Shonda Helgeson, Chief Nursing Officer at Western Wisconsin Health, is a dedicated healthcare leader with a passion for patient-centered care, innovation, and professional development. Her journey in nursing began at the age of 16, when she worked as a certified nursing assistant in a long-term care facility. From those early days, she developed a deep appreciation for the impact of compassionate, skilled nursing, setting the stage for a career defined by continuous growth and leadership.
After high school, Shonda joined Western Wisconsin Health—then known as Baldwin Area Medical Center—where she gained hands-on experience in various patient care settings, including the emergency department and medical/surgical units. Her commitment to advancing her education and expanding her expertise led her to earn her Associate’s Degree in Nursing in 2008, followed by a Bachelor’s Degree in 2013. Throughout her 20-year tenure with the organization, she has embraced new challenges, holding progressive leadership roles, from charge nurse to Birth Center Nurse Manager, Director of Nursing, and ultimately, Chief Nursing Officer in 2023.
In her current role, Shonda oversees multiple departments, including hospital nursing, laboratory, medical imaging, pharmacy, and rehabilitation services. She is also pursuing a Master’s in Healthcare Administration to further enhance her leadership capabilities. Driven by a steadfast commitment to rural healthcare, Shonda remains focused on fostering innovation, improving patient outcomes, and mentoring the next generation of nursing professionals. Her journey exemplifies the power of perseverance, adaptability, and a deep-rooted dedication to serving her community.
Let’s delve into the interview details below!
How do you foster a culture of innovation within the nursing department, and can you provide an example of a successful initiative you’ve led?
As healthcare is constantly evolving and changing, innovation is essential to providing competent care. Within the nursing department at WWH, a culture of innovation is supported by empowering nurses to continuously grow and develop professionally, share new ideas, promote autonomy to share process improvement in patient care and departmental operations, and through collaboration among teams.
We have recently found success in the development of an out-and-back agreement with a larger, tertiary care hospital. With the inability to transfer patients in need of a higher level of care due to bed capacities at recipient facilities, we are often faced with roadblocks in achieving necessary services for our patients. This new care pathway allows appropriate patients to go to the tertiary care center and have a necessary, time-sensitive procedure performed (that we do not provide at our facility), have immediate postoperative monitoring, and subsequently return to our facility when stable for the remainder of their hospitalization. This allows our patients to receive care timely and remain local for the majority of their hospitalization.
What strategies have you implemented to prioritize patient care and safety while balancing operational challenges?
Patient care is the core of what we do, and patient safety is a top priority. This is achieved by optimizing staffing levels in all departments and utilizing acuity as a factor in the assignment of patients. This is also achieved using standardized procedures and protocols to reduce variability in care delivery and minimize errors. Leveraging technology also support patient safety through initiatives like electronic health record tools, new patient beds with falls prevention technology, and the use of telehealth for services not immediately available locally. Staff education through training and drills to navigate high-risk, low-volume patient conditions aids in the improvement of patient safety.
How do you support professional development among your nursing staff and address issues like burnout or nurse retention?
Professional development and lifelong learning are essential to keep nursing teams engaged. Nurses are supported through the promotion and financial support of professional education advancement and certification achievement. Offering opportunities for cross-training also allows staff to work in new, desired areas through the organization and promotes retention. This also aids in minimizing burnout. Flexible scheduling and consideration of individual scheduling preferences are essential in the promotion of retention and to minimize fatigue and burnout.
Can you describe a time when you successfully led your team through a significant organizational change? What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?
Our facility transitioned from a primitive electronic health record to EPIC in the past decade. This was a significant change, as we had transitioned from paper charting a few years prior. As a leader in this transition, it was imperative to spend time (six months+) to understand the impact, build the tools to meet our patient needs, and train all staff. This project came with challenges, including time constraints, lack of understanding of full impact in all operations, and staff resistance. Thoughtful analysis and engagement of key stakeholders were essential to facilitating success in this project. With time and transition, this change was very successful and continues to support operations today.
How do you promote interdisciplinary collaboration between nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes?
Communication is the core of interdisciplinary team collaboration among all healthcare providers. Success is achieved by encouraging shared decision-making, empowering open communication and the ability to speak up with concerns, building trust in care teams, and focusing on a patient-centered approach. With the patient at the core of all we do, focusing on patient needs first and encouraging communication and a plan of care focus aids in improving patient outcomes and supporting teams.
How do you ensure that your nursing team consistently adheres to regulatory standards and best practices in healthcare?
Recurring reviews of best practices, regulatory standards, and policies/procedures aid in the support of adherence. This allows updates to be shared and adopted timely, facilitating improved outcomes. A culture of accountability provides shared responsibility in following standards of care and promotion of compliance. Staff also regularly receive feedback to both promote successes and identify opportunities.
What advice would you give to aspiring nurse leaders who want to make a meaningful impact in their organizations?
Continuous professional growth and lifelong learning are essential. Stay curious and continue to learn every day. Nurses need to stay current and be open to new, innovative ideas and optimization of care in order to keep up with the evolution of healthcare. Never stop developing!
