FEATURES

TOWARD REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

Nancy Dickenson-Hazard: Master bridge builder

For more photos, click on images below.

by Jane Palmer

In November, Nancy Dickenson-Hazard will step down as executive leader of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, one of the world’s largest and most respected nursing organizations.

During her 14-year tenure, Dickenson-Hazard has become well-known for her leadership skills, intellect, gracious manner, sense of humor and talent for synthesizing information, as well as her ability to collaboratively build globe-spanning bridges to nursing knowledge and excellence.

“Nancy is a master at creating win-win situations for groups with divergent agendas,” says Barbara Robinette, chief constituent officer and 20-year staff member. “She has brought together many different nursing groups, associations and leaders to various common-ground discussions. She has the ability to consolidate difficult issues into easy-to-understand concepts.”

Past President Daniel Pesut commends Dickenson-Hazard for consistently basing her decisions and strategic plans on what is best for the honor society and its members.

“Nancy always has her eye on the future,” Pesut says. “She has a keen ability to discern the consequences of trends for the nursing profession in general and the honor society specifically. Once a trend becomes evident, she rallies the troops and inspires alignment of people, networks and resources to achieve established goals. Once aligned, she acts with intention, integrity and ethics.”

The early years
When Dickenson-Hazard was hired as executive officer in 1993 (she was named CEO in 1999), she did not anticipate how much the organization would grow and evolve. She soon became aware, however, of the significant responsibilities of her position.

“I had been in this job for about six months,” she says. “We went down to visit my parents, and I asked, ‘Will you tell me what a girl from Kentucky is doing in a job like this?’ I was beginning to realize the magnitude and scope of the position.”

Dickenson-Hazard began her work for the honor society following a large fund-raising campaign. The International Center for Nursing Scholarship had just been built and paid off. She felt a responsibility to determine how, in collaboration with those around her, to provide the knowledge and leadership that nurses need to make a difference.

“I have always believed that nurses are the linchpin of health care,” she says. “The more you give nurses to help them provide intelligent, safe, quality, compassionate care and the more you prepare them to lead people to health—the better they will be, the better their patients will be, and the better the profession will be.

“The public looks to nurses to give it to them straight—to give it to them with the best they have to offer, whether it’s knowledge or physical skills, compassion or caring.”

Page 2 of article