Walbridge Named to Acute Care and Emergency Services Leadership Post at UM Shore Regional Health

Diane Walbridge, MSN, RN, NEA-BC

Diane Walbridge, of Easton, has been named director of Acute Care and Emergency Services for University of Maryland Shore Medical Centers at Dorchester and Easton and University of Maryland Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown, according to an announcement by Ruth Ann Jones, senior vice president, Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer of UM Shore Regional Health. A 40-year member of the nursing team at UM Shore Regional Health, Walbridge had served in this position in an interim capacity since February 2016 while also serving as director of Clinical and Financial Nursing Resources.

Walbridge began her nursing career in maternity and in 1989, moved into the role of nurse manager for the Perinatal Unit and was instrumental in the design and opening of the Birthing Center in 1996. She became a nursing director in 1998.

Among her many accomplishments, Walbridge directed the obstetrical unit transition in the Easton hospital into an LDRP (labor-delivery-recovery-postpartum) environment and has coordinated nursing’s participation in the National Database for Nursing Quality Indicators. She also led a subgroup of the Throughput Committee to reduce the number of holds in the hospital emergency departments and developed a Regional Staffing Office planto integrate staffing functions across UM Shore Regional Health’s hospitals in Chestertown, Dorchester and Easton.

In announcing Walbridge’s appointment, Jones stated, “Diane’s continued leadership in her new role in Nursing Administration will help us to achieve our mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together, and our vision to be the Region’s Leader in Patient Centered Health Care.”