Updated May 7, 2026

• CNO Corner
• News and Updates
• Awards & Recognition: Happy Nurses Week
• Newark Beth Israel Daisy and Bee Award Winners Q1
• You Asked, We Answered
• Spotlight on Patient Care
• Quality Corner with VP of Nursing, Anna Gaeta, RN
• System Nursing News and Events
• Safety and Security

• CNO Corner

Posted 4/22/26

A Message from Denise Shepherd, MA, RN

Dear Team,

The Power of Nursing is on display every day at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey. That is why I am so excited to celebrate The Power of Nursing during National Nurses Week, May 6 – 12.

This is a time to recognize and celebrate the work that all of you do to keep our patients safe, deliver excellent clinical care, and create an amazing experience for our patients and their loved ones.

I have had the privilege of working alongside you to ensure so many of our successes in these areas.

Together, we reached 75% hand hygiene compliance, we have dramatically decreased our CLABSI and CAUTI rates across the hospital by about 70%, and we are moving the needle on Length of Stay, thanks in great part to Nurse Driven Interdisciplinary Rounds, which began last year.

All these successes are made possible by committed nurses like you, who are leading your teams and collaborating with departments across the hospital to drive sustainable improvements in patient care.

I am excited about the work that we are doing to prevent skin injury, improve mobility, and prevent falls.

And I am especially inspired by the incredible letters we receive from our grateful patients who never fail to thank their “angels” in the hospital—our nursing teams.

You are the heart of our organization. Please take a moment to participate in the many Nursing Week activities scheduled to take place from May 6 -12. They are listed below.

Nursing is more than just a job; it’s a calling. Let’s continue working together to foster connections, support one another, and strengthen our Beth family.

Thank you for your extraordinary work, and I look forward to continued success with this amazing team.

Sincerely,

Denise Shepherd, MA, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

• News and Updates

Posted 4/22/26

What’s New: NBI RN Professional Advancement System (PAS) Update

RN PAS activities have begun! Below are a list of upcoming RN PAS Information Sessions taking place this April. All successful applicants must attend at least one virtual information session. These virtual sessions last from 30- 45 minutes.

Join us via Zoom at:

Meeting ID: 936 0799 8049
Passcode: 595710

April Information Session Dates:

• April 22 – 12:15 p.m.
• April 24 – 1 p.m.
• April 24 – 2 p.m.
• April 24 – 3 p.m.
• April 27 – 10 a.m.
• April 27 – 11 a.m.
• April 27 – 1 p.m.
• April 29 – 11 a.m.
• April 29 – 2 p.m.

• Awards & Recognition: Happy Nurses Week

Posted 4/22/26

Participate in Nurses Week, Let’s Celebrate Each Other

• Newark Beth Israel Daisy and Bee Award Winners Q1

Posted 4/28/26

• You Asked, We Answered

Posted 4/22/26

We Want to Hear From You!

Last month, You Asked Anna! About the things that were on your mind and Anna and a few of her friends answered your questions. Below are a few of the questions and answers that were submitted.

You Asked: Why can’t Associate Level Registered Nurses take part in Professional Advancement?

Anna Answered: Ongoing professional development and growth are core values of the PAS, which is why all participants are required to hold or be in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. If you are currently enrolled in a bachelor’ degree program and taking at least 3 credits, you can apply for the PAS just like everyone else. Please reach out to Leslie Wright Brown, AVP of the Center for Professional Development, Innovation and Research at NBI to discuss this opportunity and any barriers you are facing.

Contact Leslie Wright-Brown at 973-803-9053; leslie.wright-brown@rwjbh.org

You Asked: Why can’t I choose my schedule, or get a weekend differential?

Anna Answered: For a variety of reasons, weekend scheduling and differential practices do vary across RWJBarnabas Health facilities. Here at NBI, weekend coverage is determined at the unit level and based on ensuring that we can deliver safe and appropriate patient care. Please reach out to your unit leadership to clarify the specifics for your department.

You Asked: Can you clarify the NJ Sick Leave Policy?

Anna Answered: Under New Jersey Earned Sick Leave (NJESL), eligible employees receive 40 hours of protected sick leave per benefit year. NJESL may be used for qualifying medical or protected reasons as defined by state law. Use of NJESL protects the absence from discipline under attendance policy when used appropriately and reported in accordance with hospital procedures.

The “3 call-outs in 6 months” attendance guideline remains in effect for unplanned absences that are not protected by NJESL or other applicable leave laws (e.g., FMLA).

Employees should review the PTO policy summary or contact HR for clarification specific to their role – visit the rwjbhtotalwellbeing.com

We want to hear from you!

• Spotlight on Patient Care

Posted 4/22/26

Newark Beth Israel Celebrates Donate Life Month

April is National Donate Life Month. On April 10, teams from across Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, gathered to raise the flag in honor of this month and to celebrate amazing patients like Julie G, who underwent a unique double lung transplant procedure.

Watch Julie and the Advanced Pulmonary and Lung Transplant team at Newark Beth Israel, tell her story.

• Quality Corner with VP of Nursing, Anna Gaeta, RN

Posted 2/24/26

Spotlight on Pressure Injuries

Spotlight on HAPI Prevention

This month we continue our focus on Pressure Injury Prevention and improving our practice surrounding skin assessment.

Often, we think that pressure injuries only come from being in bed, BUT pressure injuries can also be caused by medical devices. In fact we have seen device related pressure injuries in critical care, PICU/NICU, and Med/Surg/Tele areas.

Our nursing assessment and practice must also include checking under and around these devices.

Devices include but are not limited to

• Masks
• Tubing
• Splints
• Lines
• Braces

Every day equipment presents a risk for skin breakdown, and we must be vigilant in our assessment and prevention.

Below is an important practice alert.

• System Nursing News and Events

Posted 5/7/26

RWJBarnabas Health Celebrates Nurses Week

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Posted 12/23/25

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.

Unplanned Readmission Risk Stratification Tool – SBAR (PDF)

• Safety and Security

Posted 1/26/26

Security Updates

Thomas Kelly and Jason Love

We are pleased to share that Newark Beth Israel Medical Center has started its transition to the Iron Temple Training Center (ITTC) for top-tier training in de-escalation techniques, staff safety, close quarter defense and response control techniques for workplace violence prevention.

Over the next several months, Newark Beth Israel’s deployment team, in collaboration with Iron Temple Trainers, will roll out the new training program across our hospital, including assigning sessions in NetLearning (Symplr).

The ITTC de-escalation program is divided into four components that include a blend of virtual and in-person learning sessions, these are:

• De-Escalate to Safe State (DESS) – a 1-hour online course for the entire workforce
• Clinical Staff Response Training (CSRT) – a 1-hour in-person session for ICU, L&D, CCTs, Phlebotomists, Aides & Orderlies, Transport, Outpatient Behavioral Health, and Mobile Health
• Response Control Techniques (RCT) – 3 online training modules, combined with a 4-hour, in-person class for Security, Behavioral Health, and Emergency Department staff
• Skills Maintenance Sessions (SMS) – offered following completion of RCT; 2 monthly, one-hour classes for security personnel and 1 annual class for non-security employees

For more information and details about these training sessions, please review the de-escalation program content on The Bridge. Administrative Director of Security and Hospital Operations Jason Love and Security Director Tom Kelly are available to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your support and commitment to ensuring RWJBarnabas Health is a safe place to deliver and receive care.

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Posted 11/20/25

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 Newark Beth Israel 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. Both trainings are available via the Online Learning page on the Bridge.

Protect Together Flyer

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