Cheryl Reinking, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, DipACLM - Chief Nursing Officer, El Camino Health

What does it take to build a nursing culture where people want to stay, grow, and lead? In this episode of Pulse Check with Dr. Kimberly Long, Dr. Kimberly Long sits down with Cheryl Reinking, Chief Nursing Officer at El Camino Health, to explore Cheryl’s journey from bedside nursing to executive leadership and the lessons she has learned along the way.   Cheryl shares how trust became one of the most important skills in her leadership career, why strong partnerships between healthcare organizations and academia are needed to better prepare new nurses, and why investing in the workforce can have a direct impact on retention, cost, and patient outcomes.   She also explains how El Camino Health reduced nurse turnover, why shared governance matters, and how nurses can use data, evidence, and professional organizations to strengthen their voice in healthcare policy and legislation.   This conversation offers practical insight for nurse leaders who want to strengthen their teams, influence change, and create environments where nurses can thrive.