Passionate and hardworking, Jacqueline Ruth Johnson has dedicated her life to bettering the lives of others. She started her career as a staff nurse at Beth Israel Medical Center in 1970, and quickly garnered a reputation for excellence, particularly in psychiatry and psychology. This led her to advance rapidly through the institution, moving through roles like charge nurse, assistant head nurse, clinic nurse, alcohol outpatient coordinator, and alcohol rehabilitation nurse. Ms. Johnson then decided to step out on her own, using everything she learned to open a private practice. There, she focused on working with recovering alcoholics and their families. One of the things that enabled her to last for 14 years in this capacity was the fact that she didn’t immediately assume she had all the answers; she kept an open mind while interacting with patients so that she could gain a full understanding of what they were going through. During this time, Ms. Johnson also began accruing experience as an HIV coordinator and MMTP intake nurse. She closed her practice in 2000 so that she could focus on her new position as an HIV specialist at DeKalb Correctional Decatur. She rejoined Mt. Sinai Beth Israel in 2015 as a case manager, and has held the title ever since.
To prepare for her endeavors, Ms. Johnson earned certification as a registered nurse through the BIH School of Nursing in 1970, a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Marymount Manhattan College in 1986, a Master of Divinity from the New York Theological Seminary in 1997, and a Master of Science in nursing from Loyola University in 2015. She also became certified as a mind and body specialist, as well as in HIV training in the state of Georgia, Gestalt therapy, and addition nursing. She further connected with her professional community by affiliating with prominent organizations like the National Nurses Society on Addiction and the Honor Society of Nursing.
When Ms. Johnson isn’t working, she enjoys sewing, reading, theater, and writing. Notably, she was a contributing author to the award-winning book, “The Write Treatment Anthology, Vol. 1,” which was released in 2011.