Advocate Christ Medical Center Teammates Named Nursing Excellence Award Winners

Teammates at Advocate Christ Medical Center are being recognized on an organizational level for their exemplary dedication to patients.

Lea Good, an orthopedic nurse navigator, has been named Advocate Health’s Illinois Division Nurse of the Year, setting her apart from the more than 10,000 Advocate Health Care nurses across the state. Additionally, the Advocate Christ Medical Center emergency department team has been recognized with Advocate Health’s Illinois Division Stronger Together award.

The distinctions are part of the organization’s Nursing Excellence Awards, which encourages teammates to recognize their peers for demonstrating Advocate Health’s Professional Practice Model and Purpose & Commitments. Frontline nurses and nursing teams are honored for exemplifying Advocate’s core nursing values and providing high-quality care. Nurses and teams are nominated and selected by teammates and leaders across the enterprise, and one nurse and team are chosen from each division across Advocate Health.

For more than four decades, Good, of Oak Forest, has cared for patients at Advocate Christ Medical Center. She developed the Orthopedic Nurse Navigator role on Advocate Christ’s inpatient orthopedic floor. Under her leadership, nearly every patient is ambulating the same day they undergo surgery. She mentors new nurses, leads orthopedic education and drives quality improvement efforts, including streamlining discharge. Leading interdisciplinary huddles and partnering with surgeons, therapists, and case managers, Good is committed to elevating the patient experience, providing equitable care, and improving recovery and outcomes.

The Emergency Department team was recognized for the development of a multi-phase quality improvement model designed to reduce delays and ensure patients receive timely care. By collaborating with key stakeholders at every step in the improvement process, including nurses, physicians, radiology and transport team members, the team transformed the patient experience in the emergency department. Incomplete visits and wait times have been significantly reduced, and the strategy is being implemented across the enterprise, setting a new standard for emergency care.

“We are so incredibly proud of both Lea and the emergency department team for the many ways in which they have improved care delivery for the patients we serve,” said Jim Allard, vice president and chief nursing officer at Advocate Christ. “This recognition is a testament to their innovation and compassion, which has changed countless lives. I look forward to witnessing all they will continue to achieve.”