Each nurse leader brings decades of experience to their new role.
Two health systems that recently filled their top nurse position have hired leaders with deep expertise in both nursing and management.
Kimberly D. Hunter, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC
Kimberly D. Hunter, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, has been named chief nursing executive (CNE) for University of Iowa Health Care Hospitals & Clinics.
Hunter will lead the UI Hospitals & Clinics Department of Nursing Services and Patient Care. She will also oversee nursing services, the division of care coordination, and the rehabilitation therapies and respiratory care departments.
"We are thrilled to have Kim as a member of our senior leadership team," said Suresh Gunasekaran, MBA, CEO of UI Hospitals & Clinics and associate vice president for UI Health Care. "She brings a wealth of experience and leadership in inpatient and ambulatory care management; staffing and resource allocation; continuous quality improvement; and nurse recruitment and retention."
Hunter provides more than 30 years of healthcare management experience to the CNE position at Iowa—with nearly 20 years at two of the nation's top-ranked hospitals: Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. She is currently the associate CNO of Cleveland Clinic main campus and director of nursing for Cleveland Clinic's Neurological Institute and its Orthopaedic and Rheumatologic Institute.
Beth Polivka
Longtime CoxHealth nursing leader Beth Polivka is the Springfield, Missouri, health system's new CNO. She previously served as a director of nursing for eight years.
"A respected and proven leader, Beth has been instrumental in leading and growing our women's and children's service line," said Karen Kramer, senior vice president and chief hospital officer at CoxHealth. "Beth is passionate in her quest for nursing excellence, and we are so excited to see her share her talents through this role, which will bring great benefit to our staff and patients."
Polivka, whose roots are in southwest Missouri, has more than 25 years of nursing experience. In 2004, she joined CoxHealth, where she worked as a staff nurse in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU). She was promoted to nursing project coordinator in 2010, and in 2013, she became administrative director of nursing and oversaw the women and children's service line.
As CNO, Polivka will lead nursing practice throughout the organization, which includes planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating nursing care.
Carol Davis is the Nursing Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.