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The Nurse Manager Leadership Workshop is an interactive program combining lectures and discussions by Iowa nursing leaders. Attendees will discover their leadership potential while learning about:• Fiscal management• Human resources• Performance improvement• Personal and professional accountability• PlanningPROGRAM STRUCTUREFrom January to March 2026, the workshop offers three hybrid-option meetings, each consisting of two sessions (six sessions total). Participants can choose between attending in person at the IHA Conference Center in Des Moines or virtually. It is highly recommended to participate in person. Only one session can be missed and the participant must watch the recording. SESSION ONE, 10 A.M., JAN. 13, 2026Personal and Professional Accountability for Nurse LeadersAmanda Bireline, MSA, BSN, RN, Chief Operating Officer, Cass Health, Atlantic; Mellissa Wood, DNP, MBA, MBAH, RN, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, MercyOne Eastern Iowa Region, MercyOne Clinton Medical Center, ClintonParticipants will learn to develop and grow personally and professionally in this session. Presenters will discuss pathways for advancement and leadership effectiveness in several areas, including:• Annual self-assessment• Career planning• Continuing education• Education advancementNurse leaders will be introduced to the correlation between personal accountability and their teams' performance.SESSION TWO: 1 P.M., JAN. 13, 2026Strategic Management for Nurse LeadersAmanda Bireline, MSA, BSN, RN, Chief Operating Officer, Cass Health, Atlantic; Jenene VandenBurg, MS, BSN-RN, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services, Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Council BluffsThis session will help participants see and develop the big picture while finding their voices in leadership. Participants will learn to engage with front-line staff to create and execute plans. Participants should be ready for a fun and engaging session about strategy, leadership and management.SESSION THREE: 10 A.M., FEB. 10, 2026Financial Management for Nurse Leaders Victor Bycroft, MHA, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Executive, Humboldt County Memorial Hospital, Humboldt; Kimberly Chamberlin, MSN, RN, CENP, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center, Mason CityAttendees will learn the basics of fiscal responsibility for nursing services. They will review a departmental budget, identify staffing and flexing alternatives to meet patient care requirements and discuss recognizing and responding to budget variances. A discussion and case study will allow attendees to understand the financial responsibilities they will face daily in their nursing units.SESSION FOUR: 1 P.M., FEB. 10, 2026Personal Journey Disciplines and Communication Skills for Nurse LeadersDawn Schwartz, D.N.P., ARNP, NNP-BC, IBCLC, CBIS, CHPPN, CPN, CENP, Vice President of Care Quality, ChildServe, Johnston; Mary Jo Kavalier, RN, M.S.N., Retired Vice President and Site Administrator, MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical CenterThrough self-assessment and group dialogue, participants will explore and develop their tendencies and skills in emotional intelligence and communication styles. Attendees will learn communication skills that will allow them to communicate effectively in different situations. This session will enable attendees to practice communication techniques and share questions and challenges.SESSION FIVE: 10 A.M., MAR. 6, 2025Performance Improvement for Nurse Leaders Jessica Kendrick, M.S.N., RN, CPPS, Patient Safety Officer, Administrator of Performance Excellence, Ottumwa Regional Health Center, Ottumwa; Ron Smith, Manager, Performance Improvement and Lean Facilitation, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames; Whitney Johnson, M.B.A., LSSGB, Performance Improvement Coordinator, Mary Greeley Medical Center, AmesThis session will cover the core principles of patient safety and how nurse leaders can drive safety initiatives at the department level. Nurse leaders will also learn how to evaluate and achieve their department’s regulatory compliance and maintain a state of survey readiness.Every employee needs to solve problems every day. Managing for Daily Improvements (MDI), is an employee driven approach to daily staff improvement at Mary Greeley Medical Center. MDI follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and begins with small changes, focused on engaging everyone in improving their own work in a way that matters for patients and staff. Often it’s said that people hate change. The experiences shared in this session will suggest that people love change when they are fully engaged in the process, and they get to make improvements that improve patient care and make their day less frustrating.SESSION SIX: 1 P.M., MAR. 3, 2026Human Resources for Nurse LeadersGreg Opseth, M.H.A., B.S.N., RN, Chief Operating Officer, Highland Medical Staffing, Gowrie; Tracy Larson, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care, MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center, Sioux CityAttendees will learn to manage human resources issues in their nursing units. They will discuss strategies for selecting and retaining staff, managing staff performance and development, and handling disciplinary actions. These strategies will help nurse managers oversee their staff.View full conference details.Contact Tori Hanson with questions about this event.
