“Nurses work hard and do hard work.”

I recently had the privilege of speaking with John W. Bluford, lll Founder and President of the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute and President Emeritus of Truman Medical Centers. Mr. Bluford and I discussed the important work of the Nurses on Boards Coalition and how nurses can be leaders in health care.

Listen in on our conversation and hear specific examples from Mr. Bluford of how he has seen the voice of nursing impact change. Mr. Bluford offers some great advice regarding the need for nurses to understand the financial aspects of health care, since we already know our profession as the “business of caring.” 

Thank you, Mr. Bluford, for joining me in this conversation and all your important work!

Take some time to listen to our full conversation here.



John W. Bluford, III, MBA, FACHE has a distinguished career in hospital and health system administration. Mr. Bluford is President of the Bluford Healthcare Leadership Institute and former President and CEO of Truman Medical Centers. He is also former Chairman of the American Hospital Association, the National Association of Public Hospitals, and the Missouri Hospital Association. He currently serves on the Board of the National Center for Healthcare Leadership. His extensive career began with his role as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-trained Epidemiologist, later leading Pilot City Health Center in Minneapolis to become the first JCAH-accredited community health center in the county, and then becoming CEO of Hennepin County Medical Center. Mr. Bluford has received numerous awards and achievements and has presented nationally and internationally on topics related to healthcare leadership and change management. His full biography can be read here.