Nurses of Note 2024: The Clinical Excellence Project Manager

PerfectServe’s Nurses of Note awards program honors those who help us define what it means to be a nurse. They’re selected from a large group of nominees and stand out for their diligence, passion, leadership, and devotion to caring for others.

For the fourth year of the program, PerfectServe is highlighting nurses who have gone a step beyond the rest in their careers. Though we believe all nurses make extraordinary contributions, these honorees stood out to us for their steadfast dedication to the field of nursing, helping to paint a picture of the difference they make for their patients and communities every single day.

In-depth profiles of select winners will be published each month for the rest of the year, so make sure to bookmark our blog to learn more about their stories!

The Clinical Excellence Project Manager (Arlington, TX) – Shelby Do, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CCRN 

Nurse Shelby Do was inspired to become a nurse by her mother, who serves as a nurse in the United States Air Force. Growing up, Shelby was inspired by her mother’s dedication to serving patients and her country, as well as her passion for continuing her own nursing education. Shelby wanted to follow in her footsteps, and today, she’s the Clinical Excellence Project Manager for the Nursing Professional Practice Department at Texas Health Resources in Arlington, Texas.   

Shelby has been with Texas Health for four years but has served in her current position for three. She came to Texas Health after working in a leadership role at another facility while completing her DNP. Her team supports 17 hospitals (seven Magnet-designated organizations and 10 Pathways to Excellence). She says no two days are the same—she might find herself focusing on data analysis, project coordination and planning, meetings with nurse leaders, evidence-based practice projects, or celebrating the accomplishments of a nurse or facility.  

“Our team works to sustain the culture of excellence to maintain these accreditations, as well as develop and write the significant amount of documentation required to support these accreditations through [American Nurses Credentialing Center],” Shelby shared. “As the sole project manager on the team, creating innovative processes to reduce the work burden associated with these documents and strict timelines is a significant part of my role.” 

Shelby particularly loves being a part of a small and highly educated team, as it creates space for a diverse, rewarding role with great work-life balance. She didn’t always know that roles like the one she’s in today existed—it took furthering her education and being inspired by others to become aware of the diverse opportunities outside of bedside nursing.  

“I was grateful to find a role that utilizes and further develops my skill set, as well as provides a significant amount of autonomy. I greatly enjoy the team that I work with and don’t dread waking up for work each day!”  

As a project manager, Shelby wears many hats. Some roles she serves in include the [National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators] lead coordinator for the system; the nursing certification specialist and system coach; and the lead resource for the Pathway to Excellence facilities, a position in which she provides data visualization for all Magnet documents. She also coordinates the RN engagement survey and acts as the learning needs assessment coordinator, among other responsibilities. 

In her position, Shelby has led her team to multiple Magnet designations across the Texas Health Resources system in the past year alone. She says that achieving a Magnet designation is the highlight of her team’s work, and it takes four years to build up an entity through the Magnet culture. This involves “pulling together the narratives and data” that detail the hard work and dedication of nurses at each location.   

“As the project manager, helping to guide the team through the process is rewarding,” Shelby said. “Much like growing and birthing a baby, it is no small feat! We all work closely together as a team, as well as with other interprofessional partners and nurse leaders, to pull it all together.” 

Reflecting on recent projects she’s worked on, Shelby is proud of her work helping to enhance and modernize the clinical ladder. She took input from direct care nurses and helped to elevate their voices to improve communication between them and interprofessional partners. Some changes made included new activities that will now include well-being in the professional development space. Shelby says this work will soon be disseminated throughout the system, providing the “opportunity for more direct care nurses to elevate their professional development through the streamlined process.”  

Largely influenced by her work, Shelby is passionate about nurse recognition. She says she enjoys her work because it provides her a platform to identify and recognize the important work nurses and other interprofessional teams do to improve outcomes for patients and families. Because of how hard nurses and other care team staff work, Shelby believes hospital decision-makers and government policymakers should place more value on the voice of the nurse.    

“As the largest part of the healthcare workforce population, [nurses’] voices and ideas are valuable. Leveraging shared decision-making is critical to being a successful healthcare organization and providing healthy work environments for all.” 

Thank You

Shelby, thank you for not only serving as a bedside nurse but for the work you’re doing in your newfound project management role. You are clearly passionate about inspiring nurses to further their education and professional development skills, and we know these translate to the ultimate goal of better patient care. Your support for others and dedication to improving the nursing field as a whole makes you a very fitting Nurse of Note!

Q&A

To learn more about Shelby’s life as a nurse, we asked her a few additional questions:  

Why did you choose to become a nurse?  

My main inspiration for becoming a nurse is my mom. She’s a nurse in the Air Force, and I was able to see the growth of her career while she also served our country. She has always been an avid learner and continued her education throughout my childhood. With that education, she has built her career into serving as a high-level healthcare executive and continuously demonstrates the impact leaders can have on the nursing practice environment and patient outcomes. She remains a strong role model in my own nursing career journey. 

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving as a nurse throughout the pandemic? 

Working as a nurse leader in a critical care environment during the pandemic highlighted the importance of teamwork and communication. I was working on completing my DNP project during this time, which centered around leadership and shared decision-making. While the timing was inconvenient, it pushed me to analyze and truly appreciate the value of shared decision-making. 

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about working in the healthcare industry? 

I would share with my younger self the diverse opportunities outside of bedside nursing that are available with more nursing education. I didn’t know that my current role existed before, and I look forward to seeing where I end up in the future. While I greatly enjoyed being a nurse in the critical care environment, serving those who serve patients is a highly fulfilling role. 

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?  

After a busy day, I enjoy spending time with my family outside or reading a great book. With a longer break, my favorite thing to do is plan trips and travel to experience new cultures and experiences, especially since having children. Sharing the world and seeing things through their eyes is so special! 

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field of the future? 

I would like to see continued improvements to the nursing practice environment for those who love providing patient care. Putting systems in place that value a nurse’s mental and physical well-being is crucial to prevent and correct burnout due to the current system. 

What song describes you as a nurse? 

“I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrandts. I always try to be there and support those in need. I often hear that I am the calm in the storm and show grace through patience.  

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish profiles about more of our amazing Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year! 

For more about Nurses of Note 2024, check out the full list of winners.