Nurses of Note 2025: The Director of Quality Management

PerfectServe’s fifth annual Nurses of Note awards program honors exceptional nurses who exemplify dedication, leadership, and compassion in their work. Chosen from a large pool of nominees, these individuals regularly go above and beyond the call of duty, making a meaningful impact on patients and their communities every day. 

This year, grand prize winners were chosen in four new award categories: Innovative Technology Utilization, Excellence in Nursing Leadership, Exceptional Team Support, and Patient-Centered Care Excellence. Read the full list of winners here.

The Director of Quality Management (Broken Arrow, OK) – Kyle Pingleton, Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award Winner

Nominated for both the Excellence in Nursing Leadership and Patient-Centered Care Excellence awards, Kyle Pingleton, BSN, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, is the very definition of the word “leader.” Kyle is the Director of Quality Management at Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Broken Arrow, a long-term acute care hospital located in Broken Arrow, OK. He started his healthcare career as a CNA at Cornerstone, a position he held while he completed nursing school. After that, he served as a nurse at the facility for ten years as he progressed to his current position.  

 “As the director of Quality, I look to ensure all of our departments, facility-wide, are operating at top quality for our patients and their safety,” he said.  

Kyle sits on multiple boards and committees, works closely with community partners, and directs a team of nurses in a wide range of roles. One of his biggest accomplishments includes overseeing and greatly improving the hospital’s organ and tissue donation program. Hospitals partner with organ procurement organizations (OPOs) as part of meeting CMS conditions of participation, and when Kyle saw an opportunity to strengthen the hospital’s approach to referrals and contract alignment, he acted quickly. 

Through careful evaluation of referral processes, clinical indicators, and staff education, Kyle collaborated closely with LifeShare, an OPO based in Oklahoma, to enhance the hospital’s practices. After three years of hard work, the hospital achieved Gold and Platinum status—a major milestone that reflects the hospital’s commitment to excellence in organ donation practices.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s that big of a deal, but to us, we’re a really small hospital,” Kyle said. “We outperformed and met the metrics to meet platinum [status] compared to very large organizations. I’m really proud of my team and the work that they’ve done.”  

Kyle recalled being a part of the hospital’s very first organ donation this year. Cornerstone’s partner hospital collaborated with Cornerstone to host an honor walk for the patient’s family. Kyle is still close with many of the patient’s family members, saying the event was tragic but beautiful.  

“My job is to look at that patient aspect, and if somebody wants to be an organ donor, then we want to honor those wishes,” he said. “Even throughout their struggles and their grief, [the patient’s family] was able to know that she lived on, and she helped save multiple other individuals.”  

And that’s not just a platitude to make grieving families feel better. Kyle points out that just one tissue donation can save up to 83 people. 

Another critical area of Kyle’s role is understanding and addressing social determinants of health. He chairs the Health Equity Committee, which was established just last year to strengthen the hospital’s involvement in the community and address health-related social needs.

“We needed to have a stronger hand in community engagement and really start addressing those social determinants of health,” Kyle said. “Case management and I have really worked strongly together, and some of clinical nursing, so that we’re capturing data through assessments and surveys and then finding out what our population needs.” 

Over the last year, the Health Equity Committee focused heavily on mental health, developing a suicide screening tool. The committee also works directly with several community organizations, including Mental Health Association Oklahoma, working to put together 75 backpacks—filled with clothes, food, and personal care items—for homeless members of the community in 2024. That equates to over $3,000 in donations to the MHAOK Rapid Response and Homeless Outreach Program.   

This year’s focus has been on food insecurity. Cornerstone worked with Broken Arrow Neighbors to organize food drives and to participate in the Defying Hunger Gala. Together, the organizations raised nearly $150,000 to address food insecurity in Broken Arrow. Along with other members of the facility’s leadership team, Kyle has been an integral part of pushing the hospital to more directly address community health needs. 

Kyle’s work in understanding social determinants of health doesn’t stop there. Kyle’s nominator wrote that he’s “been a driving force in raising funds for cancer research and addressing the inequities that exist in breast cancer care.” His work is apparent in his relationship with patients and with Cornerstone’s very own Chief Operating Officer & Chief Clinical Officer, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Kyle encouraged fellow Cornerstone staff to take part in a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event to help raise funds for their beloved leader.

“Working within the healthcare field, I’m predominantly working with women, and I’ve seen way too many of my friends and colleagues be diagnosed with breast cancer,” Kyle said. “We were able to race for [our colleague] and with her and her family, and it was amazing to see her fully be empowered and lifted up and know that she’s not alone in that journey, along with some of our other peers.” 

Kyle serves on a leadership committee through the Susan G. Komen organization and is particularly passionate about the HER (Health Equity Revolution) program, which works to decrease breast cancer disparities among marginalized groups. Kyle hopes to bring a HER chapter to the Tulsa region.  

For Kyle, one of the most rewarding components of his job is forming relationships with his patients and their families. He’s the kind of leader who stays late every shift to check on all of his nurses, but also to check in with patients before he leaves for the night.  

