Shirley Paulson, DNP, MPA, RN, NEA-BC

Dr. Shirley Paulson, DNP, MPA, RN, NEA-BC, is a distinguished nursing leader with a career spanning over 45 years in healthcare. She began her journey as the first new graduate hired into Stanford’s ICU in 1979 and gained extensive experience as a critical care transport nurse. Her early leadership roles included positions at the VA Palo Alto and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, where she honed her skills in clinical operations, patient safety, and quality improvement. Over the decades, Dr. Paulson advanced from bedside nursing to senior executive roles, culminating as Regional Director for Adult Patient Care Services at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, where she served until her retirement in 2024.

Throughout her tenure at Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Paulson led transformative initiatives that significantly improved patient care and clinical outcomes across 21 medical centers. She was instrumental in developing programs such as the Advanced Alert Monitor (AAM), an AI-driven early-warning system for at-risk patients, and the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program, which improved surgical recovery and reduced opioid use. Her teams received numerous regional and national awards, including the Lawrence Award for Quality and Patient Safety, the James Vohs Quality Award, and the Daisy Nurse Leader Award, reflecting her commitment to innovation and excellence in healthcare delivery.

Dr. Paulson holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, East Bay, a Master’s in Healthcare Administration, and an Executive Leadership Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of San Francisco. Beyond her formal leadership roles, she continues to mentor nursing students, review academic manuscripts, and consult on healthcare quality and program development. A dedicated advocate for patient safety and professional growth, she also maintains memberships in the American Nursing Association and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. In her personal life, she enjoys travel, crafting, and spending time with her family, including her newborn grandchild.

• Graduate, KP Leadership University Accelerate Program
• American Nurses Credentialing Center logo Nurse Executive, Advanced Board Certified
• Graduate, Quality Professional Fellowship Program 2016
• Beta Gamma Chapter Sigma Theta Tau Registered Nurse at The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International
• TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer
• Advanced Patient Safety Certification
• Middle Management Program Graduate
• HeartMath Instructor
• Performance Improvement Advisor
• VHA Leadership Institute, Graduate Executive Career Field Member

• University of San Francisco - ELDNP

• Daisy Nurse Leader Award for Extraordinary Nurses
• Northern California 2024 Regional James Vohs Quality Award for ED Sepsis. Title: Improved Performance and Outcomes with ED Sepsis Clinical Decision Support
• Northern California 2023 National Vohs Quality Award. Title: Safely Treating DKA Outside the ICU with Subcutaneous Insulin compared with Traditional IV Insulin Treatment
• Northern California 2021 Regional James A. Vohs Award for Patient Quality for Stroke Express. Title: Stroke Express - Expediting the Process of Evaluating and Stopping Stroke
• 2021 John M. Eisenberg Award for Local Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality for Kaiser Permanente Northern California's Advance Alert Monitor - Automated Early Warning System of Adults at Risk
• National Lawrence Award for Quality and Patient Safety 2020 for Advance Alert Monitor
• International Federation Hospitals GOLD Award 2021 for Patient Quality and Safety
• Northern California Regional David M. Lawrence Patient Safety Award for 2020
• Northen California Regional Lawrence Award for Patient Quality and Safety 2017 for Prevention of Hospital Acquired Pneumonia
• Northern California Regional Lawrence Award for Patient Quality and Safety 2016 for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)
• CALNOC Award for Sustained Excellence: Kaiser Permanente Hayward Best Performance in Reducing HAPU 2+ for the past 3 consecutive years.

• American Association of Critical Care Nurses
• Association of California Nurse Leaders