the POWER of NURSES
Celebrating Nursing Excellence
A MESSAGE FROM DANIELLE
A Message from Danielle
Dear Colleagues,
This year, ChristianaCare achieved an extraordinary milestone: our fourth Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This latest designation includes Christiana and Wilmington Hospitals, ChristianaCare HomeHealth and our Community Care Services.
As Delaware's only four-time Magnet-recognized health system, we join a select group of nurses nationwide who consistently set the bar for excellence, compassion and innovation.
Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing. Earned through excellence and vision, being Magnet reflects not only strong outcomes, but also a culture of continuous improvement and a deep, enduring commitment to patients, families and one another.
During their January site visit, our Magnet surveyors met with nearly 500 caregivers. The appraisers described our health system as a “mature organization with a culture of nursing excellence.” They praised ChristianaCare’s strong commitment to nursing excellence, quality care and workforce development. One appraiser said it best: “You’re not just doing Magnet — you ARE Magnet.”
Of course, I see our Magnet spirit every day. Our nurse caregivers lead with courage and creativity in all practice areas, from ambulatory spaces to intensive care units, with patients at home or in the community.
Whether pioneering Virtual Acute Care to improve transitions from hospital to home, launching Delaware’s first Nurse Anesthesiology Program or transforming safety in outpatient settings, our caregivers embody what it means to anticipate tomorrow while delivering with love and excellence today. Their clinical results speak volumes: zero harm achievements, national awards and research that’s transforming practice at the bedside and beyond.
This report offers just a glimpse of the ChristianaCare Nursing team’s impact, highlighting programs, partnerships and outcomes. Above all, it celebrates the extraordinary people behind them: the innovators, advocates and healers.
I'm especially proud of our Cecil County Campus Nursing team, which has begun its Pathway to Excellence® journey — an intentional, systemwide effort to cultivate a nursing environment grounded in trust, shared governance and professional growth. This investment in culture and care aligns seamlessly with our Magnet legacy and reflects our commitment to enculturing excellence across every ChristianaCare site.
I’m deeply grateful for our team and for everyone who supports our fabulous caregivers. Together, we’re building stronger, smarter and more compassionate health care and influencing the nursing profession and practice for generations to come.
Warmly,
Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC Chief Nurse Executive
FOUR-PEAT! CHRISTIANACARE ACHIEVES MAGNET ® — THE TOP RECOGNITION FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE — FOR THE FOURTH TIME
Four-Peat! ChristianaCare Achieves Magnet® — the Top Recognition for Nursing Excellence — for the Fourth Time
In March, hundreds of nurses and their caregiver colleagues celebrated the health system’s fourth Magnet designation for Christiana and Wilmington hospitals, Community Care Services and HomeHealth.
As the only four-time Magnet-designated health care organization in Delaware, ChristianaCare has achieved this global recognition for continued dedication to excellence and innovation.
“When I first entered nursing, I envisioned a career centered around caring for my patients during my shifts and then going home. ChristianaCare has completely transformed that perspective. The opportunities here are limitless. That’s what makes us Magnet. When you step onto our campus, you can see and feel the difference. Excellence is our standard, our culture and our commitment to the future of nursing.”
Ingrid Hausner
BSN, RN, PCCN, CCRN
Christiana's RedesignationMagnetCelebration
“We share this moment with so many people across our health care system who are committed to serving our community. I love working here — nursing excellence is exuded in everything we do.”
Paige Merring
MSN, RN, CCRN, NEA-BC
Excellence Manager 02 FOUR-PEAT! CHRISTIANACARE ACHIEVES MAGNET ® — THE TOP RECOGNITION FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE — FOR THE FOURTH TIME
Nursing
“Each Magnet designation builds upon past successes. It’s not about perfection; it’s about continuous improvement. It’s about meeting the moment. And that’s what we do, 365 days a year: we deliver care with love and excellence. I’m filled with joy and gratitude.”
Michelle Collins
DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, FAAN Vice President of Nursing Professional Excellence
“ChristianaCare was Delaware’s first Magnet-designated health system in 2010 and has upheld the ANCC’s very high standards ever since. That is a long time to bring your ‘A’ game every day — through 15 years of change, including a pandemic — and to sustain growth in professional practice, innovation and culture. Magnet recognition raises the bar for patient care and inspires every member of our team to achieve excellence every day.”
Danielle Weber
DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC ChristianaCare Chief Nurse Executive
EXEMPLARY in our EXEMPLARS
In our fourth Magnet designation, ChristianaCare earned six exemplars. Showcasing how our nurses deliver high-quality, evidencebased, patient-centered care, exemplars highlight specific areas where nursing practice excels and demonstrates positive outcomes aligned with national Magnet standards. We received exemplars across four key pillars: Exemplary Professional Practice, Transformational Leadership, Structural Empowerment and New Knowledge, Innovations, and Improvements — affirming a strong culture of nursing excellence. Read more about each exemplar in the pages that follow.
Exemplary Professional Practice
ChristianaCare caregivers deliver expert, compassionate care grounded in evidence and experience. Through collaboration and professionalism, we uphold the highest standards, ensuring that every patient, family member and colleague feels supported, safe and seen with each encounter, every shift, every day.
Nursing is logged on with Virtual Acute Care
In FY 25, ChristianaCare’s Virtual Acute Care Nursing (VACN) program continued to provide an innovative care model. Celebrating its second anniversary in fall 2024, VACN has expanded its reach, enhanced patient outcomes and lightened the load on frontline staff.
VACN nurses are part of a patient’s care team from admission to discharge, delivering expert virtual support, spotting red flags and ensuring a smooth transition from hospital to home. The benefits are better patient outcomes and experiences, enhanced care delivery in the hospital and more time for bedside nurses to provide expert one-to-one care.
$1.7M in harm avoidance saved over the past year September to February, FY 25
19 units improved in Teach-back scores
16 units improved in "nurses listened carefully" scores
VACN IMPACT
Preventing falls, protecting lives
At ChristianaCare, nurses are leading collaborative efforts to reduce falls and elevate safety across every care setting.
On our Cecil County Campus, a nurse-led initiative sparked a powerful shift in fall prevention. Weekly interdisciplinary review meetings created space for real-time learning and action. Nurses worked closely with providers and therapists to embed safety into every patient’s plan of care — supported by EMR-triggered interventions and the Johns Hopkins Mobility Program.
In our ambulatory practices, nurses are helping to reimagine fall prevention through outpatient eyes. The Ambulatory Falls Subcommittee brought together caregivers across disciplines to design strategies specific to outpatient settings, including risk screenings, tailoring workflows for patients with cognitive impairment and sharing best practices through Huddle Tips and training.
HomeHealth teams continue to lead by example, maintaining fall rates well below state and national benchmarks. Nurses work hand in hand with physical therapists and social workers to build customized safety plans for each patient, including home modifications, pressure injury prevention strategies and one-on-one education.
IN FY 25:
61% reduction in patient falls
0.40% Falls with Major Injury decreased to 0.40%
47% reduction in ambulatory falls
Preventing patient burns: A nurse-led safety success
The organization’s data for Patient Burns outperformed the benchmark and comparison cohort provided by the national database for the majority of eight quarters on 100% of the units.
Clinical nurses play a central role in burn prevention by assessing fire risks before any procedure. Using a universal protocol checklist, nurses evaluate the environment for hazards like oxygen sources and ignition points. They calculate a fire risk score and communicate it clearly to the surgical team during the time out before the start of every surgical or invasive procedure. Throughout the procedure, nurses continue to monitor and mitigate any risks, ensuring that patients stay safe every step of the way. This proactive, nurse-led approach demonstrates our commitment to excellence and the power of clinical expertise in driving safer outcomes.
EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Cecil County Campus’s Pathway to Excellence
In January 2025, our Cecil County Campus launched its Pathway to Excellence® journey, a systemwide effort to build a nursing environment grounded in trust, shared governance and professional growth. At the same time, nurses across the campus participated in its “What Is Your Why” campaign, reflecting on their purpose in caregiving. Responses are now displayed on a three-foot by eight-foot banner as a testament to the values shaping nursing campus-wide.
Developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the Pathway to Excellence framework outlines six key standards: Shared Decision-Making, Leadership, Safety, Quality, Well-Being and Professional Development. The campus identified leads for each domain who work collaboratively to document how these standards are embedded in practice, with a full application submission to ANCC planned for FY 26.
As the journey progresses, Nursing leadership is enculturating caregivers in Pathway tenets, fostering a workplace where every caregiver feels empowered, supported and proud to grow in their profession.
EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Zero Harm Awards
ChristianaCare’s Zero Harm Awards recognize hospital patient care units, HomeHealth teams across Delaware, Perioperative Services departments and Community Care Practices that have maintained zero cases of preventable harm in one of nine harm categories for at least 12 months. From July 2024 through March 2025, 128 awards were given, including four awards for 11 years (132 months) with zero harm. Since January 2017, 1,351 awards have been earned.
