Susan Cooke, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, of Mullica Hill, N.J., has joined Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice as director of hospice for the Marlton-based not-for-profit organization.

In this newly created position, Cooke oversees in-home and community-based hospice-care operations, which feature a range of services for patients and families near the end of life. Samaritan’s hospice services also include inpatient care in Mt. Holly and a planned hospice center in Voorhees; those operations will remain under the leadership of Chief Operating Officer Marjorie Ivins, MSN, BSN, RN.

“The need for hospice care is growing dramatically as our population ages, and as medical advances enable people to live longer with serious illnesses,” says Ivins. “Susan’s support will help Samaritan address this rising need across South Jersey. We’re thrilled to have her as part of our clinical management team.”

Prior to joining Samaritan, Cooke worked for Kennedy University Hospital in Turnersville, where she served in three successive roles since 2007. Her most recent position was elder care collaborative program coordinator, in which she worked with various departments to ensure high-quality services for older patients. Before Kennedy, Cooke worked at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, where she held several clinical nursing and management roles during her 24-year tenure.

A member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the Organization of Nurse Executives, she has received several awards for the quality of her work, and has served on numerous quality-improvement committees.

In addition, Cooke is one of 30 finalists in the Mid-Atlantic region for this year’s prestigious GEM Award by Nurse.com. Cooke, who is competing in the “Excellence in Community Care” category, is recognized in part for helping to establish Samaritan’s preferred-provider relationship with Kennedy Health’s three acute-care hospitals. This partnership has enhanced palliative care and led to better outcomes for older Kennedy patients. The region’s GEM Award winners will be announced on Sept. 23 in Philadelphia.

Cooke received her master’s degree in nursing at Drexel University in 2013, and her bachelor of science degree in nursing at the University of Delaware. She is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as an advanced nursing executive (NEA-BC).

About Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian, independent organization accredited by The Joint Commission, a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), and NHPCO’s We Honor Veterans program, created in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Samaritan is the regional leader for hospice care, palliative (comfort) medicine, grief support and counseling, and end-of-life education and advocacy. Samaritan serves people in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer counties who are coping with the stresses of aging, serious illness or grief. For more information, visit www.SamaritanNJ.org.