Director, Operations – Institute for Urban Care
Kim Watson is a registered nurse who joined Capital Health in 2004. Before taking her current role as director of Operations at the Institute for Urban Care (IUC), Kim was manager of the institute, where she oversaw and supported program management. She also served as program supervisor for numerous quality improvement programs at Capital Health. Kim spent 12 years of her nursing career as a registered nurse in the Neurosurgical and Trauma Intensive Care Units at Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC), where she also held the positions of assistant nurse manager and interim nurse manager. Kim began her career as a unit secretary and birth registrar in the Maternity Department at Mercer Medical Center while attending nursing school. Kim received her diploma in nursing from the Capital Health School of Nursing and her Associate of Science degree from Mercer County Community College.
Kim has played a key role in developing new programs, including the highly specialized Neuro Intensive Care Unit within the Capital Institute for Neurosciences. As part of an elite group, she contributed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center's recognition as one of only eight Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers in New Jersey, and she has earned advanced certification from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Throughout her career, she has served on numerous internal and external committees and is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the New Jersey Cohort Advisory Committee and the Mercer County Advisory Board for the Reduction of Gun Violence.
As director of Operations of the IUC, Kim leads strategic, system-wide approaches to grown and align Capital Health’s hospital services with those of the community and other partners to optimize the delivery of health care services for local residents. She also works to foster an environment that improves quality, enhances the patient experience, decreases costs, and advances the outcomes related to health equity for the community through research, innovation, engagement, and the procurement of additional resources. Kim has demonstrated proven success in program design, development, and implementation that aligns with the IUC’s mission, which focuses on three pillars: maternal and child health, chronic disease, and behavioral health/substance use disorder. With a strong background in operational management, strategic planning, and community engagement, Kim continues to enhance the health and well-being of the Trenton community. Her direct contributions have helped the IUC secure over $28 million in multi-year initiative reimbursement for quality improvement projects approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and administered by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Human Services. Additionally, she has been instrumental in obtaining multiple grants for Capital Health and the Institute for Urban Care to ensure ongoing funding. Kim serves in a principal role in the Healthcare Equality Index Survey and Designation as a Leader in LGBTQ Equality for the RMC and Hopewell campuses.
Outside of her busy schedule at Capital Health, Kim enjoys cooking, traveling, hiking with her dogs, and spending time with her family.