Message from Judy L. Spinella, RN,MSN, MBA, CHE Chief Nursing Officer It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to be in the position of Chief Nursing Officer of the University of New Mexico Hospitals since October of 2005. As the only Academic Medical Center in New Mexico, we are fortunate to be able to attract the best and the brightest of new nursing graduates from New Mexico and other states. Additionally, we have a large number of very experienced professional nursing staff with long tenure and years of dedicated service to UNMH. In all, we are the home of over 1400 professional nurses who share their extraordinary lives and careers with us.

The vision of UNM Hospitals is “to identify and solve the most important questions of human health in our communities through education, scholarship and service with commitment to the HSC core values.” Due to the nature of this complex vision and because we additionally serve as the “safety net” hospital for the citizens and visitors to New Mexico, we have unique challenges for our nursing staff.

Nurses provide the most personal of service, are highly trusted by the public and should be always treated with reverence. After all, nurses are the people who are at our sides during the first moments of life, throughout life, during human suffering – sometimes to the point of wishing for death – and at life’s final moments. Yet, nurses remain grounded in the totality of their practice, helping others with the activities of daily living despite the circumstances of age or health status, sometimes taming the horrific with a cloak of ordinary activities. If all of our nurses could tell their stories they would be diverse, written by men and women, by different ethnic groups, and nurses of one or more generations. All of the stories would have one thing in common in that they would portray the qualities of selflessness, service, hope, courage, authentic presence and a drive to make a difference.

Our focus is on creating a workplace of choice, empowering staff, encouraging their voices, enhancing their careers and championing their autonomy. We are excited about the many strengths we have today and work towards enhanced capacity and services in the future. We are firmly committed to providing exceptional clinical care and in sharing our success with others. It is a very exciting time for Nursing at UNMH as we:

• Complete implementation of a Shared Governance Model
• Prepare our Magnet application for submission in 2006
• Work with physician partners through our clinical enterprise structure
• Prepare for the opening of our new patient care pavilion in 2007

Our focus is on creating a workplace of choice, empowering staff, encouraging their voices, enhancing their careers and championing their autonomy. We are excited about the many strengths we have today and work towards enhanced capacity and services in the future. We are firmly committed to providing exceptional clinical care and in sharing our success with others.