Spring is in the air, and so are allergies! Our Hackensack Meridian Urgent Care and HMH 24/7 virtual care teams are here to meet you across New Jersey or wherever you are to offer allergy relief. Get the care you need, when you need it.
#allergies #virtualcare #allergycheck #allergyproblems
Hackensack Meridian Health is committed to addressing the recovery gap among Adolescent and Young Adults (AYAs) with cancer - and we’d like to thank Teen Cancer America and First Citizens Bank for helping to expand our AYA program at Hackensack University Medical Center.
Their generous donation, which totals nearly $380,000 over three years, will allow HUMC to expand its AYA program, which bridges the health care gap in cancer patients between 15 and 39 who might otherwise be left behind. We are honored to be the first health care provider in New Jersey to partner with Teen Cancer America, and we’re thrilled to #BeTheDifference when it comes to helping our young patients statewide.
Read more about the partnership at our link in bio.
#HMHNewjersey #AYACancer
In New Jersey and across the country, emergency room visits for tick bites are higher than usual. The last time there were more ER stops for these disease-carrying insects was 2017.
We asked our experts what you need to know about ticks, and how you can stay safe in this particularly dangerous spring and summer season.
#tick #tickbites #tickseason #NJhealth #tickprevention #summersafety
“From a young age, I saw my sister go through about a dozen surgeries and procedures over the course of two years. I saw the impact that surgeons can have on a patient and their families. Growing up, I knew I wanted to be a surgeon that helps people like those who helped my sister.”
Nick’s pathway to medicine began early in life. When he was 10 years old, his younger sister Madeline was born with a rare condition called Pierre Robin Sequence. He recalls going with his parents to doctor’s appointments as the surgeons explained procedures on pen and paper in digestible ways so that a ten year old could understand. Feeling this impact inspired him to become a surgeon.
As an undergraduate, Nick was exposed to the world of proactive health and medicine. He was an EMT on the university’s EMS squad when COVID shut down the campus. He credits this time of learning from the leadership perspective and seeing the impact on his community as a defining moment of his career.
This same community pillar is one of the most fulfilling parts of being a student at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. “Being able to work at one of the hospitals that serves the area I grew up in was definitely really meaningful for me.”
His passion for surgery grew during his 4 years in medical school, starting in his first year spring break where he spent his time off shadowing kidney transplants in the OR. The most memorable moment for Nick was when he realized he was scrubbing into a surgery with one of his sister’s surgeons. Having recognized the name Dr. Keith Kuenzler, Nick quickly called his mom to confirm this was one of Madeline’s surgeons and felt a full circle moment.
“I knew my intentions for going into medical school and that I had said that I always wanted to be a surgeon just like those who had helped her. To be able to work with one of those surgeons and see firsthand how great he was technically but then how compassionate he was…seeing it now from the other side was a pretty surreal experience,” he says.
Nick celebrated Match Day in March and will go on to be a general surgery resident at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. #PeopleofHMH
When Andie first reached the age for regular colonoscopies, she thought nothing of it. As a patient care technician in the pediatric emergency department at Hackensack University Medical Center, she takes her health seriously.
Per her primary care doctor's advice, she scheduled the appointment — and then her friends weighed in.
"It was so scary!" she says, laughing. Like her friends, she found the prep process intimidating. The procedure itself was nothing compared to the lead up, and she was relieved when everything came back normal.
"I thought, 'I don't need to do it again,'" she says. But her primary care doctor disagreed, and so did her gut feeling.
"I know it's important, that it's the only way you can find out if you might have colorectal cancer. But knowing the preparation, I had the fear again of taking it."
Getting the preparation over with helped, in more ways than one. "On the day of the procedure, everyone was amazing. I had it done at Hackensack," Andie says.
Her gastroenterologist, Dr. Anila Kumar, soothed her anxiety, as did her entire care team. "The nurses, the clerks, the anesthesiologists — everyone said it was going to be okay. They were all sweet."
Andie woke up after "the best sleep ever" to her nurses telling her everything went well and giving her something to eat. Then Dr. Kumar came in and explained they had found a tiny polyp, which would be sent for a biopsy.
When she got the call with the results, they were what she had feared: malignant. But because the polyp was removed during the colonoscopy, Andie was cancer free.
After a whirlwind journey, Andie has two takeaways.
The first is her incredible team, her colleagues. "From 1-10 they’re 10," she says. "It’s a wonderful experience to know you’re being taken care of, just like we take care of the children in the pediatric ER."
And the second: For all her fears, she now promotes colonoscopies to everyone. "Health is above everything, the top priority. It’s for your own good, and for your family. If you’re sick, your family will be affected. I told my siblings and my in-laws, I said, don’t hesitate. People are afraid of it, but the fear of cancer is worse." #PeopleofHMH
#ad The new Hackensack Meridian Health & Wellness Center at Metropark is officially open and it’s such a game changer for health care in New Jersey @hmhnewjersey
If you’ve been here for a minute, you know I’ve trusted Hackensack Meridian Health for years. I had my fibroid surgery with them, so getting invited to the grand opening of the Metropark location feels very full circle for me.
What makes this location so different is how accessible it is - it’s right at Metropark Station, which means you can literally get here by train. It makes health care way more convenient for commuters and anyone without easy access to a car. I took NJ transit here and it was so easy.
