BRYN MAWR, Pa., July 12 /PRNewswire/ — Main Line Health is pleased to announce that Nancy Marie Valentine, RN, PhD, has been named chief nursing officer for the non-profit health system. Dr. Valentine will assume her position effective September 18, 2006.
Dr. Valentine’s career in nursing spans more than 35 years and includes successful positions in clinical nursing, nursing and hospital administration, academics and research, and the development of nursing policy and practice on a national level. Dr. Valentine served as the enterprise-wide chief nursing officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs in the 1990s, and was part of the leadership at the VA Hospitals that implemented extensive quality initiatives now viewed as a national model for patient safety. While at the VA, Dr. Valentine also served as Special Assistant, Health Affairs to the Secretary of the VA and Advisor to the VA Undersecretary for Health.
Dr. Valentine was also instrumental in setting the early groundwork for the VA to meet the standards of the American Nurse Credentialing Center’s Magnet Program, the designation that identifies the finest hospital-based nursing programs in the country. The acute care hospitals of Main Line Health – Lankenau, Bryn Mawr, and Paoli – attained Magnet status last year.
After the VA, she served as the national senior nursing executive for CIGNA Healthcare, headquartered in Hartford, CT, an experience that allowed Dr. Valentine to see healthcare from the payers’ perspective.
“In searching for a chief nursing officer, Main Line Health sought someone with a national profile within the nursing profession, who would bring strong experience in nursing leadership, innovation, research, and education,” said John J. Lynch, III, president and chief executive officer of Main Line Health. “In Nancy Valentine, we have found all these qualities. We are thrilled that she will bring her expertise to our hospitals – and more importantly, to our nurses and patients.”
Dr. Valentine grew up in the Somerton section of Philadelphia and received her nursing degree from the Rutgers University College of Nursing, followed by a Master’s in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard University School of Public Health. She received her doctorate in Economics and Health Policy from Brandeis University in 1991. She has held academic and teaching appointments at leading institutions such as Georgetown University and Catholic University in Washington, DC; Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, MA; Northeastern University in Boston, and Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT. In 2001, she received the Eagle Award for outstanding graduate from George Washington High School in Philadelphia.
Much of Dr. Valentine’s clinical practice and research has focused on psychiatric nursing and issues related to treating nurses and other healthcare practitioners suffering from substance abuse and mental illness. As an administrator, she has focused on issues related to quality, innovative applications of evidenced-based research, and the development of the nursing workforce through education, research, and emphasis on clinical excellence.
“Main Line Health is poised for really taking its excellent nursing to a new level,” Dr. Valentine said. “There are already well-developed leaders here, with strong teams in place. I am very excited to be returning to my roots in the Philadelphia area and look forward to working with a great group of nurses, doctors, and the entire team at Main Line Health. The system’s friendliness, energy and drive for excellence attracted me to this position.”
Dr. Valentine will assume the chief nursing officer position from Barbara Tachovsky, who has held that role in addition to her responsibilities as president of Paoli Hospital. Ms. Tachovsky will focus full time on overseeing the Hospital’s major expansion project. “Through Barbara’s leadership, the nursing program at Main Line Health is as strong as it has ever been, as demonstrated by the Magnet recognition we achieved last year,” said Mr. Lynch. “We are fortunate that Barbara will remain at Paoli to oversee its growth and to collaborate with Dr. Valentine as she transitions into her role here.”
Main Line Health is a non-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs. Founded in 1985, MLH includes Bryn Mawr Hospital, Lankenau Hospital, and Paoli Hospital; Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital; the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research; Main Line Clinical Laboratories; Great Valley Health, physician network; the Wayne Center, a skilled nursing facility; and Mid County Senior Services. The mission of Main Line Health is to provide a comprehensive range of health services, complemented by appropriate educational and research activities, that meets community needs and improves the quality of life in the communities we serve.
Main Line Health is part of Jefferson Health System (JHS), founded in 1996, whose members also include Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Frankford Health System, and Magee Rehab.
Main Line Health
CONTACT: Richard Wells, Vice President, Public Affairs, Main LineHealth, Office: +1-610-526-8310 or Cell: +1-610-842-9025 or [email protected]
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