UAB Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Terri Poe, DNP, RN, NE-BC, was awarded the 2018 “Outstanding Nursing Administrator Acadame or Service Award” from the Alabama State Nurses Association in October.
The award is given to an ASNA member who is employed in administration of health care organization or school/college of nursing and demonstrates outstanding performance. Some of the criteria include: demonstrating and encouraging excellence in nursing care delivery; advancing the science of nursing through clarifying, refining, and/or expanding the knowledge base of nursing; promoting a theory base for nursing practice; supporting the professional development of faculty/staff; and providing innovative leadership to fulfill the mission of the organization.
“Being UAB Hospital’s CNO and doing what I’ve done during my nursing career was never on my radar,” Poe says. “I really just wanted to be a rock star ER nurse my whole life, but I just kept having more and more opportunities presented, which I took and (ultimately) led me to this.”
Since 2009, Poe has earned her doctorate in nursing, was hired as UAB Hospital’s CNO, and was appointed assistant dean for nursing practice at the UAB School of Nursing.
“I believe that (two of) the best aspects of nursing are the building of long-term relationships and working together in teams to get things done,” Poe says.
In her CNO role, Poe is responsible for 5,000 employees, including 3,600 nurses. She says she strives to promote the most cutting-edge nursing procedures and align nursing’s strategic goals to improve patient outcomes. Her efforts have helped make UAB the only nationally recognized, Magnet-accredited hospital in Alabama.