Dave DeMatteo, the Assistant Clinical Director for the ED, is shown here, second from right, with, from left, Lauren Fleming, Magnet Program Director; Diann Johnston, Regional Chief Nursing Officer: Sharmine Brassington, Director of Patient Care for the ED, Melissa Johnson, ED Unit Secretary; Darla Harmer, Assistant Vice President for Nursing; Danielle Perez-Dominguez, Pediatric ED nurse; and Victor Almeida, D.O., Chair of Emergency Medicine.
Stefonia Thompson, Director of Patient Care for the Borden 5, is shown here, second from left, with, from left, Diann Johnston, Regional Chief Nursing Officer: Darla Harmer, Assistant Vice President for Nursing; and Lauren Fleming, Magnet Program Director.
Long Branch, NJ, June 23, 2021 – Monmouth Medical Center nurses who were praised for going above and beyond for their staff have been honored with DAISY Nurse Leader Awards.
Stefonia Thompson, BSN, RN-BC, the Director of Patient Care for the Borden 5 adult inpatient unit is described as a leader who cares for her staff like family, and Dave DeMatteo, the Assistant Clinical Director for the ED who parked his RV outside of the ER during the first wave of COVID and stayed there for weeks to help his staff, were nominated for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award by their nursing colleagues.
DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The DAISY Foundation was formed by the family of Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an auto-immune disease. His widow, Tena, (a DAISY Co-founder) created the acronym, and the Foundation and established the DAISY recognition program to honor the super-human work nurses do every day at the bedside.
For her nomination, Stefonia was recognized for the following:
Stefonia’s staff on B5 describe her as a leader who cares for them like family. She is always well-informed with what is going on the unit, and trusts the staff to make decisions which promotes autonomy. When someone comes to her with an idea, she supports them and encourages them. Stefonia sets a tone for the unit, and her staff feel that the environment she facilitates is one of positive energy, compassion, and teamwork.
Stefonia goes above and beyond for her staff; she always makes herself available to them, no matter the issue. She has met with many of her staff about the clinical ladder and other professional development projects, always willing to help with them. She is patient and leads by example. Stefonia shows respect by not asking anyone to do anything that she could do herself.
B5 has very good MMC outcomes at Tier 1 and committee engagement. Good staff buy-in starts with leadership, and Stefonia is always promoting a positive vision for the unit and how it fits into MMC. Borden 5’s quality indicators increased under Stefonia, as did HCAHP scores. She has changed the unit culture for the better.
Stefonia’s huddles are the best! Very thorough with high staff involvement and attention to detail. The education posted around the unit speaks to her eagerness to promote and increase nurse-sensitive indicators.
Stefonia works with her staff so well, with an open-door policy and team approach. She is an excellent nurse, approachable, kind, compassionate, innovative, and an advocate for her team. She is a leader in every way!
For his nomination, Dave was recognized for the following:
During the first wave of COVID, Dave parked his RV outside of the ER and stayed there for weeks to help his staff. He always has the nurses’ backs, despite how tired and overworked he may be. He continually puts his own needs aside to help in any way that he can.
Dave is everyone’s cheerleader. He has a way of making everyone feel smart, cared-about and important. He pushes us to all be better.
Dave does an unbelievable job of advocating for his nurses while maintaining his managerial responsibilities.
I had a particularly difficult shift one night with an aggressive patient. I kept working, but Dave would not leave my stubborn self alone until I left the unit to take a walk with him. Despite being short-staffed, he made me go home early, telling me: When your mind isn’t there, that’s when you make mistakes. I will never forget how he put my needs and emotions first, and I will always be grateful for that.
CONTACT: Kathy Horan
(732) 546-6317
Kathy.Horan@rwjbh.org