Inspirational Leader Shines Her Light Outward to Others

With nearly 30 years of experience in the health care field, Dr. Susan Rux serves as the associate vice president of professional nursing practice and nursing research with Fox Chase Cancer Center. Previously she was dean of academic affairs and chief nursing officer.

With intention, she has built and sustained collegial and trusting relationships with peer nurses and operational leaders as well as clinical partners within the communities of interest, serving as a mentor for several nurses and leaders. She upholds the core values, integrity and respect for others with every interaction.

Oncological research is central to the daily work of Dr. Rux. She serves as the principal investigator of a study on clinical trial enrollment of underrepresented patients with kidney cancer. This research is supported through her award of a $564,000 grant from the Department of Defense. She holds numerous professional memberships, board appointments, certifications and fellowships spanning the administrative, education, and practice fields of health care and nursing. Dr. Rux has disseminated meaningful research in dozens of local, regional, national and international podium/oral presentations and publications. She’s a natural culture broker, and her work has extended to creating other culture brokers to uphold the organizational mission and vision.

Her leadership expertise extends beyond the workplace and has been commended by her service on professional and organizational boards as well as volunteer work as a board of trustees member of the Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania since 2008. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the New York Academy of Medicine.

Her nursing constellation remains grounded in respect for the inherent worth and dignity of individuals with whom she interacts. She perceives that each colleague has a particular job to do and values their roles. She shares notes of gratitude with colleagues and their managers. Dr. Rux embraces the culture of leadership and holds the bar high for her team and herself; succession planning is a critical focal point. Dr. Rux empowers her team to reinforce connections with new hires and nurse residents. This is accomplished through a formal weekly check-in process that aims to address and evaluate their progress to orientation goal attainment, in collaboration with their nursing leadership team and preceptor. Colleagues shared that this process helps to “meet them where they’re at” and close any gaps sooner rather than later. From this refinement, the Nurse Residency Program has resulted in the retention of highly qualified staff to support the nursing bench, which is more important than ever during this critical nursing shortage.

She has exemplified her commitment to leading and developing her team through being a highly motivated and driven leader. This commitment and drive are reflected in her daily work. Concerning the preservation of dignity, at times when coaching of others is warranted, she does so with the resolution of the situation front of mind.

She believes that the colleague being coached must be involved in co-creating a resolution or performance success plan. She facilitates the growth and development of her team and all colleagues through a welcoming and respectful demeanor. Dr. Rux articulates a clear strategy to maintain clinical operations and colleague support. This strategy includes stretch assignments of her existing team members, strengthening of partnerships with operations and active engagement in hiring best-in-class colleagues, all of which result in a stronger candidate pool from which to recruit talent.

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