Catholic Health East: Latest News

Catholic Health World Honors Three CHE Nurses During National Nurses Week

May 15, 2007

Agnes Berger, RN

In honor of National Nurses Week, and in recognition of the contributions of nurses to the Catholic health care ministry, the May 15th edition of Catholic Health World profiled twenty "exceptional" nurses who have given so much of themselves to their patients and communities.

Three Catholic Health East nurses—Agnes Berger, RN, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, Camden, NJ; Kassie Grey, RN, St. Francis Hospital, Wilmington, DE; and Maxine Kamlowski, RN, Mercy Medical Center, Springfield, MA—were among the nurses recognized by this publication, a weekly national newsletter published by the Catholic Health Association.

Agnes Berger was the first operating room nurse hired by Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center when it opened on July 1, 1950. Nearly 57 years later, she is still working in the Lourdes OR! "I felt at home in this Catholic hospital because the mission of the sisters was my philosophy of life," Berger told Catholic Health World. "It made it easier and comfortable to handle challenges."

Working in the special care nursery at St. Francis Hospital, Kassie Grey cares for families in need, many of whom do not speak English. A nurse for 26 years, Grey took Spanish courses so she could better communicate with patients. She also introduced a device that holds air tubing in place, improving the comfort of newborns on ventilators.

Kassie Grey, RN, holding infant

Maxine Kamlowski, a nurse for 40 years, has devoted half of her professional career to providing care for homeless men at Mercy Medical Center, part of Sisters of Providence Health System. Most patients cared for by the hospital's Health Care for the Homeless ministry suffer from mental illness and/or addiction disorders.

"Agnes Berger, Kassie Grey and Maxine Kamlowski are outstanding representatives of the thousands of skilled, compassionate women and men who commit themselves to the healing ministry of nursing throughout Catholic Health East," said Bob Stanek, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Health East. "We're so very proud of the deserved national recognition that these three nurses have received, and we are blessed to work side by side with them and so many other dedicated nurses to be transforming, healing presences in the communities we serve."

Profiles of these three CHE nurses and the other nurses recognized by Catholic Health World can be found at the Catholic Health World website.

Maxine Kamlowski, RN, at left with patient

Catholic Health East is a multi-institutional Catholic health system, which is co-sponsored by 12 religious congregations and Hope Ministries, a Public Juridic Person within Catholic Health East. Based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, the system provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and operational strength of the Sponsors' health ministries, which are located within 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida.

The System includes acute care hospitals, free-standing and hospital-based skilled nursing facilities, residential facilities, free-standing behavioral health and rehabilitation facilities, and numerous ambulatory and community based health services. Catholic Health East facilities employ approximately 43,000 full time employees as partners in ministry.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .