When Marcie Peterson, RN, ACNO, walks the halls of Children’s Nebraska, she does so with the quiet confidence of someone who’s worked just about every job inside those walls. But her power didn’t start with a title—it began as a little girl holding flashcards in the car, so her single mom could study for nursing school.
“When you are a kid, have a single parent and witness what hard work and education can do to improve your family’s life, it changes you in a good way,” she says.
That early front-row seat to her mother’s grit and grace shaped everything that came next.
In 1998, Peterson landed a job as a PICU receptionist at her dream hospital. Since then, she’s climbed every rung—CNA, bedside nurse, manager, director—and now serves as Associate Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President. Today, she leads strategy and operations across inpatient care service lines, from the tiniest NICU babies to heart transplant patients. But no matter how high she’s risen, her focus remains the same: removing barriers so frontline teams can do their best work.
“The purpose of my work is to remove barriers, ensuring nurses can focus all their attention on their patients, families, and colleagues.”
Rooted in Resilience
Peterson’s dad passed away when she was just three years old. Not long after, her mom packed up their life in North Bend, Nebraska—a town with one stoplight—and moved to Omaha with no family support and two young daughters in tow. Her mission: to become a nurse.
“For my mom, the move was like going to New York City,” Peterson recalls. “We didn’t have much, but I didn’t realize it because she always made sure our basic needs were met.”
Peterson remembers watching her mother’s hands shake as she opened the letter that revealed whether she passed the nursing boards. She still gets emotional thinking about it.
“Witnessing her hands shaking in the kitchen…was a defining moment I will not forget.”
Those early experiences planted the seed for a life in nursing—one that’s grown far beyond the bedside.
Peterson Leads with Heart—and Hustle
As ACNO, Peterson juggles executive responsibilities, including budget oversight, system redesign, productivity strategy, and recruitment. But her most important work might be what she does behind the scenes: mentoring others, modeling humility, and inspiring hope.
“My superpower is to instill hope and inspiration in the nursing profession.”
That superpower is rooted in the same qualities she saw in her mom—bravery, determination, and resilience. Peterson calls her mom her superhero, crediting her with shaping not only her career path but her values as a leader.
“Her role modeling is the reason why I have a ‘super skill’ to lead by example (not title), be humble and own mistakes made along the way and to never give up on what matters most to you.”
Words to Live—and Lead—By
Peterson’s nursing mantra? “Be so good they can’t ignore us.” It’s a mindset she carries into every conversation, meeting, and mentorship moment.
Her power kit includes a few non-negotiables: passionate curiosity, humility, and the unwavering belief that one nurse can make a difference.
“The true power of being a nurse is in the stories shared of small actions that make an everlasting impression on a person during their most vulnerable times.”
Whether she’s advocating for her teams or planning for the future of care delivery, Peterson never forgets what it means to start from the ground up—and how powerful it is to lift others as you rise.
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