Saint Thomas Health, Ascension's Tennessee ministry, has announced that Amy D. Wilson will be joining the nine-hospital system as Chief Nursing Officer. Wilson, who comes to Saint Thomas Health from Pensacola, Florida's Sacred Heart Hospital, also an Ascension ministry, will begin her new role January 3, 2017.

"The Chief Nursing Officer role is new for Saint Thomas Health, but vital to our continued leadership in patient care and patient experience," said Karen Springer, Saint Thomas Health President and CEO. "Amy will work closely with our Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Operating Officer dyad leaders to ensure that our nursing, medical and operational strategies are aligned and performing efficiently and effectively. Amy's tremendous breadth of experience will make her a great addition to our terrific leadership team."

"Clinical leaders across Ascension continue to lead the way in sharing best practices and learning from one another to improve quality and safety for those we serve," said Ann Hendrich, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Chief Quality/Safety and Nursing Officer, Ascension Healthcare, a division of Ascension. "As we become an even more integrated national health ministry, Amy will apply her talent to build on the full continuum of care across Saint Thomas Health. I look forward to Amy's continuing contributions as a member of our Care Excellence leadership community."

Wilson has most recently served in the dual role of Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Sacred Heart Hospital where she has held progressive leadership roles since 2012. As COO and CNO, she was responsible for all nursing practice related functions, as well as the operations of the hospital, financial management for the organization, and the oversight of ancillary departments, facilities and contracted departments.

Prior to joining Sacred Heart, Wilson spent six years at The Children's Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham. She joined Children's in 2006 as the Director of the Stem Cell Transplant Unit and was later named Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In 2011, she became the Director of Performance Improvement and Accreditation, overseeing the Performance Improvement, Medical Staff Services and Continuing Medical Education departments.

Wilson received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Huntsville and her Master of Science degree in Nursing, with an emphasis on Quality Improvement and Outcomes Management, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is a certified professional in healthcare quality and a Six Sigma Black Belt. Active in the community, she is a board member for Autism Pensacola, a long-term member of Impact 100, and serves on the leadership advisory council for the School of Nursing at the University of West Florida.