Kristin Whitehead, MSN, RN, is a EVP Organizational Excellence with HealthLinx. She has 26 years of healthcare experience in Prehospital/Emergency/Critical Care Services, Magnet®, and executive leadership. Kristin has extensive knowledge and experience as a Magnet® Program Director and in clinical/business operations including performance improvement, customer satisfaction, revenue/productivity enhancement, cost reduction, throughput/patient flow, and human resources. She is a proven leader with intense focus on building positive physician relationships, cultivating staff engagement, and leading change. Kristin is board certified as a Nurse Executive through the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and she is a member of the Texas Emergency Nurses Association and the North Texas Organization for Nurse Executives.
Outcomes
• Built strategic alliances with ED, Acute Care and Perioperative teams resulting in 85th percentile patient satisfaction in ED, improved throughput (reduced ED LOS by 20%), and implementation of change management concepts (rapid cycle testing).
• Defined strategy/business plan for Wound Care/Ostomy Services resulting in generation of revenue stream increase of 100% and increased volume by 50%.
• Engaged employees resulting in satisfaction of 90th percentile for 4 consecutive years.
• Achieved ANCC Beacon Award- Gold level in 2015 for performance excellence in the Critical Care Unit (lead writer)
• Implemented sepsis program in collaboration with Joint Commission Centers for Transforming Healthcare (CTH), won “Quality and Innovation Award” in 2014 and realized a 24% reduction in mortality rate equating to 38 lives saved in one year.
• Oversaw nursing quality as the NDNQI Site Coordinator leading to outcomes in CAUTI, CLABSI, HAPU, and falls that outperform the Magnet® mean by more than 50%.
• Led Trauma Program to increase in patient census by 29%.
• Implemented Concussion Program/Clinic that quadrupled initial volume projections.
• Created “DART” (Discharge, Admission, Resource, and Transport) team that has been nationally recognized for best practices around admissions, medication reconciliation, and throughput.
Career Summary
Kristin is a high-performing nurse executive with 26 years of healthcare experience including 10 years in Prehospital, Emergency and Critical Care Services and 16 years progressive leadership. She is certified as a Nurse Executive and has extensive experience as a Magnet® Program Director for both initial and re-designations.
Experience
• Currently: Vice President Nursing Excellence, Analytics, Healthlinx, Columbus, Ohio
• 2015: Chief Nursing Officer, Select Specialty Hospital, Plano, Texas
• 2002-2015: Associate CNO (2013-2015), Director ED/EMS Services/ICU/Trauma/Central Monitoring Unit/Concussion/Clinical Decision Unit/Wound and Ostomy (2010-2015), Director Nursing Administration (2010-2015), Magnet® Program Director (2008-2015), Manager Acute Care Services (2007-2008), Manager Trauma Services/Emergency Services Educator (2002-2007)
• 1997-2002: Emergency Services Charge Nurse
• 1994-1997: Emergency Services Staff Nurse
• 1990-1994: Paramedic
Education
• 2016: Anticipated graduation, Doctorate in Nursing Practice, Texas Christian University
• 1997: Masters of Science in Nursing &Masters of Business Administration, University of Phoenix
• 1994: Bachelors of Science in Nursing, University of Texas at Austin
• 1990: Associates in Paramedicine
Professional Affiliations/Appointments/Honors
• 2015: Golden Key International Honour Society, Texas Christian University
• 2014-2015: Magnet® Program content reviewer/subject matter expert for podium/poster submissions
• 2010: Great 100 Nurse, Texas
Publications/Research
• Research Principle Investigator, January 2015: Humpty Dumpty Sat on the Wall: Identifying Why our Low Risk Patients Fall.
• Research Co-investigator, November 2014: Research study of nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano: A Re-Evaluation of Interruptions and Distractions during Medication Preparation and Administration.
• Research Co-investigator, March 2012: Research study of nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano: Evaluation of Interruptions and Distractions during Medication Preparation and Administration.
• Lead writer/editor for Texas Award for Performance Excellence (2008), Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award (2008), & Magnet® Designation Applications (2010 & 2014)