NEWARK CAMPUS
CLABSI
84 months - TSU
60 months - TNU
24 months - 6B, 5B, C6MS, Hospital at Home
12 months - 3C, 4B, SCCC, 5N, TMU, CEAD, 2C
CAUTI
120 months - BMT
72 months - TNU
60 months - CEAD
24 months - 3C, 5D, 5E, 3A, Hospital at Home 12 months - 2C, 4C, TMU, 4D, 6B, MICU, SCCC, NCCU
MRSA
96 months - TNU
72 months - BMT
60 months - CEAD
48 months - 6A, C6MS
24 months - 7E, 5A, 4E, 5C, 6A, SCCC 12 months - 4C, 4D, 2C
C. difficile
72 months - TSU
60 months - CEAD
36 months - C6MS 24 months - 4B,
Hospital at Home 12 months - MICU, 6B
All Falls
12 months - TNU, LBR, NICU
Antenatal Steroids
36 months - OB Triage
WILMINGTON
CAMPUS
CLABSI
60 months - Rehab (6W)
48 months - WCCU 12 months - WICU, 5N
CAUTI
132 months - 7S
120 months - 4N/5W 96 months - 6S
72 months - WICU, Rehab (6W)
48 months - WCCU
MRSA
132 months - 7S
48 months - 5N, WCCU
36 months - 6S 24 months - WICU, 4N/5W, 8S
C. difficile
132 months - 7S
60 months - 7N
48 months - WCCU
36 months - 4W, 6S
24 months - WICU
All Falls
12 months - WICU
CECIL COUNTY
CAMPUS
CLABSI
36 months - PCU 12 months - MSU
CAUTI
72 months - ICU
36 months - SSU, MSU
MRSA
72 months - SSU
36 months - ICU
C. difficile
48 months - CDU
12 months - PSU, SSU, ICU, MSU
All Falls
12 months - SSU
HOMEHEALTH
CLABSI
72 months - NC Team 6 12 months - CD Team 1
CAUTI
12 months - NC Team 4, NC Team 5
COMMUNITY CARE PRACTICES
Hypertension Admissions
36 months -
PC Kirkwood 24 months - CHF CHR 1070, PC at Home
12 months -
PC Northeast, PC Kennett,
MAGNET EXEMPLAR
PC Riverfront, PC Smyrna, PC Lantana, PC Greenville, PC Whitehall, Cardiology Consultants-NJ
Short-Term Complications of Diabetes Admissions
36 monthsPC Whitehall 12 months -
PC Linden Hill, CP Gateway, PC Jennersville, PC West Grove, PC Kennett, Ctr Special Healthcare Needs, PC Smyrna
EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
PERIOPERATIVE SERVICES
48 months - GI Lab-WH, PACU-WH
36 months - Christiana Surgery Center
24 monthsEndoscopy-Union, Interventional Radiology-Union, Wound Center-Union, OR-Union, PACU-CH, Wound Care Center 12 monthsGI Lab-CH, OR-CH, HVIS, OR-WH
Raising the standard: ChristianaCare earns exemplar status in pressure injury prevention
The organization’s data for Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (HAPI) Stage 2 and above outperformed the benchmark and comparison cohort provided by the vendor’s national database for the majority of eight quarters on 100% of the inpatient units.
Since 2019, ChristianaCare caregivers have prioritized HAPI prevention through a comprehensive, systemwide effort: targeted education and competency assessments, interprofessional collaboration in care planning and documentation and standardized prevention practices across departments. The health system also implemented advanced validation technology, hired a Wound, Ostomy and Continence nurse medical director and introduced new pressure injury prevention products. With dedicated leadership and strategy, ChristianaCare advanced both care quality and patient outcomes, setting a new standard in pressure injury prevention.
Lifesaving care starts at home
Exemplary professional practice is rooted in vigilance, expertise and decisive action — qualities that ChristianaCare HomeHealth nurse case manager Elena Gomez, BSN, RN-BC, embodies daily. When a winter storm approached, Gomez called her patient, Nona Lerza, to ensure a timely blood pressure check. What she found was alarming. Lerza had critically high readings that required immediate emergency care. Although reluctant to return to the hospital, Lerza trusted her caregiver’s clinical judgment and compassion. That trust led to life-saving quadruple bypass surgery at Christiana Hospital. Today, Lerza is fully recovered and living independently — an outcome made possible by Gomez’s expert care and commitment to love and excellence.
“There aren’t enough words in the dictionary to say all she did for me. Elena closed my house up. She did everything for me that night and I can’t thank her enough. It seems very hollow to say thank you. But if she hadn’t come, I don’t know where I’d be today.”
NONA LERZA
Scan the QR code to learn more about Nona's lifesaving story.
EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Creating a human connection with Nurse Leader Rounding
Nurse Leader Rounding (NLR) is an evidence-based best practice that fosters meaningful connections between nurse leaders, patients and their families. When performed consistently and effectively, NLR has been shown to improve the management of patient expectations, caregiver engagement, patient experience and overall quality of care.
To enhance outcomes in the Nurse Communication domain on our NRC Patient Experience Survey, a multidisciplinary Nurse Communication Subcommittee — comprising nurse leaders from across the health system — set a strategic goal: improve patient experience domain scores by strengthening NLR practices.
As part of this effort, the team developed tools and resources to empower nurse leaders for success. They revised the standard operating procedure for NLR, emphasizing rounding on new admissions and anticipated discharges. The NLR tool was streamlined to five open-ended core questions designed to elicit meaningful patient feedback.
Additionally, the organization designated an acute care dedicated rounding hour from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. to ensure that nurse leaders had regular time to engage with patients.
Since implementing these strategies over the past year, Nurse Communication scores have improved significantly from FY 24 to FY 25, surpassing targets, especially in the area of “nurses explained things understandably.”
Nursing’s Love of Health
At ChristianaCare, excellence is at the foundation of our nursing practice. On the occasion of our fourth consecutive Magnet designation, ChristianaCare’s For the Love of Health podcast featured Michelle Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNSBC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, FAAN, vice president of Nursing Professional Excellence, and Paige Merring, MSN, RN, CCRN, NEA-BC, program manager and Magnet program director, Nursing Excellence, who spoke about what makes ChristianaCare's nurses extraordinary.
77% of patients reported a visit by a nurse leader
Scan the QR code above to stream the episode.
Teamwork, tools and training fight violence against caregivers
ChristianaCare is taking bold steps to combat workplace violence and ensure a safer environment for caregivers. In FY 25, the health system expanded existing initiatives and launched new ones to cultivate a safe workplace. Our multidisciplinary and nurse-led Workplace Civility Steer guided the implementation of activities to improve workplace civility. Our multidisciplinary, nurse-led Workplace Civility Steer led the implementation of initiatives to foster a more respectful and collaborative environment.
One key strategy involved enhancing interprofessional collaboration in care planning and risk mitigation, particularly for patients who exhibit aggressive behavior. To support this, we introduced behavioral safety clinical nurse coordinator and leader roles to provide focused care planning and coordination. Other activities in FY 25 include:
• A Patient and Visitor Code of Conduct.
• An EMR Violence Alert to communicate patient risk.
• An ED aggression risk assessment to identify patient risk.
• A process for event analysis and clinical management optimization, including developing a Delirium Management Implementation Guide to assist with the management of delirious patients who are violent and/or aggressive.
Additionally, the team increased the number of caregivers trained in de-escalation by 22%; created a new Administrative Provider Discharge Order for “Administrative” use in discharging patients in accordance with the revised Patient /Visitor Disruptive Behavior Policy; launched an aggression/violence risk intervention safety plan for the Emergency Department (ED); and implemented a revised Behavioral Health Emergency Response process at Wilmington Hospital inclusive of the ED and that is planned to expand to the other campuses.
ChristianaCare caregivers, including members of the ChristianaCare Workplace Civility Steer, spent a day in Legislative Hall for Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Advocacy Day. While in Dover, they met with legislators and Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay to discuss the risks of violence in the workplace affecting health care professionals.
A member of the Workplace Civility Steer, Jasmin Orange, MSN, RN, CCRN, assistant nurse manager, MICU, shared with the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses how ChristianaCare is addressing violence against caregivers.
Scan the QR code below to stream Jasmin's full interview.
Transformational Leadership
ChristianaCare’s Nursing and HomeHealth leadership propel innovation, inspire teams and champion change. Through visionary thinking and a steadfast commitment to excellence and improvement, our leaders elevate care delivery and empower others to grow, adapt and lead with purpose and impact.
Council Highlights
Administrative Council
Chair: Ryan B. Miller, MSN, RN, CCRN
• Partnered with Nursing Professional Development and the chief nurse executive to present at the systemwide Nurse Manager Retreat. Presented on national trends in nurse manager span of control, key leadership competencies and role clarity. Collaborated with nurse scientist to develop this presentation for a peer-reviewed publication.
• Updated and modernized the Nurse Manager and Assistant Nurse Manager Orientation Checklist. Annual review included revisions to linked resources and conversion from a manual checklist to a fully electronic format to streamline the onboarding experience.
• Developed the Nursing Accountability Toolkit for Unit-Based Leadership, designed to support nurse managers, assistant nurse managers, nursing professional development specialists and clinical nurse specialists. Resources clarify leadership responsibilities and drive consistency in practice.
• Launched “On the Same Page,” a one-page communication tool to support nurse leaders during team huddles, helping to guide conversations around top priorities and enable streamlined, consistent communication across units.
Education, Development & Advancement Council
Chair: Ingrid Hausner, BSN, RN, CCRN, PCCN
• Led the design, deployment and dissemination of the FY 25 Learning Needs Assessment, collecting input from more than 75 practice councils and leadership teams between July and September 2024. Used results to guide education and project development.
LEADERSHIP
MAGNET EXEMPLAR
Council Highlights
Education, Development & Advancement Council cont.
• Hosted the Annual Certified Nurses Bulletin Board Contest, themed “Certification and Beyond.” A record 38 practice areas participated. Announced winner on Certified Nurses Day in March.
• Partnered with Nursing Professional Development to revamp the preceptor foundational curriculum. Updates included a new web-based introduction, two Lippincott Learning modules, a preceptor attestation and refreshed toolkit resources.
Nursing Integrative Care Program: A model of wellbeing excellence
Advocacy for and acquisition of organizational resources specific to nurses’ well-being, particularly through the Nursing Integrative Care Program.
Launched in July 2022, our Nursing Integrative Care Program, championed by Nursing and health system leaders, stands as a Magnet exemplar for Transformational Leadership.
Built on a foundation of evidence-based care and holistic healing, the program offers caregivers stress reduction techniques, self-care resources and hands-on interventions. It fosters resilience and wellbeing for caregivers serving in the state's busiest hospital and only Level 1 Trauma Center. The program’s caring cart rounds provide Healing Touch, hand massage, aromatherapy and more, all of which enhance the day-to-day experiences of caregivers.
This impactful work was featured in Nursing journal’s January 2025 issue, marking its significance in the national dialogue on nurse wellness.
The paper — A pilot study on the impact of healing touch and chakra techniques on wellbeing — by Stacy Noel, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, HWNC-BC; Danielle Altares Sarik, PhD, APRN, FAAN; and Michelle Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, FAAN, reinforces the effectiveness of holistic modalities. It found that nurses who received healing touch training and practiced self-chakra connection as part of their self-care experienced decreased perceived stress levels. These findings support the integration of both modalities as evidence-based strategies to promote caregiver wellbeing.
SINCE 2022
4,800 employee encounters
900 Healing Touch sessions
700 hand massages
400 aromatherapy inhalers distributed
Workforce Connection Council
Chair: Ellen M. Alvarez, MEd, BSN, RN, CCRN, WTA
• Partnered with the Float Pool Unit Practice Council to revitalize the “Heavenly 7” survey for reassigned caregivers. Goals include increasing participation, improving satisfaction scores above 4.0 and addressing themes via unit-based practice councils.
• Piloted a standardized patient acuity tool in select step-down units to promote equitable assignments, improve nurse workload balance, and optimize patient outcomes. Tool supports team-based nursing and improves communication with nursing coordinators.
• Continued review of scheduling policies, including weekend and holiday rotations, to improve satisfaction and retention. Council members contributed to the Kronos/Workday subgroup for scheduling enhancements.
Research & Evidence-based Practice Council
Chair: Patricia Marie Fiorelli, MSN, RN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, CCE, CPST
• Incorporated the Evidence-based Practice (EBP) Booster Series into our council meetings to foster a culture of curiosity, inquiry and learning across the health system. The series is for caregivers looking for a refresher or to hone specific EBP skills.
• Initiated a systemwide EBP integration project, beginning with developing a Nursing Grand Rounds series. Presentations showcase projects from clinical nurses who have led practice change initiatives.
• Standardized and modified the new member onboarding process to enhance satisfaction, improve productivity and support retention of council members.
Quality and Safety Council
Chair: Carley Hutchison, MSN, RN, CPAN
• Collaborated in developing a standardized IMPROVE unit-based improvement model that includes all caregiver engagement in outcome. IMPROVE stands for Interprofessional, Monitoring, Performance, Reliability, Outcomes, Value, Excellence.
• Partnered with key stakeholders in the updating Perfect Care monitoring process and reference information.
• Worked with Clinical Informatics to develop an IView Alert for incomplete weight documentation. Provided feedback on blood restriction documentation, bladder scanners, Medication Safety, harm prevention strategies and Violence Alert process.
Council Highlights cont.
Off-shift Support Council
Chair: Joanna Saxberg, BSN, RN, CNOR
• Expanded access to clinical certification and vaccinations for off-shift caregivers. Partnered with the VEST Center to offer ACLS and BLS certification courses tailored for night and weekend staff, with 15 caregivers completing training across two sessions. Collaborated with Caregiver Health to support off-shift staff through the Hit Me With Your Two Shots vaccination drive, which administered 120 flu and COVID-19 vaccines across Wilmington and Newark campuses.
• Launched the Shh... Not a Peep, It’s Time to Sleep initiative to raise awareness around rest and noise reduction. Council members educated more than 160 caregivers during a systemwide event and rounded to engage an additional 64 caregivers on our Newark Campus.
• Advanced community outreach and campus culture with several initiatives that included PAWS therapy dog visits across all three campuses for off-shift caregivers — more than 120 staff participated — and a Back-to-School and personal hygiene donation drive. We collected 26 backpacks, 14 boxes of school supplies for Red Clay Early Years Program and 12 boxes of hygiene items for Hope Center.
Professional Nurse Council
Chair: Elizabeth C. Mitchell, BSN, RN-BC
• Hosted Nurse Week(s), a month of activities celebrating nurses, including awarding Excellence in Nursing Awards during a May ceremony — of the more than 300 nominations, awarded nearly 170 awards.
• Sustained system-wide recognition through the DAISY and ROSE awards programs.
• Integrated unit-based T-shirt designs into the dress code policy, with PNC-approved shirts now part of the uniform options.
Driving the future of virtual nursing
Maria Brown, MSN, RN, PCCN, CNL, NEA-BC, nursing excellence manager, helped shape the newly released Principles of Virtual Nursing from the American Nurses Enterprise. The national framework provides a blueprint for integrating virtual care into nursing practice while safeguarding quality, safety, ethics and patient-centered care. Brown's contributions reflect ChristianaCare’s leadership in this space, particularly through our pioneering Virtual Acute Care Nurse program, which has become a model for how technology and human touch can work hand in hand to deliver exceptional care.
Dynamic duos and critical conversations improve caregiver wellbeing
The American Association of Critical Care Nurses Clinical Scene Investigator Academy is a hospital-based leadership and innovation program that empowers direct care nurses to lead unit-based projects that improve patient outcomes and nurture a healthy work environment. In FY 25, two ChristianaCare teams — one each from our Newark and Wilmington campuses — completed academy projects, started last year, which focused on communication, collaboration and caregiver wellbeing.
At Wilmington Hospital, the ICU (WICU) and Transitional Care Unit (TCU) collaborated on “Oh, the Places You Will Go with Your Dynamic Duos,” a buddy system designed to strengthen teamwork, reduce isolation and ensure that nurses feel supported. All nurses, including float staff, were paired with a buddy for each shift. Clinically, the ICU reported a decrease in ventilator-associated events despite increased vent days, and the TCU reduced hospital length of stay by 0.3 days, generating cost savings. Additionally, Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT) scores improved in all domains in the WICU.
At Newark’s Medical ICU, the “Conversation Is Critical: Let’s Get to the Point!” project focused on strengthening skilled communication and peer feedback. Outcomes included across-the-board improvement in HWEAT scores and decreased nurse turnover.
Systemwide promotions to nurse leadership
Jamie Ayala, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, RN-BC, chief nursing officer, Wilmington Campus
Tom Carr, MSN, MBA, RN-BC, nurse manager, 3W/3MO
Michelle Frey, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, vice president, Patient Care Services
Krystle Gandhi, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer, Christiana Hospital
Ali Gill, MSN, RN, CEN nurse manager, Center for Rehabilitation
Danny Hamm, MSN, RN, clinical director, Cancer Program
Crystal Hogate, MSN, RN, PCCN, nurse manager, 4W
Karen Hensley, MSN, RN, CPN, nurse manager, OB Triage
Melissa MacMurray, MSN, BS, RN, PCCN, nurse manager, Surgical Center
Paige Merring, MSN, RN, CCRN, NEA-BC, program manager and Magnet program director, Nursing Excellence
Jennifer Moberg, DNP, MPA, RN, NEA-BC, CPPS, vice president patient care services, emergency services
WILMINGTON TEAM
Colin Durham ADN, RN, CCRN
Anne Schu BSN, RN
Jennifer Sullivan BSN, RN, CCRN
Nallely Zavala BSN, RN, PCCN
Dannette Mitchell MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, FCNS (Coach)
NEWARK TEAM
Ellen Alvarez MEd, BSN, RN, CCRN, WTA
Amber Hiltner BSN, RN, WTA-C, CCRN
Jennifer Papi MSN, RN, CCRN
Kathleen Luckner MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN (Coach)
Melissa Neri, BSN, RN, TCRN, nurse manager, CDU, SSU and WOC nursing teams
Elise Polloni, MSN, RN-BC, nurse manager, Clinical Express Admissions Department
Lindsey Safian, MSN, RNC-OB, EFM, nurse manager, Family Birth Center
Justin Scaricaciottoli, MSN, RN, CPN, clinical operations director, Center for Women's & Children's Health
Melissa Welsh, RN, program manager, HD
Structural Empowerment
At ChristianaCare, nurses are trusted, supported and encouraged to lead. Caregivers in all roles grow through mentorship and professional governance. They advocate for their patients and bring bold ideas forward, playing a vital role in shaping care delivery and the culture that surrounds it.
