Her Story
About Nikasha
Nikasha Uqdah, MSN, RN, DN/CM, is a dedicated healthcare leader serving as Nursing Manager for the Progressive Care and Telemetry units at Ascension. In her role, she oversees staffing, mentors associates, and focuses on developing strong, engaged teams while maintaining a commitment to quality patient care and positive consumer experiences. Uqdah has built a diverse clinical background spanning progressive care, telemetry, medical-surgical, cardiovascular, stroke, oncology, infusion, and other complex-care settings. Her leadership journey reflects a consistent progression from registered nurse to assistant nurse manager, interim nurse manager, and nursing manager. Uqdah’s educational foundation includes an Associate’s degree in Nursing from Baltimore City Community College, a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Villa Julie College, and a Master’s degree in Nursing with a focus on Management and Leadership from Walden University. She has also continued to expand her professional development through fellowship opportunities, including her current participation in a fellowship program with the University of Maryland. Her leadership has contributed to meaningful patient and consumer experience outcomes, with her inpatient organization’s team earning the Consumer Experience Award twice. She attributes her success to gratitude and a strong internal drive to continually learn, improve, and pursue greater opportunities. At the heart of Uqdah’s leadership philosophy are gratitude and humility. She believes in giving 100 percent of who she is in every moment and encourages others to show up fully and give their best at every stage of their journey. Her advice to young women entering healthcare is to “eliminate the no,” encouraging them to reject limitations, create their own possibilities, and remain confident in what they can accomplish. Uqdah considers developing and advancing other professionals both a challenge and an opportunity, understanding that successful mentoring may ultimately lead talented associates to new roles elsewhere. For her, that cycle of developing, empowering, and rebuilding talent is an essential part of leadership and a meaningful way to positively influence the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nikasha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to gratitude and a strong internal drive to continually improve, expand my knowledge, and pursue new opportunities. I am committed to lifelong learning and personal and professional growth, always seeking ways to challenge myself and become better in what I do. My current participation in a fellowship program reflects that commitment and my dedication to embracing opportunities that broaden my perspective, strengthen my skills, and support my continued development.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to give 100% of who I am in every moment. I believe in showing up fully and giving my best effort, regardless of where I am in my journey. What I am capable of giving may evolve over time, but I strive to always bring my full commitment, energy, and authenticity to every opportunity.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering my industry is to “eliminate the no.” Do not allow someone else’s limitations, doubts, or rejection to define what you believe is possible for yourself. Instead, look for opportunities to create your own path, find solutions, and pursue possibilities even when the answer is not immediately yes. Believe in your abilities, remain persistent, and never let a “no” determine what you can accomplish.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is developing and growing other professionals. I take pride in investing in people, mentoring them, and helping them advance in their careers. At the same time, when people grow and develop, they may naturally move into new roles or pursue opportunities elsewhere. This creates an ongoing cycle of developing talent, supporting career growth, and rebuilding teams, but I see it as an important part of leadership and an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the people I work with.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Gratitude and humility are the values that are most important to me in both my professional and personal life. I believe in remaining grateful for every opportunity, experience, and relationship that contributes to my journey, while staying humble and recognizing that there is always more to learn and ways to grow. These values guide how I approach my work, relationships, and continued development.
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