March of Dimes Nominates Nurse at Preferred for Nurse of the Year Award
The March of Dimes has nominated Francis Chege, RN, Eatontown, N.J., Nurse of the Year. Chege is the clinical supervisor in the Eatontown office of Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), Eatontown, where he assists in the management of nursing and home health aide clients, and supervises the nurses and aides providing their care.
The 12th annual state-wide Nurse of the Year event pays tribute to the nursing profession by recognizing extraordinary nurses throughout the community in 12 categories. The Nurse of the Year Award recognizes and honors those who make a difference in the lives of many people.
The award ceremony will feature a cocktail hour, dinner, and reception on November 15, 2017, beginning at 6:00 p.m., at the Grand Marquis, 1550 U.S. 9, Old Bridge Township, New Jersey. For more information, contact Lisa Gallicchio, director of community relations, at 732-443-8100.
Chege, originally from Kenya, was employed as an electrician there. Unable to obtain a green card, Francis’ wife entered his name in a Kenyan green card lottery…and he won! Shortly after the September 11 attacks, they immigrated to America. When Chege was unable to obtain his electrician’s license, he accepted a position with the ARC of Monmouth, an agency that provides care to the elderly and disabled. The position with ARC sparked Chege’s interest in caring for others.
Over the last 15 years, Chege has worked his way upward in health care, culminating with receiving his RN license in 2015. Shortly thereafter, Chege joined Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services.
Chege has always made it his mission to help others. In 2005, returning to America after a visit to Kenya, Chege met a fellow Kenyan woman in distress. She was coming to the States to visit her acutely ill son and was having difficulty navigating her trip. Chege helped her navigate her entry into this country and arranged transportation so she could visit her child in a Maryland hospital. He also provided the woman with housing. After her child was discharged from the hospital, Chege offered both of them a place to stay with his family in Eatontown until he was able to help them obtain a residence of their own.
In 2007, Chege met another young woman from Kenya who had traveled to the U.S. to speak at the U.N about various hardships in Africa. Although she was 20 years old, she looked much younger because of malnutrition and various illnesses throughout her life. Chege took action. He assisted her in getting proper medical treatment and coordinated her living arrangements. The woman, deeply touched by Chege’s assistance, is now helping others after recently earning her nursing license in New Jersey.
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services: Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry.
Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
New Jersey locations include corporate headquarters, Main Street, Eatontown; South Orange; Robbinsville; Brick; Galloway; Hackensack; North Brunswick; Wyckoff Road, Eatontown; and Mt. Laurel. Pennsylvania locations include Bala Cynwyd, Allentown, and Bensalem. Visit Preferred at PreferredCares.com for more information.