Close Up Radio Spotlights Nurse Darlene Cunha

Bridgewater, MA - Darlene A. Cunha, MMHC, BSN, RN, CENP, ACHE has been a practicing nurse for more than 40 years. She has held nursing and operational roles across multiple specialties, including critical care, emergency services, women and children services, clinical education, care management, quality and surgical services, and physician practices. In addition, she has held two adjunct professor roles at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has served in executive leadership positions for the past 20 years for large health care systems.

More recently, she was the Vice President of Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer at Mercy Medical Center (MMC) in Springfield, MA, which is part of Trinity Health of New England. In this role she was responsible for leading all aspects of nursing administration across the Medical Center, Family Life Center, Behavioral Health Hospital and the Rehabilitation Hospital. Her accomplishments there included the development of two innovation units during the COVID-19 pandemic, achieved high scores for quality by attaining and sustaining a Leapfrog Grade A, attained a 3 Star CMS rating for quality and patient safety , improved patient experience and employee satisfaction, had successful Joint Commission and Rehabilitation Hospital Surveys, and led the hospital’s work to become a certified Bariatric Center of Excellence. She was also responsible for developing shared governance, clinical ladders for advancement, and affording staff nurses the opportunity to serve on hospital and nursing committees.

“This is such an exciting time to be in healthcare, and my goal is to leave an indelible mark not only on the profession, but with every opportunity I have to positively influence others.”