The Nurse Manager Leadership Workshop is an interactive program combining lectures and discussions by Iowa nursing leaders. Attendees will discover their leadership potential while learning about:• Fiscal management• Human resources• Performance improvement• Personal and professional accountability• Planning
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
From January to March 2026, the workshop offers three hybrid-option meetings, each consisting of two sessions (six sessions total). Participants can choose between attending in person at the IHA Conference Center in Des Moines or virtually. It is highly recommended to participate in person. Only one session can be missed and the participant must watch the recording.
SESSION ONE, 10 A.M., JAN. 13, 2026Personal and Professional Accountability for Nurse Leaders
Amanda Bireline, MSA, BSN, RN, Chief Operating Officer, Cass Health, Atlantic; Mellissa Wood, DNP, MBA, MBAH, RN, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, MercyOne Eastern Iowa Region, MercyOne Clinton Medical Center, Clinton
Participants will learn to develop and grow personally and professionally in this session. Presenters will discuss pathways for advancement and leadership effectiveness in several areas, including:• Annual self-assessment• Career planning• Continuing education• Education advancementNurse leaders will be introduced to the correlation between personal accountability and their teams' performance.
SESSION TWO: 1 P.M., JAN. 13, 2026Strategic Management for Nurse Leaders
Amanda Bireline, MSA, BSN, RN, Chief Operating Officer, Cass Health, Atlantic; Jenene VandenBurg, MS, BSN-RN, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services, Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Council Bluffs
This session will help participants see and develop the big picture while finding their voices in leadership. Participants will learn to engage with front-line staff to create and execute plans. Participants should be ready for a fun and engaging session about strategy, leadership and management.
SESSION THREE: 10 A.M., FEB. 10, 2026Financial Management for Nurse Leaders
Victor Bycroft, MHA, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Executive, Humboldt County Memorial Hospital, Humboldt; Kimberly Chamberlin, MSN, RN, CENP, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center, Mason City
Attendees will learn the basics of fiscal responsibility for nursing services. They will review a departmental budget, identify staffing and flexing alternatives to meet patient care requirements and discuss recognizing and responding to budget variances. A discussion and case study will allow attendees to understand the financial responsibilities they will face daily in their nursing units.
SESSION FOUR: 1 P.M., FEB. 10, 2026Personal Journey Disciplines and Communication Skills for Nurse Leaders
Dawn Schwartz, D.N.P., ARNP, NNP-BC, IBCLC, CBIS, CHPPN, CPN, CENP, Vice President of Care Quality, ChildServe, Johnston; Mary Jo Kavalier, RN, M.S.N., Retired Vice President and Site Administrator, MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center
Through self-assessment and group dialogue, participants will explore and develop their tendencies and skills in emotional intelligence and communication styles. Attendees will learn communication skills that will allow them to communicate effectively in different situations. This session will enable attendees to practice communication techniques and share questions and challenges.
SESSION FIVE: 10 A.M., MAR. 6, 2025Performance Improvement for Nurse Leaders
Jessica Kendrick, M.S.N., RN, CPPS, Patient Safety Officer, Administrator of Performance Excellence, Ottumwa Regional Health Center, Ottumwa; Ron Smith, Manager, Performance Improvement and Lean Facilitation, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames; Whitney Johnson, M.B.A., LSSGB, Performance Improvement Coordinator, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames
This session will cover the core principles of patient safety and how nurse leaders can drive safety initiatives at the department level. Nurse leaders will also learn how to evaluate and achieve their department’s regulatory compliance and maintain a state of survey readiness.
Every employee needs to solve problems every day. Managing for Daily Improvements (MDI), is an employee driven approach to daily staff improvement at Mary Greeley Medical Center. MDI follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and begins with small changes, focused on engaging everyone in improving their own work in a way that matters for patients and staff. Often it’s said that people hate change. The experiences shared in this session will suggest that people love change when they are fully engaged in the process, and they get to make improvements that improve patient care and make their day less frustrating.
SESSION SIX: 1 P.M., MAR. 3, 2026Human Resources for Nurse Leaders
Greg Opseth, M.H.A., B.S.N., RN, Chief Operating Officer, Highland Medical Staffing, Gowrie; Tracy Larson, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care, MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center, Sioux City
Attendees will learn to manage human resources issues in their nursing units. They will discuss strategies for selecting and retaining staff, managing staff performance and development, and handling disciplinary actions. These strategies will help nurse managers oversee their staff.
View full conference details.
Contact Tori Hanson with questions about this event.