92.7 WOBM is taking time out to honor the hard-working nurses of Ocean County during Nurses Appreciation Week Monday, May 5 through Friday, May 9.

Read about some of the featured nurses from Kimball Medical Center Then, join Shawn & Sue as they bring WOBM's Ocean County Breakfast Show to a different hospital each day.

Susan Gregory | Kerrie Longo|Lisa Marchlewski| Maryann McCauley |Tracy Seda

Susan Gregory
Staff Nurse, Short Term Care Unit

As a psychiatric nurse on Kimball’s Short Term Care Unit for the past 11 years, Susan Gregory, RN, is passionate about caring for her patients; she sees it as more of a privilege than a job. “I’m afforded the opportunity to help turn lives around every day,” she says, “and that’s truly gratifying.” That opportunity provides Susan with a huge sense of satisfaction as she cares for patients in the 40-bed acute inpatient unit located in the Behavioral Health Center on Route 9, just south of Kimball Medical Center.

Once a devoted pediatric nurse, Susan says her venture into psychiatric nursing was purely a twist of fate. “I really enjoyed pediatrics and got involved in psychiatric nursing really by accident,” she says, “but it has since become my passion.”
A former resident of Jersey City, Susan attended nursing school at the Saint Francis School of Nursing in her hometown, graduating in 1976. She took a job in pediatrics at Jersey City Medical Center where she remained for ten years. The Pediatric Unit was located just above the Psychiatric Unit, and on one fateful day an emergency meeting of the Psych staff had Susan and several of her colleagues from Pediatrics covering the Unit during the meeting.


“ Several of the patients came up and started talking with me and I was simply drawn to them and knew I had found my niche,” she says. As a psychiatric nurse at Kimball Medical Center since 1997, Susan says each day brings new challenges that require her to be medically on her toes – something that seems to come naturally to this two-time Kimball Medical Center “Nurse of the Year’ recipient.

Susan is a fervent advocate for her patients as they battle mental illness and behavioral health issues. She’s a confident, skillful, team player who knows staying one step ahead of her patients is vital to success. It’s a specialty where creative thinking and independent judgement are critical. Susan’s exceptional clinical skills, her ability to make quick assessments and her willingness to intervene on behalf of her patients make her an invaluable advocate for her patients and asset to the team.
In addition to interacting with her patients on a genuine and meaningful level, Susan enjoys working with their families and with agencies in the community – believing that the impact of mental health is a societal concern that goes beyond each individual patient. She remembers when mental health care had a ‘snakepit mentality’ and has worked hard to remove the stigma for people seeking help – saying mental illness and behavioral health concerns can and do affect anyone and everyone. “We all push the envelope in this society,” she says, “fortunately for most people, that envelope doesn’t get opened.” For those who are impacted by mental health or substance abuse, Susan is ready to help. 

Susan, now a resident of Toms River, is married. She and her husband have two grown children, a son 25, and a daughter 21. She’s passionate about politics and reading, and plans to volunteer in the near future to further literacy efforts for youth in the community.

“I love working with the team at Kimball Medical Center. We work together for the good of our patients. Helping our patients, making a difference in their lives is really satisfying. I get letters from patients after they’re discharged, ” she says, “or I run into them in town, and they’re happy and doing well. I believe if you can save one life, you can save the world.”

Kerrie Longo, RN
Staff Nurse, KMC ICU/CCU

Kerrie Longo, RN, has been part of the Kimball Medical Center nursing family for 14 years. She began her career in the hospital’s Nurse Extern program in 1994 and was subsequently hired as a Nursing Assistant, a job she held while pursuing her nursing diploma at the Ann May School of Nursing in Neptune.

Since then, Kerrie has worked in various departments throughout the medical center including 5West, the Emergency Department, Oncology and Telemetry units. She found her true calling, however, seven years ago when she began working as a critical care nurse in the ICU/CCU.

Kerrie thrives on the challenge that critical care nursing presents. It’s a dynamic environment where lives are always in the balance. It is Kerrie’s exceptional clinical skill, combined with her caring nature, that enables her to make a positive difference in the lives of her patients every day. This intelligent, devoted nurse provides comprehensive one-on-one care to her patients, she advocates on their behalf, and takes time to help and support their family’s cope during times of crisis – all with grace, poise and genuine warmth. A self-described ‘helper’, Kerrie looks for ways to assist others and strives to fix what others are not able to mend.

Recognizing that being a great nurse also requires keeping up on the latest information and technologies, Kerrie is heading back to school in pursuit of her Bachelor’s degree, and hopes to eventually secure her Master’s degree as well.
For Kerrie, one of the most satisfying aspects of being a nurse is the close personal bond she’s able to develop with her patients. She enjoys being able to provide the intensive level of care and treatment patients in the ICU/CCU need. Watching her patients get well and leave the hospital with their families – and knowing she helped make it happen – is truly rewarding. The genuine care and concern that Kerrie has for her patients is evident in everything she does, and makes her an exceptional nurse.
“Anyone can work in nursing. But to be a good nurse – to be a great nurse – you have a good and caring heart. Nursing is not an easy job, but I absolutely love it.”

Born at Kimball Medical Center – known then as Paul Kimball Hospital – Kerrie grew up in Howell. She currently lives in Jackson with her husband and two children - a daughter, 8, and son, 6. An avid Yankee fan, Kerrie enjoys baseball, softball and spending time with her immediate and extended family.

Lisa Marchlewski
Staff Nurse 2W

The best part of being a nurse for Lisa Marchlewski  – a staff nurse on Unit 2W – is the fulfillment she feels when she sees a smile on her patient’s face or on the faces of their family members. “It’s the satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve really helped someone. That’s when I know that I’ve made a difference,” she says.
Working on a general medical and surgical floor, Lisa cares for patients of all ages, but particularly enjoys working with the older patient population. “The older patients on our floor tend to be more vulnerable. I try to let them know that I’m here, available and ready to help them, from their smallest need to their largest medical concern, so that they’re able to relax and focus on healing,” she says.  

A former resident of Lakewood, Lisa began ‘working’ at Kimball Medical Center while she was still in high school as a volunteer in 1986. She went on to become a Nurses Aid at Kimball in 1988, and then attended Ocean County Vocational School for her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) degree. She worked at Kimball for the next 16 years and then in 2004, Lisa went to Ocean County College – as part of the hospital’s nursing scholarship program – and earned her Associates degree in Nursing. She has worked at Kimball Medical Center as a Registered Nurse ever since.

With a strong commitment to her patients and to her profession, Lisa’s dedication to helping others makes her an exceptional nurse. For this caring, dedicated professional, nursing is a journey – a path of continuous improvement not only for herself, but for her colleagues as well. She’s always looking to learn new things, pursuing continuing educational opportunities and working to keep clinical skills honed. She is a role model on the unit for her colleagues and a Preceptor for new graduates and nurse externs, sharing her professional knowledge and hands on expertise.

A team player, Lisa actively participates on nursing committees at Kimball Medical in an effort to enhance patient satisfaction as well as patient care, safety and nursing practice. She finds immense satisfaction as part of positive change, working to develop policies and procedures that enhance health care while improving nursing practice. “It’s exciting to be part of change, for the good of patients and staff at Kimball,” she says.

Lisa recently gained an even deeper appreciation for her coworkers and the nursing profession, when, after undergoing surgery, she recuperated as a patient on her own floor. “It was the first time I’ve ever had surgery or been in the hospital. It made me realize what it’s like to be a patient. It was a real eye opener to be on the opposite side of the bed,” she notes.

While Lisa says it was a difficult and frightening experience – having her coworkers look after her made all the difference. “They took exceptional care of me and that made me really appreciate all that they do.” Lisa says the experience has deepened her empathetic nature and her resolve to help the patients and family members in her care.

A resident of Manchester, Lisa and her husband have two children; a daughter, 11, and son, 15. She enjoys spending time with her family and supporting them in their many activities.  She loves to read and also enjoys gardening around her home.

Maryann McCauley
Staff Nurse 4H

Maryann McCauley’s path to nursing has taken a long and circuitous route – but it’s one she’s never regretted. Her journey began at the age of 18, when, intent on becoming a nurse, she enrolled in the nursing program at Seton Hall University in South Orange. Overwhelmed by the responsibility, and with a case of “cold feet”, she shifted her focus to a career in nutrition and transferred to the College of Saint Elizabeth in Convent Station. . She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, completed a one-year internship in the US Public Health Service at the Hospital on Staten Island, and remained there as a Registered Dietician for the next nine years.

Maryann married and moved to Ocean County, where she happily raised four children. Her only regret was not fully pursuing a career in nursing. So, this stay-at-home mom by day became an Ocean County College nursing student by night! She earned her Associates degree in Nursing in December 1986, and began working at Kimball Medical Center in January 1987 – and she’s never been happier!

This compassionate and giving nurse loves delivering hands-on patient care; she says her favorite part of nursing is the relationships she’s able to establish with her patients. She loves being part of a small community hospital environment, where staff members like her genuinely care about the patients they are assigned to – and about each other. She says it’s the support – both emotional and physical – of the people she works with that enable her to do her job and do it well.

Maryann has worked in a variety of specialty areas throughout Kimball Medical Center, but found her home on Unit 4H, a Telemetry and Inpatient Chemotherapy Unit. Caring for patients with cardiac concerns, Maryann is attentive to detail and confident in her abilities as she monitors her patients. She’s keen to their concerns, and works to reduce their anxiety and ensure that her patients feel safe and secure under her watchful command. 

Certified to administer chemotherapy, Maryann delivers this inpatient cancer care with warmth, skill and the utmost compassion. She strives to deliver excellence every day, and always to be the best nurse that she can be.

Maryann and her husband currently live in Toms River. The couple has four grown children and a grandson, age 5. In addition to spending time with her grandson, Maryann loves to walk at the beach. She’s an avid Yankee fan, loves Broadway shows and traveling to Ireland – it’s a journey she’s taken four times and highly recommends!

Tracy Seda, RN
Staff Nurse Pediatrics

Being a pediatric nurse takes patience, stamina, creativity – and quite often a sense of humor! Tracy Seda, RN, has been a pediatric nurse at Kimball Medical Center for the past 17 years. She finds that being a parent of two girls – ages 12 and 16 – helps her understand the needs of both her patients and their parents at Kimball’s 17-bed Pediatric Unit. It’s that empathy – combined with her caring, compassionate nature and exceptional clinical skills – that makes Tracy Seda an extraordinary nurse! 

A 1990 graduate of Ocean County College with an Associates degree in Nursing, this Jackson resident is also certified in advanced pediatric life support, neonatal resuscitation, IV and venipuncture. Whether she’s providing care to a newborn baby with respiratory problems or looking after a six-foot tall adolescent whose leg has been broken in a soccer match, Tracy demonstrates the skill, competency and compassion it takes to understand each patient’s particular need.

“I love taking care of patients, helping to make them well again and seeing them go home after recovery. It’s a great feeling knowing you were a part of that recovery process!” Tracy always puts the needs of her patients first. When procedures might be potentially painful or frightening, Tracy makes sure to include parents for added comfort and support. A separate treatment room for procedures, awarding stickers and certificates for bravery coupled with her warm and friendly style, all help to enhance recovery, instill confidence and ensure that children feel safe and secure at all times.

“We really try make this an environment that’s comfortable for children and their parents,” she says. A playroom, game closet, video game system and in room movies help children pass the time, while parents are encouraged to stay overnight if they wish with a bed or recliner on which to sleep and complimentary meals. It all helps make the recovery process a child, family friendly experience.
A patient advocate and teacher, Tracy enjoys working with her patient’s families on the unit, providing education, support and health care counseling to enhance their care giving skills at home. She also helps to educate the staff, as a preceptor on the Pediatric unit. She shares the technical skills and clinical knowledge she’s gained throughout her 17 years with new graduate nurses, helping them develop their nursing skills.

She’s a confident, competent nursing professional, and a role model for both her colleagues, and for the children in her care. She’s a problem solver, adept at critical thinking and has an ability to work well under pressure.

While she says Pediatrics is her true passion, Tracy is also cross trained to work in the hospital’s Mother-Infant Pavilion, where she says she also loves caring for newborns in the nursery and new mothers on Postpartum. She’s part of a pilot program to incorporate child and maternal health services under one umbrella program.

She states, “I love working at Kimball Medical Center, because they’re always looking to improve the care and service that we’re able to provide – and that’s really what it’s all about. The Administration is very caring and works together with the staff to accommodate individual family needs. My coworkers are caring and friendly, and we work really well together. We’re like a family, which is why I’m here for so many years!”