Spotlight On: Veronica Elders, Interim CEO & Chief Nursing Officer, Nashville General Hospital

November 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Veronica Elders, interim chief executive officer and chief nursing officer for Nashville General Hospital, said that strengthening community partnerships and improving patient-centered care are central to the hospital’s mission and future strategy. “Nashville General has an incredible mission, but we need people to invest in it. We can’t do it alone. Building those external relationships is one of my top priorities,” she said.

Over the past year, what have been the most significant changes within the hospital, and how do these developments reflect broader trends in healthcare?

Over the past year, two of our biggest milestones were achieving a Leapfrog Grade A in both Fall 2024 and Spring 2025. This accomplishment reflects our commitment to prioritizing patient care, especially care transitions, which is making sure patients fully understand their treatment and how to manage their care at home. We achieved this through strong collaboration with our Community Care team. It was a huge accomplishment for us.

We’ve also experienced significant leadership changes, and I’m honored to now serve as both the interim CEO and chief nursing officer. The reason that Leapfrog Grade A means so much is because when I first became chief nursing officer in February 2020, COVID hit the following month. My first Leapfrog score as CNO was a D — I was devastated. But we steadily improved: from a D to a C and now to an A.

The A score came from us re-evaluating our care model and adapting it to meet our patients’ current needs. I think hospitals everywhere have had to shift toward a more patient-centered, even consumer-driven, model. Patients know what they want and need, and we must respond to that. Only four hospitals in Nashville earned an A, and we were one of them. We’re proud that we’ve maintained that grade over two consecutive reporting periods, even through all the changes we’ve faced.

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Could you talk more about the specific clinical or operational strategies that contributed most to recent recognition?

We view patient care as a continuum, not a series of isolated events. For example, when a patient arrives in our emergency department, we ensure that before they leave, they have follow-up appointments scheduled right at the bedside. We do bedside discharge planning in both the ED and inpatient settings. We call this “care transition” because we’re not simply discharging patients, we’re transitioning them to the next appropriate level of care to support their wellness.

Additionally, our Community Care team focuses on long-term needs after discharge. That includes addressing food insecurity, transportation, and housing issues. This patient-centered approach ensures we’re meeting people where they are and supporting them throughout their entire healthcare journey.

How is the hospital adapting its strategy to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse and expanding community, particularly underserved populations?

That’s truly at the core of our mission. We’re committed to serving vulnerable populations, which includes patients with insurance, underinsured individuals, and those without insurance. We treat all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

We’ve adapted by navigating rising operational costs, addressing staffing shortages, and responding to changing patient expectations. One of our most significant approaches has been strengthening community partnerships and expanding access to preventive and primary care services. These steps are crucial to meeting the evolving needs of our community and staying true to our mission.

How are you addressing nurse staffing shortages and retention, especially in a public hospital setting like yours?

Our leadership style emphasizes a sense of community and family. We’re smaller than some larger facilities, which allows us to foster close relationships — many of our nurses I know by name. This sense of connection helps us support one another at the bedside.

We also have a nurse residency program overseen by our Nursing Leadership and Professional Development team. We’ve developed a Clinical Excellence program where experienced nurses mentor new staff. For example, our nursing education team sometimes works full 12-hour shifts alongside frontline staff to better understand their needs and ensure proper patient care. These programs build a supportive, growth-oriented environment.

How is the hospital innovating in nurse education, mentorship, or career development through internal programs or partnerships?

We have numerous clinical affiliations. For example, we offer clinical training opportunities for students from TSU, Vanderbilt, and Vol State Community College. Surgical tech students come from Nashville State Community College. These partnerships allow us to help shape the next generation of caregivers.

We also received a grant from THA (Tennessee Hospital Association) in collaboration with TSU, which supports our own nurses serving as clinical faculty for TSU students. This enhances the students’ experience because they’re learning from professionals already embedded in the hospital’s culture and environment.

I’ve personally taught at Lipscomb and South College, and I can tell you there’s a learning curve when you’re not familiar with the clinical site. Having hospital staff serve as instructors bridges that gap and gives students a much richer experience. We also partner with Belmont for pharmacy student placements. These partnerships are crucial for building a strong healthcare workforce.

What are the most urgent challenges facing public hospitals in Tennessee today?

Safety net hospitals like Nashville General are being hit hard by several issues. Rising costs — for supplies, pharmaceuticals, and general operations — are a major burden. Funding remains a significant challenge, especially due to Tennessee’s reluctance to expand Medicaid, which would help both patients and hospitals like ours.

Staffing shortages are persistent, which strains our ability to provide consistent care. There’s also a shift in patient expectations; people now expect more from their healthcare experience. These combined pressures create a complex environment for safety net hospitals.

How are you positioning the hospital to lead through these challenges?

We’re closely evaluating our financial infrastructure and looking to expand our community partnerships. Strengthening our alignment with the mayor’s office and Meharry Medical College — our academic partner — is a key focus. We’re also exploring public-private partnerships, which have helped other safety net hospitals like Erlanger in Chattanooga and Grady in Atlanta grow and thrive.

Nashville General has an incredible mission, but we need people to invest in it. We can’t do it alone. Building those external relationships is one of my top priorities. It’s the path forward for long-term sustainability and growth.

What are your top strategic priorities for the hospital in the coming years?

Our top priority is expanding community partnerships, which are vital to our survival and success. We’re undergoing a transition and are working to grow our preventive and primary care services in collaboration with Meharry Medical College. The goal is to address health needs early, before they become critical, and to ensure everyone has a reliable place to go for care.

On a personal note, I’m a native Nashvillian. I’ve been in healthcare for 30 years, and Nashville General has always held a special place in my heart. I was once a patient here myself. After 17 years at Vanderbilt, I returned to serve the community that shaped me. To help this hospital move forward, we need strong partnerships with community stakeholders and private entities. That’s how we grow and thrive.

Want more? Read the Invest: Nashville report.