Rising on the Clinical Ladder
ChristianaCare is proud to champion our nurses as they grow, thrive and elevate their practices. Our four-tier clinical ladder — Delaware’s first — honors and rewards clinical skill, experience and continued learning. This professional advancement model supports nurses across primary, acute, community and specialty care and ChristianaCare HomeHealth as they sharpen their expertise and practice at the top of their licenses. Congratulations to the dedicated caregivers who achieved RN III and RN IV status this year!
RN IV
Jessica Bull
RN III
Alexxis Agostini
Kenneth Agu
Kayla Andrews
Rachel Andrews
Brianna Banks
Christine Barbour
Brooke Bare
Elle Belluso
Clarissa Bigelow
Misty Boyd
Cayla Brooks
Hope Brown
Jennifer Chappius
Devon Chew
Michelle Chudzik
Jeffrey Clarke
April Collins
Jillian Crane
Jeena Daniel
Catherine D’Annunzio
Gina Davis
Stephanie Demoe
Briar Dobson
Shelli Doherty
Sarah Downs
Samantha Eddy
Daria Fields
Sueanne Fregapane
Rachel Gagnon
Lindsey Gaspar
Madison Gearhart
Janelle Gibbs
Danielle Griffin
Cassandra Harmon
Kyle Hatfield
Erin Hurst
Jordan Jones
Christi Karawan
Maryanne Katimbang-Mey
Alma Katz
Natalie Kowalski
Taylor Kunkel
Joon Lee
Ashley Light
David Low
Kaleigh Lytle
Kathryn MacIntire
Michael Mariner
Lauren Master
Kelly McLennan
Shelley McVey
Joey Mills
Jasmin Moran-Isales
Alyssa Noble
Anna Osman
Josephine Oyamo
continued on next page
05 STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT
Rising on the Clinical Ladder
RN III cont.
Marc Peluso
Sarah Pfeffer
Julie Pifer
Melissa Presti
Madison Pritt
Olivia Ringer
Angela Rodriguez
Karly Ross
Sheila Rothstein
Erin Saberton
Victoria Sagers
Heather Schnering
Alexis Shields
Jeena Shrestha
Danielle Smith
Madeline Smith
Kelly Souder
Lisa Stoltz
Morgan Tallo
Matthew Tannozzini
Ann Treml
Krista Volpe
Abigail Wagner
Brittany Walls
Vanessa Walsh
Mack West
Lauren Wilkie
Brianna Winslow
Mark Wright
Nicole Zanzoth
Thank you for being you!
The Thank You Project is a ChristianaCare initiative that brings patients and caregivers back together to honor their shared of moments of compassion, connection and healing. It’s an uplifting reminder of why Nursing caregivers were called to the profession and how we make a difference.
In the summer of 2023, the bond became deeply personal for Himani Divatia, DO, then associate program director of ChristianaCare’s MedPeds residency and Medical Director of Patient Experience. During a pool party with family
and colleagues, her husband, Mrugesh Patel, suddenly lost consciousness in the water. Friends and coworkers sprang into action, becoming first responders and getting him to ChristianaCare’s Surgical Critical Care Unit. For five days, ICU nurses, physicians and specialists cared for Patel with extraordinary skill — and with the added emotional weight of knowing he was the beloved husband of a mentor and friend.
Through the Thank You Project, Divatia and Patel later reunited with the nurses and other caregivers who cared for them.
“I
didn’t have to make big decisions alone—we trusted in the excellence and love around us. I would choose you again and again to care for my family.”
HIMANI DIVATIA, DO
Himani Divatia, D.O., FACP, FAAP, and Mrugesh Patel (center, holding banner) with Patel's ChristianaCare care team.
STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT
ChristianaCare and Delaware’s first nurse anesthesiology program
An innovative strategy to address the shortage of certified registered nurse anesthetists in Delaware through a partnership program between ChristianaCare and Wilmington University to launch the state’s first Nurse Anesthesiology program.
In October 2024, Wilmington University, in collaboration with ChristianaCare and Anesthesia Services, P.A. (ASPA), launched the Delaware Nurse Anesthesiology Program, the state's first such initiative. The full-time, 36-month program culminates in a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree, preparing graduates to become certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs).
Students will gain more than 2,000 hours of hands-on clinical experience in high-acuity environments across various surgical specialties, supported by partnerships with ChristianaCare, ASPA, and other health care organizations. The curriculum integrates anesthesiology-specific coursework with advanced nursing practice, ensuring that graduates are well-equipped to meet the evolving demands of health care. The CRNA program will help address Delaware's critical need for anesthesiology professionals, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 38% growth in nurse anesthetist employment by 2032.
2,000+
hours of hands-on clinical to be gained by students
38% projected growth in nurse anesthetist employment by 2032
Celebrating nursing excellence and advancement
The organization maintained 80% or greater of professional registered nurses who have earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing. Substantiated at site visit: 83%.
ChristianaCare encourages our nurses to advance their education and pursue specialty certifications that deepen clinical expertise and elevate patient outcomes. This commitment to learning and excellence is reflected in our numbers:
83% of ChristianaCare nurses hold a BSN or higher degree
1,826 nurses across the system hold professional certifications
65% of nurses eligible for certification have earned one
149 specialty certifications are represented across Nursing
05
Ambulatory Care Nurses Week
The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing's theme for Ambulatory Care Nurses Week in February was "A healthier world through nursing excellence, leadership, and innovation."
Our Ambulatory and Community Care nurses celebrated the week with several fun activities, such as special themed days and a virtual recognition event. The dedicated week was an opportunity to recognize our nursing caregivers for the outstanding, compassionate care they provide each and every day.
Nurses Month
The best month of the year! At ChristianaCare we celebrated Nursing caregivers throughout May. From snack carts and spirit days to Paws to De-Stress visits and Innovation Series talks, the Professional Nurse Council packed the month with moments of joy and connection.
Doctoral Degrees
Colleen DeTurk, PhD, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, MSCP, CCS, CHT
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Sexology
International Institute of Clinical Sexology
Mary A. Jones-Gant, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNS-BC, CCM-BC, RRT
Family Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Lead—Center for Special Health Care Needs
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Wilmington University
Ryan Kimball, DNP, MBA, FNP-C
Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nursing Administration
Yale University
Doreen Yirenchi, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Nurse Practitioner—Neurology
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Walden University
Nursing Residencies and Fellowships
As a Magnet-recognized health system and the largest private employer in Delaware, ChristianaCare promotes a culture where learning opportunities for nurses are plentiful.
Nurse Residency Program
Our Nursing Residency Program is accredited with distinction as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP). In FY 25, ChristianaCare offered three nurse residency cohorts, serving units across our three campuses, which hire newly graduated RNs with fewer than 12 months of nursing experience.
11 primary curriculum tracks
Critical Care, Emergency, Float Pool, HVIS, Labor and Delivery, Medical, Neonatal ICU, Perioperative, Postpartum, Progressive Care, and Surgical.
240 nurse residents hired
96%
average first-year retention rate across the program (compared to 87% for all residencies recognized by the ANCC’s PTAP)
Triple crown accreditation win for Nurse Residency program
A testament to ChristianaCare’s commitment to nurturing extraordinary caregivers, ChristianaCare’s Nurse Residency Program achieved a third consecutive Accreditation with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center Practice Transition Accreditation Program Commission on Accreditation.
The reaccreditation recognizes the exceptional work our caregivers do every day to support our newest-to-practice nurses. Notably, the accreditation is a first for our Cecil County campus and our Operating Rooms (ORs). The workplace settings included in the accreditation status across our three campuses include ORs, Intensive Care Units, Emergency Departments, Float Pool, HVIS Cath Lab, Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, Medical Units, Neonatal ICU, Progressive Care Units and Surgical Units.
Nursing Fellowships
ChristianaCare Nursing Fellowships are for nurses who have some experience (12–24 months or more), and are transitioning to new workplace settings. Currently, practice settings that hire Nurse Fellows include our Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Heart and Vascular Interventional Services’ Interventional Radiology or Cath Lab, Operating Rooms and the Float Pool ICU team.
