2025 Health Care Champions Nurse: Marla Housley

Marla Housley’s commitment to patient care was reinforced during her final semester of nursing school when a close family member was in a traumatic accident and treated in a neurotrauma ICU, the same area in which she wanted to work.

“Experiencing critical care simultaneously as a nurse and a loved one gave me a unique and lasting perspective on what compassionate, competent care truly means,” says Housley, advanced clinical nurse educator at Mercy Springfield Communities. “It shaped how I approach every patient and every family interaction to this day.”

Her role as an educator is a responsibility and a calling.

“I take a hands-on approach to education, assessing knowledge gaps, creating targeted learning plans and providing ongoing instruction that’s practical, engaging and directly tied to patient outcomes,” Housley says “Whether I’m lecturing new graduate nurses, assisting with complex procedures or simply being a resource during challenging situations, I’m committed to building a team that feels empowered to deliver exceptional care.”

In addition to her educator role, Housley tracks annual education requirements, including trauma and stroke-specific training that supports Mercy’s designation as a Level 1 trauma and stroke center. She creates and implements new education when practices or equipment evolve, and she collaborates closely with critical care providers to support physician-led lectures and cross-disciplinary learning. She’s a subject-matter expert in neuro and trauma care and keeps her clinical skills instructor status current in advanced cardiovascular and pediatric life support.

“This dual role as educator and clinician keeps me grounded in the real-world challenges our team faces and allows me to tailor education that’s both relevant and impactful,” Housley says.

She’s invested in developing nurse preceptors, experienced nurses who mentor those who are new to the profession.

“By supporting those who train the next generation, I’m helping to build a stronger, more resilient nursing workforce,” Housley says.

One of her most meaningful projects is the creation of an Organ Donor Memorial Wall at Mercy. She started working on it in 2018, securing approvals, working with multiple groups and dealing with pandemic-related delays.

“The final design, Tree of Life, will proudly display each donor’s name on a leaf or butterfly,” Housley says. “This wall will not only honor their legacy but also raise awareness about the importance of organ donation, providing comfort to donor families and inspiring future donors. It is my way of giving back to patients who never had the chance to say goodbye and to the families who turned loss into hope for others.”