By UC Irvine Health
Muriel Moyo, DNP, MSN, a nurse manager in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) at the UC Irvine Medical Center — part of UC Irvine Health — has been honored with a 40 Under 40 Award from the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce.
The annual 40 Under 40 event recognizes leaders who are making a positive contribution to the community through their work, which Moyo exemplifies as a leader who is committed to patients and nurses.
Moyo’s leadership has led to more engaged nurses, less turnover and greater patient safety. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) awarded its gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence to the MICU this year for adhering to the highest standards of acute and critical care nursing and its commitment to patient care. It is one of only three MICUs in California to hold the designation.
Impact on patient safety, nursing advancement
Moyo spearheaded the introduction of multiple evidence-based nursing practices that have significantly reduced hospital-acquired infections, bloodstream infections and falls.
To foster the development of nurse leaders, she co-developed and facilitated 2023 Excel and Elevate, the first nurse leader-focused education series in the health system.
She also guided a redesign of the workflow for chemotherapy desensitization patients, work that was published in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, and implemented a program that sharply improved nursing staff engagement and turnover in the MICU.
Moyo’s leadership was also recognized in December 2023, when she was honored as one of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership’s (AONL) Young Professional Voices.
“It is because of inspiring nurse leaders like Muriel that UCI Health is at the forefront of patient safety and nursing excellence,” says Anne Marie Watkins, DNP, MSHCA, chief nursing executive and senior vice president.
“This award is a reflection of the commitment she has made to ensuring all of our patients receive the highest quality care.”
Moyo started at UCI Health as a nursing assistant in 2012 and became an RN in 2013. She has been the nurse manager for the medical intensive care unit since 2021. In September 2023, the unit won a DAISY Team Award in recognition of its tireless work on behalf of critically ill patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UCI Health nursing excellence
Moyo represents the long-standing tradition of nursing excellence throughout UCI Health.
In 2003, UCI Medical Center became the first academic medical center in Southern California to achieve Magnet® designation and the first hospital in Orange County. In 2023, UCI Medical Center earned its fifth Magnet recognition.
Nearly 52% of nurses at UCI Health are nationally certified in at least one specialty and 83% have achieved a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or higher.