From left, Sheila G. Kempf, RN, PhD, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer (CNO), Princeton Health; Karyn A. Book, MSN, RN, associate CNO, Princeton Health; Kari A. Mastro, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, director of professional practice, innovation, and research, Princeton Health; Nowai Keleekai-Brapoh, PhD, RN, NPD-BC, professional development specialist, Princeton Health; James Demetriades, CEO, Princeton Health; and Lynda Benton, senior director, Global Community Impact Strategic Initiatives, Johnson & Johnson Nursing.

Penn Medicine Princeton Health has launched an Institute for Nursing Excellence to foster highly skilled and empowered nurses who will help lead the way in delivering high-quality clinical care across Princeton Health and in the community.

The institute will build on Princeton Health’s tradition of nurse-led quality initiatives and meaningful research that directly translates to better care at the bedside. 

The institute contains three centers: Professional Development and Recognition, Clinical Practice, and Innovation and Research. Programs will be developed to give nurses opportunities to enhance their clinical skills, pursue career and educational goals, and participate in research and innovation. 

The institute is led by a team that includes Princeton Health’s chief nursing officer, direct care nurses, nurse administrators, patients, physicians, and representatives from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing. Experienced nurse leaders will support innovation from concept through implementation, provide access to grant funding and scholarships, connect to industry experts, and mentor nurses along their career path.

“Our vision for the Institute for Nursing Excellence is to accelerate transformation and innovation in nursing and health care,” said Sheila Kempf, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, vice president, patient care services and chief nursing officer at Princeton Health. “Our nursing team — over 1,200 members strong — approaches each patient with a commitment to clinical excellence, respect, and compassion. The team is a powerful force in the patient’s overall experience, safety, and quality outcomes.”

Princeton Health recently hosted a reception to celebrate the launch of the Institute featuring guest speaker Lynda Benton, senior director, Global Community Impact Strategic Initiatives at Johnson & Johnson Nursing, who spoke about the importance of supporting nursing innovation and career development.

Princeton Health is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS), which, together with the University of Pennsylvania’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, forms Penn Medicine, one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research and excellence in patient care. Learn more at https://www.princetonhcs.org