Meet a Champion of Nursing Diversity: Temitope (Temi) Oseromi
Temitope (Temi) Oseromi, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, has been serving as the nurse manager of Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) HealthCare’s Intensive Care Units—the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) and the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) since 2022.
Oseromi is responsible for managing two units and was given the additional task of rebuilding the MICU.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline medical staff, particularly those working in Intensive Care Units, experienced significant stress, uncertainty, and burnout. Only three nurses remained on the unit.
Despite the challenges, Oseromi, through her stability, innovation, and compassion, transformed the culture and atmosphere of the unit within just 12 months. By fostering a shared governance mindset and building trust among the teams, she empowered nurse leaders to take charge.
With 20 years of experience in critical care, neuro, orthopedic neuro, and emergency department roles, Oseromi has demonstrated her nursing leadership skills and ability to mentor novice leaders while consistently raising the standard of excellence for her clinicians. These qualities reflect her integrity, competence, and commitment to nursing.
Oseromi’s remarkable contributions to the nursing field have been recognized in the prestigious Champions of Nursing Diversity Series 2024. This series is a platform that highlights healthcare leaders who are driving substantial changes in the nursing field within their organizations. Oseromi’s inclusion in this series is a testament to her impactful work and leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion in nursing.
Meet Temitope (Temi) Oseromi, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, nurse manager of GBMC HealthCare’s Intensive Care Units—Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) and Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU).
What is your title, and where do you work?
I’m the nurse manager of the Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Units at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.
Talk about your role in nursing.
As a nurse manager, I am responsible for the unit’s overall operational needs, which include, but are not limited to, interviewing, hiring, performance management, patient safety/patient care initiatives, overall team engagement, patient experience initiatives, process improvement projects, and all other business-related needs.
How long have you worked in the nursing field?
20 years
Why did you become a nurse?
I have always been interested in caring for people, interacting with them, and seeing them get better in whatever situation they may be in. I knew I wanted to be in the medical field. Still, I wasn’t sure of the specifics until I worked at an assisted living facility. There, I had the opportunity to interact with elderly residents and quickly identified nursing as my calling.
What are the most essential attributes of today’s nursing leaders?
Servant leaders, great listeners, an ability to give and receive feedback, problem solvers, and being approachable.
What does being a nursing leader mean to you?
Being a nurse leader means removing barriers for my teams so they can effectively and efficiently care for patients and supporting my team professionally and personally. It also means growing the nursing teams into excellent clinicians, ensuring patient care is delivered safely utilizing best practices and advocating for my teams at different off-unit forums.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the growth in our nursing workforce in the Medical and Surgical ICUs at GBMC. We continue to groom our teams and mentor frontline and formal unit leaders. Both ICUs have collaborated well, even in different locations within the organization. Both charge nurses check in on each other, provide support for each other, and coordinate staffing flow together. This was not the practice a few years ago.
Tell us about your career path and how you ascended to that role.
I graduated from nursing school and assumed a new grad role at a local hospital in an Orthopedic Neuro Medical Surgical Unit. I stayed for a few years and transitioned to work at a Neuro Critical Care Unit. After a few years as a neuro-critical care RN, I decided to work in the emergency department, which was an eye-opener as it differed from the inpatient care workflow. After the ED, I transitioned to a staff nurse position at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, where I was promoted to clinical care coordinator. Some time passed, and I was promoted to the role of nurse manager of a Medical Surgical Telemetry unit. I served in the role for about four years, after which I was promoted to nurse manager of the MICU, SICU, and Central Monitor Station.
What is the most significant challenge facing nursing today?
Staffing continues to be a constant challenge in nursing today. More and more nurses are needed, given that the population is getting sicker and younger.
As a nursing leader, how are you working to overcome this challenge?
We continue to work to onboard the best talent to join our teams, and we have initiatives to retain that talent within the organization.
What nursing leader inspires you the most and why?
Our Chief Nursing Officer, Angie Feurer, because she is personable, insightful, intuitive, asks the right questions, and is always curious. She is a problem solver who loves connecting with her teams and likes to hear from the frontline.
What inspirational message would you like to share with the next generation of nurses?
Keep up the great work. Although nursing school may be busy, nursing is a rewarding profession. Once you graduate nursing school, be open to opportunities that may come your way. Do not close any doors, as nursing consists of many areas you can dive into. Explore, experiment, and be curious. Proceed to advance your nursing education and continue to inspire others.
