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Mary Ann Fuchs ’82 is proud of her efforts to develop leaders in the nursing profession and create a climate in which quality care is delivered. Under her leadership, Duke Health (based in Durham, N.C.) achieved Magnet designation through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. After more than two decades as the system’s chief nursing leader, Fuchs is an executive advisor to the president and CEO.

“Earning the Magnet designation several times and continually improving our level of care is incredibly important to me,” Fuchs says. “To do this, we have to provide a positive work environment for our staff and make sure we have the resources they need to do their jobs.”

Fuchs says maintaining workplace morale was even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when nurses were “essential at the point of care.”

“Nurses worked so hard and early on many put their lives at risk,” Fuchs says. “We thought the pandemic would be for a short period of time but it went on and on, and nurses got tired. We took care of our staff, provided them with extra support services. We routinely survey our staff to get their feedback on the work climate. As a result, we added ongoing services to help frontline staff care for their families.”

In her current role, Fuchs is advocating for nurses in national health policy development. One venue where this takes place is the American Hospital Association. She serves as an at-large trustee to the association’s board. Fuchs also advises on the curriculum at Duke University’s nursing school.

“The whole world is different [from when I started] and so is nursing,” she says. “A nurse doesn’t just need clinical assessment and a humanistic touch. You need to use technology as you never had before. In addition, there are so many more opportunities for nurses to influence and provide care. No longer is the hospital the only option. Care across the continuum, industry, advanced practice roles, research and education are just some of the many options available for nurses to serve.

“I’m so proud of the students who are going to be nurses. I can’t wait to see how successful they are — the opportunities are endless; people keep learning and keep growing. As a nurse, there’s nothing you can’t do.”