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Vice President of Patient Care Services, Chief Nurse Executive Named at Phoenix Children's Hospital

by Joan Trombetti, Writer | September 28, 2009
Debra Pendergast, MSN,
BSN will join Phoenix
Children's Hospital as
Vice President of
Patient Care Services
Chief Nurse Executive
The vision of leadership and the opportunity to be part of a growing institution destined become of of the best children's hospitals in the country were the incentives for Debra Pendergast, MSN, BSN to accept the position of Vice President of Patient Care Services, Chief Nurse Executive. She recently held the position of CNO, (Chair, Division of Nursing Services) for over 13 years at Mayo Clinic Arizona, where she was responsible for guiding the professional practice of 1,300 nurses.

Pointing out that Pendergast was an outstanding candidate, Robert Meyer, President and CEO of Phoenix Children's Hospital said, "Debra brings a demonstrated commitment to excellence in patient care, safety, quality, and physician collaboration."

Pendergast's leadership at the Mayo Clinic led to Leapfrog recognition, excelling in patient safety, the highest patient safety scores across Mayo sites, and above average employee survey results.

In addition to Pendergast's long list of accomplishments, she was an original team member recruited by Mayo Clinic of Arizona responsible for development and implementation of operational services at the Scottsdale campus. She participated in ongoing hospital and program expansions along with technology implementations.

Prior to her stint at Mayo Clinic, she served as the Director of Patient Services for Scottsdale Memorial Hospital. In addition, she is a Commander (retired) in the Naval Reserve Nurse Corps where she spent 20 years, including five years as assistant chief nurse at a Veterans Administration Hospital.

A graduate of Hampton University in Virginia, Pendergast received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. She is also a Wharton Fellow in Nursing Management (University of Pennsylvania) and will become a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Fellow in 2010. She holds adjunct faculty appointments at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, University of Phoenix, University of Wisconsin, and Medical College of South Carolina.

About Phoenix Children's Hospital

Phoenix Children's Hospital is Arizona's only licensed children's hospital, providing world-class care in more than 40 pediatric specialties to our state's sickest kids. Though Phoenix Children's is one of the ten largest freestanding children's hospitals in the country, rapid population growth in Arizona means the Hospital must grow as well. Phoenix Children's recently announced a $588 million expansion plan to bring its special brand of family-centered care to even more patients and families. The plan includes a significant upgrade of the Hospital's current campus, an aggressive physician recruitment effort, and new satellite centers in high growth areas of the Valley. For more information, visit the Hospital's Web site at www.phoenixchildrens.com.

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