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DURHAM, N.C. -- Melissa A. Fitzpatrick has joined Duke University Hospital's administration as senior associate chief operating officer for patient care services, and Pat Meadows has been promoted to assistant chief operating officer, officials announced Wednesday.

Fitzpatrick, a 20-year veteran of critical care nursing, teaching and management, fills the vacancy created by the promotion of Brenda Nevidjon last year to chief operating officer of Duke Hospital. Fitzpatrick, whose appointment was effective July 1, oversees all nursing services as well as respiratory care, pastoral care and cultural services. She came to Duke from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., where she was vice president of adult critical care and cardiac services for the past 10 years.

Meadows, who has served as director of social work at Duke University Medical Center for the past four years, assumed her new duties Aug. 1. In the newly created position, Meadows will be responsible for developing educational programs for employees, coordinating customer service initiatives and strengthening internal communications.

Nevidjon announced both appointments. She said the range and depth of Fitzpatrick's experience "coupled with her network of contacts nationwide will help Duke continue to succeed in its commitment to innovative and effective patient care. Duke is fortunate to have recruited someone of Melissa's caliber to lead our patient services staff."

Fitzpatrick held an eight-year appointment as an adjunct faculty member for the nursing programs at the University of New Hampshire and Colby Sawyer College, and was adjunct clinical faculty for two years at the University of Pennsylvania's graduate school of nursing. She is a past president of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and is active in the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

"Being at Duke is the opportunity of a lifetime and I feel very fortunate to be coming from one world-class organization to yet another," Fitzpatrick said. "I'm looking forward to working with my new team and making an impact."

Nevidjon said Meadows "brings to her new position skill in creating new programs, effective group facilitation abilities, a comprehensive understanding of the changing health care environment and a deep commitment to patients and families and staff who take care of them. Pat has led many institution-wide initiatives and is a national leader in social work."

Before coming to Duke, Meadows spent 23 years at the 700-bed Miami Valley Hospital in Ohio, where she served in roles of increasing responsibility. The final six years she was director of Medical Social Service and Discharge Planning, and director of the SeniorCare Program.

She received her undergraduate degree in sociology and psychology at the West Virginia State College and a master's of science in social welfare at the University of Cincinnati.

Meadows said one of her goals is to work with others involved in employee training and development to broaden education programs throughout the hospital.