Magaly Rodriguez has worked at the Margaret McLaughlin McCarrick Care Center in the Somerset section of Franklin for 13 years
That service has not gone unnoticed, and the Bound Brook resident recently received the Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year award from the New Jersey Association of Directors of Nursing Administration, or NJADONA.
The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate excellence in providing long-term care and exhibit exceptional skill. Rodriguez has done just that at the McCarrick center, a 120-bed long-term skilled nursing facility.
"Love, respect, trust, dignity — that's what our residents need,'' Rodriguez says. "I've made these the basis by which I do my job and live my life.''
Rodriguez was nominated for the award because of her ""unusual insight into clients' behaviors and her ability to calm agitated residents,'' says Gen Rumore, director of nursing at the facility. She also has helped improve statistical patient outcomes for the center and decresed the number of pressure ulcers and patient falls.
"McCarrick Care Center is proud of Maggie and honored to have her on staff,'' says James F. Caron, the facility's administrator.
Family to Family
"Family to Family'' is a 12-week education course for the families and caregivers of people with mental illness that will be offered beginning Monday, Sept. 8, in North Brunswick.
The curriculum will focus on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and mood disorders. The course will cover the clinical treatment of these illnesses and imparts the knowledge and skills that family members need to cope more effectively as caregivers.
The aim of the course is to give family members and caregivers of individuals affected with mental illness more information on various mental illnesses, to acquire coping skills and be empowered to advocate for better treatment and services for their relative.
The course will take place from 7 to 9:30 p.m. every Monday for 12 weeks at the NAMI New Jersey Office, 1562 Route 130, North Brunswick.
The course is free, but registration is required. Registration and additional information is available by calling 908-806-3475 or by visiting www.naminj.org.
RVCC to offer course
The Allied Health department of Raritan Valley Community College's Corporate and Continuing Education division is offering a new Patient Care Technician course this fall. The course will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays from Sept. 13 to Dec. 13, at the Franklin Center, 630 Franklin Blvd, Somerset section of Franklin.
The 150-hour course offers important skills and prepares students to sit for certification through the National Center for Competency Testing. The certification enables one to work as a Patient Care Technician at hospitals, long-term and sub-acute facilities and other health-care organizations. The course includes 90 hours of classroom lecture and lab experience, and 60 hours of clinical practice.
The $2,062 cost includes all fees and texts. Registration is limited and is on a first-paid, first-confirmed basis. More information, including a list of other courses, is available by calling 908-526-1200, Ext. 8471, or 908-218-8872.
Walk FROM obesity
Last year's Walk From Obesity raised more than $4,000. This year's event, sponsored for the fourth consecutive time by Overlook Hospital of Summit, aims to net even more.
Scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 27, the annual walkathon will take place in Cranford's Nomahegan Park. As usual, all proceeds will go toward raising future monies for obesity research and to aid the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons Foundation.
More than 150 Overlook Hospital employees, physicians, patients, families and friends are expected to walk at the event. Registration is $25, which includes a walkathon T-shirt. Parking is free. More information is available by calling 800-247-9580 or 908-522-5794.
HMC gets $81,000, new nurse
Hunterdon Medical Center has received $81,000 from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey for patient safety and high quality standards. The award is part of Horizon's Hospital Recognition Program, initiated in July 2006 to measure factors such as clinical outcomes; process measures for heart attack, heart failure, community-acquired pneumonia, and the prevention of surgical site infections.
The medical center also has welcomed advanced practice nurse Colleen Bell to its Palliative Care Program. Bell holds a Master of Science Nursing from The College of New Jersey and has more than 27 years of nursing experience in New Jersey.
Palliative care deals with patients who have illnesses that are causing their health to progressively deteriorate, often rapidly, toward death. More information about this program is available by calling 908-237-7018.(source)
CNA salary-Certified nursing assistant salaries by location
Where to find a free CNA training?
What is a Nursing Assistant and Certified Nursing Assistant?
What nurse assistants do
Certified nursing assistants in a hospital environment |
