Cooper Hospital’s Nurse of the Year, Jamie Sabetta, is a 2010 Neumann graduate.

Walking the floor of the Orthopedics and Neurology Unit at Cooper University Hospital, Nurse Jamie Sabetta follows her usual rounds. The 2010 Neumann alumna loves where she works, not only because of the people with whom she gets to interact but because of a deeper familial legacy.  “My grandmother went to nursing school here,” Jamie says. “Being at Cooper gives me a sense that I know she’s watching over me and is very proud.”

Recently Jamie herself had something to be proud of as she received the Cooper Women’s Board Nurse of the Year Award at the 2014 Nursing Excellence Awards hosted by The Cooper Foundation and Cooper University Health Care.  “I was completely shocked,” she said. “I had been nominated by a fellow co-worker for a Mentorship Award. From there, all award recipients [are reviewed] by a board comprised of staff nurses, board members and administrators.” 

Jamie was chosen from a group of 15 awardees nominated by colleagues for their outstanding contributions to excellence in patient care.

She credits her time at Neumann for giving her the tools to succeed. “Neumann holds students to high standards. We worked hard not only in the classroom but also in the clinicals,” she said. Even with a challenging curriculum, the tight-knit personalized relationships with her professors and peers helped push her to achieve. 

“Neumann is like a family. Everyone knows everyone and I loved that feeling. The professors not only knew your name but truly cared about how you were doing.” She learned that nursing is more than just patient care. It is about emotional as well as physical healing for patients.

To those future nurses who might consider studying the profession at Neumann, Jamie has some words of advice. “Neumann nurses are proud of their school when asked where we went. The curriculum is challenging but very rewarding. Neumann prepares you for the daily challenges you face as a nurse, whether it’s patient care or handling stress. The Franciscan values really make you the best nurse you can be, through compassion and a willingness to never turn your back on someone.”