Meet Simmy King, DNP, MS, MBA, RN-BC, NE-BC

Nursing Director of Clinical Information Systems and Professional Development

Simmy King, DNP, MS, MBA, RN-BC, NE-BC, nursing director of Clinical Information Systems and Professional Development, is usually one of the first people new nurses meet when they come to work at Children’s National.

As a key force behind the organization’s nursing development efforts, she helps facilitate new nurses’ learning, and career growth for all nurses, through on-boarding and education.

But she doesn’t do it alone. Simmy counts on her “personal board of directors” – colleagues and supervisors who have guided her in her career – and applies their advice in her day-to-day work. She pays it forward too, sharing their guidance with new nurses as she helps them get acclimated to their work at Children’s. 

Last summer, Simmy and her colleagues gained a feather in their cap when Children’s National was recognized with a 2016 Helios HR Apollo Award™ for innovative talent development practices in nursing and were recognized in the Mentorship and Coaching category.

Linda Talley, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Children’s, called the award a great honor. “It shows that we go above and beyond to make sure our nurses have the skills and tools needed to provide the best possible care to our patients,” Talley says.

Simmy said while nurses need many things to help them feel supported by the organization they work for, strong nursing leadership that honors the work that they do is ranked among the most important.

Among the highest priorities for the nursing division at Children’s is central nursing orientation – a 3-day program held every two weeks, for every new nursing employee, which Simmy oversees. In 2015, there were more than 300 new full- or part-time nurses on-boarded at Children’s. The new nurses learn about organization policies and procedures, Children’s Magnet designation and what it means for team members and get acquainted with their work environment.

“Coming into the pediatric environment, our program provides an opportunity to advance their learning, help with their professional development needs and make sure they are ready to hit the ground running when their day-to-day work begins,” Simmy says. 

As a result of the on-boarding and education efforts Simmy spearheads, Children’s National is able to help its more than 1,700 nurses leverage their skills and pursue their ultimate goals.

“There are people who emerge as future leaders, and you want them to get a plan to grow within the organization,” Simmy says. “We are excited to help our nurses in that journey.”

Learn more about the Helios Apollo award for innovative talent development practices in nursing or the nursing program at Children’s.