Every day, our employees fulfill our mission by delivering and supporting compassionate, high-quality care in our communities.
As part of Hospital Week, we’re uplifting the stories of just a few of the many employees whose daily efforts advance the level of care we’re able to provide.
Below you’ll learn about the impact Tina Kilburn-Stewart has on patient care at Kettering Health Dayton as manager of clinical nursing on 4 West.
For Tina, “manager” is just a title.
Whether it’s stepping up to run a second department during a nurse manager role vacancy, training and developing new hires, working boots-on-the-ground with her team to understand their challenges and opportunities, or finding innovative ways to improve clinical outcomes, Tina is integral to the patient and staff experience at Kettering Health Dayton.
“I am definitely a people person,” Tina said. “I enjoy spending my day talking, teaching, and connecting with people.”
Next month, Tina will celebrate her 25-year anniversary with the organization. She embodies a caring, dedicated leader as manager of clinical nursing on 4 West.
Critical leadership at a critical time
Tina was the first nurse leader in the organization to set up a comprehensive COVID-19 unit, converting her unit to a hybrid ICU for COVID-19 patients. As part of that, she taught staff to take the time to communicate frequently and effectively with family members and support them in the extremely challenging times. She even instituted the use of cameras in patients’ rooms so families could see one another despite visitor restrictions.
One of the first critical COVID-19 patients at Kettering Health was a young mother who had just given birth. The patient was very sick for three weeks and ended up pulling through under the care of Tina’s team.
When the patient was ready to be discharged, Tina set up and led her team in a reunion with her. She organized a “clap-away” and lined the halls to applaud her. It was inspiring and motivating for staff and other patients because there were many outcomes during that time that were not as positive.
The processes developed by Tina and her team were shared with other facilities throughout the organization. She supports our mission through her interactions with patients, visitors, and other staff members as a caring, thoughtful leader.
Tina also takes action to implement innovative solutions with her patients and team in mind.
An innovative mindset
Tina is always seeking opportunities to improve and innovate processes in her unit, ultimately creating better patient outcomes and a healthier community.
“The true secret to innovation is listening,” she said. “Ask questions and listen to the real answers. It’s what helps me figure out why this is happening, what can I do about it, and how can I engage others to care as much as I do.”
Tina developed a processed pressure ulcer prevention (PUPS) solution involving a laminated puppy that clinicians put on the patient’s door as a visual identifier for those who are at high-risk for pressure injuries. This allows staff to know when they should go in to move the patient. As a result, KH Dayton has achieved top decile performance for pressure injuries.
Beyond patient care, she makes sure her staff know she cares about their needs and supports their growth as nursing professionals. As a mentor for new nurse leaders, Tina continuously provides the support and care they need to increase their confidence in managing new, challenging situations.
Advancing the future of care
Tina serves as a mentor and expert for new leaders to lean on. There are several new managers at the hospital, and she brings them under her wing and supports them.
“I think developing our new nurse leaders can be a challenge because they have so many things coming at them at the same time,” explained Tina. “They are very much afraid of saying and doing the wrong thing. I help them understand to be humble and know that they are going to make mistakes. It’s what you do and how you handle it after that makes a difference.”
When there are internal promotions, Tina helps train the employees, answers their questions, supports them, and keeps open communication with them, sharing how they can best work together. She sacrifices her own time and needs to ensure these employees feel confident and capable before independently managing their role and responsibilities.
“New leaders need support, and they need someone they can have open and honest conversations with without judgment,” she said. “They also have a sense of relief if they know that what they are experiencing is normal.”
“I am also a little goofy, and I do use humor in a lot of what I do,” said Tina. “I feel like if you can make someone laugh, you can reduce their stress level instantly.”
Tina is an influential part of the nursing division at Kettering Health Dayton. She was recognized for her work by being named one of the five finalists for the Ohio Hospital Association Health Care Worker of the Year award.