When Amy Lucci, Nurse Manager of Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute, was attending Mentor High School, she always had an interest in health and wellness. “I loved anatomy, biology, chemistry – anything to do with health. The human body is amazing. That was pretty much the inspiration there.” 

She adds, “I had a lot of surgeries when I was younger, and I can recall being in the OR and nurses taking care of me. I think that’s probably why I ended up in the same career, too.” 

A Shifting Focus
After earning her BSN from Bowling Green State University in 1990, Amy began her nursing career at Toledo Hospital, spending her first year in Pediatrics before moving to the operating room. It was there that Amy had the opportunity to work with a new team of retina physicians and quickly found herself drawn to ophthalmic surgery. This area of focus paved the way to a whole new field of interest for her. 

Overseeing Everything
Given the chance to move back to the Cleveland area, Amy joined Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute in 1993, working with patients across all areas of ophthalmology. “I also was the scrub nurse for the chairman at the time and just loved, loved ophthalmology,” Amy says. Her interest in ophthalmology was also personal – her mom had to deal with eye problems throughout her life. 

Over the years, Amy has continued to grow and take on more responsibility. As Nurse Manager, she oversees Cole Eye Institute’s eight operating rooms, as well as a few on Main Campus. Because Cole has its own pre- and post-op areas, her role covers the entire perioperative area, including the nurses who work in those areas, as well as the nursing staff in the ambulatory and diagnostics clinics. 

Although her role is primarily administrative, Amy still likes to stay connected to the clinical side and maintains her hands-on knowledge. “Every now and then I’ll scrub in and circulate in the OR, usually when the team is short-staffed,” Amy says.  

Adding Experience and Degrees
As Amy continued to move forward in her career, she also kept collecting degrees. After earning her master’s from Kaplan University, she set her sights even higher and launched into doctoral studies at Chamberlain University. It took her about five years to earn both degrees, all while working full-time. Except for taking maternity leave when her three children were born, Amy has worked full-time as a nurse for her entire career. 

It wasn’t always easy to balance work, school and family, but Amy says it taught her how to prioritize. “They always say the busiest people get the most done,” she says.  

Specialties and Surgeries
The ophthalmology team cares for a wide range of patients across subspecialties, including cataracts, glaucoma, cornea, retina, pediatrics, oncology and oculoplastics. “We do all those surgeries,” Amy says. Cataract surgery is one of our most common procedures, but the team also performs vitrectomies (surgeries to remove the gel-like fluid from the center of the eye) involving the back of the eye, along with numerous oculoplastic and orbital surgeries around the eyes.  

Some of the most memorable cases are also the most challenging. Dr. Arun Singh, the team’s ocular oncologist, treats patients with eye cancer, including babies with retinoblastoma. “Some of it is sad, but some of it is amazing because we treat people and they’re OK,” Amy says. 

Thinking on Her Feet 

While working in refractive surgery, Amy had an experience that stuck with her and has stayed with her ever since. During LASIK surgery, patients are expected to lie flat on a bed, so the laser can be positioned at exactly the right focal length. One patient, however, had neck problems and couldn’t lie completely flat. “We were like, ‘What are we gonna do? We can’t do his surgery,’” Amy recalls. 

Then she had an idea. “I thought, ‘Let me try this.’” She jumped up on the bed and held the patient’s legs up, which allowed his head to lie flat enough for the laser to be positioned correctly. The surgery was a success, and Amy didn’t think much more about it. A few weeks later, though, the patient came back with food and other things to thank her. “I’m like, ‘What did I do?’” she says with a laugh. “You don’t think about some of the little things that you do that make an impact.” 

Working Together
Collaboration is a big part of Amy’s role, both within the surgery department and across the organization. She works closely with her director, nurse managers and other specialties, as well as anesthesia, physicians, pharmacy, environmental services and sterile processing. With as many as 80 patients moving through the ORs in a day, keeping everything running smoothly takes a lot of teamwork. “There’s lots of support here at the Clinic. It’s wonderful,” Amy says. 

Choosing Excellence
Amy’s response to nurses looking for career advice? “Why not work for an organization like Cleveland Clinic whose expectations and standards are at the top? If I needed healthcare, that’s where I would go.” Another selling point is the number of opportunities for nurses. “There are so many different jobs you can have as an RN,” she says. “Along with our benefits, I don’t think there’s a match out there. Working here makes you better at what you do and gives you the opportunity to provide the best care possible.” 

Amy’s response to nurses looking for career advice? “Why not work for an organization like Cleveland Clinic whose expectations and standards are at the top? If I needed healthcare, that’s where I would go.” Another selling point is the number of opportunities for nurses. “There are so many different jobs you can have as an RN,” she says. “Along with our benefits, I don’t think there’s a match out there. Working here makes you better at what you do and gives you the opportunity to provide the best care possible.”