STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT focuses on nursing professional development, recognition, and community involvement.
2024 Highlights from Valley’s Advanced Practice Provider Council
The Valley Hospital’s Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Council ramped up efforts last year to promote, advocate for, and enhance the role of the APP throughout Valley Health System (VHS).
Below are a few highlights from 2024:
- Valley APPs participated in the Virtually Valley video series, where they provided information, insights, and advice on health and wellness topics for patients and their families.
- APPs participated in many events in the community, including health fairs and screenings.
- To increase membership in the APP Council, the team developed a welcome letter to include in the orientation packets for all new APPs.
- The Council also created specialty-specific tree diagrams that list all the APPs at Valley and their teams.
- The team launched a monthly diversity newsletter, written by Khadijah Walker, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, Nurse Practitioner in the Pediatric Surgery Department and Diversity Chair of the APP Council, which discusses topics on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The mission of The Valley Hospital APP Council is to advance the professional and quality practice of APPs by utilizing evidence-based care and functioning at the top of licensure. The Council strives to be valued members of the medical staff by elevating, promoting, and advocating for the role of the APP within VHS and in the communities we serve.
Chaired by Monika Reisenauer, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, Lead Advanced Practice Provider, Inpatient and Outpatient Pediatrics, the group meets monthly to brainstorm ways to encourage professional development and advocate for the full scope of practice on clinical, academic, and administrative levels.
Toni Modak Recognized as Member of the Year by Home Care Association of New Jersey
Toni Modak, Vice President of Valley Home Care and Valley Hospice, was recognized as the Carol J. Kientz Member of the Year at the Home Care & Hospice Association of New Jersey (HCHANJ) 2024 Annual Conference. According to HCHANJ, the Member of the Year distinction is given to a member who has gone “above and beyond” in involvement and commitment to the HCHANJ and brings excellence to home care and hospice in New Jersey.
Toni has 30 years of experience in the home health arena and continues to raise the bar in her current position as Vice President of Valley Home Care and Valley Hospice. To continue to be recognized as a premier home health provider in the area, Toni is dedicated to optimizing the health of the patients and population Valley serves by integrating high-quality care and innovative technology.
“I am honored to be recognized as the Carol J. Kientz Member of the Year,” said Toni. “Valley is dedicated to providing comprehensive services designed to support patients and their families through compassionate and innovative care. I look forward to continuing to enhance the quality of life for our patients with future innovations and personalized experiences.”
Congratulations, Toni!
Increasing Board Certifications through Voucher Program
As part of our continuing efforts to provide professional growth and development opportunities for our nurses, last year, Valley participated in the voucher programs from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC) to offer nurses the opportunity to take board certification exams free of charge.
In September 2024, Valley’s critical care and holistic nursing leadership teams purchased vouchers to cover exam fees for nurses who are interested in earning Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) or Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN) certification through the AACN, as well as Holistic Nurse-Board Certified (HN-BC) certification through the AHNCC.
With many Valley nurses taking advantage of this incentive, our overall rate for board-certified nurses at Valley increased from 43 to 44 percent. We look forward to continuing to offer new opportunities to help our nurses achieve national board certification in their respective specialties.
Valley’s GME Students Collaborate with Nursing for Education and Mentorship
Last summer, Valley welcomed the inaugural class of Internal Medicine and OB/GYN residents from our new Graduate Medical Education (GME) program. As part of the program’s mission to provide a variety of clinical experiences, the GME students have been partnering with Valley Hospital and Valley Home Care (VHC) nurses for hands-on learning and mentorship.
Reham Shaaban, DO, FHM, FACP, the director for the Internal Medicine program, approached nursing leadership with the idea of assigning nurse mentors to each of the residents. After a meet-and-greet was held, the nurses check-in regularly with their GME mentees to offer insights, provide support and answer any questions they may have.
In addition, James (Jim) Warin, MPA, NRP, MICP, CHSE, CHSOS, Valley’s Simulation Operations Specialist, regularly meets with the residents and GME faculty weekly to run clinical scenarios using our simulation mannequins. Jim works closely with nursing experts in our patient care areas to help provide collaborative training to the students.
In the home care setting, two of the GME students also shadowed VHC nurses. One resident traveled with a nurse to perform patient visits, experiencing “a day in the life” of a home care nurse. The resident was able to see, first-hand, how quickly a home care nurse’s schedule can change, as well as witnessing the nurse completing a physical assessment and medication reconciliation. The second student met with VHC’s telehealth coordinator to review how we use the telehealth system to prompt interventions to help avoid rehospitalization and ER visits.
Valley’s GME program, accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and sponsored by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, was established in 2023 to educate and train the next generation of physicians.
Valley’s Healthy Work Environment and Staffing Committee Earns Two ONL NJ Awards
In October of last year, The Valley Hospital’s Healthy Work Environment and Staffing Committee (HWESC) was recognized at the Organization of Nurse Leaders of New Jersey (ONL NJ) annual retreat and awards ceremony in Princeton. Valley’s HWESC won awards in two of the seven award categories: Skilled Communication and Appropriate Staffing.
