Susan A. Leys M.Ed., B.C.E.T.S.

Consultant and President: Critical Success Strategies, LLC

RN-Coach.com

Phone: 301.512.9928

Email: saleys@gmail.com

Susan A. Leys is a consultant, facilitator and coach with 20 years of experience working in healthcare organizations including emergency departments and both inpatient and outpatient healthcare environments. She has consulted with nurses, physicians and healthcare leadership teams providing them with the critical interpersonal and collaborative skills necessary to provide compassionate care throughout healthcare systems.

Susan holds a Masters degree and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Counseling Psychology and a Graduate Certificate in the Business of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University. Susan's educational background combined with her clinical insight and extensive experience in healthcare has provided her with the critical skills and wisdom necessary to successfully navigate fast-paced situations and challenging organizational environments on a daily basis.

Susan's love of sailing helped develop the rest of the foundation on which Critical Success Strategies is based. She states "growing up in Rhode Island and having the great opportunity to sail and race one-design sailboats provided a lot of 'life lessons' for me. Sailing 'close-hauled' is a term we use when sailing upwind. It tends to be the more challenging point of sail - especially on windy days. At the end of the upwind sail we would be cold and drenched after being hit by each cold wave as it slammed up against the side of the boat. Of course we experienced downwind sails as well, where we would feel the warm sun on our backs as we sailed back into the harbor, but I think we all appreciated the warmth and contentment of the downwind sail having endured the challenges of sailing close-hauled.

For me, sailing provides a great analogy for healthcare and other organizations in that there are days when the pace is hectic and sometimes chaotic. Our consulting, coaching and debriefing services provide assistance for the downwind days when professionals have the opportunity to reflect on the challenges they have faced - especially as they relate to potential opportunities for growth and enhanced performance based on their experiences."

What sets our team apart from other consulting firms and coaching organizations?

Our consultants and coaches have experienced the demands and challenges of healthcare environments firsthand. We understand and appreciate the importance of teamwork, collaboration and the ability to think and act quickly in acute healthcare environments. We know that, not only does this affect the quality of care for patients and families, it affects the operational success of your hospital across levels of care.