WEBSTER SPRINGS – Webster County Memorial Hospital Nursing Manager of Outpatient and Clinical Services Cari Durham, RN, recently graduated from the nine-month West Virginia Hospital Association Hospital Leadership Academy.

The Hospital Leadership Academy was designed to offer its participants the opportunity to gain the experiences, insights, networking competencies, and skill enhancements necessary to effectively lead teams in the workplace and in their community.

Durham is the first Webster County Memorial Hospital employee to complete the Hospital Leadership Academy. She said she was born and raised in Webster County and thought completing the Hospital Leadership Academy would help her contribute to her community and Webster County Memorial Hospital – both of which she loves very much.

“When Jim Parker, WCMH CEO asked me to complete the WVHA Hospital Leadership Academy, of course I told him I wanted to join because anything that I could do to gain experience and learn new skills to help move our hospital forward is important to me,” Durham said.

She said she believes the skills she learned at the WVHA Hospital Leadership Academy will help her in her day-to-day activities at WSMH.

“I would definitely say the Academy has helped me gain a better understanding of what it takes to develop myself as a leader,” Durham said. “From learning about all of the complexities within the healthcare system to learning from other healthcare leaders in different roles throughout the state and learning effective leadership strategies and skills, I am better prepared to tackle my day.”

Durham has been employed at Webster County Memorial Hospital for 11 years.

The WVHA Hospital Leadership Academy website says through completion of the Academy, hospital professionals gain focused insight on the healthcare environment and business leadership strategies. Participants will also benefit from the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with their colleagues from across the state.

Additional information about the WVHA Hospital Leadership Academy is available online at www.wvha.org.