The Dorothy B. Hersh Pediatric Emergency Department at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick is the only pediatric emergency department in New Jersey to have earned the prestigious Lantern Award from the national Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) in 2022. When it comes to health care, children have specialized needs that require a different approach than their adult counterparts, requiring differently sized equipment and a range of expertise. In addition, children’s hospitals are specifically designed to take care of the child through a family-centered approach to medicine, serving kids at each stage of growth and development.
“Earning the Lantern Award shows that The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s has met the highest standards for pediatric emergency care,” said Pam Harmon, DNP, MSN, RNC-NIC, nursing director of Saint Peter’s Women and Children’s Division. “Our nurses strive to provide the highest level of patient care and service excellence every day.”
The Lantern Award is the only award dedicated to showcasing emergency departments for their outstanding work. Consideration for the award required the Pediatric Emergency Department at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s to share stories highlighting its commitment to care, and the initiatives established to improve the well-being of nursing staff. The award serves as a visible symbol of Saint Peter’s commitment to quality, safety and a healthy work environment. Saint Peter’s was among 29 hospitals nationwide to be recognized with this prestigious award.
“These emergency departments are doing so many remarkable improvements and initiatives and they deserve to be honored for their work,” said ENA President Jenn Schmitz, MSN, EMT-P, CEN, CPEN, CNML, FNP-C, NE-BC. “I look forward to meeting some of these emergency nurses at our upcoming conference in Denver and celebrating them for their incredible achievement.”
There are many noteworthy accomplishments that led to the recognition including improved collaboration between nurses and physicians; efforts to develop new flows and responsibilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; executing a simulation program to help emergency nurses better prepare for pediatric patients; and undertaking a significant quality improvement project to create a more age-friendly emergency department.
“It is an honor for Saint Peter’s Pediatric Emergency Department to be recognized for the care we deliver, especially since a trip to the emergency room can be scary for both children and their families,” said Todd Mastrovitch, MD, director of the Dorothy B. Hersh Pediatric Emergency Department at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s. “Our staff strives to provide a safe and comfortable environment for each patient while also providing the highest quality of care.”
The ENA Lantern Award showcases an emergency department’s accomplishments in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care. For more information about the Pediatric Emergency Department at The Children’s Hospital visit www.saintpetershcs.com/pedsED.
The staff of The Children’s Hospital at St. Peter's University Hospital.,
