Executive turnover and termination are complex organizational issues. In this study, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) succession and its relationship to Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) termination was explored; 12.2% of newly appointed CEOs terminated their CNO counterparts within 1 year of their appointment. Although some CNO terminations are related to CEO succession, complex organizational factors such as organizational context, contingencies, uncertainties, and life-cycle must be explored to fully understand the phenomena of CNO and CEO tenure and turnover.