Kennedy Health Nurse receives March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award

The March of Dimes New Jersey chapter is pleased to announce that Rancocas resident Gina Ray from Kennedy Health in Cherry Hill received the 2015 March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award in the Behavioral Health category.

Through Nurse of the Year Awards, the March of Dimes recognizes nurses who demonstrate exceptional patient care, compassion, and service. Whether serving as a health care provider, educator, researcher, or chapter volunteer/advisor, these nurses have played a critical role in improving the health of New Jersey’s mothers and babies. Nurse of the Year Awards celebrate the nursing profession and creates awareness of the recent strides made in this growing field.

Gina Ray is an RN at Kennedy Health. As chair of a council whose goal is to increase the number of certified nurses, she solicited names of nurses interested in Board Certification, and found the number one barrier to pursuing Board Certification was cost. She discussed the possibility of a no cost, two attempt program with ANCC that Med-Surg nurses utilized to increase their number of certified nurses. With the assistance of her nurse educator and administration, the program was implemented hospital wide. Ray is also an advocate for the benefits of board certification. She seeks out and shares information regarding free prep resources and displays and shares when her peers have achieved this milestone accomplishment. The unit’s number of Board Certified nurse has increased by 5 RNs in the past 8 months.

“We could not do the work of the March of Dimes without the passion and commitment of our nurses. This is our opportunity to show them how special they truly are,” said Allie Hall, Central Division Executive Director, New Jersey Chapter of the March of Dimes.

More than 196 nurses were nominated in 19 different award categories. New Jersey award recipients were announced at a special awards gala held on November 18, 2015 at Pines Manor in Edison, which had a record attendance of over 500 people. At the event there were 115 finalists which represented 48 hospitals and healthcare facilities. The event raised over $90,000 to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.