“[My favorite part is] just having that rapport with them and knowing that I was able to help them recover,” Kyle said. “It makes me want to continue to show up here every day and see my team, see my patients, the families, and just be a part of that. It really does just fill your cup and make you love what you do!”

What Cornerstone Has Been Up To

Take a closer look at what Kyle and his team have been up to, both inside and outside the hospital walls:

Susan G Komen Race

As noted above, Kyle and team participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in September 2024 in support of their Chief Operating Officer & Chief Clinical Officer. Kyle said, “The team rallied together to support teammates, loved ones, and community members who have [fought] or are fighting breast cancer. Additionally, the team raised over $2,600 to help remove barriers with breast health through research, education, early detection programs, treatments, and support/survivorship.”

The Cornerstone team was recognized as a Top Team with one of the highest amounts raised in donations and registrations.

Organ Donation

On April 11, the team at Cornerstone celebrated National Blue and Green Day—a visual tribute to the lifesaving impact of organ donation and transplantation. This day serves as a reminder of the hope and second chances provided through the selfless act of donation.

Kyle said, “We’re proud to share that, in 2024, our hospital received Platinum Recognition from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This honor acknowledges our commitment to increasing donor registrations through community outreach, awareness campaigns, educational sessions, and registration events.”

Community Support Projects

On March 31, Cornerstone wrapped up their food drive in support of Broken Arrow Neighbors, contributing nonperishable food items and cleaning supplies, totaling nearly $1,500.

On April 25, Cornerstone attended the Defying Hunger Gala, an event that raised over $150,000 to combat food insecurity in Broken Arrow.

On May 2, Cornerstone teamed up with Anthem Church and Feed My Starving Children. Together, 124 dedicated volunteers—including Cornerstone teammates—came together to pack 30,672 meals for children in need around the world. That’s enough to feed 84 children a meal a day for an entire year!

Kyle said, “As part of our commitment to addressing Social Determinants of Health, this effort focused on combating food insecurity—a challenge faced by millions globally and right here at home. By coming together to serve, we’re working to create healthier communities and a more hopeful future.”

Furchella Gala

On April 5, the team attended the Furchella Gala, an event benefiting Skiatook Paws & Claws Animal Rescue (SPACAR). Kyle said, “At Cornerstone, we believe healing extends beyond hospital walls. Supporting organizations like SPACAR aligns with our commitment to compassion, dignity, and whole-person care—values that guide both our team and our partnerships. To us and so many of our patients, our family includes those with fur, four legs, and hearts far bigger than we deserve.”

Thank You

Kyle, you embody the spirit of a caretaker and leader. You don’t just care deeply for your patients and your teammates—you work tirelessly to improve the health of the entire community around you. Congratulations on being a 2025 Nurse of Note! We can’t wait to see what the future holds for you and for Cornerstone.

Q&A

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

Why did you choose to become a nurse? 

My mom is an RN, and when I was in high school, she always told me, “Kyle, you need to be a nurse.” I had other interests, and I even got a degree in zoology and entomology from Oklahoma State University. In that process, I realized that was much more of a hobby and not something that I really wanted to do for a career. 

After talking to my mom more, she kept encouraging me. When I was in nursing school, I started working at Cornerstone as a CNA. I immediately fell in love, and from there, it’s just been an amazing journey. 

What’s one piece of advice you have for other nurses in the field? 

My biggest piece of advice in our current climate is to not allow yourself to be consumed with the negativity of the world. It has a way to suck you in and not spit you out, and you just get stuck in it. Don’t allow that! We became nurses to help people. When you’re in a negative mindset, you’re not going to get very far in a patient’s recovery.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day? 

My family is my driving force. They keep me going, so definitely anything family! When it’s time to go home, my little girl and I typically will sit down and read, play, maybe watch TV. Whatever she’s feeling, and then do our bedtime routine. My husband and I will then watch a movie and hang out. Normally, we have popcorn and candy and just unwind. We like to talk about what our day was like and what’s going on. 

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

As nurses, care doesn’t stop when the patient is discharged. You can’t just look at the diagnosis and make a quick fix. We really need to start looking into our communities and see what’s contributing to those diagnoses. How can we stop disparities as a whole?  

Of course, technology plays a huge part in that. Our integration of technology and integration of health equity and community involvement is what we’ve needed. I’m happy with the trajectory our hospital has been on. I just want to see a lot more growth within that for our hospital community and the surrounding hospitals that we work with. 

What’s one way technology has improved the way you deliver care and/or communicate with your team? 

Our current structure has, at times, fallen short in terms of technology. We’re among the few remaining hospitals still relying on paper charting, and we’re hopeful that we’ll transition to an EHR system in the coming years. We’ve seen the enhanced safety and efficiency it provides for our peers who have already made that shift. 

One of the biggest challenges for smaller organizations like ours is the financial burden. Securing a multi-million-dollar contract and implementing a fully integrated EHR system remains a significant barrier to progress. 

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