Tenured Executive Embraces Chief Nurse Role at Fairview Hospital

Julia Gorecki, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, is known for her steadfast ability to effectively collaborate across matrix organizations and healthcare disciplines. For more than 30 years, she’s served in progressive healthcare leadership positions in the Cleveland area — and now she is bringing her expertise to Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital.

Gorecki was recently hired as Fairview’s new Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting the amazing team at Fairview,” Gorecki says. “To coin a phrase from Dr. Neil Smith, the President of Cleveland Clinic’s West Submarket, the ‘Fairview family phenomenon’ is real. Caregivers are engaged and passionate about their work, patients are first, and leaders are attentive and supportive.”

Gorecki is looking forward to sustaining and elevating the culture of excellence that exists at Fairview.

“I believe in drawing on the strengths of a culture to achieve success,” she says. “I want to know how the metrics have been achieved, sustain the good work that’s been done and learn what to focus on in the future to enhance and improve as needed.”

Cultivating teams

Gorecki has a reputation of leading with integrity, conscientiousness, loyalty, and a positive and open mind. Compassionate care for patients and compassionate support for caregivers are at the center of her leadership strategy.

“I take an interactive and participatory approach to leadership, ensuring all voices are heard and respected,” Gorecki says. “I want to know what matters most to caregivers so I can support them and lead them to personal and professional success.”

Throughout her career, Gorecki’s relationship-building skills have enabled her to cultivate teams that promote high-quality patient care. Two things that fulfill her as a leader are when teams work together toward the same goal of quality patient care delivery, and when employees are happy and engaged — both of which lead to higher patient satisfaction.

“I enjoy bringing teams together so we can all learn from one another,” she says. “In healthcare, we become better together. By bridging teams, we can provide our caregivers with opportunities that benefit them, our patients and our communities.”

Leading with authenticity

Gorecki previously worked at Cleveland-based University Hospitals (UH), Mt. Sinai Medical Center and MetroHealth Medical Center in direct patient care, quality, nursing operations, care management, emergency services, and administration. Prior to accepting her current role, she spent seven years at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, most recently as Associate Chief Nursing Officer.

“I’ve worked with some amazing nursing and hospital leaders,” Gorecki says. “They helped me realize how important it is to be authentic and humble while also being a confident leader.”

When mentoring her fellow caregivers, Gorecki recommends taking time to learn the narrative of patients, employees and teams.

“My advice is to stop and think through situations – put the filter on and really understand others’ values and opinions,” she says. “It’s vital to listen to and learn from your colleagues and appreciate them for who they are and what they offer. It’s equally important to approach patients with curiosity to learn their story and what they value.”

When Gorecki needs to re-center herself, she rounds on a nursing floor.

“I’ll get up from my computer, go to the ICU and talk to staff,” she says. “I like to ask people what keeps them up at night, or I just listen to whatever they have to say.”

Gorecki is a huge fan of Change Your Questions, Change Your Life by Marilee Adams, PhD – a book designed to help people put their judgments aside. “It’s a very simple read, but has a life-changing message,” she says.

Sharing a passion for ethics

Among Gorecki’s passions is healthcare ethics. She was first drawn to the topic while working as a head nurse in the medical-surgical unit at Mt. Sinai in the 1990s. Part of her role included participating in the hospital’s newly formed ethics committee, which was created at the behest of The Joint Commission. As a clinical nurse leader at Cleveland Clinic, she collaborated with a clinical ethicist to develop an approach to ethics rounds in the neuroscience intensive care unit. The experience allowed her to work closely with a multidisciplinary team to develop an Ethics Caregiver Resource program for clinical nurses.

In addition, Gorecki has collaborated with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Bioethics for many years and serves on the faculty of the Cleveland Clinic Nursing Ethics program. She has also led ethics education programming in Akron General’s Nurse Residency, co-chaired the hospital’s ethics committee and is currently involved in its Ethics Ambassador program.

“The pandemic intensified my passion for ethics,” Gorecki explains. “It made me see how important it is to support nurses, physicians and all caregivers who are dealing with difficult patient care situations. I became involved in many conversations about how to help nurses through intense moral distress, and it made me realize how important it is to support those who support patients.”

Many of Gorecki’s studies have been focused on creating moral and ethical environments and the ways in which managers and leaders can help staff by providing trauma-informed tools and education.

Driving change

When she considers what is on the horizon for Fairview nursing, Gorecki says one priority will be the development of future nurses.

“We need to ensure tomorrow’s nurses have the education and training needed to work in this dynamic, ever-changing environment,” she notes.

Other efforts will focus on leading changes in nursing work through innovation.

“Fairview nursing has always been a frontrunner in trialing new innovations, processes and initiatives,” Gorecki adds. “I’m excited to continue to lead and direct change implementation.”