Holy Name Press Releases

Holy Name Medical Center Nurse One of Top Five In Nation

J. Cedar Wang awarded for her transformative work in simulation learning

November 22, 2016

J. Cedar Wang, a nurse practitioner and Director of Simulation Learning at Holy Name Medical Center, is one of five nurses nationwide, and the only one in New Jersey, to win a Giving Excellence Meaning (GEM) Award from the prestigious nursing organization, Nurse.com. Ms. Wang was recognized as the top nurse in Excellence in Education and Mentorship.

Ms. Wang expanded the idea of simulation learning into a state–of–the–art education facility – the Institute for Simulation Learning (ISL) – within the Medical Center. It is the only hospital–based simulation center within 38 municipalities. The ISL provides an authentic, immersive environment for physicians, nurses, first responders, students and other healthcare professionals to develop safe and compassionate approaches to patient care.

"Under Cedar's leadership, our Institute for Simulation Learning has helped thousands of healthcare professionals, both from within Holy Name and our surrounding community, interact with patients in more innovative ways," said Michael Maron, President and CEO of Holy Name. "We are continuing to expand our programs so we can now assist healthcare workers, students and family members deal with patients who have dementia and physical, mental and emotional disabilities."

Support for the ISL has been growing, both from within Holy Name and the community. Last year, the Russell Berrie Foundation awarded a $5 million grant to expand the ISL's physical operation, staff and equipment. Angelica Berrie, president of The Russell Berrie Foundation, said at the time that the grant was "a way to bring innovation to our community that we felt would really transform the standards of medical education."

Holy Name's ISL combines advanced technology – including high–fidelity patient simulators – with standardized patients (actors), state–of–the–art audiovisual systems and trained simulation staff to enable learners to apply their skills in realistic clinical encounters and then learn from these scenarios through audiovisual recordings and debriefings. Ms. Wang ensures the ISL doesn't operate simply as a skills lab, but one that integrates behavioral care and interpersonal skills into training.

"Cedar accepted the challenges of creating the ISL, literally out of nothing, and elevated it to a highly reputable, sustainable simulation education facility," said Sheryl Slonim, DNP, RN–BC, NEA–BC, APN–C, Holy Name's Executive Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. "The passion and integrity she exudes, her amazing skill set, and dedicated professionalism enable her to move effortlessly from audience to audience and to tailor every course for each group's specific needs. She is an exceptional nurse, gifted educator and remarkable communicator."

Ms. Wang said she was extremely surprised and grateful for the award.

"Public recognition of nursing excellence, like the National GEM Awards, brings credibility to the nursing profession by highlighting the broad scope of nursing's impact on society," Ms. Wang said. "Nurses are not only important at the bedside, but equally so in the boardroom, the classroom, and in the community. I am humbled to be named alongside four other incredible nurses, along with whom I express my gratitude to our families, friends and mentors who have enabled and equipped us to achieve this highest honor."

Nurse.com is the largest print and digital magazine dedicated to registered nurses, providing news, employment opportunities and continuing education programming. The other four winners were from Chicago, Delaware and two from California. To learn more, visit Nurse.com.

"Our winners are some of nursing's best and brightest, and we're privileged to celebrate them," said Eileen Williamson, MSN, RN, senior vice president and chief nurse executive for Nurse.com. Ms. Wang "left academia to launch a hospital simulation center that has earned statewide and national attention. She believes nurses need to lead the charge in transforming care at the bedside and simulation provides an opportunity to do that."