title: The CNO: challenges and opportunities on the journey to excellence.
abstract: Moving a southern rural community medical center through the multitude of regulatory, fiscal, social, cultural, and political changes required for healthcare excellence in the early 21st century has provided some particularly unique challenges. This article describes opportunities and initiatives taken by a chief nursing officer and key members of the healthcare team to meet the challenges of moving a rural and rapidly growing healthcare system toward excellence. The initiatives and perspectives of the team, the chief nursing officer, performance improvement/quality corporate director, the board chairman, and nursing leaders, are presented.
authors.affiliation: Winchester Medical Center, 1840 Amherst St., Winchester, VA 22601, USA. ktagnesi@valleyhealthlink.com
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tagnesi
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dumont
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rawlinson
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Byrd
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000592:standards*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007857:Leadership; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D013192:Staff Development; D014768:Virginia