Shelley McDonald
Sausalito
Summary
Healthcare Leader with 20+ years’ experience in maternal-child health and clinical operations, known for driving quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and team engagement. Proven record of successfully managing multi-unit departments in large academic and community hospitals, while exceeding financial targets and patient satisfaction scores. Passionate about building inclusive, high-performing teams that deliver exceptional patient care.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Women & Infant Services
Sutter Alta Bates
08.2021 - Current
- Lead a team of 4 direct reports with oversight of 900+ staff in the largest birth center in Northern California.
- Achieved Baby Friendly designation in January 2025, underscoring commitment to maternal and infant health.
- Significantly improved employee engagement, reaching an 82% sustainable engagement score.
- Developed and implemented a robust Birth Equity program recognized state-wide, including the innovative 'Code Cares' program.
- Oversaw operational, clinical, and financial management to ensure exceptional care and patient satisfaction.
Nurse Manager Family Birth Center
Sutter Solano Medical Center
03.2021 - 05.2021
- Responsible for 24-hour accountability of a medium sized community hospital Birthing unit to include L&D, Postpartum, Newborn nursery, and an Obstetrical OR suite.
- 36 FTE's.
- Responsibilities include Budgeting, Staffing, Hiring, Training, Team Development, Quality and Performance Improvement, and Regulatory Requirements.
- Highly functioning manager as evidenced by dramatic increase in Employee Engagement scores, excellent Patient Satisfaction scores, and incredible Quality metrics.
- Subject matter expert in all areas of Obstetrics.
- Current knowledge of all CDPH and JCAHO requirements for OB.
- Expert in survey readiness.
- Excellent physician collaboration and engagement.
- Focus on Diversity and Inclusion.
- Responsible for Kronos payroll.
- Responsible for Clarvia scheduling.
- Responsible for Attania Capital equipment requests.
- Responsible for maintaining Policy and Procedures in collaboration with medical staff.
- Responsible for team education to include OB emergency drills and simulations as well as Stabilization of the Newborn continual readiness.
Perinatal Nurse Manager
Northern Inyo Hospital
09.2018 - 03.2019
- Responsible for 24-hour accountability of a small Perinatal Unit in a Critical Access Rural facility.
- Duties include Budgeting, Staffing, Hiring, Training, Staff Development, Compliance with all State and Federal Regulatory requirements, statistical analysis and recognition of Quality metrics.
- Responsible for providing safe and excellent patient care to include Patient Satisfaction analysis and initiatives.
- Emphasis on team building and collaboration with our excellent Physician staff.
- Baby Friendly designation.
RN Staff Nurse: L&D
Carson Tahoe Health System
05.2017 - 09.2018
- Company Overview: Carson Tahoe Health System – Carson City, NV
- Carson Tahoe Health System – Carson City, NV
RN Clinical Quality Analyst
Carson Tahoe Health System
08.2013 - 05.2017
- Company Overview: Carson Tahoe Health System – Carson City, NV
- Business Intelligence applications analyst to include McKesson Performance Analytics and Performance Manager, Truven Healthcare Analytics, McKesson Risk Manager and Allscripts Clinical Performance Manager.
- Responsible for maintaining data for reporting to all various government and state agencies for Hospital Certification.
- Work on numerous Performance Improvement initiatives throughout all units of the hospital.
- Support for CEO, CNO and CMO for data analysis and statistics.
- Work hand in hand with all leadership levels to acquire data for each department.
- Service line analysis.
- Physician contract metrics.
- Sole analyst for Meaningful Use configuration and attestation.
- Project Management: Implementation of Ansos/McKesson Time and Attendance; Implementation of Truven Healthcare Analytics.
- Carson Tahoe Health System – Carson City, NV
RN Supervisor of Women's Health
Mammoth Hospital
03.2003 - 01.2014
- Staff nurse to Supervisor from 2003 to 2010 whereby I transitioned to per diem until 2014.
- Promoted to Supervisor of Women's Health- Day to day management of clinic functions.
