LVHN Nursing Director Earns National Recognition for Excellence in Leadership and Care

Chantal Branco, BS, MSN, Director, Patient Care Services at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, made local headlines as the first person at Lehigh Valley Health Network to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. Branco is now making national headlines as an American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) 2022 Circle of Excellence award recipient.

Among just 16 nurses honored by AACN, Branco demonstrates an exceptional commitment to achieving excellent outcomes in the care of critically ill patients and their families.

Branco is known to her staff as an inclusive, respectful and passionate leader. During COVID-19 surges, you would find Branco alongside clinical nurses caring for patients in the medical-surgical intensive care unit on days, nights and weekends.

Circle of Excellence Award recipients are evaluated on relentless promotion of patient-driven excellence; strong communication skills; true collaboration; effective decision-making; meaningful recognition of others; ability to transform thinking, structures and processes; and ability to address challenges and remove barriers to excellent patient care and achieve visible results through leadership.

“Chantal is an effective communicator who fosters a team environment and has a vision and plan for the future that includes staff engagement and involvement,” says Katie Didyoung, RN, LVH–Cedar Crest. “She promotes a positive work environment, exhibits LVHN’s core values and genuinely cares about the well-being of her staff.”

LVHN recognizes Nurses Week each year beginning May 6 and ending May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Nightingale is best known as the founder of modern nursing. She was extraordinary – a trailblazer and role model for all nurses who followed her.

Nightingale spent her days and nights caring for her patients. She wandered the wards at night to provide comfort and care to her patients. This action, and her endless compassion, earned her the title of “Lady with the Lamp.” Nightingale surely would be grateful to see her legacy alive and well all these years later at LVHN thanks to nurses and leaders such as Chantal Branco who make a difference in every moment with every patient, every day.