NASHVILLE — Dr. Sammie Mosier, the Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive of HCA Healthcare, passed away this week, leaving a profound void in the hearts of colleagues, nurses and patients nationwide. The news has rippled through the healthcare community as friends and coworkers reflect on a life defined by quiet strength, deep compassion and unshakeable advocacy for the nursing profession.
Dr. Mosier’s story began on the hospital floor in 1996, when she joined HCA Healthcare as a medical-surgical nurse at Frankfort Regional Medical Center in Kentucky. From those early days caring for patients one-on-one, she carried with her an empathy and focus on excellence that would become the backbone of her remarkable career. Her bedside beginnings shaped a leader who never forgot the human heart of healthcare — the nurse at a patient’s side.
Over nearly three decades, Mosier rose steadily through the ranks, earning respect for her strategic insight and relentless support of nurses at every level. Before assuming her apex role as Chief Nurse Executive, she served as Chief Nurse Executive Officer for HCA Healthcare’s National Group and as Vice President of Group Clinical Operations, influencing policy and practice across one of the nation’s largest healthcare systems.
Under her leadership, HCA Healthcare’s nursing corps — more than 99,000 registered nurses spanning hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and other care environments — found a voice and visibility seldom seen in large health systems. She championed initiatives like the Nursing Advocacy Agenda and the Unit of Distinction Awards, programs that spotlighted nursing excellence and gave caregivers across the enterprise a platform to be heard, celebrated, and supported.
Beyond her administrative achievements, those who worked with Dr. Mosier remember her as a mentor and advocate, the kind of leader who listened as much as she led. She believed deeply in the professional growth of nurses, investing in programs that fostered engagement, education and pride in the profession. Many nurses credited their own careers and confidence to her encouragement and example.
Her academic achievements mirrored her professional drive: a Doctorate in Healthcare Administration, a master’s degree in management and leadership, and a bachelor’s degree in nursing formed the foundation of a leader committed to lifelong learning and the highest standards of practice. She was also a board-certified Nurse Executive, reflecting her dedication to excellence and integrity in nursing leadership.
Across HCA Healthcare and beyond, colleagues have shared stories of Dr. Mosier’s warmth, humility and unwavering belief in the power of caregiving. In every role she held, she carried the same message — that nurses matter, their voices matter, and their contributions are vital to the health of communities. Those values will live on in the programs she championed and in the countless nurses she inspired.
In mourning her loss, the healthcare world also celebrates a life well lived — one marked by quiet leadership that lifted others, advocacy that strengthened a profession, and compassion that touched many lives. Dr. Sammie Mosier’s legacy will continue to shape nursing and patient care for years to come.
