Covenant Health’s Chief Nursing Officer Named a Patient Safety Expert to Know 

Covenant Health’s Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Debbi Honey, MHA, RN, CPHQ, FACHE, CENP, FAONL, has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2026 list of Patient Safety Experts to Know. This is the third consecutive year she has earned this national recognition.   

Becker’s Hospital Review is a leading source of healthcare business and clinical leadership news. They highlight individuals who are “instrumental in reducing hospital-acquired infections, preventing adverse events and ensuring strict regulatory compliance.”    

A Career Defined by Patient Safety  

For Honey, patient safety has been a defining focus throughout her nearly 40-year nursing career.  

“Patient safety has been a throughline in my career,” Honey said. “Safe care has evolved over the years due to both the huge advancements in technology and clinical knowledge. We have always promoted and supported safety. Current tools, and those still being developed, continue to strengthen our ability to deliver safe and effective care.”  

A Systemwide Commitment to Zero Harm  

Under Honey’s leadership in nursing and patient care services, Covenant Health has demonstrated a systemwide commitment to zero harm. All nine of its acute-care hospitals most recently earned “A” Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group.  

“We are commitment to quality and excellence with a goal of zero harm to those we serve,” Honey said. “It requires discipline, standardization and consistency in our processes and procedures. We’ve identified best practices and implemented them across all nine of our acute-care sites.”  

This focus on consistency and accountability has led to measurable improvements in key safety indicators, including reductions in infection rates and patient falls.  

“Patient safety is a shared responsibility across our organization. We investigate each harm event to determine if there were misses and identify opportunities for improvement,” Honey said. “Our goal is zero harm, supported by processes and care practices designed to ensure the safety of every patient.”  

A Culture Built by Every Caregiver  

Honey also credits Covenant Health’s culture for sustaining its strong safety performance.  

“It takes all of us to support and maintain a culture that prioritizes patient safety,” she said. “It ties back to our pledge of putting patients first, pursuing excellence in all we do and being the first and best choice for our communities.”  

A nurse at heart, Honey says her perspective continues to be shaped by her early clinical experiences.  

“Being a nurse, I have had the privilege of caring for people at moments of need and at their most vulnerable,” she said. “I am responsible to do all in my power to keep them safe and cared for to the best of my ability.”  

Leadership and Impact  

As chief nursing officer, Honey oversees the quality and safety of nursing operations across Covenant Health. She leads initiatives to standardize processes, enhance patient care and strengthen operational support. She also contributes to the development of clinical leaders at local and national levels.  

Honey earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and her master’s degree in health administration from the University of Minnesota. She is certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP), is a Fellow in American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and as a Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). She is also a Fellow of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership  (FAONL). 

See the full list of Becker’s Patient Safety Experts to Know.