M. Edie Brucker
M.S.N., M.P.H., APRN, AGPCNP-BC
Manager, Advanced Practice Providers
Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

From her nominator: “The physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs), and nurses who work with Edie frequently comment on her commitment to integrity, clinical expertise, spirit of teamwork, and innovative approach to patient care. One example of her innovative approach to improve patient care occurred when her team was working to create better patient access to our breast oncologists. Edie identified an opportunity to launch a clinic managed by UTSW APPs that focused on ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) patients. Edie collaborated with key physician stakeholders to lead the initiative, creating a lecture series for the APPs to teach them about the management of DCIS patients. The DCIS program officially began approximately a year ago, and the APPs in both breast and surgical oncology now share the responsibility of seeing and managing these patients. As a result, Edie’s impact on the change in practice and patient-population access to the medical team has significantly increased, improving patient satisfaction and ensuring the delivery of high-quality care.”

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Alexa Collins
B.S.N., RN, SCRN
Nurse Manager, 8 Orange ASU/EMU

From her nominator: “Alexa is a nurse leader who makes it a point each morning to round and say hello to both the off-going and on-coming shifts. She is approachable and sets a great example for others. Her impressive leadership skills have empowered countless nurses to bravely embark on the inspiring journey of change. She finds a staff member’s passion – whether it’s in supplies, compliance, throughput, pain metrics, or diagnosis-specific assessments – and empowers her staff to create their goals around something they are passionate to change. She has made a significant impact on the care we provide on our Acute Stroke Unit and Neuro ICU.”

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Cheryl Kaplan
M.B.A., M.H.A., B.S.N., RN
Clinical Director, Solid Organ Transplant

From her nominator: “Cheryl has tirelessly invested her efforts over the last seven years in her role as the Clinical Director of Solid Organ Transplant. She’s developed a team of working nurses and multidisciplinary leaders. Although the team is diverse and care of the transplant patient varies significantly by organ, she has brought the teams to common ground, set aspirational and measurable goals, and pushed them to grow as leaders. Her strong leadership has helped our programs to achieve 140% growth in transplant volume over the course of her tenure, becoming the largest transplant center in North Texas.”

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David Wyatt
Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, CNOR
Chief Nursing Officer, University Hospital

From his nominator: “Dr. Wyatt started his role as Chief Nursing Officer of William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital in 2020 – three days after the world locked down at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although he was new to Texas and UT Southwestern, Dr. Wyatt is not new to leading nurses. He impacted the organization by making sure each nurse under his direction had the resources they needed to do their jobs. He jumped in and led the organization as nurses at UTSW identified dozens of ways to reduce the risk of exposure and preserve scarce protective resources such as masks and gowns. Dr. Wyatt made sure patients and nurses in every setting were safe. He guided nurses who were working through exhaustion, stress, and heartbreak, and he led our nurses in the ability to adapt during rapid change.”