Spotlight
Mary Dee Hacker, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Mary Dee Hacker, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, former Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
What makes her an “Audrey” Mary Dee Hacker served as the visionary chief nursing officer at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). She dedicated her 45 year long career to empowering nurses to make clinical decisions and find better ways to deliver care to children.
Starting as a staff nurse at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles in 1975, she rose through the ranks to her as vice president of nursing and interprofessional research. Throughout her career, Ms. Hacker, launched several initiatives tied to research and education that have transformed and strengthened not only the nursing workforce at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, but also at hospitals across the U.S.
In 1999, she spearheaded the creation of a rigorous 22-week residency program for nurses coming to the hospital straight from school with a goal of reducing the turnover rate CHLA was experiencing with new nurses. The program mixed teaching with actual clinical experience to instill confidence and competence in the new nurses. The residency program helped reduce the 24-month turnover rate of new graduate nurses to 8.9% from as high as 56% in the years before. It also led to the launch of the Versant RN Residency, which is used by hospitals across the nation.
Ms. Hacker has served as the visionary chief nursing officer and vice president of Patient Care Services at Children's Hospital Los Angeles for 20 years. She guided the hospital to its initial Magnet designation in 2008, and then through its first re-designation in 2013. She is known for creating a healthy culture and work environment for direct care providers and all members of the health care team. Ms. Hacker has been associated with Children's Hospital for nearly five decades, beginning as a staff nurse in 1975 and has held various administrative nursing positions at the hospital.
Mary Dee Hacker attended studied at attended St Catherine University in St Paul, Minnesota and received her bachelor’s in nursing in 1974. She began her nursing career at CHLA in 1975. She continued her education and later received a Master of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University. Her master’s project was on “Quality Circles in Nursing”.
In 2013, The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) made its first appointment of a commissioner from a pediatric hospital to its Magnet Recognition Program., Mary Dee Hacker, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, chief nursing officer and vice president of Patient Care Services at , has been named as a representative on the Commission on the Magnet Recognition Program.
In this capacity, MS. Hacker played a pivotal role in serving on the governance body of the Magnet Recognition Program, a credential for nursing excellence earned by 395 hospitals out of almost 6,000 U.S. health care organizations, recognizing only the very best hospitals across the country.
Ms. Hacker was the recipient of numerous awards for nursing leadership and was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2010.
Ms. Hacker continuously advocated for the nursing profession throughout her career and honored the contributions of nurses. Over her time at CHLA, she honored CHLA’s Daisy Award recipients. A prestigious award given to nurses that go above and beyond to not only provide patients and families with excellence in clinical care but also compassion.
Notable achievements:
American Academy of Nursing, Health Care Leader Award, 2019
Modern Health Care Excellence in Nursing Award “Empowering nurses to deliver better care through research” senior-level leadership award, 2018.
National Association of Nurse Practitioners Outstanding Colleague Award, 2016
American Nurses Credential Center (ANCC) Commissioner on Magnet Recognition Program, 2013
Community Health Leadership Award, 2013
Friend of DAISY Award, 2013
American Academy of Nursing, Induction as a Fellow, 2010
Association of California Nurse Leaders, “Best Practice- Administration” – 2003
Dr. Audrey Evans inspires me because she was a determined woman. She did not accept status quo. During her time, society did not encourage women to consider medicine as a professional career. I am sure many people encouraged her to pursue the more traditional female careers of nursing and teaching. As a nurse, I can say I am positive she would have been a terrific nurse! Not only did she successfully navigate a male dominated education, but she also had to constantly demonstrate excellence as she continued to seek specialty medical education. She achieved the next to impossible academic medical success; clinician/educator/ researcher. How did she ever find the time, the energy, or the compassion to recognize the financial and social complexity families faced when dealing with overwhelming medical conditions! What an amazing human being. I am sorry I never had an opportunity to meet or collaborate with her. I know I would love her.
I want my legacy to be simply my determination to always make things better for patients, families, colleagues and systems. From the day I walked into Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 1975, I knew the culture was dedicated to learning and improving everything that has to do with children, families, and professionals. I was surrounded by remarkable interprofessional colleagues who were in pursuit of more knowledge, cures, and safety. I knew CHLA was the right place for me.