For Immediate Release
June 30, 2005
Contact: Michael Valentino
732-751-7538

FOUR MERIDIAN HEALTH NURSES RECEIVE GOVERNOR'S NURSING MERIT AWARDS

Recognized for Exceptional Contributions to the Nursing Profession; Meridian Health Nurses Receive 4 of the 12 annual awards

Neptune, NJ - Four Meridian Health nurses were recently honored at the 17th Annual Governor’s Nursing Merit Awards Dinner and Ceremony in Princeton. Over 110 members of the Meridian Health family, consisting of leaders, managers, and staff from across Meridian Health were present to support and recognize the winners who were honored in four separate award categories. Meridian Health nurses have consistently been recognized with the Governor’s Award for the past eight years.

This year, Regina Foley, MBA, R.N., CNAA, vice president of Nursing and chief nurse executive at Ocean Medical Center in Brick, received the Nurse Administrator Award; Michele Gaguski, MSN, R.N., AOCN, APN-C, clinical nurse specialist in the Oncology Department at Ocean Medical Center received the Nurse Researcher Proficient Award; Joyce Henn, MSN, R.N., APN-C, CNA, nurse manager at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, received the Nurse Manager - Acute Care Award; and Kenneth McHale, R.N., CCRN, from the Cardiac Catheterization unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center received the Registered Nurse – Acute Care Award.

“We are extremely proud of our Governor’s Merit Award winners, this tremendous recognition is well deserved by professionals who have made significant contributions to the nursing profession,” says John K. Lloyd, president and CEO, Meridian Health. “The Governor’s Nursing Merit Awards are the highest honor a nurse can receive by the State of New Jersey, so to have four of this year’s 12 awards be awarded to Meridian Health nurses is a wonderful recognition and a reflection of our entire nursing staff of devoted and talented professionals, who dedicate themselves in providing exceptional care for our patients each and every day.”

The Nursing Merit Awards are presented by the Governor to honor individuals who demonstrate excellence in nursing, recognizing vital contributions of the nursing profession to our state's health care program. This award provides the opportunity to recognize the unique blend of technical experience and human compassion required of the State’s nursing professionals. During the past eight years, 12 Meridian nurses have been recognized with the Governor’s Merit Award.

“I believe this remarkable achievement is a testament to the exceptionally high level of nursing care we provide at Meridian Health,” says Richard Hader, R.N., Ph.D., senior vice president of Nursing and chief nursing officer, Meridian Health, and past Governor’s Merit Award winner. “We are proud of all of our nurses who give so much of themselves in providing the very best nursing care to their patients. While it is where nurses are most visible, quality nursing care goes well beyond what patients may see at the bedside. Nurses at Meridian are highly trained and dedicated professionals who are focused solely on creating a healing environment that serves the very best interests of each patient. They achieve this through active collaboration with our physicians, advanced training and education, and continually developing innovative new approaches to nursing care.”

The Governor’s Merit Awards are another example of Meridian’s commitment to nursing excellence. In 1998, Meridian Health was the first health care system in the nation to achieve the prestigious Magnet nursing status at each of its hospitals, an honor that was achieved again in 2002 when each hospital was recertified. Magnet award recognition is bestowed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation's foremost nursing accrediting and credentialing organization, to recognize hospitals with nursing staffs practicing the highest standards in nursing and clinical excellence.

Meridian is also a nationally recognized leader in the development of advanced nursing careers and innovative clinical environments, which has resulted in Meridian currently having the lowest nursing vacancy rate in New Jersey.

In 2003, Meridian launched its Magnet Unit pilot program at each Meridian Health partner hospital. Created to evaluate and promote a new type of nursing environment centered on patient and nurse satisfaction, each Magnet Unit offers a higher nurse to patient ratio, creates an innovative ‘shared governance’ process with physicians, makes optimal use of the latest technologies, and provides advanced professional development opportunities and continuous education programs with its own dedicated nurse educator.

Meridian Health is a family of health care organizations comprising Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and Partner Companies that include home care agencies, long-term and assisted living communities, ambulatory care, ambulance services, and occupational health located throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties. Meridian Health specializes in cardiac care and surgery, orthopedics and rehabilitation, cancer care, and women and children’s health. Meridian Health is the regional provider of trauma services and cardiac surgery, which has been ranked among the top programs in New Jersey.

Meridian Health was the first health organization in the nation to achieve the prestigious Magnet designation for its nursing staff at each of its partner hospitals and has been named as one of the Top Ten ‘Best Places to Work in New Jersey’. For more information, please call 1-800-560-9990 or visit www.meridianhealth.com.

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