Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center RN Named Hudson Valley Magazine Top Nurse

Sherry Berbit, RN, BSN, MS, CADC Is Recognized As Top Nurse At Hudson Valley Magazine’s

2013 Excellence in Nursing Awards

Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center chemical dependency RN, Sherry Berbit was recognized as “Top Nurse” at the 2013 Hudson Valley Magazine Excellence in Nursing Awards. Held on Wednesday, May 8th at the Grandview in Poughkeepsie, NY, this sixth annual event pays tribute to the area’s top nurses. 

“Please join me in congratulating Sherry for this prestigious award and recognition.  Her concern for her patients, her compassion, her skills and her holistic approach to excellent patient care are hallmarks of our best nurses at Bon Secours Charity and we are very proud of Sherry’s dedication and service,’’ said Philip Patterson, CEO of Bon Secours Charity Health System.

Ms. Berbit was selected from hundreds of nominations made from peer groups as far north as Albany, into Westchester and as far west as Sullivan County.  Twenty Top Nurse nominees are chosen by a committee of medical professionals and editors of the magazine. The twenty nominees and Top Nurse Award are announced at a dinner paying tribute to nurses during National Nurses Week.

In her 25 years of nursing practices, Sherry has always exemplified Bon Secours Charity Health System’s mission to provide Good Help to Those in Need®.  With the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the mid 80’s, Berbit recognized that most people who tested positive for HIV/AIDS had no idea where to turn for help. She led in the local management of the epidemic, often presenting to the Rockland County legislature to ensure funding and services to an underserved population. She also presented at local, state and national conventions through the Talking To Kids About AIDS program. Many of Berbit’s patients first diagnosed in the 80s and 90s are still alive and well, and keep in touch with Sherry, grateful for the lifeline they were given by her.

While working in the chemical dependency and  acute psychiatry departments at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Sherry advocates for the hospitals most challenging patients to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity. She believes that her patients come first even if it means helping them on her own time. She has the compassion and kindness to truly understand her patient’s vulnerabilities and believes that her job is the best job in the world.

Committed to educating her fellow nurses and colleagues about the management of behavioral health patients, Sherry was instrumental in developing the hospital’s Behavioral Rapid Response Team, an innovative service that assists nurses on all units to effectively manage the challenges of psychiatric or addicted patients. She is often the first on the scene in frightening situations where she employs effective techniques to help diffuse tense situations while always maintaining a safe and therapeutic environment.

In addition to Sherry Berbit, Bon Secours Charity Health System is also celebrating the nomination of Dawn Chester, a Med-Surg Nurse at St. Anthony Community Hospital, as one of the top 20 nurses in the Hudson Valley.

Nurses honored at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center’s 2013 Nurse Recognition Awards

On Tuesday, May 7, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center hosted its Annual Nurse Recognition awards luncheon.  Coinciding with the observance of National Nurses Week, the Nurse Recognition awards pay tribute to the hospital’s nursing staff for providing excellence in patient care.

Over 30 nominees including RNs, support staff and a physician were nominated by their peers for exemplifying excellence in leadership, patient care, team work and service. This year’s award recognition categories and winners included:

• Most Valuable Multidisciplinary Team Member – Dr. Jonathan Berg
• Caritas – Heather McManus, RN
• RN Excellence in Precepting – Robin Taegder, RN
• RN Leadership in Clinical Excellence – Mareena Johnson, RN
• Nursing Support Staff Excellence in Patient Care – Estela Williams-Marts
• Most Valuable Nursing Team – Chemical Dependency

Eileen Dobbing, RN, BSN, MBA, Senior Vice President Patient Care Services/CNO for Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, acted as the event’s keynote speaker and stressed the vital role nurses play at Good Samaritan . “Not only do nurses provide skilled care, but also a healing hand to patients each and every day.  They are the heart of our hospital. I am so proud of this year’s award recipients who represent some of the best and brightest in clinical and service excellence at Good Samaritan.”

Also recognized at the event were several Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center nurses who have been nominated for area excellence in nursing practice awards including:

• Hudson Valley Magazine Excellence in Nursing Top 20 Nominees – Sherry Berbit, RN (Chemical Dependency)
• 1199 Nursing Excellence Award Nominees – Katerina Listopad, RN, (SICU) Nurse of Distinction, Michelle Dunne, RN (OR) Preceptor, Jessica VanHook, RN (L&D) Novice Nurse, Diane Wilcomes, RN (OR) Nurse Leader
• Rockland County RN Excellence in Practice Award Nominees – Mareena Johnson, RN (SICU), Alicia Minaya, RN (ER), Veronica Barton, RN (Supervision), Jo-Ann Robinson, RN (Magnet and NUCU)

Bon Secours Charity Health System nurse leaders celebrate National Nurses Week

The leading nurses of Bon Secours Charity Health System gathered May 2 at the Wallkill Golf Club in suburban Middletown to kick off National Nurses Week. Eileen Dobbing, the Health System’s chief nursing officer, thanked the nurses – and the hundreds of registered nurses they lead at St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick, Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis and Bon Secours Home Care – for their dedication to their profession. The keynote speaker at the leadership dinner was career nursing leader Marguerite Pulvirenti Corda, vice president for patient care services at Beth Israel Medical Center, Brooklyn Division.

Caring Moments video from Bon Secours Charity

In conjunction with Nurse’s Week and National Hospital week, we here at Bon Secours Charity Health System thought it would be appropriate to publicly launch our “Caring Moments” video.  The Caring Moments video was shot on location at Bon Secours Charity Health System facilities across both Orange and Rockland counties.  Please take a moment to listen to the stories of our amazing registered nurses, and hear the passion as they retell some of their most touching experiences.

Please leave your feedback in the comments!

Nurses Week at Warwick Campus

To kick-off the start of Nurse’s Week here at Bon Secours Charity Health System, we took some photos of our staff hard at work around the “Warwick Campus” (St. Anthony Community Hospital, Mount Alverno Center, Schervier Pavilion).  Our nurses and care partners are some of the most well trained, and passionate individuals when it comes to their line of work.

Med/Surg - 1st Floor - St. Anthony Community Hospital - Warwick, NY

Same Day Surgery - Lobby Level - St. Anthony Community Hospital - Warwick, NY

Emergency Room - Lobby Level - St. Anthony Community Hospital - Warwick, NY

Patient Room Floor 1 - Lobby Level - Schervier Pavilion - Warwick, NY

For more information on the events taking place for the remainder of Nurses Week, check out our blog post that includes the official BSCHS Nurses Week Calendar.

Thank you nurses for all you do, day in and day out!