By Laura Gasque

University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Associate Professor, Assistant Dean of Nursing Clinical Practice and Partnerships and Chief Nursing Officer of UAB Hospital Terri Poe, DNP, RN, NE-BC (BSN 1986, DNP 2013), has been named the inaugural Chief Nursing Executive for UAB Health System.

In this new systemwide role, Poe will guide the vision for nursing across all UAB Medicine entities. Her focus will include aligning practice standards, advancing professional development and supporting the teams that deliver outstanding care every day. This position is central to elevating the organization and positioning UAB’s workforce for the future.

“I am honored to serve as UAB Health System’s first chief nursing executive,” Poe said. “Nurses are at the heart of patient care, and this role provides an opportunity to strengthen our profession across every UAB Medicine entity. My focus will be on supporting our teams, advancing practice standards, and ensuring that nurses have the resources and development they need to deliver exceptional care. Together, we will continue building a culture that values collaboration, innovation and excellence.”

Poe is a two-time graduate of the UAB School of Nursing, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1986 and Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2013. She joined UAB Hospital as Director of Emergency Services in 2009 before being named Chief Nursing Officer in 2014. She joined the UAB School of Nursing in 2015 as an Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Practice.

“Terri Poe is a wonderful example of how nurse leaders are making a difference not only in patient care but in leadership positions across health systems,” said Dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair in Nursing Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FNAP, FAAN. “Leadership is in our DNA at the School, and our alumni, faculty and students are forging the future of health care.”

Poe also has helped strengthen the UAB Nursing Partnership, a formal collaboration between the School, UAB Hospital and UAB Medicine designed to reshape the scope and impact of nursing at one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers and third largest public hospital. When the partnership was formalized in 2016, it marked an important milestone for the academic/practice partnership and solidified the collaboration and innovation for which UAB is known. It received the 2018 American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s New Era for Academic Nursing Award, its highest academic/practice partnership award. This award recognizes strong academic nursing partnerships that exemplify a spirit of collaboration, integration and support.

Poe said the degrees she earned from the UAB School of Nursing helped position her for taking on increasing levels of responsibility in her career.

“When I graduated from the UAB School of Nursing with my BSN, I was ready to be the best nurse possible and to provide world-class care for patients, but I also wanted to guide others to be strong nurses. I knew I wanted to be part of nursing leadership for UAB Hospital,” Poe said. “Completing the DNP program provided additional tools to make that next step as an executive nurse leader, including working on interprofessional teams and handling executive demands.”

Poe said the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree allowed her to gain a deep understanding of how to support nurses and interdisciplinary teams across a complex, integrated system.

“Graduating with knowledge of health systems, legislation, finance and other skills is immensely important for nurses who hope to advance as leaders,” Poe said. “By providing this foundation, UAB is setting nurses up for success at all levels of care and creating leaders who can adapt as leadership needs become more complex.”

Poe is an active member of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and is an American Essential Hospitals Fellow. In 2015, she was selected for the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship.