as appropriately reimbursed.”
— Elizabeth Quinn, MD, System SVP, Clinical Regulatory and Revenue Enhancement
Patient Experience
The National Patient Experience Team leads the strategy, goal development, analytic capability and improvement efforts for patient experience across the ministry.
Accomplishments:
• The Age Friendly framework launched systemwide in FY25, helping sites in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and in Lincoln, Nebraska, earn Level II designation from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
• Humankindness retreats in select markets focused on empathy and respect, with all surveyed sites showing improvement in FY25.
• Patient experience improved across acute inpatient, emergency department, ambulatory surgery, home health and medical practices. All goals were achieved, and the enterprise “Likelihood to Recommend” score improved to 80.6.
• The National Patient Experience Team created a humankindness approach that boosted patient experience scores in the Lexington, Kentucky, market.
Patient Care Services
One CommonSpirit
The implementation of humankindness behaviors through local facilitator training and leadership retreats is an example of “One CommonSpirit in Action” as we strive to provide humankindness at every touchpoint.
“Nurses have the greatest impact on the patient experience in care settings across the
continuum.”
— Camille Haycock, MS, APN, NEA-BC, System SVP, Patient Experience
Leadership drives evidence-based practice improvements, safety protocols and unified policies across our nursing workforce.
Accomplishments:
• Updated CommonSpirit’s Nursing Core Standards of Practice and developed new Pediatric Standards of Practice.
• Established a systemwide sterile processing daily auditing process to ensure adherence to stringent sterilization protocols.
• Led efforts to reduce surgical waste across the system.
One CommonSpirit
Patient Care Services has led and collaborated on the development of several One CommonSpirit systemwide policies and templates aimed at improving safety, standardizing care and supporting clinical staff. These policies address the respectful handling of patient property, identification and management of patients at risk of self-harm
or aggressive behavior, safe administration of complex oncology treatments, and prevention of pressure injuries. They also include standardized assessments for newborns exposed to drugs in utero and for swallowing function to reduce aspiration risk and enhance patient outcomes.
“Thank you for showing up with strength and heart, often in challenging circumstances, to provide the highest level of care to those who need it most.
— Connie Clemmons-Brown, RN, DNP, System SVP of Patient Care Services
As a nurse, I have had the privilege of caring for patients and have come to know the vital role you play in fulfilling the mission of CommonSpirit Health. Every day, you and your teams positively impact the well-being of individuals and communities. I take great pride in our profession whenever I hear the stories of the lives you have touched. On behalf of the entire Board of Stewardship Trustees, thank you for your commitment to advancing clinical quality and innovation, and for practicing humankindness at every touchpoint.
Toni Hardy-Waller, Chair, CommonSpirit Health Board of Stewardship Trustees