Education

Doctor of Philosophy, 2012
University of California Los Angeles, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA

Master of Science in Nursing, 1989
University of California Los Angeles, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, CA

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 1980
Mount Saint Mary's College, Los Angeles, CA

Experience

Los Angeles General Medical Center – Formerly known as LAC+USC MEDICAL CENTER, Los Angeles, CA
Chief Nursing Officer III

LAC+USC Medical Center is a 600-bed academic medical center.  The Chief Nursing Officer is responsible for providing administrative direction and oversight for the clinical operation of the hospital including all clinical and administrative nursing services on a 24-hour basis.  Responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, budgeting, directing and controlling nursing services.  Partners with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Chief Operating Officer in building the culture/environment, transmitting values, developing and implementing standards, as well as achieving hospital operational and financial goals.  Also partners with the CEO, CMO and COO in developing the annual Operating Plan and Strategic Business Plan to achieve objectives stating by the Governing Body and the Director of Health Services.  The CNO is responsible for the development of policies and procedures required to support nursing services and hospital operations.  

Completed Research

  • Blake, N. Managing Substance Use Disorder Among Nurses:  Out of the Shadows and into the Light. Role PI –  IRB approval (2021).
  • The Value of Nursing: This study is measuring the cost and quality of nursing staffing and the ultimate outcome to patients. There is a component looking at cost, certification, education and experience as well as nursing outcomes based on those factors and the staffing of the patient.  John Welton at the University of Colorado has received an AHRQ grant to evaluate big data with this project. Role : PI and collaborator, 2016-2018.
  • Monitor Watcher Study in Hospitals: This study is a national study, which will describe use of monitor watchers nationally. This study is being conducted with faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and Yale. This is also being conducted in conjunction with the American Associate of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) National Alarm Coalition. Role: PI (2015 – 2016).
  • Monitor Alarms in Children’s Hospitals: This study is a multisite study, which will measure alarms in 5 children’s hospitals over a 24-hour period to determine the frequency and type of alarms and compare the differences from adult hospitals. This is an interprofessional study with physicians from Cincinnati Children’s, Lucille Packard Children’s and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as well as a nurse from Johns Hopkins Children’s and CHLA. Role: Site PI (2015 – 2016).
  • Small Troubles, Adaptive Responses (STAR 2): Frontline Nurse Engagement in Quality Improvement: This study will describe the type and frequency of first-order operational failures detected by frontline nurses on their clinical units, examine the association between first-order operational failures that are self-detected by nurses and those that are detected by non-participant observers, and explore the relations among front-line engagement (detection of operational defects and team vitality), work environment (culture of patient safety and excellence in the work environment) and quality improvement outcomes (quality improvement activities, quality of care and job satisfaction). Role: PI (2014 – 2015).
  • The relationship between the nurse’s work environment and patient and nurse outcomes: This doctoral dissertation work was a multisite study with ten units in children’s hospitals throughout the country to examine the relationship between the nurses’ work environment and patient outcomes (risk adjusted length of stay, risk adjusted outcomes, central line blood stream infections, ventilator associated pneumonias) and nurses’ intent to leave their jobs in the next six months. Role: PI (2010 – 2012).

Publications

Book Editor:

  • Blake, N. and Goodhue, C. Editors.  (June, 2020). Pediatric Disaster Nursing Textbook.  Published By Springer Nature Publishing Company, Paris, France.

Book Chapters:

  • Blake, N. & Goodhue, C.  (2021 – In process to be published in December) Chapter 19:  Children in Disasters.  In T. Telfair LeBlanc and R. Kim-Farley  (ed.) Public Health Emergencies:  Case Studies, Competencies, and Essential Services of Public Health, 1st Ed.  New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, Inc.
  • Blake, N. & Goodhue, C.  (2021). Critical Care Nurse’s Role in Disaster Preparedness. In P. Morton and D. Fountaine, Critical Care Nursing: A Holistic Approach, 12th Ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, William and Wilkins.
  • Blake, N. (2017). Chapter 9: Disaster Preparedness and Response.  In M. Slota (ed.), AACN Core Curriculum for Pediatric High Acuity, Progressive and Critical Care Nursing, 3rd Ed. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, Inc.
  • Blake, N. (2017). Chapter 12: Children and Youths with Acute, Critical or Chronic Needs and Their Families Receive the Full Range of Services. In M. Craft-Rosenberg, M. Krajicek & C. Betz (eds), Guidelines for Nursing Excellence in the Care of Children, Youth and Families. 2nd Ed. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, Inc. 
  • Blake, N. & Stevenson, K. (2018). Critical Care Nurse’s Role in Disaster Preparedness. In P. Morton and D. Fountaine, Critical Care Nursing: A Holistic Approach, 11th Ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, William and Wilkins.

