Megan Williams, MSN, RN, CNL
Memphis, TN
Megan Williams MSN, RN, CNL
Director of Complex Care
Regional One Health
Memphis, TN
Megan Williams is a clinical nurse leader at Regional One Health, a safety-net hospital in Memphis, TN. When the pandemic began, in addition to her regular duties overseeing care for uninsured people experiencing high hospital utilization, Megan was put in charge of employee COVID testing for Regional One Health—no small task.
Megan: “Since COVID started, I find I’m getting pulled into projects that are outside of Complex Care, because people in the system recognize I can see through a vision to successful implementation. As a clinical nurse leader, all the skillsets I learned are exactly what I needed to lead in this crisis: How to operationalize processes, how to build teams, how to create change and move quickly, how to improve processes once they’re going, and pivot when they’re not working. I was overwhelmed at first, but with great leadership support I thought, ‘I’m a nurse---I was called to do this. I’m ready.”
Megan notes her COVID duties are not unique. Throughout the Regional One Health system—and all over the country—nurses are leading key initiatives, from phone triage for COVID testing, Emergency Department triage, disaster preparedness, and the critical supply group. As a result, most of these nurses are working more than full-time hours per week.
Megan: “We’re a safety net hospital. Everyone is working to make sure our community stays safe, and that keeps me going.”
