Three Nurse Leaders Honored By MONL

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders has recognized Jason Purcell, DNP, R.N., Director of Professional Practice at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City; Kimberly Runquist, BSN, CCRN, Director of the Intensive Care Unit at Hannibal Regional Healthcare System; and Lindsay Jessee, BSN, R.N., CCRN, Core Charge Nurse for the Pediatric ICU at Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City, Mo., for leadership in nursing. The awards were presented on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Missouri Hospital Association’s 97th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Osage Beach, Mo.

Jason Purcell was honored with MONL’s Excellence in Leadership Award. Purcell is a highly respected and experienced nurse leader who depends on those closest to patient care to provide input on how to make the most impactful changes to support exceptional outcomes. He leads Saint Luke’s entire shared governance structure and processes for 1,400 R.N.s, manages inpatient and outpatient areas, and is responsible for system professional practice. He has lead Saint Luke’s to two of four Magnet designations through the Magnet Recognition Program® – only 76 hospitals in the world have a fourth Magnet designation. Purcell recently led a multiyear initiative to increase the percentage of BSN-prepared nurses to improve patient outcomes. In two years, the percentage of BSN nurses increased from 75% to 82.33%, resulting in a mortality rate better than the top decile performers across the nation. This work is a testament to the leadership commitment of Purcell to ensure an exceptional care environment for both patients and nurses.

Kimberly Runquist was honored with MONL’s Rising Nurse Leader Award. Runquist is a transformational leader who articulates a vision to her team, leading a seasoned group of nurses and serving as a change agent to implement initiatives that add value to the intensive care unit. She has promoted the Salute to Veterans program, which assesses veteran status upon admission and then recognizes them after death with a procession through the hospital’s halls while taps is playing. She has implemented the A-F bundle for ventilated patients, among other initiatives, to improve ICU outcomes. She is a selfless leader who sends other staff to conferences rather than attending herself. Due to her work, Hannibal Regional was recognized in the Critical Care Medicine journal, and two of her nurses have been DAISY award recipients.

Lindsay Jessee was honored with the MONL DAISY Nurse Leader Award. Jessee has been nominated for various nurse leadership awards at the organizational, local and national level.Although many of these awards honor her exemplary patient care, she was nominated and selected for the MONL Daisy Nurse Leader Award for her actions when a hospital team member suddenly passed away. At this difficult time for the organization, she communicated the news to each member of the PICU family, delivering with a compassionate heart and mindful spirit exactly what the team needed that day. She took the time with each person to provide the support they needed as they managed to comprehend the devastating news while continuing to lead the department through the responsibilities of patient care. Through her clear judgement and intentional actions, she demonstrated the exemplary skills of a seasoned nurse leader.