Becker's Hospital Review: 213 CNOS to know | 2024

By Anna Falvey, Elizabeth Gregerson, Alexandra Murphy and Claire Wallace

Becker's is thrilled to honor noteworthy healthcare CNOs. Chief nursing officers are responsible for tackling nurse staffing shortages, managing nursing budgets, and developing professional growth opportunities for up-and-coming nurses.

In addition to overseeing nursing departments at their organizations, CNOs spearhead innovative initiatives to ensure high standards of patient care. These leaders bring a unique combination of clinical expertise and executive leadership skills to their roles.

Note: Becker's Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. Leaders do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of the leaders or organizations mentioned. We extend a special thank you to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order.

Melody Dickerson, DNP, RN. CNO and Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations for VHC Health (Arlington, Va.). Dr. Dickerson, CNO and senior vice president of hospital operations at VHC Health, leads 67% of the hospital's staff, including over 1,000 nurses. Her leadership has been critical in aligning patient care services with VHC Health's strategic goals, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, where she improved employee morale and reduced contract staffing by 70%. She spearheaded key initiatives like the interprofessional code sepsis program, which improved sepsis mortality rates by 21%, and oversaw the development of the $250 million outpatient pavilion to enhance patient care access. Dr. Dickerson also launched the innovative "earn while you learn" program, designed to produce more practice-ready nurses, and a mentorship program that boasts an 89% retention rate.