New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing

01/06/2026

NJCCN kicked off its Alternate Care Environments (ACE) Immersion Program - Winter Institute for Rutgers junior and senior nursing students!

The Winter Institute workshop featured an insightful panel of nurse leaders, Rachel Dubinsky, RN, ADON and Educator (Parker Health Group); Ryane Blue-Luciano, BSN, RN VP of Clinical Services (Complete Care) and Charles Larobis, RN, BSN, CDP, CADDCT Director of Quality, Clinical & Regulatory Services ( Health Care Association of New Jersey), highlighting nursing careers beyond the hospital setting.

Thank you to Rutgers School of Nursing Dean Angela Starkweather for a warm welcome message to the students, and we extend our sincere thank you to Dr. Nancy Bohnarczyk and Dr. Linda Hassler for their engaging presentations on "RN Roles & Care Trajectory" and "Nursing and the Changing Healthcare Environment".

Over the next two weeks, these students will have the opportunity to shadow nurses for two days in AL, LTC, Home Care, and Adult Day Care facilities across New Jersey.

We are excited help future nurses explore different pathways in their nursing career.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the NJ Industry Partnerships – New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development via the LTC Nurse Residency Program

01/04/2026

Check out a new NJ Nursing Insights podcast episode featuring Dr. Pamela Hinds and Brett Bagshaw who implemented a napping policy for night nurses at Children’s National Hospital.

Literature on night workers’ fatigue and napping in healthcare was lacking and more common in other occupations such as truck drivers and pilots. However, Dr. Pamela Hinds and her team discovered from these studies that “no matter what was tried, people benefited.”

Check out this episode to learn about her study and hear a roadmap for bringing napping to your hospital.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5wur08cs5OTg4AvXx10Da8?si=O_cu9T2pT5aYWUkpvPCd_g&t=374

Nursing Insights · Episode

12/31/2025

Happy New Year from NJ-NEW and NJCCN! #2026

12/24/2025

We’re celebrating National Stress-Free Family Holiday by encouraging everyone to slow down, unplug, and focus on what matters most: quality time with loved ones.

Share how your family is celebrating a and tag ,

12/24/2025

Happy Holidays from the NJCCN Team! ✨

As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect with gratitude on a year marked by collaboration, growth, and meaningful progress. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a healthy, hopeful New Year.

12/18/2025

Last week, Dr Daria Waszak of NJCCN provided the keynote presentation at Capital Health’s nurse residency program (NRP) graduation ceremony.
Congratulations to this latest cohort of NRP graduates! 👏

12/15/2025

Dr. Daria Waszak testified on behalf of NJCCN along with Dr. Kathleen Burke, Chair of the NJCCN Board & OCN-NJ, in the Senate Higher Education Committee on proposed resolution SCR 140 sponsored by Sen. Cryan which urges the US DOE to change its definition of professional degrees to include nursing and other excluded professions. Thank you to the committee for acknowledging nursing as the respected profession it is.

12/15/2025

Happy Holidays from NJ-NEW and NJCCN!

12/13/2025

Meet Serpouhi Vartivarian, DNP, MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, GERO-BC, GRN, Nurse Coordinator, Medical Surgical Specialist

From a Nurse in Lebanon to New Jersey:

I began my nursing career in Lebanon, where I earned my initial license from the Lebanese Board of Nursing. To advance my qualifications, I moved to the United States to complete a master's degree and a residency in Maryland. Subsequently, I obtained my NJ RN license and relocated to begin my practice in the state.

Mentor/Peer Support

I have always sought to surround myself with intelligent and ambitious leaders, and my career has been profoundly shaped by their guidance. The mentorship of two exceptional nursing leaders, Madice Merheb and Stacey Schaab, was instrumental in my decision to move 5,500 miles to pursue my nursing career in the U.S. Their inspiration gave me the confidence to embrace this significant transition.

Experience of the Transition to a New Specialty:

Transitioning my nursing career to the U.S. required significant perseverance. The two-year process of transferring my credentials to qualify for the NCLEX was a substantial hurdle, but the greater challenge was securing a position at a top-tier institution without a professional network in NJ. From the outset, I was determined to work at Hackensack University Medical Center. I was drawn not only to its prestigious Magnet designation but, more importantly, to an organizational vision that strongly aligns with my own professional values. At HUMC, I immediately put my philosophy of 'being the change' into practice by actively engaging in unit initiatives and seeking opportunities for improvement. I thrived in this collaborative setting, where I learned from skilled clinical nurses and leaders who were instrumental in accelerating my professional development.

Advice to Other Nurses:

My advice to any nurse who wants to advance their career is to start with your "why." Figure out what drives you, because that passion is what will get you through the tough times. Once you have that clarity, you can create a roadmap: which specialty do you want to master? Which certification will open the right doors? The next step is finding your people. The nursing journey is challenging, and you'll face frustrating paperwork and moments of self-doubt. That’s why it's essential to surround yourself with mentors and peers who have been there. Let their guidance inspire you. Ultimately, your success depends on two things: your own resilient mindset and the people who lift you up. Find those who will guide you, challenge you, and celebrate with you. They are the most important element of your journey.

12/07/2025

Hunterdon Health is offering a Nurse Externship Program and applications are currently being accepted. An information session will be held on January 7th at Hunterdon Medical Center from 1- 4 p.m., 2100 Wescott Drive, Flemington, NJ. To learn more visit,
https://www.hunterdonhealth.org/services/careers/nursing-careers/nurse-externship-program

12/05/2025

NJ-NEW and NJCCN were represented at today’s ONLNJ Annual Holiday Meeting and Awards Brunch at the Forsgate featuring Dr. Edna Cadmus as keynote speaker 🐐with a theme of advocacy. Congratulations to all the nurse leader awardees!🎖️👏🎄

12/04/2025

A huge congratulations to Cooper University Health Care and their stellar team of nurse leaders for achieving the high designation of ANCC PTAP with DISTINCTION for their nurse residency program.👏🎉

They join a small group with this status in NJ and represent our NRP collaborative well with partner, Vizient, Inc. and partially funded by New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development grants as an .