Apr 8, 2022 Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus Director of Emergency Services Honored with Statewide Nurse Leader Award

Jennifer Lees honored with the Clinical Nurse Leadership Award

Pictured at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, Lakewood, is Dr. Philip G. Passes, Chief Administrative Officer, and NJENA award recipient, Jennifer Lees, RN, MSN, NE-BC, Director of Emergency Services, who recently received the Clinical Nurse Leadership Award.

Lakewood, NJ – Jennifer Lees, RN, MSN, NE-BC, Director of Emergency Services, who resides in Toms River, was honored with the Clinical Nurse Leadership Award from the New Jersey Emergency Nurses Association (NJENA) in recognition of excellence in the profession of emergency nursing and significant contributions through an emergency nursing leadership role.

The award was presented in Atlantic City on March 16 during the NJ ENA State Council meeting.

At Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus (MMCSC), Jennifer leads a team of more than 70 staff members, who deliver complete adult and pediatric emergency medical care. In nominating Jennifer for the Clinical Nurse Leadership Award, her peers noted that “Jen shows constant dedication, commitment to serve and engage, vigor to assist, mentorship and leadership every single day, no matter what the obstacles.”

“At MMCSC Jen leads by example and exemplifies our organization’s mission and vision to serve our community with compassion and excellence,” says Eric Carney, President and CEO, Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus. “Even through the Covid-19 pandemic, Jen’s expertise and team leadership contributed to the highest Press Ganey patient satisfaction scores in the region for Emergency Services. She also leads an on-boarding program for newly hired staff and continually promotes employee engagement. It is evident how her colleagues value her skills and her collaboration with other departments within the hospital.”

In addition to the Emergency Department, Lees manages the Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services unit (PESS).

Among her many professional accolades and accomplishments, she established the ED Novice Nurse program, a mentorship program that supports new ED nurses in their first year of practice. She was a facilitator of the Emergency Department Professional Nurse Practice Council as well as the hospital’s Professional Nurse Practice Council. Lees also chaired the Chest Pain Program, which led to Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care Certification for Chest Pain. Under her direction, MMCSC’s Emergency Department has consistently maintained the highest Press Ganey Patient Experience Scores in the RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH) system and the top 15th percentile in the region.

As part of just one nomination submitted to NJENA, her colleague, Cathlyn Robinson, MSc(A), RN, CEN, TCRN, noted, “Staff know that they have a fearless, committed, strategic, brilliant leader, who will face the frontlines with them, and who will represent them to the hospital and the rest of the world with professionalism, strength and intelligence. She is respected and beloved because she is dedicated: to ED patients, to her staff and to her Emergency Department.”

Jennifer has been with MMCSC care team for more than 23 years; performing the role of staff RN in both the inpatient and ED settings. After earning first a BSN in Nursing and then an MSN in Nursing Administration from Kean University (Summa Cum Laude) she advanced her career to Assistant Director of Emergency Services and on to Director of Emergency Services where she has held this position since 2018. She maintains membership in the American Organization of Nurse Executives, has earned ANCC board certification in Nursing Leadership (NE-BC) and is also is a member of the Emergency Nurses Association and the New Jersey Nurses Association.

The New Jersey State Council of the Emergency Nurses Association (NJENA) is an extension of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and is responsible for representing the interests of New Jersey’s Emergency Nurses at the State and National level. The New Jersey State Chapter is also responsible for providing quality educational opportunities, networking, and advocacy for New Jersey nurses and other health care team members as well as research and collaboration on public health projects.

CONTACT: Laurie Zalepka

732-886-4590

Lauriea.zalepka@rwjbh.org