APC Fellowship
Our advanced practice clinician (APC) fellowships are for recently graduated APCs seeking to deliver high-quality, exceptional care experiences for our patients.
Nurse Fellows hired into the fellowship in FY 25
Pathways to Nursing
ChristianaCare shapes the future of nursing through extensive collaborations with premier nursing schools. We provide undergraduate and graduate students with valuable clinical experience alongside leading clinicians. Additionally, we collaborate with nearby middle and high schools to spark and nurture enthusiasm for the field of nursing.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT
1,509 undergraduate students supported
15,126 undergraduate clinical and preceptorship hours with ChristianaCare nurses and patients in FY 25
GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT
86 graduate students supported
79 students were ChristianaCare employees
15,000 hours supported
Graduate Student Support
ChristianaCare supports graduate-level nursing students through our Nursing Advancement Scholarship Program and preceptorships. In FY 25, this support included nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist students, neonatal nurse practitioner students, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner students, nurse midwifery students, and Doctor of Nursing Practice students.
Nurses on Boards
Carol A. Abdill, MSN, RN, CRNI, member, Delaware Board of Nursing
Adrienne Abrenica, DNP, MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC, FNP-BC, trustee, Christiana Medical and Dental Associations Board of Trustees
V. Sheryl Amore, MSN, MSM, RN, nominating committee chair, Tau Eta Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. (professional nursing organization)
Sophia Jutzi Beris, RN, board member, Swiss Benevolent Society of Philadelphia
Gary Bollinger, BSN, RN, member, ChristianaCare Institutional Review Board
Maria Brown, MSN, RN, PCCN, CNL, NEA-BC, president, Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership
Andrea Boyle, APRN, FBP-C, secretary, Prevent Child Abuse Delaware
William Bryant, DNP, MBA, RN, CNOR, NE-BC, member, Center for Spine Surgery, Glasgow Medical Center; member, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Delaware Chapter
Kathryn Burke, MSN, RN, VA-BC, secretary, Beta Xi (UD chapter of Sigma Theta Tau); founding board member; secretary, Whitehall Community Garden Association (nonprofit)
Stacey Byam, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, PCCN, CNSC, president, AIDS Delaware
Michelle Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, FAAN, advisory board member, Coalition for Nurse Well-Being; member, National Nurse Wellbeing Consortium; immediate past president, Delaware Organization for Nurse Leadership
Jacqueline Crawford, MSN, RN, CNOR, president, Fairwinds Civic Association
Ric Cuming, EdD, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, member, DAISY Foundation
Beth Dauphin, MSN, RN, OCN, NPDBC, CUA, president-elect and program chair, Delaware Diamond Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society
Donna DeFilippis, BSN, RN, ACM-RN, education committee, ACMA MD Chapter
Julia Frawley, MSN, RN, CMSRN, vice president, State of Delaware Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators
Allison Gobeil, RN, social relations chair, Fairfield-Fairfield Crest Swim Club
Tim Heckman, MSN, RN-BC, member, Slippery Rock Master of Public Health Community Advisory Board
Meghan Hormanski, MSN, RN, OCN, treasurer, Delaware Diamond Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society
Mary A. Jones-Gant, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNS-BC, CCM-BC, RRT, special events committee and executive board chair, Special Olympics Delaware
Gayle Kemp, MSN, RN-BC, marketing chair, Delaware Quality of Life Coalition
Denise Lyons, DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CPHQ, member, Wilmington University Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Advisory Board
Maura Maguire, BSN, RN, member, Domestic Violence Center of Chester County
Tabe Mase, MJ, MSN, FNP-C, CHC, COHN-S, president, Choir School of Delaware
Reina McAndrew, MS, APRN, FNP-BC, SCRN, Public Education Subcommittee chair, Delaware Stroke System
continued on next page
Nurses on Boards cont.
Randall McLennan, BSN, RN, NRP, advisory board member, Cecil County EMS
Paige Merring, MSN, RN, CCRN, NEA-BC, secretary, Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership
Michelle D. Messer, MSN, RN, OCN, membership chair, Delaware Diamond Chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society
Dannette A. Mitchell, MSN, APRN, ACNSBC, CCRN, FCNS, member, American Association of Critical Care Nurses
Megan Money, DNP, MBA, RN, PCCN, NE-BC, treasurer-elect, Diamond State Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses
Lauren Murphy, BSN, RN, CPAN, member, American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification Exam-Prep Committee
Stacy Noel, MSN, FNP-BC, HWNC-BC, Reiki Master, HTCP/I, conference planning committee, Healing Touch Professional Association
Ashley Oncay, MSN, RN, CNOR, NPD-BC, president, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Delaware Chapter
Greg O’Neill, MSN, APRN, AGCNSBC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, chair, Literacy Delaware; chair, Health Literacy Council of Delaware; board director, United States Health Literacy Association; board member, Delaware Literacy Alliance
Jasmin Orange, MSN, RN, CCRN, secretary, Diamond State Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses
Jennifer Painter, DNP, APRN, AOCNS, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, OCN, LSSBB, immediate past president, Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership
Pamela Ramagano, MSN, RN, CNOR, secretary, AORN Delaware Chapter
A'sian Rochester, MSN, RN, MEDSURGBC, SCRN, WTA-C, director, at-large, Delaware Nurses Association; secretary, Delaware State University Alumni Association, New Castle County Chapter
Angela Rodriguez, BSN, RN, CEN, member, Delaware Emergency Medical Services for Children
Melissa Rollo, BSN, RN, CNOR, member, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Delaware Chapter
Lindsey Safian, MSN, RNC-OB, EFM, member, Cecil County Child Fatality Review Board
Joanna Saxberg, BSN, RN III, CNOR, board member, Association of Operating Room Nurses
Allison Steuber, MSN, RN, NE-BC, president, Diamond State Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses; president, Wolfpups on Wheels
Amy Stier, BSN, RN, CEN, SANE-A, commissioner, Division of Forensic Science, Delaware Homeland Security; member, State of Delaware Fatal Incident Review Team; member, Domestic Violence Coordinating Council Medical Committee, State of Delaware; member, Child Abuse and Neglect Best Practice Workgroup, State of Delaware
Michael Szeliga, MSN, APRN, AGCNSBC, CMSRN, CPHQ, secretary, Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses
Portia Twumwaa, MBA, MSN, RN, member, Our Foundations
Kelley VanHorn, BSN, RN, CNOR, treasurer, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses Delaware Chapter
Nursing Awards and Recognitions
Beacon Awards
ChristianaCare celebrated four American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Beacon Awards for Excellence in FY 25. Our Transitional Surgical Unit earned a gold-level award. Additionally, our Neuro Critical Care and Medical Intensive Care units and Surgical Critical Care Complex received silver-level awards. The designation is given to hospital units demonstrating excellence in patient care and outcomes and for providing a supportive work environment for caregivers that enables collaboration and higher morale. The award also recognizes units for providing the highest levels of satisfaction to patients and their families.
Of the seven Beacon Award–winning patient care units in Delaware, all are at ChristianaCare. The others are the Cardiovascular Stepdown Unit 4E (silver); the 3C Intermediate Medical Unit (silver); and the Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex (three-time gold winner).
Top left: Transitional Surgical Unit
Top right: Neuro Critical Care Unit
Bottom left: Medical Intensive Care Unit
Bottom right: Surgical Critical Care Complex
STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT
Nursing Awards and Recognitions cont.
DAISY Awards
DAISY EXTRAORDINARY NURSE AWARDS (pictured at right)
Cynthia Davis, BSN, RN, HomeHealth
Andrew Diego, RN, Cecil County Campus
Ross Eckbold, BSN, RN, Emergency Department, Wilmington Campus
Julie Falango, BSN, RN, CAQ, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute
Sarah Funk, BSN, RN, C-EFM, Family Birth Center [MOU1], Cecil County Campus
Alexis Gallagher, BSN, RN, Labor and Delivery, Newark Campus
Greg Gupiteo, BSN, RN-BC, 4N/5W, Wilmington Campus
Rennae Hernandez, BSN, RN, Emergency Department, Cecil County Campus
Jacqueline Kreydt, BSN, RN, CRRN 6W, Wilmington Campus
2025 DAISY TEAM AWARDS
7N Behavioral Health Unit Wilmington Campus
Theresa Mack, RN, 4W, Wilmington Campus
Erica Nault, RN, CCRN, Intensive Care Unit, Cecil County Campus
Michelle Schaffer, RN, Emergency Department, Cecil County Campus
Dreama Szutenbach, LPN, ChristianaCare HomeHealth
Ben Wade, RN, Intensive Care Unit, Cecil County Campus
Brittany Walls, BSN, RN, 4E, Newark Campus
Kady Wills, BSN, RN, 4D, Newark Campus
Alexis Woerner, RN, Emergency Department, Wilmington Campus
Hospital Care at Home
DAISY AWARD HONOREES
DAISY NURSE LEADER AWARDS
Lauren Barone, MSN, RN, OCN, NPD-BC, LNCC, senior research manager for cancer research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute
Brianna Langshaw, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, NE-BC, NPD-BC, nurse manager, Emergency Department, Wilmington Campus
Heather Wilson, BSN, RN, Emergency Department, Cecil County Campus
Loretta Walls, BSN, RN, GERO-BC, ChristianaCare HomeHealth
HEALTH EQUITY
DAISY AWARD
Brittany Anderson, MSN, APRN, AGCNSBC, CCRN, CEN, clinical nurse specialist, Cecil County Campus
Nursing Awards and Recognitions cont.
