“Julie is hardworking, always puts her staff and patients first, and is a great advocate for all,” said a Central Valley colleague who nominated her for the award. “She is approachable, and always follows through with situations that require her assistance.”
Julie Silveira, BSN, RN, was named a 2024 TPMG Emerging Nurse Leader of the Year. She is the Service Unit Manager for the Central Valley Medical Specialties and Oncology and Infusion Services and has been with Kaiser Permanente for 19 years.
Inspiration for Nursing
Silveira’s mother was a nurse whose journey inspired her to follow her footsteps.
“She showed me that despite disadvantages you may be dealing with if you have determination, a desire to help and to make a difference you can build a very purposeful, fulfilling, and successful career,” shared Silveira. “When I was growing up, I was always in awe at how many people would just come up to her to thank her for having taken care of them. They remembered her and what she did, and it showed me that she made a difference for people, and I knew that was what I wanted to do too.”
Silveira is also inspired today by her team and their relentless dedication to their patients. “At any given time, someone on the team may be struggling with a personal issue and they still manage to give themselves 100% to their patients. It’s remarkable and that selflessness is truly what inspires me,” she said.
Leading with Purpose
Her nominator shares, “Julie was instrumental in driving excellent outcomes on organizational goals. She leads by example with her passion, compassion, diligence, and perseverance to care for all our patients and support her growing team of 51 direct reports.”
Silveira focuses on showing and reminding her teams that they work they do is meaningful. “I like to recognize individuals, share patient stories of thanks, encourage others to recognize their colleagues and in general create a culture of gratitude and helping,” she said. “The work we do can be very “heavy” emotionally and I believe that recognizing and acknowledging that aspect of it is important so when I can I try to create space for my teams to incorporate a little fun into their day-to-day routines and enjoy their work lives with each other. “
Delivering Care Excellence
In the nomination, Silveira was recognized for her collaboration and teamwork with Central Valley colleagues to improve patient care and outcomes by ensuring members receive timely care in the high-volume department she oversees.
“Ultimately, I want to make what our patients are going through easier regardless of what that may be,” said Silveira. “I want to unburden them as much as possible and make them feel safe and well cared for.”