Globally Recognized Executive to Lead Cleveland Clinic London Nursing

With more than 35 years of nursing experience, Cleveland Clinic London’s new chief nursing officer (CNO), Sheila Miller, DNP, MSN, MBA, RN, is a globally recognized leader in the development of quality patient care strategies, relationship building and team growth. She’s also deeply passionate about the field of nursing and Cleveland Clinic.

“Cleveland Clinic’s mission is close to my heart,” she says. “I look forward to sharing my passion for nursing excellence and exceptional patient care with the London team.”

And she anticipates her new nursing team will return the favor.

“I’m excited to learn from my colleagues,” Miller explains. “I’ve long been a believer that bringing together people with different perspectives and experiences delivers a level of richness that is unmatched. The future of nursing at London will be one that we create and build together.”

Committed to excellence

Having opened in March 2022, Cleveland Clinic London is still in a formative stage, but Miller aims to build on the exceptional work already accomplished by creating systems and processes that help further shape the organization and drive service excellence.

“Engaging teams to design and implement processes that make a difference is something I’ve enjoyed throughout my career,” she says. “I really like work that examines how we do things and explores how we can do them even better.”

Miller has served as a chief nurse at Cleveland Clinic since 2009, where she has lead nursing at Huron Hospital, South Pointe Hospital, Akron General and Union Hospital. Her tenured history paints a clear picture of the many ways she has improved the professional status of nursing through the standardization of policies and procedures, development of professional practice models and implementation of evidence-based standards.

She was integral to South Pointe’s ability to achieve the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Pathway to Excellence® and Magnet® designations, as well as the redesign of nursing shared governance at Akron General in preparation for the hospital’s third Magnet designation. As associate chief nursing officer for nursing quality and practice, Miller led the implementation of the Cleveland Clinic Zielony Nursing Institute professional practice model (PPM). She advanced and integrated nursing practice across the enterprise by collaborating with multiple disciplines to improve quality and patient outcomes.

“Important to my leadership strategy is recognizing what I can bring while being open and remaining curious to what I can learn from the team,” Miller says. “There is immense value in an organization’s history and the passion of its employees. This collaborative, two-fold approach has been key for every organization I’ve led.”

As London’s CNO, Miller is excited to be on an international stage.

“It is humbling to know that I will contribute to Cleveland Clinic London’s journey to excellence in nursing,” she says. “I’m struck by the long, proud history of healthcare and nursing in England, and it will be nice to be part of that story and play a role in helping shape the future.”

The next nursing era

In her first months on the job, Miller plans to learn more about her team. She wants to know what makes them proud, what they value most and what they consider areas of opportunity or improvement. She will host listening rounds in all departments where nursing is practiced.

“As a new leader coming into an organization, people want to know about you and your leadership beliefs,” she explains. “They want to have a voice and contribute to positive change, which is the underpinning of shared governance.”

Miller says she plans to ask caregivers about the support they need and share insights about the things that are important to her, including her belief that the practice of nursing is a value-driven profession. She will stress the importance of teamwork, of being there for each other and of being collegial. She will also express her support for shared decision-making and her thoughts that more perspectives equate to better-made decisions.

“At the end of the day, what’s most important to me as a leader is that we have engaged caregivers who put patients first,” she concludes. “We want to be at our absolute best when caring for our patients, each other and our community. I look forward to advancing Cleveland Clinic’s position as a premier destination for nurses around the world.”