Look at a leader: Ashley Lee

Tucked into its own little corner of IU Health Ball, the Cardiac Cath Lab makes a big impact on patients and visitors each day. A key part of that impact comes from Ashley Lee BSN, RN, CVRN-BC, manager of clinical operations for the Cath Lab.

Lee began her journey in the Cath Lab in 2016 and stepped into a manager role in 2020. To her, the Cath Lab always felt like home, she loved coming to work and wanted to make sure others felt the same way. Transitioning from peer to manager came with some growing pains, but she has learned a lot along the way. Since becoming a leader, she has focused on evolving and practicing transparency with her team and holding herself personally accountable alongside them.

“Just a few weeks ago, I had an off week and voiced to my team, ‘Hey, I didn’t bring my best self to work this week. I’m sorry. I’ll be better next week,’” she says. Lee also practices an open-door policy and makes it a point to connect with her team often to hear concerns or feedback. Knowing that not everyone feels comfortable speaking up in front of a group, she offers the option to share ideas or concerns in a private setting as well. She then reviews all submissions to identify common themes and works to address them.

Being a manager, Lee says, goes beyond by simply showing up to work and she wears many hats to support her team.

“Every day is different. I’ll see one of my team members and know I need to be a friend, a teacher, or maybe even just a listening ear to them in that moment,” she says. “I try to be personable, not just make it all about work.”

Her focus on her team and their insights has elevated the department. Recently, they launched multiple new state-of-the-art programs, allowing patients to receive high-quality care close to home without traveling outside Delaware County. The team has also reached a record-high patient volume. While that increased workload can be challenging, Lee is always there to provide encouragement and positive feedback to help her team push through while jumping in alongside them to get the work done if needed.

She makes it a priority to celebrate their daily contributions, while also working alongside them to deliver excellent care to patients and their families. Lee is working each day to create a space where her team feels valued and this shows from the strong connection the team has to one another.