Two Veterans of Nursing Leadership Share Their Expertise with Patient Care Services at Bayhealth
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
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Bayhealth Kent Campus, Bayhealth Sussex Campus
By appointing two veterans of nursing leadership to new roles this fall, Bayhealth demonstrates its continuing commitment to exceptional patient care. Longtime employee Deborah Hines, MSN, RN, PCCN, CNML, was promoted from a senior nurse manager role to senior director of Patient Care Services at Sussex Campus. Anita Witzke, MSN, RN, NE-BC, previously the acting senior director of Patient Care Services at Kent Campus and Centralized Monitoring, was appointed to the senior director role.
Together, they will work to align the campuses as part of Bayhealth’s focus as a high-performing organization, continuing to enhance efficiency — as well as improve the care of patients and the care of team members — to achieve the best outcomes.
“We have the winning combination of two highly skilled, respected, and compassionate nursing leaders heading up patient care at our hospitals,” said Rosemary “Rosi” Wurster, DNP, RN, MPH, NEA-BC, Bayhealth senior vice president patient care services and chief nurse executive.
“I’m confident that Debbie has the experience to support and empower the nurses at Sussex Campus,” added Wurster. “Debbie has proven her expertise over her many years at Bayhealth. She is the essence of nursing and I am excited for the future on the Sussex campus. And I'm grateful for Anita's calm, forward-thinking, and persistent leadership. She served as the interim director of patient care services through some of the toughest times in healthcare and she has humbly shown strength and determination. Anita is creative and innovative — her leadership of our nursing teams is solid and will continue our advancement in nursing excellence."
A 26-year employee at Bayhealth, Deborah “Debbie” Hines, MSN, RN, PCCN, CNML, started as a staff nurse on the Intermediate Care Unit, progressed to charge nurse and most recently was the senior nurse manager of the Progressive Care Unit at Bayhealth’s Kent Campus.
Skilled in critical care nursing, Hines is a progressive care certified nurse and a certified nurse manager and leader. A graduate of Wayne County Community College, Wilmington University, and Wesley College, she is a member of the American Nurses Association, Diamond State Chapter of AACN, Delaware Organization of Nurse Leaders, and Delaware Nurses Association. She was recognized as one of Delaware Today’s Top Nurses in 2021 and nominated for the honor in 2022.
Joining the Bayhealth staff in 2020 as senior nurse manager for 2 North at Kent Campus and Central Monitoring, Anita Witzke, MSN, RN, NE-BC, has also served as senior nurse manager for other departments as needed, including 2 East, ICU, and Neuro ICU at Kent. In addition, she served in leadership roles for Patient Experience. Witzke has more than three decades of healthcare experience, including roles as a nurse manager at Christiana Care, director of operations at University of Maryland Medical System, and director of patient services at Christiana Care, Union Hospital, in addition to other positions at other organizations.
A board-certified nurse executive, Witzke is a graduate of the Union Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland, and the University of Delaware and a member of the Delaware Nurses Association and American Nurses Association. She is the winner of the Cindy Gregory Excellence in Leadership Award from Philips as well as Ernest Amory Codman® Award from The Joint Commission.
Visit Bayhealth.org/Join-Us to learn about career opportunities at Bayhealth.
Together, they will work to align the campuses as part of Bayhealth’s focus as a high-performing organization, continuing to enhance efficiency — as well as improve the care of patients and the care of team members — to achieve the best outcomes.
“We have the winning combination of two highly skilled, respected, and compassionate nursing leaders heading up patient care at our hospitals,” said Rosemary “Rosi” Wurster, DNP, RN, MPH, NEA-BC, Bayhealth senior vice president patient care services and chief nurse executive.
“I’m confident that Debbie has the experience to support and empower the nurses at Sussex Campus,” added Wurster. “Debbie has proven her expertise over her many years at Bayhealth. She is the essence of nursing and I am excited for the future on the Sussex campus. And I'm grateful for Anita's calm, forward-thinking, and persistent leadership. She served as the interim director of patient care services through some of the toughest times in healthcare and she has humbly shown strength and determination. Anita is creative and innovative — her leadership of our nursing teams is solid and will continue our advancement in nursing excellence."
A 26-year employee at Bayhealth, Deborah “Debbie” Hines, MSN, RN, PCCN, CNML, started as a staff nurse on the Intermediate Care Unit, progressed to charge nurse and most recently was the senior nurse manager of the Progressive Care Unit at Bayhealth’s Kent Campus.
Skilled in critical care nursing, Hines is a progressive care certified nurse and a certified nurse manager and leader. A graduate of Wayne County Community College, Wilmington University, and Wesley College, she is a member of the American Nurses Association, Diamond State Chapter of AACN, Delaware Organization of Nurse Leaders, and Delaware Nurses Association. She was recognized as one of Delaware Today’s Top Nurses in 2021 and nominated for the honor in 2022.
Joining the Bayhealth staff in 2020 as senior nurse manager for 2 North at Kent Campus and Central Monitoring, Anita Witzke, MSN, RN, NE-BC, has also served as senior nurse manager for other departments as needed, including 2 East, ICU, and Neuro ICU at Kent. In addition, she served in leadership roles for Patient Experience. Witzke has more than three decades of healthcare experience, including roles as a nurse manager at Christiana Care, director of operations at University of Maryland Medical System, and director of patient services at Christiana Care, Union Hospital, in addition to other positions at other organizations.
A board-certified nurse executive, Witzke is a graduate of the Union Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland, and the University of Delaware and a member of the Delaware Nurses Association and American Nurses Association. She is the winner of the Cindy Gregory Excellence in Leadership Award from Philips as well as Ernest Amory Codman® Award from The Joint Commission.
Visit Bayhealth.org/Join-Us to learn about career opportunities at Bayhealth.