Her Story
About Olivia
Olivia Hagerman, BSN, RN, is an experienced nursing leader currently serving as the Emergency Department Manager at Deaconess Illinois Crossroads in Mount Vernon, Illinois. With nearly a decade of experience in nursing, she has built a strong foundation in high-acuity care, specializing in emergency medicine and intensive care settings. Her career reflects a consistent commitment to delivering safe, efficient, and compassionate patient care in fast-paced clinical environments.
Throughout her nursing journey, Olivia has held progressive roles including travel nurse, emergency department shift supervisor, registered nurse, and now emergency department manager. She began her career at the bedside, where she developed strong clinical expertise in trauma care, critical care, and emergency response. Over time, she expanded her leadership responsibilities, earning a reputation for reliability, clinical excellence, and the ability to remain composed under pressure while supporting both patients and interdisciplinary teams.
In her current leadership role, Olivia oversees daily emergency department operations while remaining actively engaged in bedside care. She is known for her hands-on management style, regularly assisting staff with patient care, mentoring newer nurses, and ensuring clinical standards are consistently met. A graduate of Rend Lake College and Murray State University, she continues to advance her education while maintaining certifications in ACLS, BLS, PALS, and trauma nursing. Her professional philosophy centers on supportive leadership, clinical integrity, and fostering a culture where nurses feel heard, valued, and empowered.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Olivia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my desire to be the kind of manager I never had. I strive to be present for my team, actively amplify their voices, and ensure they feel heard and supported. At the same time, I remain deeply committed to maintaining strong clinical competence and pursuing continuous education so I can lead with both credibility and care.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is staffing, but it's not what everyone thinks. We're not actually in a nursing shortage - we're in a nursing tolerance issue. Nurses these days have left bedside because they're not willing to tolerate what patients are coming in and doing to them and expecting from them. It's not 1950 nurses anymore where everyone is expecting great, hospital-like service when we're overran and overcrowded. So staffing is a major issue in healthcare right now. But one of the best things about that is it does give everyone a lot of opportunities to learn other jobs. Before, when I first started, getting a job in the ER as a new grad nurse was almost unheard of, and the fact that I was able to do that was amazing. But now, new grads are being hired left and right in fields they never would have been before, as long as we have the experienced nurses to train them.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are teamwork, trust, and honesty. I tell my staff all the time that we don't have to get to a personal level, but if you come in and do your job, we will never have an issue.
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