Hackensack Meridian Health

Some of us know our callings all our lives. Liz is one of them. Today, she's the network director of language services and operator services at Hackensack University Medical Center, but her journey as an interpreter began as the firstborn child of non-English speaking parents. Liz's parents came from Argentina to the United States 55 years ago to start a family. “I’m the only daughter and the oldest child with two younger brothers. The oldest has a lot on their shoulders, especially if you’re an immigrant,” says Liz. “I’ve been interpreting since I learned how to speak English.” “At one point, we moved back to Argentina for five years. We returned to the United States when I was 18 years old. I had to finish my high school years,” says Liz. “I completed four years in 2.5 years attending night school, while working two jobs to support my family.” Her decades of family interpreting experience prepared her well for her career. When she first joined Hackensack University Medical Center, it was as the assistant manager for switchboard operators, and her cheerful voice and helpful nature helped her excel. Two years later, Liz was asked to create a language services division. “The department has grown exponentially in the past 21 years,” says Liz. She expanded the program across our network, which now provides interpretation services in more than 240 languages, remotely or in-person. Her work helped lead to Hackensack University Medical Center becoming first in the nation to achieve the Joint Commission’s Health Care Equity Certification. “There isn’t any other hospital in the state of New Jersey or New York that has a program as robust as ours. I’m proud to work for an organization that supports our patients and their needs when it comes to language,” Liz says. And she remains in touch with her roots, interpreting for her father whenever needed. “From the time I was a young girl, my father always told me that ‘you need to love what you do.’ I have a sign in my office that says that! It’s exactly who I am! If you love what you do, it’s never work,” says Liz. “I love my job, and I love what I do. I live and breathe it every day.” #HispanicHeritageMonth

Dr. Florian Patrick Thomas, a renowned neurologist specializing in ALS, CMT and hereditary neuropathies and other conditions, recently participated in the 50th BMW Berlin-Marathon in Germany for ALS. He joined more than 50,000 runners from over 150 nations in the annual marathon, which is held on the last weekend of September. Sporting his red Team ALS T-shirt, he had a fantastic time running in the cool, sunny weather, chatting with fellow runners from around the world raising awareness for ALS. Dr. Thomas is a dedicated advocate for people with ALS and serves as chair of neurology at the Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center. Congratulations to Dr. Thomas for completing the marathon and supporting those with ALS! #BerlinMarathon #ALS #Neurology

Like many families, the Chiribogas emphasize the importance of gathering together at the end of the workday to share a meal and quality time. At these moments, parents Edwin and Blanca not only pass down family recipes to their kids, Natalie, Natasha and Edwin Jr. They've given them inspiration. Edwin has been a member of the Jersey Shore University Medical Center family for 26 years. Thanks to the stories he shares, all three of his children are in health care too. “I remember when I was in nursing school and just beginning my career. I was and still am excited about being a nurse,” says Edwin. “I would come home from work and sit down to talk about the good and bad about my day. My girls and son got inspired by those conversations and decided to go into health care as well.” When Bring Your Children to Work Day gave them the chance to "see what Papi did in the orthopedic department," it sealed the deal. “Our dad paved the way. He encouraged us to be nurses. I pursued shadowing opportunities in physical therapy and never looked back,” says Natalie, an inpatient rehabilitation physical therapist at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute at Ocean University Medical Center. Natasha also had the opportunity to work with her father as she completed one of her clinical rotations at Jersey Shore. “I always knew I would work in health care,” she says. “We always enjoyed coming together at dinnertime with stories about the day. It’s a bonding experience." She began her career as an acute care therapist at Ocean University Medical Center earlier this year. They aren't the only members of the Chiriboga family at Hackensack Meridian Health. Their cousin Rolando works in IT at Ocean University Medical Center. “I’m very passionate about my job and seeing my family members throughout the day is an added perk,” he says. Two and a half decades in, Edwin remains just as passionate about orthopedics. “Every day there’s something different," he says. "I never get tired of helping people and seeing them get better.” Now, his children will say the same.

Our children's hospitals are #1 in the state, according to US News and World Report! This is the fourth year in a row that Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital have earned the top spot in New Jersey. We’re grateful to have the best patients, too — and they’re ready to celebrate 💙

