Jeanne Yeatman, MBA, MOM, RN, CMTE, EMT, associate nursing officer and executive director of Vanderbilt LifeFlight, has been named interim chief nursing officer of Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital (VWCH).
Yeatman succeeds Denise Boman, MBA, RN, who has been chief nursing officer and held executive responsibility for operations at the hospital since 2010. Vanderbilt University Medical Center acquired the facility from a subsidiary of Community Health Systems Inc. in August 2019.
Yeatman has more than 30 years of experience at VUMC. Her tenure began in 1989 as a patient care technician in the Emergency Department, a position she retained until graduating nursing school in 1990. She then became a graduate nurse within the department, progressing to charge nurse/shift leader. Her long association with Vanderbilt LifeFlight began when she started as a flight nurse in 1993, progressing to leader and administrator of the program.
“I’m honored to be asked to serve in this role, and I appreciate the opportunity,” she said. “While LifeFlight has served community hospitals for more than 36 years, we’ve never had anyone on our team that has had this rare opportunity to be able to have a glimpse into how a community hospital operates. This will allow me to see the challenges that nursing faces in a community hospital setting and how we can capitalize on those challenges and provide better customer and patient service.”
In July, VWCH’s Emergency Department transitioned to become part of VUMC’s Department of Emergency Medicine, and VUMC recently invested nearly $1 million to open a new ambulance base at the hospital, which included placing a Vanderbilt LifeFlight ambulance there.
“As we approach the one-year anniversary of VUMC’s ownership of Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital, we continue to have exciting plans for the hospital’s future that are being implemented in a coordinated manner. Jeanne is a talented and dedicated leader who will bring a wealth of experience to this role,” said C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Health System Officer for VUMC. “As Jeanne succeeds Denise Boman, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Denise for her guidance over the past year.”
“I am excited to welcome Jeanne to the team at VWCH,” said Jay Hinesley, MHA, president of VWCH. “She brings a wealth of experience as we continue to invest and grow to serve Wilson County and the Middle Tennessee region.”
While program director of LifeFlight, Yeatman grew the program 4-fold. She facilitated the $16 million purchase of three new American Eurocopter EC 145 aircraft, the first of their kind to be used by a hospital-based flight program in the United States. Under her direction the program has grown to now have nine helicopters, an airplane for long-range transports and 14 ground ambulances. She also spearheaded a fundraising campaign to build the $1.1 million original helipad at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in 2005.
“Jeanne has been a leader and innovator in nursing and emergency medicine services for three decades,” said Executive Chief Nursing Officer Marilyn Dubree, MSN, RN. “Her expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow in Wilson County.”
Meanwhile, Yeatman added three new rotor wing bases, started a fixed wing operation that now transports more than 200 patients per year and began an Event Medicine division that supplies EMS care and transport to the Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Arena, along with more than 1,000 other community events.
Yeatman implemented a major leadership transition to the clinical staff leader model in the Emergency Department in addition to managing the move of the physical location of the Resuscitation program.
Yeatman serves on the statewide Tennessee EMS Board and as secretary for the Middle Tennessee EMS Directors association and secretary for South Central EMS.
During her 10-year tenure at the hospital, Boman achieved accreditation of the Chest Pain Center from the Society of Chest Pain Centers, among many other accreditations received. She was instrumental in improving the efficiency of the cardiology service line in collaboration with cardiologists. She helped oversee the construction of a $5 million surgery center project, keeping it on time and within budget. Recently, she oversaw the successful implementation of Epic at VWCH.
“Being part of a community hospital has enriched my daily life,” Boman said. “I have had the opportunity to promote quality and safety, leading to improved patient care while empowering our employees to recognize and reach their united and individual potential. I am proud of many accomplishments of our hospital, but mostly I am proud of our common goal of providing outstanding care for our community.”
Boman is the past president of Middle Tennessee Organization of Nurse Executives (MTONE) and the past president-elect of the Tennessee Organization of Nurse Executives now known as AONL. She was previously associate chief nursing officer/cardiovascular service line director for Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky, and director of the PCU/CVPCU, Critical Care and Oncology at Fort Walton Beach (Florida) Medical Center.
She holds Masters of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from Western Governors University.
“Denise has been a trusted advisor, a strong leader and a fierce advocate for our community,” Hinesley said. “She has had a tremendous impact on the hospital that will last for many years to come.”