As a clinic director for several Sanford Health locations, Stacy Jewett has enthusiastically delivered care for decades. In that time members of her teams have viewed her as a thoughtful leader who puts the welfare of patients first.
When it was time to select a 2024 Becky Nelson Nursing Leadership Fellow, she was a worthy choice. Her commitment to her profession, coupled with a legacy of seeking out new challenges, will make the coming year compelling and productive for her and those connected to the fellowship.
“This will give me the opportunity to see other parts of our health care system,” said Jewett, who has been a clinic director at Sanford Health since 2018 and has been affiliated with Sanford clinics for more than 20 years.
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“I will get a chance to see how the hospital world has changed,” she said. “I can ask if there are ways we can collaborate with inpatient acute situations. How can we do better in a clinical role with patients after they leave the hospital? How can we help avoid having patients readmitted to the hospital?”
It has long been part of Jewett’s time at Sanford to ask these kinds of questions and to seek out answers that can lead to a better understanding of the best ways to deliver care. In that sense, she is well-suited to make the most of this yearlong fellowship, which provides mentorship as well as valuable, hands-on professional development opportunities for an aspiring Sanford Health nursing leader.
“Stacy is an exceptionally talented leader who makes the most of every opportunity for the betterment of our patients and our Sanford team,” said Jon Pociask, Jewett’s supervisor and executive director of primary care and behavioral health in Sioux Falls. “Her positive attitude and willingness to lead change and innovation is truly impressive and has been demonstrated throughout her career. Stacy is a worthy recipient of this honor and I’m confident that she will use the Becky Nelson Fellowship as an opportunity to once again step up and positively create change.”
A quarter century at Sanford
Jewett, who grew up in Dell Rapids, South Dakota, and got her nursing degree from South Dakota State, began her career as a pediatric nurse and then moved to cardiology prior to advancing to “the clinic world” in 2001.
Over her 25 years with Sanford Health, she has served in several leadership positions. Jewett currently oversees four family medicine clinics in the Sioux Falls area, including one on the campus of Augustana University, and leads a team of ambulatory RN care managers for the region.
“The best thing about my time at Sanford has been the relationships I’ve formed with the people I work with,” Jewett said. “This includes the other directors, other leaders within Sanford, the nurses and providers. And I still get to have some patient care, too, that I enjoy a lot.”
Jewett’s leadership was instrumental in many efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in establishing drive-thru testing sites, running vaccine clinics and building strong relationships among her teams and with other system leaders.
“Stacy has long been a standout employee; she has extensive background in the ambulatory setting, managing several clinics in Sioux Falls and surrounding towns,” said Erica DeBoer, chief nursing officer. “Stacy is looking forward to expanding her experience and leadership skills, and this fellowship is one way we can support that journey at a local and enterprise level. She is a dedicated and collaborative leader who leads by example, and she is highly regarded by the providers and staff she works with.”
Knowledgeable and purpose-driven
The fellowship promises to give Jewett a unique system-wide perspective of Sanford Health, particularly in hospital and network settings as part of a specialized learning plan aligned with specific goals she has identified.
“When you read the qualifications for the Becky Nelson Fellowship, you think of Stacy,” said Lindsay Daniels, system executive director of care management. “She is knowledgeable and purpose-driven when it relates to patient centered care. She has a genuine heart and is a candid leader who considers how decisions will impact those involved, partnering with others to find solutions. I’ve enjoyed working with her on several initiatives over the last two years and appreciate her perspective and insights.”
The fellowship was created in 2014 to honor Becky Nelson for her contributions to Sanford Health. Nelson, who began her career as a staff nurse, spent decades at Sanford Health and retired as the organization’s chief operating officer. She returned in 2018 as the Good Samaritan Society’s chief of staff to guide the integration with Sanford Health.
“When I look back at my nursing career, Sanford’s been very good to me and there’s always opportunity to advance and do different things,” Jewett said. “It’s really about the people that I’ve interacted with and how they have helped me as an individual grow, and maybe push me a little bit – they see the potential I may not see. They have encouraged me to do things that are a little bit outside my wheelhouse. In the end, that has been very rewarding.”
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Posted In Awards & Recognition, Nursing and Nursing Support, Sioux Falls