For Skilled Communication, ONL NJ recognized Valley’s Care and Retention Rounds (CARR), which offer a proactive and strategic approach to employee engagement and retention. CARR provides dedicated time for leaders to identify ways to support and encourage employees in their current workplace, learn why employees stay so we can continue to “get it right,” help employees develop professionally and advocate for their career goals, and keep employees engaged.
For Appropriate Staffing, Valley was recognized for implementing innovative and evidence-based staffing solutions with our Admission, Discharge and Transfer (ADT) and discharge nurses. Our ADT and discharge nurses provide valuable support for our nurses during their busiest hours, allowing them to provide uninterrupted care to their existing patients. In 2024, the ADT nurses completed 4,762 admissions, equaling approximately 8,000 hours of time back to nurses, and the discharge nurses completed 1,473 discharges, amounting to approximately 2,800 hours back to staff on the units.
Valley Trio Increases Community Outreach Through Creative Engagement
As part of Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care’s efforts to educate the community on the importance of cancer screenings, last year, a trio of Valley clinicians developed new and creative ways to help increase participation at community health events.
Jana Nowak, BSN, RN, Quality and Performance Improvement, Oncology Special Programs, approached nursing leadership and Valley’s Community Health Department with a unique idea of reaching more men at our education and screening events – meeting them where they are. As a result, Valley hosted the Brews & Bros Men’s Health Event at the Montclair Brewery! Participants were treated to a complimentary lunch and beverage as they visited tables staffed by Valley’s interdisciplinary team of professionals. The well-attended event included physicians and nurses from Valley’s Urology team, who offered valuable prostate screening education, as well as clinicians who provided information on general surgery, cardiac health education, nutritional counseling, and screenings for colon cancer, lung cancer and stroke. The relaxed atmosphere garnered very positive feedback from attendees.
Diana Cardona, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, Nurse Navigator, Breast Surgery Department, attended a number of community events last year to talk about the importance of breast cancer screening in a fun and memorable way! Diana has become well-known throughout the community for her eye-catching table decorations, which include a mannequin dressed in a tutu, as well as her ability to provide breast health information in a light, easy-to-understand format. In 2024, she was invited to attend events at MetLife Stadium for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, the Hawthorne Van Dyk Healthcare Wellness Fair for breast cancer and women’s domestic violence awareness, and Valley’s Night of Radiance event for breast cancer survivors, to name a few.
Antoneta Lamo, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Oncology Special Programs, hosted colorectal cancer awareness events at many new places in the community last year, including Paramus Park Mall and IKEA, to discuss and conduct screenings for Valley’s Fast-Track Screening Colonoscopy program. With the Fast-Track Screening program, patients who meet select criteria can schedule a colonoscopy without an initial office visit with a gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon, thus streamlining the process. As part of her role, Antoneta conducts a thorough health history and education session with patients to determine eligibility. As a result of her community engagement efforts, the Fast-Track Screening Colonoscopy program has seen exponential growth over the past two years.
We look forward to continuing to provide health education and screenings in the community in new and engaging ways this year!
Antoneta Lamo, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Oncology Special Programs, at a colorectal cancer awareness event at the Paramus Park Mall
Pictured (left to right): Jana Nowak, BSN, RN, Quality and Performance Improvement, Oncology Special Programs; Antoneta Lamo, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Oncology Special Programs; and Diana Cardona, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, Nurse Navigator, Breast Surgery Department
Diana Cardona, BSN, RN, HNB-BC, Nurse Navigator, Breast Surgery Department (right) and her daughter Sofia at the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at Metlife Stadium.
Pictured at the Brews & Bros Men’s Health Event (left to right) are: Parminder Savalia, Manager, Community Health; Annette Tolomeo, RN, Lead Registered Nurse, HWC Community Health; Thomas Kole, MD; Jana Nowak, BSN, RN, Quality and Performance Improvement, Oncology Special Programs; Sobeida Santana-Joseph, RN, Executive Director, Oncology Special Programs; and Elizabeth Longo, Administrative Coordinator, Luckow Pavilion Oncology.
All About DAISY!
The DAISY Award at Valley
Learn more about the DAISY Award at Valley, which recognizes nurses for the exceptional care they provide their patients. We sat down with some past DAISY Award winners to hear about what it meant to them to be nominated, how it’s impacted their practice, and why it’s important that patients and their families take the time to nominate their nurses for a job well done.
Celebrating 100 DAISY Awards at Valley
Watch as we congratulate Alyson Baratta, RN, Clinical Shift Supervisor, Emergency Department, as our 100th DAISY Award winner. The family who nominated Alyson for the DAISY Award joined us to surprise Aly with the recognition and express their gratitude for the exceptional care she provided to them and their daughter.
DAISY Awards for 2024
Each year, we recognize a monthly winner from The Valley Hospital, and a quarterly winner from Valley Home Care, with the DAISY Award. View all 2024 DAISY Award Winners!
Congratulations, Nurses Week Award Winners!
Congratulations to the following Nurses Week award winners for 2024!
Pam Mc Conville, RN - DAISY Nurse of the Year
Hannah Barragan, RN - Rising Star of the Year
DeAnna Kearney, RN - Nurse Leader of the Year
Mary Beth Plotzke, RN - Nurse of the Year (not pictured)
