Kay Fogg, nurse manager of Inspira Medical Center Elmer’s Medical-Surgical Unit (left of center), and John DiAngelo, president and CEO of Inspira Health Network, receive the PRISM Award from AMSN CEO Cynthia Hnatiuk (right of center). They are joined by Sharon Slavic, administrative director of Surgical Services (fourth from left, front row); Elizabeth Sheridan, COO of Inspira Medical Center Elmer and Vineland (fifth from right, front row); Janet Davies, VP of Patient Care Services at Inspira Medical Center Elmer and Vineland ((fourth from right, front row); 2 East Medical-Surgical Unit staff; and AMSN/MSNCB staff.

ELMER, NJ (January 5, 2016) –Inspira Medical Center Elmer has become the first hospital in New Jersey to receive the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses’ PRISM Award®. This prestigious award recognizes exceptional nursing practice, leadership, and outcomes in hospital medical-surgical departments across the United States.

The award, which stands for “Premier Recognition in the Specialty of Med-Surg,” is the first of its kind honoring acute care medical-surgical departments. The award, given to Inspira Elmer’s 2 East Medical-Surgical Unit at an award ceremony on January 4, was presented by co-sponsors the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) and the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB).

“We are honored to be the first in the state and one of only 10 hospitals in the nation to have received the PRISM Award,” said Elizabeth Sheridan, R.N., M.A., chief operating officer of Inspira Medical Center Elmer and Vineland. “The nurses and staff at Inspira Medical Center Elmer continue to distinguish our community hospital as an exceptional place to receive care.”

The PRISM award recognizes departments that have demonstrated excellence in exhibiting:

• Effective leadership
• Recruitment and retention of competent staff members
• Evidence-based practice
• Positive patient outcomes
• A healthy work environment
• Lifelong learning of unit staff members

According to AMSN, there are more than 600,000 medical-surgical nurses practicing in the United States today, making them the single largest group of specialty nurses working in hospital settings.

For more information about AMSN and MSNCB, visit their websites at www.amsn.org and www.msncb.org.

About Inspira Health Network

Inspira Health Network is a charitable nonprofit health care organization serving communities across southern New Jersey. The network, which traces its roots to 1899, comprises three hospitals, a comprehensive cancer center, several multi-specialty health centers and a total of more than 60 locations. These include urgent care; outpatient imaging and rehabilitation; numerous specialty centers, including sleep medicine, cardiac testing, digestive health and wound care; home care and hospice; and more than 30 primary and specialty physician practices in Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem and Camden counties.

Together with its medical staff of more than 1,100 physicians and other care providers, as well as more than 5,700 employees, Inspira Health Network provides evidence-based care to help each patient achieve the best possible outcome. Accredited by DNV Healthcare, the network’s clinical and support staffs are focused on providing quality care in a safe environment. For more information about Inspira Health Network, call 1-800-INSPIRA.