The Critical Role of Nursing in Healthcare with Dr. Christy Dempsey

Dr. Christy Dempsey is Chief Nursing Officer Emerita at Press Ganey, where she offered clinical guidance to help clients transform the patient experience. Her work has led to significant results, including reducing hospital waiting times by up to 70%, improving patient satisfaction by double-digit percentiles, developing and enhancing teamwork and leadership, and improving operations through scheduling, staffing, and data integration.

In addition, she has been a faculty member of the Missouri State University Department of Nursing since 2008. She is active in the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders. 

02:05 - The “a-ha” moment that sent Christy on a path toward nursing.

03:50 - Nurses, while highly skilled and trusted, don’t get all the credit they deserve.

5:57 - The use of technology in nursing is a double-edged sword.

8:08 - Nurses need to integrate technology into their interaction with patients, starting at nursing school.

10:54 - Christy shares her journey from nursing to an administrative role.

13:50 - The pandemic offered Christy the opportunity to step back into a temporary patient-facing activity. 

14:50 - Christy, who is based in Springfield, Mo., is seeing an alarming rise in COVID-19 and is trying to use her influence to increase vaccination rates.

15:42 - Christy details her career mentors.

17:22 - Christy discusses the impetus for writing her book, “The Antidote to Suffering: How Compassionate, Connected Care Can Improve Safety, Quality, and Experience.”

20:47 - Preventing healthcare worker burnout requires a new mindset that prioritizes self-care.

23:38 - What Christy would have done if she hadn’t become a nurse.