This is a true one-stop shop for health care - primary care, specialty care, everything in one place - so you’re not running around to different appointments.
The space is brand new, super clean, and actually feels warm and welcoming and everyone I met was so friendly, which makes such a difference.
If you’re looking for health care in New Jersey that’s easy to access, modern, and efficient, this is definitely somewhere to check out. See my link in bio to learn more about the Metropark Services!
These opinions are my own and do not represent those of HMH.
#newjersey #njhealthcare #metropark #iselinnj
Getting a cancer risk assessment for the first time? Don’t worry, our friends @hmhnewjersey have got you covered with 4 easy and simple steps!
#HackensackMeridianHealth_Ad
This Mother's Day, Curlean may have received the best gift of all.
Last year, her celebrations were dimmed by the reality of her new life on dialysis, a grueling treatment with a tough schedule.
All of that changed one month ago, when her daughter, Chanda, gave her the ultimate gift: a new kidney.
For 25 years, Curlean has dealt with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease. After losing the function of one kidney and facing the decline of the second, she began dialysis — at first, seven days a week. It took a toll, not only physically, but mentally. A planned trip with friends was canceled, and a family vacation to Disney World was complicated with transporting equipment.
She began to worry about her ability to witness future milestones. "I just wanted to see my 7 year old granddaughter graduate from middle school," Curlean says.
A consult with the transplant team at Hackensack University Medical Center changed everything. The family was told about the benefits, with kidneys typically lasting longer and functioning better.
As Curlean told the team she had no one to ask, Chanda — an EMT who regularly transports dialysis patients and sees the struggles firsthand — had already made a life-altering decision.
"Sometimes you have to be the parent and tell your parents what's best for them," Chanda says. Curlean was adamant she would never ask, concerned for her daughter's future well-being.
"Living donation is a transformative act of generosity that can dramatically shorten the agonizing wait for a life-saving organ," says Dr. Michael J. Goldstein, Curlean's surgeon and director of organ transplantation at Hackensack. "It offers recipients a new lease on life with improved outcomes."
Chanda's selfless act was completed through an innovative robotic assisted procedure by Dr. Alexandra J. Erhardt. "It is a privilege to be part of a team that facilitates such a profound gift between family members," the transplant surgeon says.
It was a powerful full circle moment, with both mother and daughter having been born in the very hospital where one changed the other's life.
Today, the family plans to celebrate health, family and the "unselfish being" that is Chanda.
It's a nurse takeover! To celebrate #NursesWeek, we asked our nurses to share their photos and their stories, send their support to each other and above all, to celebrate. Swipe to see some of the faces that bring incredible care to our community, each and every day. This week and throughout the year, we are so grateful for these incredible individuals!
When most days are winding down, Corinne's is just beginning. This year, she celebrated 20 years on the night shift in Jersey Shore University Medical Center's NICU.
She didn't set out to work the night shift, or even as a nurse. After graduating with a degree in biology, she considered becoming a nurse practitioner — but nursing school changed her mind.
“I ended up loving the bedside and never wanted to pursue anything further,” she says.
She is also passionate about working with babies and children, and a NICU externship made her choice clear.
Working with the smallest patients makes for a major impact.
“Everything you do is critical to their further development,” she says. “Every touch you do, every bit of care you provide, you're helping develop that person.”
Corinne is honored to be part of these early memories, and to support families during what can be a scary time. She loves witnessing the special moment when parents are able to hold their baby for the first time and is proud to hear them express how they feel safe leaving their newborns in her care overnight.
When she began her career, she had to start out on night shift — and she loved it, never moving to days. Now, she's a mentor for fellow team members on nights, sharing best practices, clinical expertise and policy information, as well as career growth.
Corinne has certification in the NICU and asa lactation consultant, and has reached the highest level in the Registered Nurse-Clinical Advancement Program Clinical Ladder Program, is a member of NICU professional organizations Academy of Neonatal Nursing and National Association of Neonatal Nurses and heads the NICU Journal Club at JSUMC with another team member.
With all of that in mind, it's no surprise that she was recognized with a We "C" You Night Owl Award this year.
“I was really excited to win the Night Owl Award because I really am such a proponent of working night shift,” she says.
We are so fortunate to have incredible nurses like Corinne caring for our patients around the clock. Thank you, and happy Nurses Week! #PeopleofHMH
Christina, a registered nurse at Southern Ocean Medical Center, was driving down Route 9 when she noticed a car driving erratically. She kept a close eye on it, and when it ultimately crashed, she sprang into action. Without a moment's hesitation, she called 911 and rushed to the vehicle.
Upon reaching the car, she found that it was smoking and the driver, an elderly woman with a trach, was bleeding profusely from the head.
Christina's nursing instincts took over. She safely assisted the injured woman out of the car and provided crucial, immediate care until first responders arrived on the scene.
Her quick thinking and bravery in a critical moment are a testament to her character and her nursing abilities. Her compassion extends beyond the hospital, where she is a highly valued member of the Hackensack Meridian Health family, into our community. We are so proud of and grateful for consistent and committed care providers like Christina. Thank you, and happy #NursesWeek! #PeopleofHMH
