Nursing

Supported by the generosity of our donor community and fueled by a sixth Magnet® designation, Morristown Medical Center’s elite nurses embody clinical excellence. Through contributions to the Nursing Center of Excellence fund, philanthropy helps the medical center’s nursing team continue to develop a cutting-edge department focused on creating a nursing workforce of the future.

Created in 2023 with philanthropy from the Deskovick family, the program has hired four nurses with advanced degrees, each with respective clinical expertise in pediatrics, the pediatric emergency department, mother-baby and labor and delivery. This new team is working to create an immersive education model for student nurses during their clinical rotations and identify students interested in working at the hospital after graduation. At the same time, they help seasoned Morristown Medical Center nurses further develop their practice skills and, through this mentorship and collaboration, help to boost a sense of personal accomplishment while mitigating stress and emotional burnout.

Made possible by a generous donation from the Earle family in memory of former Foundation and Atlantic Health System Board Chairman Dexter Earle, the Dexter D. Earle Critical Care APN Fellowship Fund was established in 2021 to support the ongoing pursuit of patient-centered, quality care at Morristown Medical Center.

Studies have shown that APNs in critical care are key members of a multidisciplinary team. They enhance the efficiency of a patient’s flow throughout a hospital stay; support communication between disciplines and between patients and families; assist in developing individualized care plans; and provide a holistic approach to ensure that patients’ medical, physical, emotional and spiritual needs are met.

In 2022, Program Manager Jodi Galesi, DNP, RN, APN-C, joined the team. To date, the program has graduated eight APN Fellows who have gone on to be extremely successful in their APN roles. There are currently four APN Fellows enrolled in the program with plans to enroll two more this spring. The APN Fellowship has earned accreditation with distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), demonstrating the program’s excellence in transitioning APNs to practice.

In addition, Morristown Medical Center also offers a comprehensive training program for APNs to learn and earn certification to perform bedside ultrasound for patient diagnosis and treatment. Made possible by the generosity of the medical center’s donor community, these APN fellows will obtain certification in Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) and participate in a two-day hands-on course in March of 2024 to obtain competency in this skill. Past and current APN fellows will join to learn best practices when using ultrasound in the critical care setting.

A three-day APN Bootcamp will provide the APN fellows with the most up-to-date evidence-based guidelines needed to optimally care for the hospitalized patient. Content experts from across the organization will present various topics to the APNs. In addition, high-fidelity simulation will be used to practice and enhance decision-making skills in acute patient care situations.

WAMMC’s Scholarship Program, which dates back to 1957, supports the staff at Morristown Medical Center by granting scholarships to hospital nurses and team members pursuing careers in the health care field. WAMMC Scholarship recipients are chosen based on applicants demonstrating extraordinary care and service to patients, their peers, colleagues and the community.

In 2023, WAMMC’s Scholarship Awards Committee granted $50,000 in scholarships to 25 team members working toward a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree. This includes $4,000 raised by WAMMC’s Chatham and Cromwell Olive Twigs, which enabled the organization to provide two additional scholarships last year.