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Ocean Delivers for Entire Family
Hospitals sometimes are described as
sterile or clinical. But when talking
about Ocean Medical Center,
people often use words like "exceptional"
and "amazing" to describe the quality
of care and personalized treatment and
compassion they receive there.
That level of service may seem out
of the ordinary for a hospital. But for
Ocean's staff, it's all part of a commitment
to their profession and a personal desire
to create an exceptional experience
for each patient. Their commitment is
so exceptional that Ocean has been
recognized as a Magnet Award–winning
hospital.
Lifesaving Assistance
The Lacerda family experienced this
commitment and service firsthand. In
August 2008, 24-year-old Michael Lacerda
was enjoying a family barbecue when he
started to feel his heart beat rapidly.
Michael had been diagnosed with
type 1 diabetes when he was 15. His wife,
Melissa, who was 39 weeks pregnant with
their second child, was concerned the two
might be related. Together, Melissa and
Michael's mother convinced him to go to
Ocean Medical Center.
As Michael arrived at Ocean, he
collapsed and was rushed into the
emergency department. He suffered a
diabetes-related seizure, and his heart
went into a life-threatening cardiac
arrhythmia. A defibrillator was used twice
to stabilize his heart.
Once stable, Michael was transported
to the hospital's cardiac catheterization
laboratory. Here, an invasive cardiologist
performed a cardiac catheterization to
see if Michael's arteries were blocked. No
blockages were found, so Michael was
transferred to the Critical Care Unit (CCU)
for further monitoring and testing.
When Michael arrived at CCU, nurse
manager Marie Foley-Danecker quickly
recognized that they had some unique
family needs to accommodate. Melissa,
25, was so close to delivery that they
allowed her to sleep in Michael's room.
On the third night, Melissa's water
broke. She was admitted to the maternity
unit — on the same floor as the CCU.
Michael's nurses were determined to help
Michael be there for his wife, just as she
had been there for him.
"This was a very special circumstance,"
says Foley-Danecker. "I spoke to Michael's doctor about his stability and requested
orders that he be allowed to spend time
with his wife. We then spoke with the
Maternity nurses to facilitate his presence
at the delivery."
A Special Delivery
Michael was hooked up to a portable
heart monitor and placed in a wheel-chair.
A CCU nurse accompanied him
to his wife's bedside and stayed with
him to monitor his condition throughout
the delivery. Michael was there to
welcome his daughter, Madison Rose,
into the world.
After holding the baby and spending
a moment with his wife, Michael was
brought back to CCU. Over the next
24 hours, the CCU and Maternity unit
coordinated care to help the family
spend time together during brief,
monitored visits.
possible to accommodate this young
couple," says Foley-Danecker. "Our
nurses and the entire hospital team
pride themselves on taking care of the
whole family."
The day after his daughter's birth,
Michael was transferred to Jersey
Shore University Medical Center for
extensive cardiac testing. He was
diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White
syndrome. Michael was treated to correct
the problem and returned home to his
family the next day.
"The nurses and staff were fantastic,"
says Michael. "They really went out of
their way to make us feel comfortable."
Michael was so inspired by his experience
that he is now going back to school to
become a nurse.
 – Donna Sellmann
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When it comes to choosing a
hospital, the quality of the nursing
staff is an important consideration.
Fortunately, your search for
outstanding care need not go
any further than Meridian Health.
The three hospitals in our system
have each received the Magnet
Award for Excellence three times in
a row. Given by the American Nurses
Credentialing Center, the award is
nursing's highest honor.
For patients, going to a hospital
with Magnet status means that they'll
be getting the best nursing care
from the most qualified nurses.
"It's not easy to achieve Magnet
status," says Regina Foley, R.N.,
CHE , chief nurse executive at
Ocean Medical Center. "The
designation says a lot about our
ongoing commitment to quality."
have been with Meridian Health for
10 years or more contributes to the
high-caliber care. Also, nearly 60
percent of Meridian Health's nursing
staff is nationally certified in a
medical specialty. In addition, the
nursing staff plays an important role
in shaping new hospital programs
and services. That shows in the
many patient-focused services and
procedures, Foley says.
"Nurses are the ultimate patient
advocates. They're the eyes and
ears of a hospital," she explains.
"Nurses' views are heard and
respected. And that leads to the
best patient care."
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