LITTLE SILVER — The March of Dimes New Jersey chapter honored Little Silver resident Rebecca Norton from CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold as the 2015 March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award in the Surgical Services 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.
Norton is a registered nurse in the operating room at CentraState Healthcare System. She was part of starting a post-operative timeout program that tracks specimens, wound class, diagnosis, plus room and equipment issues; has achieved large improvements in her unit of the goal to reduce immediate use steam sterilization; and partnered with a surgeon to rewrite the hospital’s website on robotic surgery, according to a statement prepared by the March of Dimes.
She developed and is currently conducting a study comparing postoperative pain levels between patients undergoing robotic single site gallbladder removal versus traditional laparoscopic gallbladder removal.
“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 for the New Jersey chapter of the March of Dimes.
New Jersey award recipients were announced at a special awards gala on Nov. 18 at the Pines Manor in Edison.
More than 196 nurses were nominated in 19 different award categories. At the event there were 115 finalists who 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.