VP/Chief Nursing Officer
Saint Luke's Hospital
Kansas City, MO
Debbie Wilson, RN, MSN, MSA, NEA-BC is the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, a 602-bed quaternary referral center. Saint Luke’s Hospital is part of Saint Luke’s Health System, a not-for-profit, faith-based health system consisting of 11 hospitals and numerous primary and specialty care practices located in the Kansas City metropolitan area as well as the surrounding region. As the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Ms. Wilson is accountable for the nursing care delivered by more than 1,200 registered nurses and oversees the operational and quality performance of multiple inpatient and outpatient clinical areas. Ms. Wilson was a part of the executive team responsible for Saint Luke’s Health System’s 2010 Missouri Quality Award achievement.Under Ms. Wilson’s leadership, Saint Luke’s Hospital received Magnet re-designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for excellence in nursing services in 2009. The hospital initially achieved Magnet designation in 2004. She led her team for Saint Luke’s third Magnet designation which was obtained in 2014. Ms. Wilson’s team is now working on their fourth designation in 2018.Ms. Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Graceland College, Lamoni, Iowa; a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Missouri–Kansas City; and an additional master’s degree in administration with an emphasis in health care administration from Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.She holds a certification as a nurse executive, advanced (NEA-BC) from the American Nursing Credentialing Center. Ms. Wilson was the recipient of the 2011 University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC) Alumni Achievement Award for the School of Nursing. She is active in a number of professional associations and boards, including Kansas City Area Nurse Executives (KCANE), the UMKC School of Nursing Advisory Board, the Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences Board of Directors as well as President for the Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders (MONL). Ms. Wilson is also a 2012 RWJF Executive Nurse Fellow.