Last week at the 2023 Nursing Excellence Awards, Cooper announced the winner of the William A. Schwartz, Jr. Nurse of the Year Award and the Team of the Year. See below for the press release announcing the winners.
Cooper University Health Care Announces Nursing Excellence Award Winners
Cooper University Health Care has named Kelly Campbell, BSN, RN, of Mullica Hill, NJ, as the recipient of the William A. Schwartz, Jr. Nurse of the Year Award. Campbell, who works in Cooper’s Mother Infant Unit, also received The Charlotte Tobiason Memorial Award for Excellence in Obstetrical Nursing as part of Cooper’s Annual Nursing Excellence Awards presented during National Nurses Week (May 6 to 12). The Nursing Excellence Awards recognize exceptional professional nurses and advanced practice nurses throughout the health system, as well as members of the collaborative care teams that support nursing.
The William A. Schwartz, Jr. Nurse of the Year Award is named in honor of the late Schwartz, a long-time member of Cooper’s Board of Trustees who committed a significant amount of his time and talents to Cooper. He was particularly passionate about Cooper’s nursing team and supporting them in their service to patients.
“As a nurse at Cooper since 1991, Kelly is a highly experienced and skilled member of our Mother-Infant team, providing compassionate care and support to the hundreds of new mothers and their babies who are born at Cooper each year,” said Kathy Devine, DrNP, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Cooper. “Kelly is admired and respected by her fellow team members and patients and families alike.”
Recognizing the importance of teamwork in health care, each year Cooper also honors an outstanding team in addition to the individual awards. In 2023, Cooper’s Kelemen 10 Medical/Surgical Unit was named Team of the Year.
“Our Kelemen 10 Medical/Surgical unit provides care to patients with diverse and complex medical and psychosocial needs. K10 team members are exceptionally collaborative and embrace innovative practices and initiatives that support exceptional patient care outcomes,” Dr. Devine said.
“Cooper’s reputation as a leading health care system for more than 135 years and recognition for its high level of patient safety is due in large part to the skill and commitment of our nursing team and the dedication they demonstrate every day,” said George E. Norcross III, chairman of the Cooper Board of Trustees. “Everyone at Cooper congratulates this year’s award winners and thanks all Cooper nurses for the significant contributions they make to Cooper and the community.”
“All of our nurses at Cooper provide compassionate and high-quality health care to every patient every day,” said Anthony J. Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE, co-CEO at Cooper. “This year’s Nursing Excellence Award winners have excelled in their patient-centered care, professionalism, teamwork, and excellence. They are role models to us all.”
“Cooper nurses are among the best in the nation. They can be found providing exceptional care and clinical expertise throughout the health system in every inpatient unit, clinical department, and ambulatory office,” said Kevin M. O’Dowd, JD, co-CEO at Cooper. “During National Nurses Week, please take the time to say ‘thank you’ to a nurse for all they do to serve others.”
All the award winners were nominated by their colleagues for their commitment to upholding the Cooper mission “to serve, to heal, to educate” and are supported by gifts from generous donors to The Cooper Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cooper University Health Care.
“These awards are made possible by the kindness and generosity of our donors. Their gifts allow us to recognize Cooper’s outstanding nurses each year in a meaningful way,” said Philip A. Norcross, Esq., chairman of The Cooper Foundation Board of Trustees.
To see the complete list of 2022 Cooper Nursing Excellence Awards winners, click here.
Kelly Campbell, BSN, RN
Kelemen 10 Medical/Surgical Unit