RWJBarnabas Health’s chief nursing officer wins Force for Change Award

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Nancy E. Holecek, RWJBarnabas Health senior vice president for patient care services and chief nursing officer, has received the 2021 Force for Change Award for Nursing and Patient Care from Leading Women Entrepreneurs. The Force for Change Awards honor New Jersey’s most innovative leaders of the next decade. The Force for Change platform in 2021 recognized those individuals who, through heroic efforts, made a significant and positive impact upon the lives of others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nancy has devoted her career to enhancing health care quality, education and professionalism and advancing the profession of nursing,” said Dr. John F. Bonamo, executive vice president and chief medical and quality officer at RWJBarnabas Health. “Her innovative models of nursing care have been recognized within the nursing profession and serve as an example for other health care systems.”

Holecek began her career at Saint Barnabas Medical Center as a registered nurse in critical care. In 1997, following several nursing leadership positions, with increasing responsibility, she assumed the CNO role, responsible for all nursing and related patient care services for the Barnabas Health system. She led the system’s nursing initiatives in strategic planning, fiscal decisions, patient satisfaction, care coordination and quality. Her responsibilities grew to include the northern region effective 2016 when Barnabas Health and Robert Wood Johnson Health System joined to become RWJBarnabas Health. Her current responsibilities encompass the entire RWJBarnabas Health system.

Holecek’s support for the staff has led to her high credibility with nurses throughout the system who know her to be fair, especially when it comes to tough decision-making, according to a press release. She is a leader who follows through until a resolution is achieved. She has contributed to nursing competency throughout New Jersey by envisioning programs that instill responsibility and leadership. In addition, she has promoted the value of education for nurses as it relates to patient care and experience, and utilizes the resources available to her to the fullest to achieve these goals.

“These honorees are amazing role models, representative of the increasing impact diverse leaders are making in the world of business,” said Linda Wellbrock, LWE and FFC founder. “We are excited to celebrate men, women and companies who, despite challenges, excel in innovation and advocacy and have helped to make New Jersey strong.”

The award winners will be honored virtually on Nov. 8.

  Health Care, RWJBarnabas Health