Dare Meeks, RN, has spent more than two decades shaping nursing in the ASC space, but her foundation was built at the bedside, in the high-stakes environment of a coronary and thoracic ICU.
That early inpatient experience, she says, still informs how she thinks about supporting nurses today. Now, as SCA Health’s chief nursing officer, Ms. Meeks is focused on what comes next for the profession: a persistent talent shortage, a generation of nurses unlikely to stay in one place for long, and an ASC industry taking on increasingly complex procedures that demand more from its clinical teams than ever before.
Ms. Meeks joined Becker’s to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead, and why nurses remain the “secret sauce” of perioperative care.
Editor’s note: This interview was edited lightly for clarity and length.
Question: Where do you see the nursing profession heading over the next five to ten years — what’s exciting you, and what’s concerning you?
Dare Meeks: That’s a deep one. We’ve already acknowledged that we’re going to keep seeing a persistent nursing talent shortage — along with cost pressures, that’s a given for the foreseeable future. I think the cost of education will continue to be a factor and something we need to think about globally in our industry. Many of our organizations have some tuition reimbursement, and we have some of that, but we need to understand that education costs will continue to be a driver for people entering nursing programs.
I also think we’ll continue to see transience among earlier-career nurses. They’re not going to stay in one place for 10 or 20 years the way we’ve seen in previous generations. We have to know that and be prepared to function successfully within it and navigate those shorter tenures.
What I’m excited about is our ability to innovate and expand ASC access to more and more complex procedures. We’re already seeing the migration of higher-acuity procedures into our setting, and that comes with a lot of responsibility — making sure our nurses have the skill sets, the confidence, and the culture to take care of those patients. Whether it’s a quick cataract removal or a coronary artery intervention or a total joint procedure, we have to continue to invest in technology and training. That’s exciting and also a headwind we need to be prepared for.
Nurses, by nature, are great improvisers. They innovate and solve problems. That’s how we come into the world and care for folks. We are also the foundation of the patient experience, because we are typically the ones spending the most time with the patient during an episode of care. We need to remember that, and make sure we are enabling nurses to continue to be that secret sauce for success in the delivery of perioperative care. We’re responsible for the structures that will continue to support a strong nursing workforce over time.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.