Journals:

  • Gabele, D., Keels, K. M., & Blake, N. (2023). Out of the Shadows and Into the Light: Destigmatization of Substance Use Disorder in Nursing. Nurse Leader.
  • Gabele, D., Cartwright, T., Christen, F., Martinez, E., McKenzie, L., Murray, R., ... & Blake, N. (2023). Authentic Leadership: Pearls of Wisdom. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 34(1), 59-62.
  • Blake, N. (2022). Starting Now: Implementing the Healthy Work Environment Standards Is More Important Than Ever. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 33(4), 372-375.
  • Blake, N. (2013). Appropriate staffing for a healthy work environment. AACN advanced critical care, 24(3), 245-248.
  • Blake, N., Sandoval, R., Sangalang, R., Reyes, J., Anderson, K., & Hunt, D. (2022). A hospital’s roadmap for improving nursing excellence using AACN’s healthy work environment standards. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 33(2), 208-211.
  • Blake, N. (2022). Future of nursing 2020-2030: Supporting the health and well-being of nurses. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 33(1), 99-102.
  • Tye, J., Long, K., Blake, N., Luu, A., & Tye, A. (2022). Caring for COVID's emotional long haulers. Nursing Management, 53(3), 26-35.
  • Blake, N. (2021). Building a new, better normal after COVID-19. Nursing Management, 52(6), 20.
  • Langga, L., Oh, J., López, D., Blake, N., McField, E., Hotz, J., ... & Chinnock, R. (2021). Prevalence, proportionality, and cause of ventilator alarms in a pediatric intensive care setting. Respiratory Care, 66(4), 541-550.
  • Blake, N. (2020). Caring for the caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 31(4), 416-418.
  • Perraillon, M., Welton, J., Jenkins, P., Iben, P., Baird, J. & Blake, N. (2020). Estimating Patient-Level Direct Hours and Costs of Nursing Care in a Pediatric Inpatient Setting.  Nursing Economics, 38(1): 16-25.
  • Blake, N. (2020).  Caring for the Caregiver during the COVID-19 Pandemic. AACN Adv Crit Care, published on line ahead of print.  Found at https://doi.org/10.4037/aacnacc.2020612.
  • Blake, N. (2020). Authentic Leadership:  How does it differ from transformational leadership. AACN Adv Crit Care, 31(2): 196-197.
  • Langga, L., Oh, J., Lopez, D., Blake, N., McField, E., Hotz, J., ... & Knox, K. (2019). Frequency, Rate and Cause of Ventilator Alarms in a Pediatric Intensive Care Setting.
  • Blake, N., Wilson, E. & Meyer, K. (2019). Disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery to ensure staffing excellence in Los Angeles County. Nursing Economics, Sept.-Oct., 35 (7): 231-240.
  • Fitzpatrick, B., Bloore, K., & Blake, N. (2019). Joy in work and reducing nurse burnout:  From triple aim to quadruple aim.  AACN Adv Crit Care, 30 (2): 185-188.
  • Welton, J., Baird, J., & Blake, N.  (2019). Finding value: An approach to determine nursing performance.  The Voice of Nursing Leadership, May 2019: 8-10.
  • Blake, N. (2019). Creating healthy work environments: Our voice, our strength.  AACN Adv Crit Care, 30 (1): 65-67.
  • Harper, E., Welton, J., Baird, J., Blake, N., Luker, G., Garcia, A., Buslon, D. & Ritter, D. (2018). Working with Large Data:  Lessons Learned.  Nursing Economics, 36 (6): 301-303.
  • Blake, N. (2018). Resilience during difficult times in health care. AACN Adv Crit Care, 29 (2): 115-117.
  • Schondelmeyer, AC, Brady, PW, Goel, VV, Cvach, M, Blake, N, Mangeot, C, Bonafide, CP. (2018). Physiologic monitor alarm rates at 5 Children’s hospitals. J Hosp Med, 13 (6): 396-398.
  • Blake, N & Fry-Bowers, EK. (2018). Disaster preparedness: Meeting the needs of children. J Pediatr Health Care, 32 (2): 207-210.

