Nurse Grassy’s journey to National Leadership
Since joining Southern Cross Healthcare as a registered nurse eleven years ago, Grassy Zhao has progressed her career to become a National Quality and Risk Advisor, making a tangible difference to the care and outcomes of all patients.
Grassy’s story is a testament to her passion to learn and the opportunities for growth and professional development within the private healthcare system.
After graduating from UCOL in Palmerston North, Grassy started her nursing career in the public system at Te Whatu Ora in Waikato and Auckland. Initially, she was sceptical about the private sector, fearing it lacked the career development pathways the public system offered.
This changed when she joined Southern Cross Hamilton Hospital six years later in 2013 as a Senior Registered Nurse in the Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU). Here, she was given the opportunity to advance her nursing skills as and gain exposure to IPC (infection prevention and control), health and safety, and continuous professional development. IPC sparked her interest and became a focus for her development. Grassy says IPC is relevant to everyone and a chance to make a huge difference to the care and outcomes of all patients.
Grassy's career at Southern Cross has been marked by significant milestones. In 2017 she was promoted within Southern Cross Hamilton Hospital to IPC Nurse Specialist.
In 2017-2018, Southern Cross Hamilton Hospital represented Southern Cross Healthcare by participating in the Health Quality Safety Commission’s first pilot project to implement the Anti-staphylococcal bundle aimed at reducing surgical site infections. Under Grassy's effective leadership, the project achieved notable success and was subsequently adopted across all Southern Cross hospitals, where it remains in use today. This experience inspired Grassy to become more deeply involved in Infection Protection and Control.
With Southern Cross Healthcare’s support, Grassy went on to complete her Masters in IPC at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. Southern Cross Healthcare is committed to investing in clinical staff and supporting aspirations for excellence in nursing and service delivery. Each year, $250,000 is budgeted for learning and development activities outside the mandatory requirements in our National Clinical Development Programme.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Grassy established an inhouse saliva-based PCR test centre for staff and specialists within 24 hours, offering another level of protection for our people and patients. She has presented at conferences and was a member of the ACC IPC advisory group representing the New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association from 2021 to 2022.
In 2022, Grassy advanced to become a National Quality and Risk Advisor, overseeing safety, quality and risk management, working with three of our wholly owned hospitals, and three joint venture facilities - Ormiston Hospital (Auckland), Grace Hospital (Tauranga) and Crest Hospital (Palmerston North).
Within her portfolio, Grassy covers privacy and adverse event management. Grassy is also the National Administrator for SafeHub (known as RLDatix, our system for reporting and reviewing adverse events and patient feedback, and risk management), and she previously led the implementation of the MEG auditing tool. It’s a demanding role that relies on ongoing prioritisation but it's one that Grassy is passionate about.
Due to her interest in health informatics, Grassy was again sponsored by Southern Cross and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Health/Health Informatics through the University of Otago. This qualification has greatly supported her role, especially with digital systems and platforms (Safehub and MEG) and helped her stay at the forefront of digital transformation.
Grassy wants to positively influence everyone to share the same commitment to patient safety, regardless of holding a clinical or non-clinical role. For the rest of 2024, she aims to complete the Australasian Institute of Clinical Governance Certificate in Clinical Governance; achieve Green Belt status in Six Lean Sigma; and pass the Certified Health Informatician Australasia Exam.
Grassy's passion for learning and dedication to patient safety continue to inspire her colleagues. Her message is clear: look for an employer who will help you support your development so you can achieve your professional goals.
Southern Cross Chief Nursing Officer Monica Goldwater says “Grassy’s dedication to her role, exceptional skills and compassion truly make a difference to patients’ lives.
“At Southern Cross Healthcare, we are committed to supporting the continued education and career advancement for our nurses.
“Investing in their professional growth enhances their capabilities as well as the quality of the care we provide.
“We’re incredibly proud of Grassy and look forward to her continued success and development.”