Mary LaHam

Text version of Mary LaHam keynote remarks

There's the nurse recruiter, who 17 years ago saw something in me that said I'd be a good fit in a department that demanded more experience than I had. It was a rewarding time of growth for me.

There's my director who encouraged me to become active in our housewide councils. At these gatherings, I gained the confidence I needed to speak to and contribute to decision making that affected Nursing practice, competence and quality.

There's shared governance - a way of life that offers and demands shared accountability and decision-making by those who can effect the greatest change as they strive for excellence in patient care. This model goes against the grain of most workplaces, perhaps even against our own human nature. We must have faith in each other to do what is best, and that is truly courageous.

There's the administrator who gave me an opportunity to be a novice director - at just 28 years old - of one of the hospital's largest and busiest units. Three years ago I also served as interim director of Emergency Services - an area where I had zero experience but an eagerness to learn and serve. My St. Mary's mentors provide an amazing professional backbone to help expand my capacity to care for our patients.

And there are countless others - including my mother, who is also a nurse. Every one of them has lighted my way, and I have been privileged to witness their individual and collective strengths.

In my 17 years at St. Mary's, these last few have been the most dramatic. The planning that went into our beautiful new facility was truly a test, and I can proudly say that we passed!

I distinctly remember a series of meetings that our staff had with the planning firm. Seasoned architects repeatedly brought forth designs that they endorsed as the best, despite objections from our clinical staff that their solutions wouldn't meet our patients' needs. Finally, at one of the meetings, a nurse halted further discussions about their plan, insisting that we were missing the mark. The architects agreed to try another design, one that ultimately unfolded in our new facility. Thanks to the courage of shared governance, our new center will serve patients very well into the future.

Our brand new facility was built with the electronic health record in mind. As we gear up for going live May 31, my unit has been active in developing and testing the modules. Working out the bugs and thoroughly understanding the software allows us to create what's best for us and for our patients. While the EHR is new territory, I find it invigorating to explore and discover, using that knowledge to lead.

As I think about what I've just recounted, none of it seems particularly courageous. It's just what I do everyday. I consider my challenges each morning and say a prayer for exceptional leadership. I know I can't always do it by myself. And I thank those who have shown me how.