(New Brunswick, NJ) - Olivia “Liv” Nicastro, PhD, ACNP, Director of the Critical Care Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship and Medical ICU APP at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), a RWJBarnabas Health facility, was awarded the 2024 New Jersey State Nurse Practitioner of the Year by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Nicastro accepted the award at the National AANP Conference in Nashville, TN, surrounded by colleagues. The AANP State Award for Outstanding Contribution recognizes individuals who have supported the role of nurse practitioners through practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership.
“Under Olivia’s guidance, the Advanced Practice Provider Critical Care Fellowship program has flourished, setting a benchmark for excellence and innovation in the state,” said Courtney Vose, DNP, MBA, RN, APRN, NEA-BC, FAAN, Chief Nursing Officer, RWJUH. “We are incredibly proud of her achievements and grateful for her contribution to our organization.”
Christopher Gilligan, MD, MBA, SVP and Chief Medical Officer at RWJUH adds, “Olivia’s efforts have significantly enriched the collaboration between nurse practitioners and physicians, fostering a cohesive and effective healthcare team and improved clinical outcomes. We are proud to celebrate her remarkable achievements.”
Nicastro has played a pivotal role in the growth of the APP Critical Care Fellowship at RWJUH, achieving accreditation with distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center —the first of its kind in New Jersey. She has also played a part in the development of comprehensive APP education programs across the RWJBarnabas Health system, including monthly CME opportunities and ultrasound courses. She has recently completed her PhD, where she developed a novel, validated tool to assess APP competence within simulation activities.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) New Brunswick, an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 628-bed academic medical center that is New Jersey’s largest academic medical center through its deep partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. RWJUH is the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a nationally-ranked 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and women’s health. A Level 1 Trauma Center and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.
RWJUH has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Recognition for Nursing Excellence and being named to Newsweek’s 2023 list of Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers. The RWJUH Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center has been recognized by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association as meeting The Joint Commission's standards for Disease-Specific Care Comprehensive Stroke Center Advanced Certification. RWJUH has also earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification for Spine Surgery; The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Bariatric Services; and The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Hip and Knee Replacement services. The Joint Commission also awarded RWJUH a Gold Seal Certification as well as an Advanced Certification in Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation.