Valley Hospital Nurse receives March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award

The March of Dimes New Jersey chapter is pleased to announce that Belleville resident April Ancheta from Rutgers School of Nursing and Valley Hospital received the 2015 March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award in the Student Nurse 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.

April Ancheta is a senior in the Rutgers School of Nursing’s B.S. in nursing program, with a minor in Spanish. She is the current president of the Rutgers Student Nurses’ Association, the second vice president for New Jersey Nursing Students, Inc., a member of the national community service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, and a member of the School of Nursing Student Senate. April serves as an undergraduate peer instructor for the 2015-2016 school year, teaching a one-credit course open to freshmen on the Rutgers—New Brunswick campus through the program First-year Interest Group Seminars and conducts research with Dr. Shirley Smoyak, RN, PhD, FAAN on her study of High Energy Drinks with and without Alcohol. She is also a nurse extern at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation on the spinal cord injury unit and a patient care associate at The Valley Hospital on the orthopedic floor.

“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.