Cooper University Hospital has applied to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for the prestigious designation of Magnet. The Magnet designation recognizes excellence in nursing services.

Patients, family members, staff, and interested parties who would like to provide comments are encouraged to do so. Anyone may send comments via e-mail, fax, and direct mail. All phone comments to the Magnet Program Office must be followed up in writing.

Your comments are confidential and never shared with the facility. If you choose, your comments may be anonymous, but must be in writing.

Your comments must be received by February 2, 2013.

Address: American Nurses Credentaling Center  (ANCC)
Magnet Recognition Program Office
8515 Georgia Ave., Suite 400
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3492
Fax: 301-628-5217
E-Mail: magnet@ana.org
Phone: 866-588-3301 (toll free)

Rebecca Johnson with her mentor, Brenda Franks.

Cooper University Hospital is proud to recognize 16 nurses and other members of the healthcare delivery team for their hard work and dedication. These prestigious, peer-nominated awards honor the work of the recipients, whose leadership and practice promote the delivery of quality healthcare at Cooper. Each award, together with Nurse of the Year, has its own set of criteria for eligibility, including three letters of recommendation from staff within each nominee’s clinical discipline. Read the full story

Cooper University Hospital is proud to recognize 16 nurses and other members of the healthcare delivery team at Cooper for their hard work and dedication. These prestigious, peer-nominated awards honor the work of the recipients, whose leadership and practice promote the delivery of quality healthcare at Cooper. Each award, together with Nurse of the Year, has its own set of criteria for eligibility, including three letters of recommendation from staff within each nominee’s clinical discipline.

“Every year, our nurses continue to go above and beyond their call of duty,” said Dianne S. Charsha, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Their leadership and loyalty towards this hospital can be seen in the relationships they have with their fellow co-workers, patients and families. It is their unconditional compassion and devotion to this profession that continues to make Cooper a wonderful place to work.”

The 2011 Nurse of the Year Award has been given to Debbie Cannon, R.N., staff nurse in Cooper’s Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU). Cannon, of Beverly, N.J., has been a part of the Cooper family for over 30 years. She graduated from nursing school in 1974 from what it was then known as “The Cooper Hospital.” After graduation, she pursued several nursing careers in critical care at hospitals all over the Burlington County region and Philadelphia, including St. Agnes Burn Center, Philadelphia, P.A. She returned to Cooper in 1990 as a full time staff nurse in the TICU and has been there ever since. Known as a “First Alert” nurse in Cooper’s TICU, Cannon is one of the first to respond to incoming Trauma patients and is responsible for the immediate hands-on care of the new patient. As a part of the Trauma team, she not only takes care of the patient’s physical and emotional needs, but she also attends to the needs of the families.

Dianne S. Charsha, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer; John P. Sheridan, Jr., President and CEO; Debbie Cannon, R.N., 2011 Nurse of the Year; Joan S. Davis, Vice Chairman.

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Direct Care Nurses, Voice for Collaborative Change

Almost a year ago today, a team of 74 staff nurses, together with nursing leadership, set out to develop a new shared governance model at Cooper that allows direct care nurses the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process on all issues affecting the nursing profession including practice standards, policies and procedures, education and operation. Through this initiative, eight Nursing Councils and 22 Unit Based Councils (UBC) were developed. Since then, the members of these councils have become a pivotal “voice” in each of the clinical areas within the hospital, discovering that shared governance is essential to a productive and satisfying work environment.

“Improving the patient experience takes every team member, every day,” said Dianne Charsha, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Since we began a shared governance model, our department leaders have come to the direct-care nurses for their thoughts and suggestions as to how to improve our process, environment and customer service. It is the implementation of these ideas which have lead to some of our best improvements.”

The eight councils are: Advanced Practice Nurses, Patient Care Informatics, Professional Development, Nursing Practice, Unit Based Leadership, Nursing Research, Professional Recognition, and Nursing Quality and Patient Safety.

As we are immerging from the winter weather, the Professional Recognition Council (PRC) is making strides to assist nurses in submitting their Professional Ladder applications. Professional Ladder is used as a means to, reward and recognize bedside nurses for their exceptional work and achievements within Cooper.

During this year’s Nurses Week in May, the PRC held a Ladder Celebration Breakfast to recognize those nurses who have already been appointed to the program. Members of the PRC council also visited with nurses on various units to speak directly about the Professional Ladder application and how to apply. Known as the “Professional Ladder Road Show,” the council discussed strategies for collecting the documentation needed to support the critical points asked for on the application, how to organize that information and how to present the application in a professional manner.

“It is important that we encourage our nurses at Cooper to take part in this great program,” said Jean Zoll, RN, Chair of the Professional Recognition Council. “Not only does the Professional Ladder recognize the outstanding work of each of our colleagues, but it allows them the opportunity to expand their education and grow on a professional level.”

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Joan Watt, RN, a hematology and oncology nurse at Cooper, was recently honored at the Cherry Hill Mall for her service to the community.

The event, “A Tribute to Nurses,” was organized by PREIT Company, who encouraged shoppers to nominate nurses who have made a difference. Watt, who has been a nurse for 15 years, was nominated by a patient to whom she’s been providing care since 2008.

To read the complete article visit philly.com.