Presentations

Poster:

  • Implementing the DAISY Nurse Leader Award to Provide Meaningful Recognition for Nurse Managers.  Accepted for the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) in Rancho Mirage, CA, February 2023.
  • Exploring Social Determinants of Health and Vaccine Declination:  Pilot Survey of Adults within a Safety Net. Accepted for the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) in Rancho Mirage, CA, February 2023.
  • Care for the Caregivers during Covid.  Accepted for the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) virtually, February 2021.
  • Leadership Development for a Healthy Work Environment.  Accepted for the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) in Rancho Mirage, CA, February 2020.
  • Advancing the Science of Nursing Care Value Through Practice-Academic Partnerships.  Accepted for the Association of Leadership Science in Nursing (ALSN) in Los Angeles, CA, November 2019.
  • The Importance of a Healthy Work Environment for Leadership and Staff Retention.  Accepted for the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) in Pasadena, CA, February 2019.
  • Nurse Leader Resilience: Strategies for the Nurse Leader to Implement their Health and Remain Resilient. Accepted for the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) in Monterey, CA, February 2018.

Podium Presentations/Webinars:

  • Nursing Magnet Status:  Impact of Patient Care and Nursing Outcomes.  Presented at the 29th Annual USC National Trauma, Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Symposium, Los Angeles, CA 2023.
  • Starting Now:  Strategies for Making Healthy Work Environments a Reality.  Accepted for the AACN NTI Annual Program, with Dave Hansen and Caryl Goodyear, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 2023.
  • Starting Now: Critical Care Nurses Prepare to Respond to Disasters.  Accepted for the AACN NTI Annual Program, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 2023.
  • Starting Now:  Appropriate Staffing for a Healthy Work Environment and Nurse Well-Being.  Accepted for the AACN NTI Annual Program, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 2023.
  • Stepping into the Lion’s Den:  Real World Advice on Dealing with Incivility in the Workplace and Improving the Workplace in our Profession.  Presented at the Nurse Incivility: The Elephant in the Room conference presented by the Chinn Foundation at California State Los Angeles,  Los Angeles Zoo, California, May 2023.
  • Moving Beyond our Unhealthy Status Quo: Fireside Chat with a CNO. Presented at Our Healthcare in the Age of Personalization Virtual Live Summit by the Llopis Group, May 2023.
  • Intentional Automation: Trading Tedious Tasks  for More Staff Time, Patient Focus and Efficiency.  Presented as a panel member for a webinar for Becker’s, March 2023.
  • Through Adversity to the Stars: Innovative Leadership.  Accepted to the ACNL 2023 Annual Program, Rancho Mirage, CA, January 2023.
  • LARC CEO Board Retreat:  Interactive Panel:  Strengthening Employer Partnerships.  Accepted as a panel member for CEOs of LA Community Colleges, La Cresenta, Calfornia, August 2022.
  • Rooted in Strength:  Strategies for Making Healthy Work Environments a Reality.  Accepted for a podium presentation at the AACN National Teaching Institute in Houston, Texas, May 2022.
  • Rooted in Strength:  Appropriate Staffing for a Healthy Work Environment.  Accepted for a podium presentation at the AACN National Teaching Institute in Houston, Texas, May 2022 and Virtually, June 2022.
  • Disaster Preparedness:  Lessons Learned from Past Disasters for the Critical Care Nurse.  Accepted for a podium presentation at the AACN National Teaching Institute in Houston, Texas, May 2022.
  • Healthy Work Environments in Academia.  Accepted at a Faculty Development Workshop at the Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health in Los Angeles, May 2022.
  • Recognizing the Impact of Frontline Leaders.  Accepted at the AONL DAISY Breakfast, San Antonio, Texas, April 2022.
  • Supporting a Healthy Work Environment.  Accepted for a podium presentation at the ACNL Annual Meeting in Anaheim, February 2022.
  • Best Practices in Managing Staff Shortages.  Webinar presentation for SCCM and AACN presented virtually, October 2021.
  • COVID-19 Clinical Grand Rounds for Critical Care, Emergency Department and EMS:  Adult ICU Care of Pediatric COVID Patients.  Webinar presentation for Project ECHO – HHS/ASPR presented virtually, September 2021.
  • All In: Advocating for Appropriate Staffing. Accepted presentation at the AACN National Teaching Institute presented virtually, May 2021.
