Mountainside Medical Center celebrates highly reliable heroes

Photo Courtesy of Mountainside Medical Center
Team members from the labor and delivery team at Mountainside Medical Center and hospital leadership attend the award ceremony.

MONTCLAIR / GLEN RIDGE, NJ — Mountainside Medical Center’s Highly Reliable Hero Award was created to celebrate local heroes, specifically the person or department that goes out of their way to do extraordinary things for patients, family members and fellow teammates. 

This year, the hospital, located in Glen Ridge and Montclair, has recognized members from its labor and delivery team with this award. The team, which comprises nurses Naomi Sebastien, Sheila Magarino, Tiffany Chavez, Anya Jones and Gabriella Hocta, and doctors Jonathan Mintzer and Fares Diarbakerli, jumped into quick action when faced with the impending delivery of a very preterm infant in the middle of the night. When the baby, which had been gestating for just 23 weeks, could barely wait for delivery upon mom’s arrival to the facility, this team was at the ready. Without hesitation and with almost telepathic communication, they leaped into action and seamlessly delivered and stabilized the baby while other team members prepared for transport. Their collaborative efforts and calm critical thinking saved this baby’s life.