35-year Baptist colleague Susan Ferguson has been named Baptist’s interim vice president and chief nursing officer.
Ferguson assumes the role most recently held by Dana Dye, who earlier this month became the first woman and first nurse to be named CEO and administrator of Baptist Memphis. Dye also is a vice president for Baptist.
Before becoming interim CNO, Ferguson spent the past four months as Baptist’s system nursing director for clinical value analysis/specialty care/patient safety, where she managed patient safety and quality initiatives and performed a number of other duties.
“We are very lucky to have Susan on our team, and I know she’ll be great in this role,” said Dr. Paul DePriest, Baptist’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Susan brings such valuable experience to the CNO position, and she will provide exceptional leadership and support to our nursing and quality teams.”
During her Baptist career, Ferguson has served in a variety of roles throughout the system, including Baptist Collierville’s CNO; system director of nursing; director of nursing administration; director of oncology services; and CNO for the Baptist Memorial hospitals in the metro-Memphis area, West Tennessee and Eastern Arkansas. She began her career in the emergency department at the Baptist Medical Center.
Baptist leadership is conducting a nationwide search for a permanent CNO.