HAGERSTOWN, MD – Brook Lane, Western Maryland’s largest non-profit mental health provider is excited to announce that its Chief Nursing Officer, Karen Forsyth, has been named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s newly published 2024 edition of CNOs to Know.
Tasked with addressing nurse staffing shortages, managing budgets, and fostering growth opportunities for emerging nurses, these nursing leaders play a crucial role in shaping the future of nursing.
Beyond leading nursing departments, CNOs drive innovative initiatives that uphold high patient care standards. Their roles demand a unique blend of clinical expertise and executive leadership. This list honors CNOs for their commitment to optimizing healthcare. Becker’s Healthcare is delighted to feature these accomplished leaders, who are crucial to the successes of their respective organizations.
“Over the course of her tenure with Brook Lane, Karen has served in many capacities as a nurse and nurse manager, ultimately achieving the role of Chief Nursing Officer,” says Jeffery D. O’Neal, Brook Lane CEO. Her steadfast leadership has guided the way for successful expansions of several services and programs, most recently the opening of a 7-bed child & adolescent high acuity residential crisis unit. Her knowledge, experience and focus on compassionate care has directly influenced and supported patient safety, patient rights and the growth and well-being of the staff and organization overall,” says O’Neal.
The Becker’s Hospital Review editorial team accepted nominations for this list and curated it to highlight the accomplishments of these leaders. The full list features individual profiles of all CNOs and can be read here.
Note: Leaders do not pay and cannot pay for inclusion on this list. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of the leaders or organizations mentioned. We extend a special thank you to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order.
About Brook Lane:
Brook Lane, an affiliate of Meritus Health, is western Maryland’s largest, non-profit mental health system. The main campus in Hagerstown, MD is home to the second largest psychiatric hospital in Maryland, serving children, adolescents, and adults. Brook Lane also provides a residential program for children and adolescents; partial hospitalization services for both adults and children and operates Type 1 & 3 special education programs in Washington County and a Type 1 program in Frederick County. Brook Lane’s three outpatient locations in Hagerstown, Frederick and Cumberland offer psychiatry services and therapy for all ages. The InSTEP program provides outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment options for individuals with substance use treatment needs. For more information, visit www.brooklane.org.
About Meritus Health:
Meritus Health, Western Maryland’s largest health care provider, is located at the crossroads of Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The mission of Meritus Health is to improve the health of the region by providing the best healthcare, health services and medical education. As an anchor organization for the community, Meritus has nearly 4,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 residents of the tristate region through Meritus Medical Center, Brook Lane Health Services, Meritus Medical Group, Meritus Home Health, Meritus Equipped for Life, and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com
About Becker’s Healthcare:
Becker’s Healthcare is the go-to source for healthcare decision-makers and one of the fastest growing media platforms in the industry. Through print, digital and live event platforms, Becker’s Healthcare equips healthcare leaders with information and forums they need to learn, exchange ideas and further conversations about the most critical issues in American healthcare today.
