March 18, 2021
Sigma, an organization that empowers nursing leaders to transform global healthcare, recently awarded its 2021 Clinical Healthy Work Environment Award to Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick.
The award recognizes and honors a clinical facility that demonstrates commitment in promoting a healthy work environment and excellence in healthcare outcomes. Applicants for this award were evaluated based on the creation of a healthy work environment as demonstrated by new programs with involvement of frontline healthcare workers and sustained programming addressing healthcare workers’ needs, along with evidence of positive patient outcomes.
“At Saint Peter’s we minister to the whole person, body and spirit, something that is exemplified everyday by our extraordinary nursing staff,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, president and CEO, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System.
“I think that was truly demonstrated throughout the pandemic when many nurses were re-deployed to new assignments, adjusting to new responsibilities and new supervisors, yet always responding to the challenges with grace and determination to care for our most critically ill patients.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff requested a forum to share their experiences and with the support of Saint Peter’s Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer Linda Carroll, MSN, RN-BC, a nurse driven support group known as “Masks Off” was created. This forum provided a safe place for staff to discuss the novel experiences that the pandemic experience presented, allowing them to share emotions and insights with others who were experiencing the same thing.
“The Sanctuary,” created by volunteers from nursing and the medical staff during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, remains space designed to help staff escape from the demands of the day – to re-energize – which is critical to managing stress. The hospital is also committed to the visibility and representation of nursing leadership on many levels including its presence on the Board of Governors
“I have spent my entire career as a nurse at Saint Peter’s,” said Linda Carroll, MSN, RN-BC, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer. "My longevity here is a testament to Saint Peter’s culture of excellence and Catholic mission of caring for and ministering to our patients and to one another, and to our commitment in promoting a healthy work environment, excellence in healthcare outcomes and ongoing education. I am extremely proud to have been a member of the Saint Peter’s nursing staff for more than 30 years and to lead an exemplary nursing staff with whom I share a special comradery and dedication to our craft.”
Saint Peter’s University Hospital has a long-standing history of supporting its clinical nursing staff. Guided by its strong Catholic mission and commitment to providing the highest quality care in the safest environment, Saint Peter’s uses a patient-centered model to promote satisfaction.
“We are proud of our success in transforming our work environment into an organization where nurses understand they are valued, safe and supported by every level of the organization, from peer to manager to senior leadership,” says Lisa Drumbore, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Chief Patient Experience Officer at Saint Peter’s.
Saint Peter’s University Hospital is a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Learn more at saintpetershcs.com.