When Kylie was born at Riverview Medical Center, doctors noticed something was wrong. Within hours, she was transferred to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for specialized neonatal care, where it was revealed Kylie suffered from Diamond Blackfin Anemia—a very rare genetic bone marrow disease. Eventually, Kylie received a bone marrow transplant from one of her siblings. She completed her procedure aftercare at Jersey Shore, where resident Dr. Charlie Changchien was part of her care team. “Kylie was one of our favorite patients. She was always so friendly and would go to the nurses station to say hello to everyone,” says Dr. Changchien. Years later, Kylie’s life came full circle. Today, she is a NICU nurse at Jersey Shore — the same unit where she spent the first days of her life. After three months of transport orientation, Kylie received her first solo on-call transport assignment. “My on-call shift was just about to end when I received a call saying a baby needed to be transported from RMC to JSUMC – the same hospital I was born at 25 years ago before being transferred to Jersey Shore,” says Kylie. As fate would have it, Dr. Changchien was the physician who ordered the transport. “Dr. Changchien called the NICU to speak with me. About two weeks later, we finally met up at RMC,” says Kylie. “Seeing the happiness on his face when he saw how well I am doing and also working in the NICU was unforgettable.” “It’s so nice to see Kylie follow her dreams despite all of the medical issues she endured. To me, it’s amazing she became a NICU nurse. She’s got the heart and bravery needed to help the little ones,” says Dr. Changchien. “It’s just awesome that all these years later, we are now coworkers!” “The feeling of finally being able to work side-by-side and give back to all the doctors and nurses who worked so tirelessly for years to take care of me is heartwarming. I firmly believe everything happens for a reason,” says Kylie. “I love being a NICU nurse, even on the tough days. It’s all I have ever dreamed of and more.” In other words, Kylie was born to be a nurse.

Twelve years ago today, Delvoris changed her life. She had struggled with addiction for years, but from then on, she would selflessly support those who suffered with the same. A former heroin addict, Delvoris used drugs for the last time in September 2012. By 2016, she had joined Carrier Clinic as a mental health technician, beginning a whole new path. Delvoris was raised in Newark by parents who'd adopted her at just three months old — but she was haunted by her unknown origins. "It was a hole in my soul," she says. By age 13, the fear of abandonment had landed her in the wrong crowd. After years with them, she developed an addiction to heroin in her late 20s. She was miserable, but felt powerless. "Most days I thought, please, God, let this end," she says. One day, it did. As she sat on the steps of a church, she was approached by the local police, who had a warrant for her arrest. It'd happened before, but this time, she refused to go to her mother to bail her out. This time, she was offered drug court, and she accepted and entered treatment. After years of suffering and struggling, she made the lifesaving decision to get help. Soon after, she would choose to dedicate her life to helping others. In her time with Carrier Clinic, Delvoris has tirelessly pursued certifications that would allow her to impact more and more people who were going through what she had overcome. Finally, in 2023, after progressing through four roles, she was promoted once again. She's now an intensive outpatient counselor coordinator, empowering her to positively affect the recovery community even further. But she's not done. Meeting this goal gave Delvoris a new one: Aiming to become a certified drug and addiction counselor by 2025. Even now, she is hard at work studying and preparing for the certification, a major milestone and accomplishment that once would never have seemed possible. The impossible has never stopped Delvoris. Her dedication, drive and care for others is a beacon for those in recovery, anyone seeking a fulfilling career, and all of us in the Hackensack Meridian family. Thank you, Delvoris.

The momentous Celebrate the Cure event brought together a reunion of our cured sickle cell disease patients and their care teams. We are currently the only healthcare network in the state that offers two types of curative therapies for adults and children with sickle cell disease: bone marrow transplant and gene therapy, both offered by the pediatric blood and marrow transplantation and cellular therapy team at Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital and the stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy team at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. Since 2002, more than 80 patients, most of them pediatric patients, have been cured of sickle cell disease by undergoing stem cell transplant, and most recently gene therapy curative treatments. https://lnkd.in/eH7CvX4S #SickleCellAwarenessMonth #SickleCellMatters #SickleCell

We're proud to offer the cutting edge in care. This Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we're spotlighting two new technologies acquired by the urology team at Hackensack University Medical Center: Revolutionizing the detection of prostate cancers, the Philips DynaCAD is an advanced visualization software which, when used in concert with the team's high-intensity focused ultrasound, provides over 97% diagnostic accuracy — including for lesions and tumors, previously impossible to discern with images alone. A global first in FDA-approved medical modeling is being used by physicians in the creation of lifelike replicas of patient organs. Lazarus 3D allows the team to rehearse and perfect surgical plans and techniques, enhancing safety and outcomes. #prostatecancer #prostatecancerawarenessmonth #urology

Please join us for the 2024 Bayshore Medical Center Foundation Oktoberfest. This year’s event will help support improvements to Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center, including the addition of a state-of-the art interventional radiology suite in Outpatient Services, continued updates in the Breast Center and the renovation of the outpatient laboratory, registration and waiting areas. These departments are critical to diagnose and manage a wide array of medical conditions. Last year, Bayshore had more than 40,000 Outpatient Services encounters, and we expect that number to grow.

Become a part of New Jersey's top health care team! - Explore career opportunities - Meet with hiring leaders - On-the-spot interviews available - Learn about our network, culture and benefits - Interact with our team members #hiring #hiringevent #healthcarejobs