Nicole Chapman, MSN, RN, NE-BC, has been with UofL Health since 2001. Nicole started her role as a contract nurse and then moved to psychiatry full-time in 2007. As director of nursing in the psychiatry service line, Nicole provides oversight of the service and ensures quality nursing is being delivered. Nicole works to keep her staff upbeat and motivated to care for complex patients and challenges them to be better every day.
“When I first transferred to mental health nursing, psychiatric nursing was not at the forefront of nursing conversation,” Nicole said. “The last 15 years, we have seen a huge shift in discussions about mental health and we have seen this shift in our organization, locally and nationally and internationally.”
For Nicole, being recognized and relied on as a subject matter expert in mental health nursing and a leader in psychiatric nursing in this area is a humbling experience. She’s proud that UofL Health has introduced and operationalized a med/psych unit and a behavioral response team for patients undergoing a behavioral health crisis, and that the organization has demonstrated continuous performance improvement initiatives to make our units safer.
Nicole shared her favorite thing about UofL Health is her team.
“I am very fortunate to have relationships with some great leaders across multiple organizations, and this has helped me become an even better leader,” she said. “I love to come to work and see so many smiling faces! Hands down, staff at UofL Health are among some of the finest people I have ever known!”
Nicole said her overarching goal at UofL Health is for the organization to be the employer of choice for nurses.
“I aspire to have nursing units full of nurses who are engaged and enthusiastic about their work,” she said. “Because they truly understand their value and the contributions they are making for our patients.”
If other nurses need assistance, Nicole said she is willing to help.
“I have worn a lot of hats over the years and enjoy using the skills and abilities I have developed over the years to try and be of assistance to whoever is in need,” she said.
Nicole was born and raised in Louisville and graduated high school from Holy Rosary Academy. In her downtime, Nicole loves to relax on her back porch or attend music festivals. Her favorite book is “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
“I am really an old-fashioned person in a lot of ways, so this book just helps me get back to the basics and remember what is most important,” Nicole said.
If you see Nicole, be sure to ask her about her favorite Frank Sinatra songs, or what television shows she is currently watching. She would love to get to know you!