Magnet Nurse of the Year
Deanna Benner, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, was named ChristianaCare’s FY 25 Magnet Nurse of the Year for her exceptional leadership in environmental sustainability. In 2024, Benner launched the Medical Supply Donation Program, diverting over 30,000 pounds of medical waste from landfills and donating more than $1 million in supplies to underserved communities. She also leads our Landfill Diversion Program, facilitating the donation of 18,000 pounds of furniture and equipment to Habitat for Humanity and reducing disposal costs. A passionate educator and advocate, Benner trains caregivers on the connection between climate and health. She founded our Environmental Sustainability Caregiver Committee and implemented ChristianaCare’s first Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory. She is a remarkable caregiver committed to creating pathways for nurses to lead and innovate, while also positioning ChristianaCare as a leader in sustainable care.
Delaware Today Top Nurses
Delaware Today recognized nearly 130 ChristianaCare nurses in its 2025 list of Top Nurses statewide. Among our extraordinary honorees are Donna DeFilippis, BSN, RN, ACMRN, who earned top honors in the Case and/ or Utilization Management category and Kate Shady, PhD, RN, OCN, who received top honors in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship category.
Scan the QR code to view the full list of awardees.
Nearly 130
ChristianaCare nurses were named in Delaware
Today's list of Top Nurses in 2025
ChristianaCare Way Awards
The annual ChristianaCare Way Awards recognize multidisciplinary teams of caregivers as innovators in their areas of specialty or interest. There were 68 entries for this year’s awards, and of the 26 winning projects all were nurse-led, co-led, or included nurses on the team.
2024 President’s Award
Scrub-a-Dub-Dub, Line and the Hub: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Reducing CLABSI
Value & People's Choice Award
How Many Urines Had We Been Culturing? Way Too Many….
Transformation Award Suspect Sepsis, Say Sepsis. A Systemwide Approach to Improving Sepsis
Strengthen the Core: Safety Gold Award ALL for NONE: NICU CLABSI Prevention Perfect Care Bundle
Strengthen the Core: Safety Silver Award Decannulate and Defend: Tracheostomy Rounding to Optimize Outcomes
Strengthen the Core: Safety Bronze Award Be Aware of Perfect Care
Strengthen the Core: Safety Honorable Mention Award
Deep Dive to Increase Infusion Pump Compliance with Dose Error Reduction Systems
Strengthen the Core: Quality Gold Award Stop the Bleeding! A Multidisciplinary Planning Approach for Severe GI Hemorrhage
Strengthen the Core: Quality Silver Award A Guideline to Reduce Post-Operative Acute Kidney Injury in Surgical Patients
Strengthen the Core: Patient Experience Award
Courtesy and Respect: Impacting Patient Experience in the Ambulatory Care Setting
Strengthen the Core: Flow Award
Timely Consult Calls: Not a Delusion
End Disparities Gold Award
Improving Access to Bariatric Surgery Care for Spanish-Speaking Patients
End Disparities Silver Award
Addressing the Other 80% of Health Care
Enable Every Caregiver to Thrive Gold Award Promoting Safety: A Workplace Violence Mitigation Strategy
Enable Every Caregiver to Thrive Silver Award
Unlocking Safety: The Parking Perception Puzzle
Radically Simplify Access Award
Need for Speed: Improving the Infusion Prior Authorization Process for Rheumatology
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05 STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT
Nursing Awards and Recognitions
ChristianaCare Way Awards cont.
Healthy at Home Award PIP PIP Hooray! Pressure Injury Prevention, Performance Improvement Project
Operational Improvement Gold Award
Lines, Tubes and Drains, Oh My! Tracking Device
Utilization for Infection Prevention
Operational Improvement
Silver Award We Can't Fix It if We Don't Know about It: Increasing Reporting in Patient Safety
Operational Improvement
Bronze Award
Patient Safety Is Patient
Care: Bringing an EBM Patient Safety Program to Ambulatory
Operational Improvement Honorable Mention Award
NutriCatch: Enhancing Malnutrition Detection in Hospitalized Patients
Resident's Award Guardians of Safety: Linking Residents to Interprofessional Learning Networks
Magnet Structural Empowerment
Nurse-Driven Ultrasound
Guided Peripheral IV Course Reduces Device Utilization Rate
Magnet Exemplary Professional Practice Award
Take a Second Look: Two-Nurse Verification to Reduce Lab Errors
Magnet Transformational Leadership Award
The “WE CARED” Program: It’s Not Just a Card, It’s an Experience
Magnet New Knowledge, Innovations & Improvements
Decreasing ED Lab
Hemolysis: An EvidenceBased Practice Change
Zero Hero Award
Heather Bracken, RN II
ChristianaCare’s Dot Fowler Award celebrates nurses who go above and beyond. Shon’tiana Butcher, BSN, RN, CEN, earned the 2025 award. Dedicated to improving Emergency Department outcomes, Shon’ti spearheaded a project to reduce hemolysis through process change, combining bedside impact with evidence-based practice. Her leadership secured executive buy-in, engaged peers and influenced resident education. She completed her project with measurable success, earning the 2024 Magnet ChristianaCare Way Award and sharing findings nationally. Beyond research, Shon’ti is a respected preceptor, Emergency Department Unit Practice Council Chair, triage leader and forensic nurse who exemplifies Dot Fowler’s legacy of professional nursing excellence.
Dot Fowler Award
STRUCTURAL EMPOWERMENT
Excellence in Nursing Awards
Every May, during Nurses Month, ChristianaCare’s Excellence in Nursing Awards shine a spotlight on exceptional nurses. In FY 25, we celebrated the awards with recipients on all our campuses. In total, 169 nurses received awards.
Scan the QR code to view the full list of awardees. 169
ChristianaCare nurses received Excellence in Nursing Awards
FY 25
Blue Bell Award
During Workplace Civility Month, Nursing’s Workforce Connection Council presented the Blue Bell Award to caregivers who exemplify the highest standards of civility and kindness in their interactions with patients, families and colleagues.
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Nursing Awards and Recognitions cont.
National and regional nursing awards and recognitions
Susan Smith, PhD, RN, is making nursing history in the First State through the Delaware IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE). She is the first nurse scientist to be named an INBRE site principal investigator, and she is the first nurse to receive the Seema S. Sonnad Mentor of the Year Award from INBRE’s Junior Investigator Network. INBRE is a collaborative network of Delaware academic, health care and research institutions, composed of ChristianaCare, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College Nemours Children’s Health and University of Delaware.
Michelle Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, FAAN, vice president of Nursing Professional Excellence, was named as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
Our Emergency Nursing team earned the 2024 National Certification Champion Award for health systems from the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), a leading authority in nursing specialty certification across the emergency care spectrum. ChristianaCare is the only national winner in its category.
“We congratulate ChristianaCare on its commitment to nursing excellence. The 2024 BCEN National Certification Champions show us how nursing specialty certification empowers nurses, elevates patient care and helps ensure communities of every size have access to advanced emergency and trauma care.”
BCEN CEO JANIE SCHUMAKER MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, ICE-CCP, CENP, CPHQ, FABC.
Delaware ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for hospital quality
In its latest “Best States” rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Delaware first in the nation for hospital quality and Maryland sixth for health care quality. We are proud that ChristianaCare’s caregivers helped drive this achievement through their unwavering focus on excellence.
Ambulatory Safety Program earns RLDatix Patient Commitment Award
Following a gap analysis and a 2022 Medical Office Culture of Safety Survey, our ambulatory practices launched a novel, multifaceted and replicable Ambulatory Safety Program (ASP). The data-driven approach aims to increase event reporting and strengthen the culture of safety among caregivers. One key ASP enhancement was creating the "Quick Submit" form — a shorter, more intuitive event reporting tool within R2L. This led to a 65% increase in ambulatory event reporting and a 23% increase in Good Catch submissions. Additionally, Culture of Safety Survey responses related to ASP interventions improved by 2%.
The ASP team, which is co-led by Tara L. Woodside, DNP, RN, CPHQ, patient safety & accreditation manager, received the 2025 RLDatix Patient Commitment Award for its work. The national award celebrates initiatives that are transforming the future of health care.
65% increase in ambulatory event reporting
23% increase in Good Catch submissions
Caregivers at Union Hospital are recent recipients of the Healthgrades 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award, contributing to Maryland’s no. 6 ranking in health care quality. Above, Kristen King, RN, and unit clerk Regina Pontown of the Short Stay Unit.
NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements
Curious, creative and committed to progress, ChristianaCare nurses constantly explore new ways to improve care and the practice of nursing. Our caregivers challenge the status quo to create better outcomes and a smarter, more responsive health system.
Wellbeing — there's an app for that!
In 2024, ChristianaCare nurse leaders Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC, and Michelle Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, FAAN, were named Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellows.
As part of this national team-based fellowship, they’re collaborating with health system leaders across the country to develop and implement real-world research that drives meaningful change. At ChristianaCare, in FY 25, they launched a project to improve nurse well-being in the Labor & Delivery unit, working in partnership with Stacy Noel, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, HWNC-BC and a team of dedicated caregivers. Together, they are introducing an interactive smartphone app with evidence-based tools including mindful breathing, Qigong, positive mindset meditations and access to organizational wellbeing resources and recognition. Through data-driven evaluation and caregiver focus groups, the initiative seeks to reduce burnout and strengthen engagement, building a scalable model to support nurse resilience across the system.
Catalyzing innovation in nursing
Several ChristianaCare nurse managers are participating in the Health Management Academy’s Nursing Catalyst: Frontline Nurse Leader Lab, which empowers nurse managers to develop and lead solutions that transform nursing. From bottom left up and top right down: Justin Scaricaciottoli, MSN, RN, CPN; Ena Nickens-Chappell, MSN RN-BC; Melissa Macmurray, MSN, RN, PCCN; Chris Lenz, MSN, RN; Stephan Jones, MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC; Crystal Hogate, MSN, RN, PCCN; Sheelagh Stewart, MPH, BSN, RN, OCN; Tracy Curry, MSN, RN, OCN; Geoff Shertzer, MSN, RN, CCRN.
NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
Center for Nursing Innovation
ChristianaCare’s Center for Nursing Innovation brings together Nursing Excellence, Nursing Quality and Safety/Research and Evidence-based Practice, Clinical Informatics and Professional Development to advance nursing practice. In FY 25, the center hosted its first Nursing Innovation Award, honoring Lauren Murphy, BSN, RN, CPAN. Her idea is to create an electronic platform that improves communication between skilled nursing facilities and ChristianaCare Preoperative teams. By providing timely access to critical patient information — such as medication timing, preoperative history and educational materials — the tool would reduce surgical delays and cancellations, particularly for disoriented patients, and enhance nurse workflows and patient experience, lower costs and support better surgical outcomes.
MAGNET EXEMPLAR
Nursing Research Fellowship in Robotics and Innovation
Outstanding nursing research engagement and growth of the nursing research enterprise, especially through the Nursing Research Fellowship in Robotics and Innovation.
The first of its kind, ChristianaCare’s Nursing Research Fellowship in Robotics and Innovation — a Magnetrecognized exemplar — empowers clinical nurses to lead at the intersection of nursing science and emerging technology. The pioneering fellowship exemplifies our commitment to shaping future-ready caregivers and care models.
Funded by a grant from the American Nurses Foundation Reimagining Nursing Initiative and supported by ChristianaCare leadership, the eight-month hybrid program offers nurses structured learning, protected
time and dedicated mentorship to explore how robotics can transform patient care.
The program is led and managed by Susan Smith, PhD, RN, ChristianaCare’s director of technology research and education; Kate Shady, PhD, RN, OCN; and Kati Patel, MPH.
The fellows for the program’s inaugural year are Briana Abernathy, BSN, RN, CEN, ED Utilization Review; Liza Mitchell, BSN, RN-BC, 4D Surgical; Hannah Rackie,
The first four graduates of the Nursing Research Fellowship in Robotics and Innovation pose with Moxi, ChristianaCare's collaborative robot (cobot).
From left: Morgan Tallo, Briana Abernathy, Liza Mitchell, and Hannah Rackie
Pictured left to right: Jennifer Painter, vice president of Nursing Professional Development, and Lauren Murphy, winner of the inaugural Nursing Innovation Award.
Cancer Clinical Trials Awards
The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute at ChristianaCare is a national leader in clinical cancer research. In 2023, nearly 30% of the center’s patients participated in approximately 110 clinical trials — seven times the national average — with more than 300 enrollments through the Delaware/ ChristianaCare National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). This success earned the program national honors, including the Platinum Award for Exceptional Achievement from the NCI/NCORP and recognition from the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-American College of Radiology Imaging Network Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) for excellence in trial execution. At the 2024 Cancer Clinical Research Trials Awards, more than two dozen ChristianaCare caregivers were recognized for their outstanding contributions. Among them were Martha Sampson, RN, (center) who received the Michael J. Guarino, M.D., Award, and Jennifer Campoli, MSN, APRN, NP-C, who received the NCI Non-Physician Silver Accrual Award.
Pictured above: Martha Sampson, RN, received the Michael J. Guarino, M.D., Award, which honors caregivers who are strong patient advocates, bold, innovative, assertive and hold a genuine passion for cancer research.
Evidence-based Practice Fellowship
ChristianaCare’s Evidence-based Practice (EBP) Fellowship for Nurses has a bold vision: to empower nurses to lead change through clinical inquiry, innovation and research integration. The 12-month fellowship equips bedside nurses with foundational EBP knowledge, practical skills and targeted competencies, laying the groundwork for lasting impact on patient care and system transformation. Fellows participate in structured training and guided mentorship, supported by a dedicated team of nurse leaders, educators, scientists and clinical experts who serve as internal consultants. Together, they create a dynamic learning environment where ideas are nurtured, evidence is explored, and practice is elevated.
In FY 25, our first cohort of fellows presented their capstone projects: Ingrid Hausner, BSN, RN, PCCN, CCRN, led a project focused on improving mobility in patients with heart failure. Joana Lapinid, MSN, RN, PCCN, examined compassion fatigue among trauma and surgical nurses. Ibelise Smith, BSN, RN, and Samantha Stafford, MSN, RN, RN-BC enhanced assessment guidelines to help reduce pressure injury in patients with darker skin tones.
Nurses take top honors for patient safety initiative
Nurses Krystle Becraft, BSN, RN, OCN, and Kate Shady, PhD, RN, OCN, earned top honors at ChristianaCare’s fifth Innovation Challenge for their project, “Capping CLABSI with Color-Changing Technology.” The solution addresses the need for consistent maintenance of central venous catheters (CVCs), also known as central lines, which deliver treatments such as chemotherapy directly to the bloodstream.
To reduce the risk of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), components of the central line must be changed every 96 to 168 hours. Current systems rely on inconsistent electronic documentation and physical labels that can introduce infection risk.
The proposed solution uses color-triggering materials to create a visual indicator of when a connector needs replacement. Central-line connectors gradually change color from clear to yellow after 96 hours, then to red by 168 hours.
The Innovation Challenge, announced at ChristianaCare’s inaugural Innovation Summit, encourages caregivers to design solutions to clinical challenges. Becraft and Shady’s concept offers a scalable, intuitive approach to reducing CLABSI risk and improving patient safety across care settings.
In addition, nurse Angela Johnson-Walters, MSN, RN, was a finalist for “CareConnect, an Innovative Digital Platform.” The solution is a digital platform that would use information from inpatients’ electronic medical records to provide up-to-date snapshots of their care to replace in-room whiteboards that are updated only twice daily.
Oncology nurses Krystle Becraft, BSN, RN, and Kate Shady, PhD, RN, saw an opportunity to improve safety for patients with central lines.
Angela Johnson-Walters, MSN, RN, was among the Innovation Challenge finalists.
Publications and Presentations
Publications
• Ellen Alvarez. (2025). “Code Blue.” Nursing 2025. https://DOI-10.1097/ NSG.0000000000000161
• Susan Smith Birkhoff, Paige Merring, Amanda Spence, Wendy Bassett, and Stephanie Roth. (2024). “Integrating Collaborative Robots into a Complex Hospital Setting: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.” Delaware Journal of Public Health, 10(5). https://doi:10.32481/djph.2024.12.05
• Maria Brown, Mary Beth Caulk, Michelle Collins, Shelby Durgin, and Cheryl Muffley (2024). “All Aboard the Virtual Acute Care Nursing Express.” The Association of Nursing Professional Development NPD in Motion. https://www. anpd.org/NPD-In-Motion/Article/all-aboard-the-virtual-acute-care-nursingexpress
• Tammy Brown, Maria Brown, and Michelle Collins (2025). “Virtual Acute Care Nursing: An Innovative Approach to Transitions of Care.” Delaware Nurses Association Reporter, 1(50). https://www.myamericannurse.com/virtual-acutecare-nursing-an-innovative-approach-to-transitions-of-care/
• Tamekia Chisholm, Nikkole Lee, and Jennifer Painter. (2025). “Elevate Your Expertise: Nursing Professional Development Practitioner Advancement.” The Association of Nursing Professional Development NPD in Motion. https://www. anpd.org/NPD-In-Motion/Article/elevate-your-expertise-nursing-professionaldevelopment-practitioner-advancement
• Kathleen Luckner and Maureen Seckel. (2024). “Understanding the Evolving Pathophysiology of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Adult Nursing Management.” Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America, 36(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j. cnc.2024.01.002
• Katie Muther. (2025). “Innovations in Transitions: Hospital at Home Program.” Delaware Nurses Association Reporter, 1(50). https://www.myamericannurse. com/innovations-in-transitions-hospital-at-home-program/
• Stacy Noel, Danielle Sarik, and Michelle Collins. (2025). “Nurse Stress Relief: A Pilot Study on the Impact of Healing Touch and Chakra Techniques on Well-Being.” Nursing 2025, 55(1), 49-55. https://doi.org/10.1097/ nsg.0000000000000117
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Bolded names are ChristianaCare nurses.
KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
Publications and Presentations
Publications cont.
• Stacy Noel (2024). “Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others.” Energy Magazine. https://energy.energymagazineonline.com/content_assets/ archived_articles/Caring-for-Yourself-While-Caring-for-Others-Noel-NovDec2024-bonus.pdf
• Jennifer Painter. (2024). “Inspiring Nurse Leaders: Empowering Transformational Change in Healthcare.” Delaware Nurses Association Reporter, 48(4).
• Patricia C. Pawlow, Lindsay McGrath, Ellen Alvarez, Jordan Prieto, and Lianteng Zhi. (2025). “Hospital Acquired Skin Injuries Associated with End-of-Life in Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.” Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing.
• Kathryn Segura. (2024). “What Does it Mean to be Competent in NPD?” The Association of Nursing Professional Development NPD in Motion. https://www. anpd.org/NPD-In-Motion/Article/what-does-it-mean-to-be-competent-in-npd
• Jessica Tansey, Jennifer Saylor, and Tara Leonard. (2024). “Does Health Coaching Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?” The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 20(8). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2024.105118
• Lauren Weber. (2025). “A Day I’ll Never Forget.” Nursing for Women’s Health Journal. https:// doi: 10.1016/j.nwh.2024.08.004
Presentations
• Suzanne Arnold. (2024, November). Virtual Reality Simulation in Nursing Education. Poster presentation at the 19th Annual Nursing Research Conference.
• Lauren Barone. (2024, August). Use of APP in Clinical Research. Podium presentation at the National Community Oncology Research Program annual meeting in Bethesda, MD.
• Maria Brown and Michelle Collins. (2024, October) Virtual Acute Care Nursing: Impacting Experience with One Click. Poster presentation at the Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership Annual Summit in Newark, DE.
• Tamekia Chisholm and Maria Brown. (2025, March). Achieving Magnet Designation: Insights and Innovations with Workday. Webinar presentation hosted by Workday, virtual.
• Michelle Collins. (2024, August). Virtual Acute Care Model. American Organization for Nursing Leadership presentation, virtual.
NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
• Michelle Collins and Danielle Weber. (2025, May). ChristianaCare’s Nurse Wellbeing Platform. Johnson & Johnson Nursing Innovation Fellowship final presentations at Johnson & Johnson's International Headquarters in New Brunswick, NJ.
• Michelle Collins, Maria Brown, Tammy Brown and Rosemary Polomano (2025, March). Improving Outcomes with Implementation of Virtual Acute Care Nursing. Poster presentation at the 2025 American Organization for Nursing Leadership Conference, Boston, MA.
• Michelle Collins, Maria Brown, Danielle Weber, Rosemary Polomano and Ric Cuming. (2024, October). Virtual Acute Care Nursing: An Analysis of Safety, Clinical and Patient Outcomes. E-Poster Presentation at the 2024 Health Policy Conference in Washington, DC.
• Jessica Cushing, Dr. Zaid Ammari, Dr. Vincent Mack, Dr. Jenna Mahoney, and Nathaniel Tanner. (2024, November). Bowel Inflammation Leads to Heart Transplants. Poster presentation for the American Heart Association.
• Colleen Deturk. (2025, February). An Analysis of Insurance Coverage for Treating Gender-Specific Sexual Dysfunctions in the State of Delaware. Poster presentation at the ISSWSH/ISSM Joint Research Conference.
• Colleen Deturk. (2024, December). Management of Female Low Sexual Desire Complaints. Podium presentation at ChristianaCare Annual APC Education Day.
• Shelby Durgin and Denise Lottero. (2024, October). “WE CARED: Leading Virtual Nurses to Optimize Safety and Experience. Poster presentation at the Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership Annual Summit in Newark, DE.
• Kristen Graney. (2024, October). HIV, PEP, and Insurance. Lecture for the Forensic Nurse Examiner Fall Mandatory Education in Newark, DE.
• Mary Jones-Gant. (2024, December). Development and Evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner Driver Home-Based Primary Care Access and Immunization Initiative for Adults with Autism &/or Intellectual Disability. Lecture at the Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership Membership meeting, virtual; (2024, November). Nurse Practitioner Driven Development and Evaluation of a Home-Based Primary Care Access and Immunization Initiative for Adults with Autism and/or Intellectual Disability. Podium Presentation at the 19th Annual Nursing Research Conference: New Work Implications for Nursing, virtual; continued on next page
NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
Publications and Presentations
Presentations cont.
(2024, September). Sexual & Physical Caveats to Aging with Cystic Fibrosis. Podium presentation at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Boston, MA; (2024, September). Incorporating QI into Cystic Fibrosis Clinic. Lecture at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Boston, MA.
• Kathleen Luckner, Tom Gillin and Janet Sechrist. (2024, October). Breathing Easier: Enhancing Tracheostomy Patient Safety with Multidisciplinary Collaboration. Podium presentation at a ChristianaCare No Harm Intended Session in Newark, DE.
• Kendall McDowell, James LaRosa, Deanna Gorgei, Kimberly Williams and Jordan Franklin. (2024, September). Evaluation of a Contingency Management Program to Treat Substance Use Disorders within a Residency Program at an Independent Academic Medical Center. Lecture at the Family Medicine Education Consortium in Philadelphia, PA.
• Kristin McKee and Dr. Anjua Mohla. (2024, September). Implementing a Multidisciplinary Approach to Managing Transfers at a Tertiary Care Center. Podium presentation at the Revenue Integrity Symposium in Charlotte, NC.
• Kimberly Meloro. (2024, July). Let’s Follow Up. Podium presentation at the American College of Surgeons in Denver, CO.
• Paige Merring, Susan Smith, Amanda Spence, Kellie Patterson, Stephanie Roth, Stephanie Rogers, Brianna Abernathy, Hannah Rackie, Elizabeth Mitchell, Morgan Tallo and Wendy Bassett. (2025, April). Embracing the Future: Hospital Staff Perspectives on Robotic Integration. Poster presentation at the Eastern Nursing Research Society in Philadelphia, PA.
• Paige Merring and Maria Brown. (2024, October). Empowering Nurses as Leaders Through a Governance Bootcamp. Poster presentation at the Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership Annual Summit in Newark, DE.
• Paige Merring and Susan Smith. (2024, October). The Future of Nursing: How a Robotics Research Program Transforms Clinical Nurses into Co-Investigators. Podium presentation at the ANA Enterprise Research Symposium in New Orleans, LA.
NEW KNOWLEDGE, INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
• Katie Muther. (2025, April). Panelist for the NCQA Health Quality Forum in Baltimore, MD.
• Stacy Noel. (2025, June). Self-care in Healthcare. Podium presentation at the American Holistic Nurses Association in Reno, NV; (2025, May). Innovation in Nurse Wellbeing. Poster presentation at the Nurse Wellbeing Conference at Medstar in Baltimore, MD; (2024, October). Establishing Your Own Nursing Integrative Care Program. Poster presentation at the Fourth National Summit on Promoting Well-being and Resilience in Healthcare at the Ohio State University, OH.
• Ashley Oncay and Pamela Ramagano. (2025, April). Development of a Medical Donation Program. Poster presentation at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses in Boston, MA.
• Jennifer Painter and Tabassum Salam. (2024, November). Joining Forces to Bring Clinical IT Education to Providers and Caregivers for a Successful EMR Go-Live. Lecture at the Health Management Academy Alumni Meeting in San Francisco, CA.
• Jennifer Painter. (2024, October). Panelist for the Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership Annual Summit in Newark, DE.
• Jennifer Papi, Ellen Alvarez and Amber Hiltner (2025, May). Conversation is Critical: Teaching Critical Care Nurses a Framework for Peer Feedback. Poster presentation at the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition annual conference in New Orleans, LA.
• Nicole Possenti. (2025, March). Burnout to Balance. Lecture for Forensic Nurse Examiner Education in Newark, DE.
• Juliana Rahmer and Dr. Jennifer Bretler. (2025, March). Sepsis-Multidisciplinary Expertise. Lecture at the American Hospital Association Sepsis Collaborative.
• Jessica Smallwood. (2024, September). Lung Nodule Case Review. Lecture at the TSIP APC Meeting in Wilmington, DE.
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