Katherine Riley is the Assistant Vice President of Nursing at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. She has served in this position since September 2007. Prior to that, she served as Assistant Vice President of Operations for two years. Ms. Riley has worked at SVMC since 1975, starting as a nursing assistant, and working up to a direct care RN, and then nursing director. She led the organization to a successful Magnet designation in 2002 and redesignation in 2006.

“To create a decentralized nursing structure that would allow nurses to practice in an empowered autonomous environment. This was congruent with our belief, and supported by research, that the best care decisions are made as close to the patient as possible.”

“As always, communication. Ensuring that all stakeholders, including those outside of nursing, are involved from the beginning.”