The Miriam Hospital has appointed Vanzetta James, DNP, MBA, as its Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. James comes to The Miriam with over 20 years nursing leadership experience in magnet, teaching, and academic medical centers.
Dr. James most recently served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing officer at University of Maryland Capital Region Health, where she was responsible for the overall nursing practice in the inpatient, emergency and trauma, perioperative, procedural, and ambulatory settings. Her major accomplishments included the implementation of a shared governance structure, a quarterly nursing publication and a successful transition into a new hospital.
“Following a thorough national search, we are pleased and privileged to have Dr. James join us in this important hospital leadership role. With her background, experience, and passion for nursing practice, patient safety, patient experience, quality improvement and evidence-based practice, I am confident she will be a great fit for The Miriam Hospital team,” said Maria Ducharme, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, president of The Miriam Hospital.
“I’m thrilled to join The Miriam Hospital, consistently ranked a high-performing top hospital nationally,” said Dr. James. “I’m eager to tap into my diverse clinical expertise and to continue the longstanding effort at The Miriam of focusing heavily and intently on patient safety and patient experience.”
Dr. James’ previous roles include Director of Acute Care at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where she improved patient throughput, implemented a virtual sitter program, and instituted successful strategies to decrease patient falls; and Nurse Manager at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, where she oversaw the initiation of a critical care unit for patients requiring lung rescue/extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and led efforts in achievement of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Beacon Award for Excellence.
Dr. James earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in leadership from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Baltimore, a Master of Science in Health Services Leadership and Management from the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore, MD, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Delaware, and an Associate of Science in Nursing from the College of the Virgin Islands. Dr. James is certified in critical care nursing as well as nursing executive practice.
Dr. James is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau, and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership.