In April, Independence Blue Cross launched a multimedia campaign to celebrate the many nurses in the region working to improve the health and well-being of their patients.

The Celebrate Caring: Nominate a Nurse campaign was inspired by the more than 220 registered nurses who work at Independence.

“At Independence, recognizing our nurses has always been important. Their dedication to assisting our members is inspiring and invaluable,” said Diana Lehman, director of case and condition management at Independence Blue Cross.

“We knew this was a great way to connect with the community around that shared appreciation for all that nurses do,” she said. “The campaign tapped into a shared passion for nurses that really brought people together,” Lehman added.

The campaign invited people in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey to submit stories about nurses who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional care to patients and families. Independence received nearly 700 submissions from more than 180 different health care settings.

From the submissions, Independence chose three nurses to honor during National Nurses Week with multiple prizes that included gift certificates, sports events and concert tickets, and even a pop-up “thank you” event at work.

Independence traveled to an elementary school, a hospital, and a hospice center during Nurses Week to surprise the three winners.

The three winners of the campaign were:
● Anne DeLuca, BSN, RN from Penn Hospice Rittenhouse in Philadelphia, who cares for hospice patients and their families, providing dignity, security and comfort to patients facing end-of life.
● Kathy Einthoven, RN, MS, CRNP from Pocopson Elementary School in West Chester, PA, who takes care of nearly 600 elementary schoolers at the school, handling everyday things like minor cuts and bruises from the playground as well as helping kids learn how to manage chronic conditions on their own.
● Tyler Greenfield, BSN, RN from the Heart Failure Unit at Christiana Care Health System in Newark, DE, who saw his patient’s family struggle to provide the round-the- clock care needed for a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis for more than 10 years. Seeing the physical and emotional impact it was having on the family, Tyler intervened, and the family was later approved for financial aid and regular at-home visits from a nurse.

Independence's Celebrate Caring campaign surprises Anne DeLuca at Penn Hospice Rittenhouse. Photo Courtesy of Independence Blue Cross. 

As part of their award, each nurse chose a non-profit for Independence to make a $1,500 donation to on their behalf. DeLuca donated to Eluna in support of Camp Erin, a bereavement program for children and young adults who have experienced the loss of a loved one; Einthoven donated to the American Heart Association in honor of her father; and Greenfield donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in honor of his patient.

“We have nurses interpreting data to help businesses keep employees healthy. We have nurses working with members and their doctors to help them get the care they need. We even have nurses in auditing,” added Lehman.

Through each of these roles, nurses at Independence have one thing in common — they work everyday to advocate on behalf of their members.

This campaign highlights a very important aspect of our society that often may get glossed over. That is the importance of nurses and the nursing profession, as a whole, which counts more than 19.3 million nurses worldwide.

As someone who has been a nurse for 37 years, 34 of which have been at Independence, Lehman sees firsthand the important role nurses play in people’s lives and in health care, both medically and emotionally.

“Nurses are true patient advocates and will go above and beyond to help someone get what they need,” Lehman iterated. “They do incredible work and are the heart and soul of the healthcare system.”

At Independence, every nurse makes sure to keep members front and center of everything they do.

“We’re honored to help them overcome their healthcare challenges and live healthier lives,” said Lehman.