In celebration of National Nurses Week, Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital is spotlighting some of our staff members who make a difference every day by providing remarkable care, compassion and commitment to their patients.

As the only community hospital in the world to achieve its fifth consecutive Magnet designation, Emory Saint Joseph's is focused on nursing excellence through a variety of roles: from bedside caregivers to clinical nurse specialists and shift nurse managers to directors.

These individuals represent the heart of healthcare at Emory Saint Joseph's with one common goal: to provide excellent, patient-centered care honoring the Mercy Mission of the hospital.

For Emory Saint Joseph's new interim chief nursing officer Julie Swann, she believes her ease with caregiving can be traced back to her childhood. As the oldest of three children, Swann was always comfortable taking care of her younger siblings, so it was a seamless transition when she began her role as a caregiver at Emory Saint Joseph's.

"I've always loved taking care of my patients, because as a nurse, I believe it is so important to always remember the needs of our patients," she says. Swann's career at the hospital began in 2000 after graduating from the University of Memphis with a degree in nursing and biology, when she specifically sought out Emory Saint Joseph's because of its status as a Magnet designated facility.

"I was one of three grads hired to work in the ICU at the time, and I loved that unit!" she says about the beginning of her 12-year stint in the ICU, first as a bedside nurse, and later as Unit Director. During this time, Swann and the entire team received the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for exceptional patient care.

In 2012, Swann was promoted to the position of specialty director of cardiovascular and eICU services, which includes the management of operations and resources for the eICU. She also manages the Center for Advanced Heart Failure, the cardiac cath lab, the EP Lab, cardiac rehabilitation, ARU and non- invasive cardiac imaging.

During her career at Emory Saint Joseph's, Swann also earned a masters degree in health administration and business administration from Georgia State University. "When I went into nursing, I just wanted to take care of patients, and I never thought I would end up here at this desk. A lot of people had faith in me," she says, about her career path.

In addition to her new role, Swann also serves on the VAP cath stenting team, the Transformational Leadership Council, the Cardiology IS Governance Committee and the Joint Commission Steering Committee. Swann is the recipient of several awards including the McAuley Award, for furthering the Mercy Mission of Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital and the 2014 Mercy Leadership Award. "I've been really blessed to work with great teams and great people at a fantastic facility. This is home!" she adds.

The San Diego, Calif., native, and her husband Bryan have two children: a daughter, 9, and son, 5, who enjoy their time camping, boating and going to Disney World, where Swann recently completed her first Disney Princess half marathon.