Cassidy Ritter, BSN, RN, Named 2025 Magnet Nurse of the Year
Michael Pratico, Chair, Board of Trustees, RWJUH Hamilton; Cynthia Russo, MSN, RN-BC, APN,C, Center for Professional Development, Innovation and Research; Alexander Francois, LFT 1; Parthik Patel, ICU; Maria Melendez, EVS; Robert Salm, BSN, RN, ICU; Cassidy Ritter, BSN, RN, ICU; Cung Dinh, MD; Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN-K, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer; Nancy Baeza, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC, LFT 2; Lisa Breza, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Administrative Officer, RWJUH Hamilton; and Magda Callery, LFT 1.
Cassidy Ritter, BSN, RN, ICU, 2025 Magnet Nurse of the Year
HAMILTON, NJ - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, honored Cassidy Ritter, BSN, RN, from the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as its 2025 Magnet Nurse of the Year. The award was presented during the hospital’s annual Nurse Excellence Awards Program held during National Nurses Week, May 6 - May 12, 2025. “Winning 2025 Magnet Nurse of the Year is a testament to the dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to patient care that Cassidy exemplifies every day,” said Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN-K, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer at RWJUH Hamilton. “She is an inspiration to others and sets a remarkable benchmark for excellence.”
Cassidy has been with RWJUH Hamilton since 2022. As an ICU nurse, Cassidy has demonstrated exceptional skill, compassion, and leadership, making a profound impact on both her colleagues and the patients she cares for. Families and patients consistently express their gratitude for her kindness, attentiveness, and the sense of reassurance she provides during some of their most difficult moments. Cassidy was also recognized for her ability to blend technical expertise with genuine empathy, and for being an advocate for her fellow nurses, ensuring that their voices are heard and that they have the resources they need to succeed.
Congratulations to the following award recipients:
- Magnet Nurse of the Year Award: Cassidy Ritter, BSN, RN; ICU
- Unit Secretary Award: Magda Callery; LFT 1
- Clinical Tech Award: Parthik Patel; ICU & Alexander Francois; LFT 1
- Nursing Quality Award: Robert Salm, BSN, RN; ICU
- Friend of Nursing: Maria Melendez; EVS
- Provider Collaboration: Cung Dinh, MD
- New Knowledge, Innovations & Improvements: Katelyn Laba, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC; LFT 1
- Nursing Mentor Award: Mary Beth Ditzler, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC; LFT 1
- Exemplary Professional Practice: Nancy Baeza, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC; LFT 2
- Transformational Leadership Award: Cynthia Russo, MSN, RN-BC, APN,C; Center for Professional Development, Innovation and Research
Lisa Nevius, MSN, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, Director for the Medical-Surgical Units; Katelyn Laba, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC, LFT 1; and Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN-K, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer.
Cynthia Russo, MSN, RN-BC, APN,C, Center for Professional Development, Innovation and Research; Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN-K, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer; Mary Beth Ditzler, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC, LFT 1; Lisa Nevius, MSN, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, Director for the Medical-Surgical Units; and Katelyn Laba, BSN, RN, MedSurg-BC, LFT 1.
RWJUH Hamilton is Magnet® recognized for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center – the nation’s most prestigious nursing honor. Its more than 300 nurses serve in various roles throughout the hospital, including inpatient, surgical and emergency care, cancer care, outpatient services, care management, education, clinical research, infection prevention, quality improvement, patient navigation services, information technology services, community outreach and administration.
For more information about RWJUH Hamilton, including job opportunities for nurses, rwjbh.org/nursing.
Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, RWJUH Hamilton; Ellie Pellecchia, BSN, RN, ICU; Susan Pellecchia, MA, CISSP, Assistant Vice President, IT Risk Management, RWJBarnabas Health; Roseann Baker, MSN, RN, Director, Emergency Services & Intensive Care; and Tammy Leigh, MSN, RN, Administrative Director of the ICU/ED.
In addition to its Nursing Excellence Awards, RWJUJH Hamilton also honored the hospital’s DAISY and Iris award recipients, chosen from among many submissions by patients, family members and co-workers. Loretta Padulchick, RN, OCN, INS, from the Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton, and Ellie Pellecchia, BSN, RN, in the ICU, were both awarded DAISY awards, and Stephen Moore, Clinical Care Technician, received the IRIS (Inspiring Respect in Service) Award. The DAISY Award is an international program that recognizes nurses for their compassionate and skillful care of patients and families and is an ongoing recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care RWJUH Hamilton nurses provide daily. The IRIS Award recognizes health care workers for their compassionate care.
Learn more at rwjbh.org/daisyaward.
Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, RWJUH Hamilton; Loretta Padulchick, RN, OCN, INS, RWJUH Hamilton Cancer Center; and Amy Pellicane, MSN, RN, OCN, Administrative Director, RWJUH Hamilton Cancer Center.
Pictured from left to right are Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, RWJUH Hamilton; Stephen Moore, Clinical Care Technician, LFT1; and Lisa Nevius, MSN, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, Director for the Medical-Surgical Units.