Truman Medical Centers Names New Chief Nursing Officer

Aug. 23, 2011 - PRLog -- KANSAS CITY, MO – Truman Medical Centers (TMC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lynette Wheeler as Chief Nursing Officer. The chief nursing officer is a member of the senior leadership team and ensures that all nursing standards of practice, performance, and service levels are consistent with professional and corporate standards; defines the nursing service mission, vision, and goals and integrate them with the overall organization goals; maintain compliance with codes, standards, and regulations including but not limited to those of local, state and federal authorities, JCAHO, and OSHA and oversees the placement of nursing students into clinical areas.

“Lynette Wheeler is a champion executive coming from a winning institution at Heartland Health,” said TMC President/CEO John W. Bluford. “Her strong experience will help to transform our team of very talented nurses to a high performing cohesive nursing staff. We welcome her expertise and ability to our team.”

Lynette Wheeler has more than 30 years of combined clinical and management experience. She began her career as a staff nurse in the Coronary Care Unit at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Most recently, she served as Vice President of CardioPulmonary Vascular Services at Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph, Mo. In that role, she provided senior administrative leadership and coordination of the development of the Heartland Regional Medical Center CardioPulmonary Vascular Services Department. She was also instrumental in leading a performance improvement project that saved the health system $4.5 Million over three and half years in multiple practice areas.


Prior to her work with the Heartland, she worked as Division Director of Cardiovascular Services at the Prairie Heart Institute/St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Ill, and Director of Cardiology and Vascular Services for the Nebraska Health System in Omaha, Ne.

“I look forward to working with the highly talented, dedicated and caring nurses of Truman Medical Centers,” Wheeler said. “TMC has a rich history and truly unlimited potential for success as we work to continue to provide top quality care to our community while expanding access to our services.”

Wheeler received her R.N. Diploma from the Clarkson School of Nursing in 1976 and went on to earn her bachelor of science in nursing from Clarkson College and her master’s degree in nursing from University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1993. She is also a member of the Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders, American Academy of Medical Administrators and the American College of Cardiology Administrators

About TMC
Truman Medical Centers is a not-for-profit two acute-care hospital health system in Kansas City. The TMC Health System includes TMC Hospital Hill, TMC Lakewood, TMC Behavioral Health, the Jackson County Health Department and a number of primary care practices throughout Eastern Jackson County. Recently named one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, TMC is the primary teaching hospital for the University of Missouri-Kansas City Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry and Pharmacy and specializes in asthma, bariatrics, diabetes, women’s health, and trauma services.  For more information, please call (816) 404-3785 or visit www.trumed.org.

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TMC is a not-for profit health system in Kansas City. TMC includes TMC Hospital Hill, TMC Lakewood, TMC Behavioral Health, the Jackson Co. Health Department. TMC is the primary teaching hospital for the UMKC School of Medicine.