Updated May 7, 2026
- CNO Corner
- Safety Updates
- Team Member Awards & Recognition
- Professional Development
- Safety and Security
- System Nursing News and Events
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CNO Corner
Posted 4/28/26
A Message From Our CNO
Dear Colleagues,
We have a lot to get excited about in the coming weeks! Warmer weather, Nurses Week and the continued privilege of making a difference in someone’s life. While rounding, I am reminded of how the impactful care and service we provide to patients, families and each other makes us better. Not a day or week passes where we don’t have the unique ability on a minute-to-minute basis to impact human life.
A month ago, a nurse on 2700 recognized that a patient was suffering a stroke and within moments, activated a team that responded to the patient’s bedside potentially saving this person’s life. How about the nurse on one of our telemetry floors who recognized an incorrect order, stopped the line and escalated the concern to the highest level possible to ensure no harm would happen to the patient. Perhaps you were in the lobby a few weeks ago when a mother delivered a baby outside the hospital in her car. An entire team comprised of people with different roles and functions responded to make sure mom and baby did not have a bad outcome.
I could go on and on about these stories because I see and hear them every day. It’s a privilege to be in the position that we are as nurses to alter the course of someone’s life. As part of Nurses Week, we will hear more stories like this during our Excellence in Nursing Scholarships and Awards Ceremony. I’m proud to work with this team and will continue to do everything I can to help advance the work we do and help each of you achieve your own measure of success. Thank you for your ongoing focus on quality and patient experience. Our leadership team will continue to remain focused on supporting, helping and working with each of you to get better every day.
As we work to get better, I encourage you to reach out when you identify opportunities for improvement. We all choose this work for the same reason… to help and to heal! I’m proud of every Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center nurse who comes to work with the foremost goal of doing everything you can to help another human being. I wish I had all the right words and adjectives to describe what I feel about this team. But, for now, I want you all to know that I am remarkably proud of the care and service you deliver to every patient, every family and every colleague.
I look forward to celebrating in a big way during Nurses Week! Don’t forget, I want to hear from you. Stop me when I’m rounding or reach out to me at robin.ferrer@rwjbh.org.
“Deeds, not words”,
Robin
Posted 5/1/26
CBMC 2026 National Nurses Week Events
Take a look at what is planned to celebrate you and the "The Power of Nurses." Click to download a pdf to print and post in your area!
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Safety Updates
Posted 4/28/26
Our Commitment to Your Safety
At CBMC, maintaining a workplace where our team members, patients and visitors feel safe is of highest importance. As such, we want to make one thing clear: We have your back.
Under our Workplace Safety Escalation Plan, every staff member is fully empowered to take immediate action if they feel threatened.
- Call 9-1-1: You are within your rights to contact emergency services immediately. You do not need permission from a supervisor to seek help.
- Alert Security: It is always appropriate to press your panic button to notify onsite Security of a developing situation.
We are further committed to using every legal tool available to protect you as demonstrated earlier this year when a patient made threatening comments and intentionally spit in the face of one of our nurses. Both CBMC Security and the Livingston Police Department responded and under the Health Care Heroes Violence Prevention Act, that patient was arrested. As this matter moves through the court system, we want to reinforce that in this case, and any other involving workplace violence, team members have the absolute support of administration and the resources of the system’s legal team.
We stand firmly behind our staff and will continue to ensure that those who threaten your safety are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Thank you for all you do to care for our community. We are committed to caring for you in return.
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Team Member News & Recognition
Posted 4/28/26
Celebrating Thomas Doddo, RN, Daisy Honoree
The Daisy Award is reserved for nurses who provide extraordinary care, and a recent nomination for Thomas Doddo, RN, from a grateful family proves exactly why he was chosen. After a patient’s emergency open-heart surgery, Tom stepped in not just as a clinician, but as a pillar of strength.
“Tom was the very first nurse I saw and spoke with after my husband’s emergency open heart surgery. From the moment we arrived in post op, Tom's professionalism and expertise were evident, but it was his genuine compassion that truly set him apart. He didn't just do his job, he went above and beyond to ensure my husband was comfortable, managed his pain with incredible diligence and took the time to explain every step of the recovery process to us. His calm demeanor and intensive nature provided my husband and I with an immense sense of peace during a very, very difficult time. He is by far the most caring, honest, focused, responsive nurse in the entire unit. When I walked in and saw my husband laying there, I lost it, and he immediately walked over to me, gave me a hug, and told me that everything was going to be fine. He assured me that my husband looked great, and he was happy with his recovery. Whenever I had a mental breakdown, which I had many, Tom was always there reassuring me that everything was going to be OK. He is absolutely the sweetest person I've ever met in my entire life. The way he took care of my husband, we were almost sad to leave the ICU. His bedside manner is superb, his dedication to his job is noteworthy, his overall disposition and personality warmed my soul every time I walked into the room. When my husband was finally able to walk and talk, he could not stop talking about how amazing Tom was. He even came to visit my husband in the step-down unit. Tom deserves this award and every other award that is ever available.”
nominate an extraordinary nurse
Posted 4/28/26
Celebrating Decades of Life: CBMC Hosts “Kidneyversary”
CBMC recently hosted a heartfelt “kidneyversary” celebration honoring more than 70 patients who received kidney transplants at the hospital over 25 years ago. The milestone highlighted the enduring impact of kidney donation. For over two decades, these patients have been able to lead healthy, fulfilling lives thanks to the “gift of life” provided by their donors and the care provided by our team.