- Bedside nursing care of Maternal/Infant/Women's Health patients- Responsible for coding/billing/revenue cycle.
Manager of L&D/Post Partum
Renown Regional Medical
09.2010 - 02.2013
- Company Overview: Renown Regional Medical – Nevada
- Full 24-hour responsibility for all operational and business aspects of running a very busy L&D/PP unit.
- Gained market share for OB in the Reno area for the first time in Renown history.
- Exceeded financial accountabilities by over $500K for FY 2012.
- Implemented OBIX/EPIC successfully.
- Managed many transformational healthcare projects.
- Designed and launched a new OB Triage department to include the 'Babies Born Here' project.
- Made many public appearances to include radio and news program interviews.
- Enjoyed high physician satisfaction scores and significantly improved employee engagement scores.
- Enjoyed and maintained exceptional quality indicator scores.
- Successful JCAHO survey.
- Successful Implementation of OBIX integrated with EPIC EHR for Labor and Delivery.
- Skillfully developed departmental goals, objectives, standards of performance, policies and procedures.
- Organized the department in accordance with administrative guidelines in order to provide specified nursing services to meet the legal, organizational and medical staff guidelines.
- Established and oversaw implementation of an effective budgeting and accounting system that improved efficiency and reduced costs.
- Developed and achieved financial and growth goals.
- Strategically planned methods to achieve operational goals and targets.
- Reviewed customer survey information to prioritize areas of improvement.
- Established standards for selection, promotion and termination of staff.
- Facilitated an on-going assessment of patient/family needs and implementation of interdisciplinary team care plan.
- Cooperated and communicated effectively with physicians to ensure client satisfaction and compliance with set standards.
- Conducted monthly patient case conferences, in-services and staff meetings to educate staff and facilitate good communication.
- Confidently managed the overall operation of nursing services and patient care, including financial management, quality assurance, patient care, safety risk management, teammate satisfaction, quality index scores and facility maintenance.
- Identified process improvements in the day-to-day functioning of the department.
- Renown Regional Medical – Nevada
RN Charge Nurse L&D
St Mary Regional Medical Center
03.1998 - 02.2003
- Designated Charge Nurse responsibilities in L&D.
- Staff Performance Evaluations.
- Staff Patient Care Assignments.
- Accountable for safe patient care for designated shifts.
Staff nurse/Night shift
Woman’s Hospital of Texas
01.1996 - 01.1998
Nursing Intern/L&D Evening
LBJ General Hospital/Harris County Hospital District
01.1993 - 01.1996
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) -
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, TX01.1993
Skills
- Budgeting and Financial Management
- Quality and Performance Improvement
- Regulatory Compliance and Survey Readiness
- Staff Development and Engagement
- Project Management
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Obstetrics and Perinatal Care
- Patient and Family-Centered Care
- Coaching and mentoring
- Leadership development
- Legal and regulatory compliance
- Project management
- Change management
Degree
BSN, RN
Timeline
Director of Women & Infant Services
Sutter Alta Bates
08.2021 - Current
Nurse Manager Family Birth Center
Sutter Solano Medical Center
03.2021 - 05.2021
Perinatal Nurse Manager
Northern Inyo Hospital
09.2018 - 03.2019
RN Staff Nurse: L&D
Carson Tahoe Health System
05.2017 - 09.2018
RN Clinical Quality Analyst
Carson Tahoe Health System
08.2013 - 05.2017
Manager of L&D/Post Partum
Renown Regional Medical
09.2010 - 02.2013
RN Supervisor of Women's Health
Mammoth Hospital
03.2003 - 01.2014
RN Charge Nurse L&D
St Mary Regional Medical Center
03.1998 - 02.2003
Staff nurse/Night shift
Woman’s Hospital of Texas
01.1996 - 01.1998
Nursing Intern/L&D Evening
LBJ General Hospital/Harris County Hospital District
01.1993 - 01.1996
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) -
University of Texas Medical Branch
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