  • Leading Through the Pandemic. Leadership podcast for AACN Leadership Series with Chief Clinical Officer Connie Barden, recorded April 2021.
  • Violence in the Workplace: Protecting our Staff.  Webinar for the American Association of Nurse Leaders, November 2020.
  • The Cost of Nursing Care:  Capturing Nursing Costs Through Data.  Webinar for the American Organization of Nurse Leaders, September 2020.
  • The Essence of Nursing Care.  Keynote Speaker: California State University, Northridge White Coat Ceremony, Northridge, CA, January 2020.
  • Pediatric Disaster Preparedness:  The Unique Needs of Children.  Podium presentation at the South Bay Pediatric Liaison Nursing Conference, San Pedro, CA, September 2019.
  • Using Our Voice and Big Data to Advocate for Appropriate Staffing.  Podium presentation (repeated) at the AACN National Teaching Institute in Orlando, FL, May 2019.
  • Taking Action on Creating Healthy Work Environments:  It Can Be Done.  Podium presentation (repeated) at the AACN National Teaching Institute in Orlando, FL, May 2019.
  • Pediatric Disaster Preparedness:  The Unique Needs of Children.  Podium presentation at the UCLA Current Concepts in Pediatric Emergency Nursing Conference in Los Angeles, CA, May 2019.
  • Assessing the Impact of Care Delivery in Pediatric Settings:  A Novel Approach to Measuring the Value of Nursing.  Podium presentation at the Society of Pediatric Nursing’s Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, April 2019.
  • Nursing Costs and Value in a Children’s Hospital.  Podium presentation at the AONE 2019 Annual Meeting in San Diego, April 2019.
  • Healthy Work Environments in Academe.  Podium presentation at the California Association of the Colleges of Nursing in Sacramento, CA, March 2019.
  • Healthy Work Environment in Academia.  Podium presentation at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, CA, February 2019.
  • The Unique Needs of Pediatric and Neonatal Patients in Disaster.  Podium presentation at the California Chapter of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses in Los Angeles, CA, February 2019.
  • From Triple Aim to Quadruple Aim: Patient Experience, Care, Cost and Joy at Work.  Podium presentation at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO, January, 2019.
  • Decreasing Bullying Behavior and Workplace Violence by Supporting and Sustaining a Healthy Work Environment.  Podium presentation at the ANA-C General Assembly in Newport Beach, CA, November 2018.
  • The Unique Needs of Pediatric and Neonatal Patients in Disasters.  Podium presentation at the UCLA Ronald Reagan Neonatal Intensive Care Disaster Conference in Los Angeles, CA, June 2018.
  • Nursing Staffing and Skill Mix.  Podium presentation for Korean nurses at UCLA School of Nursing in Los Angeles, CA, May 2018.
  • Nursing Staffing and Technology: A Beneficial Relationship Formed in the Electronic Environment. Podium presentation at the AACN National Teaching Institute in Boston, MA, May 2018.
  • AACN’s Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments: What Makes a Work Environment Healthy and Steps to Implement the Standards.  Podium presentation and the Keck USC Conference on Healthy Work Environments in Los Angeles, CA, April 2018.
  • Using the ACNL the Healthy Work Environment Tool to Address Issues in Your Work Environment. Podium presentation at the ACNL Annual Conference in Monterey, CA, February 2018.

Honors & Awards

  • Fellow in the American Organization of Nurse Leaders, 2022.
  • UCLA School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award, 2021.
  • Recipient of the Research Article of the Year from the Biomedical Instrumentation and Technology Journal from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, 2017.
  • Recipient of the Circle of Excellence Award from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, 2015.
  • Induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, 2013.
  • Recipient of a Research Scholarship from the Sigma Theta Tau Gamma Tau Chapter, 2012.
  • Recipient of First Place – Research Poster from the Society of Pediatric Nurses, 2012.
  • Recipient of the Excellence in Education Award from the Society of Pediatric Nurses, 2011.
  • Recipient of the Education Scholarship from the Association of California Nurse Leaders, $2,500, 2010.
  • Recipient of the Nurse Leader Scholarship from the Camden Group, 2009.
  • Recipient of the Leadership Excellence Award from the Association of California Nurse Leaders, 2006.
  • Nominated for the Nurse week Excellence Award, 1996, 2006, 2009.
  • Nominated to Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and College, 1989.
  • Recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Research Award from Sigma Theta Tau, 1989.