“Each of your journeys tells a story of perseverance, faith, and second chances. Behind every successful transplant is a life restored, a family made whole, and a future reclaimed,” said Harry Sun, MD, Director of Transplant Surgery, to the kidney donors and recipients. “Thank you for reminding us every day that the work we do matters.”
While our patients provide the inspiration, our long-tenured staff provide the foundation. These longevity transplants are a direct reflection of the unwavering dedication of our Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division, the largest kidney transplant center in the Northeast. We are especially proud to recognize our team members who have been with the program for 25 years or more, ensuring the continuity of care that makes these long-term success stories possible. Click here to see the list.
Posted 4/28/26
Excellence in Heart Care: CBMC Earns ACC Cath/PCI Accreditation
CBMC’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab team has earned Catheterization/Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Accreditation from the American College of Cardiology (ACC). This prestigious achievement recognizes our team’s dedication to providing top-tier, evidence-based cardiovascular care. It further recognizes the outstanding work already underway and reinforces our team’s commitment to continually improving cardiovascular care for our patients.
What This Means for our Patients:
- Validates that our clinical outcomes and patient care meet the highest national standards.
- Highlights our success in streamlining processes, from the lab to discharge, ensuring superior safety and efficiency.
Congratulations to the entire team on this outstanding accomplishment!
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Professional Development
Posted 5/1/26
Upcoming Events
Human Trafficking Sessions with Covenant House Sessions
CBMC Professional Governance Council Meetings | May 13
CBMC Ostomy Vendor Fair | May 14
RWJBH 8th Annual Nursing & APP Stroke Symposium | May 21
RWJBH 4th Annual Acute & Critical Care Advanced Practice Provider Symposium | June 10-12
For more events, visit our online calendar.
Posted 4/28/26
Nursing Competency Schedule
RNS and LPNs are asked to please register for one of the following three-hour sessions using Symplr. The course name is “SBM1 2026 Nursing Competency Clinical Practice Validation” (under Learning Opportunities)
June 18 | July 15 | August 19 | October 16 | November 18 | December 8
8:30 to 11:30 am or 12:30 to 3:30 pm | Islami Auditorium
May 20 | September 17 –
Evening Session Available
12:30 to 3:30 pm or 8:00 to 11:00 pm | Islami Auditorium
Posted 4/28/26
Quarterly Ancillary Competency Schedule
Targeted Audience: Nursing Assistants II, ER Clinical Assistant, Burn Technician, PCT/CCT, Cardiac Tech, GI/Endo Tech, SDS Clinical Assistant, L&D Tech
Please register for one of the following two-hour sessions. Please reach out to your Director of Patient Care or educator with registration questions.
- May 14 | 9:00 to 11:00 pm
- June 1 | 7:00 to 9:00 am
- August 12 | 3:00 to 5:00 pm
- September 24 | 9:00 to 11:00 pm
- September 25 | 7:00 to 9:00 am
- October 14 | 3:00 to 5:00 pm
- November 11 | 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Nursing Education Classroom 3130
Register in Symplr | Course Name: “SBM1 2026 Ancillary Competency Session” (under Learning Opportunities)
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Safety and Security
Posted 1/30/26
Nonviolence in the Workplace
At RWJBarnabas Health, we are committed to fulfilling our vision to be the premier health care destination offering a best-in-class work experience to every member of the team. Pursing our mission starts with each of us — this is the foundation of our total wellbeing promise — Wellbeing starts with you. As part of this promise, we are committed to providing a safe environment for you, your colleagues, and our patients and visitors. Working closely with local leadership, the site and system Workplace Violence Committees, Corporate Security and local security leadership, a network of vendors and subject matter experts, and local law enforcement, we are constantly enhancing and deploying the latest security and safety capabilities.
However, your security is your responsibility too. We have a responsibility to work together as one system, one family to maintain safety across RWJBarnabas Health. Please take the opportunity to review the Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Protect Together flyer for guidance and tips and be sure to stay current on your annual education including the online De-Escalation to a Safe State (DESS) module and Protect Together Workplace Violence class.
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System Nursing News and Events
Posted 5/7/26
RWJBarnabas Health Celebrates Nurses Week
SBAR: Unplanned Readmission Risk Stratification Tool
On Wednesday, December 10, RWJBarnabas Health went live with the Unplanned Readmission Risk Stratification Tool in Epic. Please see the attached SBAR for details, including specific recommendations for the nursing team for decreasing the risk of readmission for high-risk patients.