A sense of purpose What it means to be a nurse Volume 2

Featuring the nurses of Northwell Health

Welcome

Becoming a nurse extends far beyond a career choice; for many, it truly is a calling.

Every day we are reminded of the Truly Compassionate care that sets the nursing staff at Northwell Health apart.

These extraordinary people defi ne what it means to go beyond the call of duty of patient care, providing support for not only physical, but emotional traumas. At a patient’s greatest time of need, our nurses are there to hold a hand, to listen, to Michael J. Dowling understand. They share in the triumphs and tears, the gratitude President and chief and grief. Caring runs through everything they do. It’s who they executive officer are. And it is inspired from deep within the heart of a nurse.

While the nurses featured in the following pages each have their own story, they have a common thread that ties them together. They refl ect a moment — beautiful, tragic, uplifting — that sparked the realization that nursing was what they were meant to do. It is our greatest hope that as you read these stories, you remember your own special moment and carry it with you throughout your career.

Maureen White, RN Senior vice president and chief nurse executive

3 “I’m grateful that I have the peace that God gives me and I can use it to help people.”

4 Renee Gilchrist, RN

CARDIOTHORACIC UNIT • NORTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

orthwell is the rare kind of place that encourages you to pursue your passions. Whether you are interested in getting out into the community, or helping patients at the bedside, you can get involved in what is important to you. I’ve found so many Nopportunities here, and Northwell backs you up and encourage you to follow those dreams.

“One accomplishment I’m very proud of — my designation as Skin Champion — was borne out of concern for our patients. It started with an observation that many of our patients were suffering from pressure ulcers after open-heart surgery. We felt that we weren’t able to help as much as we wanted to. We approached the director of wound care, and she told us, ‘‘‘whatever you want to do, we’ll support it.’ Because of the concern that was expressed, I was able to go forward, working with the patients and various products, and leading my coworkers who I worked with. Most importantly, we were able to help many people by decreasing pressure ulcers on patients’ heels. And that’s just one of the research projects we’ve had.

“Cardiothoracic surgery has evolved over the last 10 years. Patients are older, and they get a lot of anxiety. Compassion is a superpower. If you love people, and you’re there for them, even just to hold their hand, sometimes their blood pressure will go down, their need for more medication goes down. It’s almost like a holistic approach to nursing, and I try to apply this each time I interact with patients.”

5 Teuta Berisha, RN

LABOR AND DELIVERY • LENOX HILL HOSPITAL

hen I was in high school, I volunteered with a program called Visiting the Elderly. I was deeply impacted by being able to provide care to this vulnerable population where they feel most comfortable — at home. That’s when I Wrealized this was my calling. Not long after, I was the first person in my immediate family to graduate from college. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015 and I am currently in the process of pursuing a master’s degree in Nursing Education at Long Island University.

“Part of the nursing education program provided the students with an opportunity to gain clinical exposure in a variety of healthcare settings and nursing specialties. Of all the clinical rotations assigned, I enjoyed my ‘‘time in maternal-child health most of all. As a student, I started working part-time as a nursing assistant in the Labor and Delivery unit at Lenox Hill Hospital. Working in the high-risk obstetric unit solidified my decision to become a labor and delivery nurse. After becoming a licensed registered nurse, I applied to work in the labor and delivery department.

“I love working with the patient population and staff in the high-acuity, fast-paced environment. The story of one particular delivery has stayed with me. After the baby was delivered, the umbilical cord became detached from the placenta and was still inside of the mother. A manual attempt to remove the placenta was unsuccessful, and a retained placenta puts the mother at risk for major blood loss, which could be life-threatening. The patient was brought to the operating room for an emergency surgical procedure — a dilation and curettage (D&C) to rectify the problem. Everyone worked seamlessly together to ensure effective, efficient and safe patient care. It was beautiful! The team performed like a well-orchestrated symphony. Being a part of such a remarkable team is what makes my career most rewarding of all.”

6 “I remember when I realized nursing was my calling.”

7 “Everyone wants to feel like they mattered and to know that someone cared.”

8 Caroline Orlando, RN

HOSPICE INN • HOSPICE CARE NETWORK

cared for a young woman who was dying of ovarian cancer. She was an incredibly positive person despite what she was dealing with. I got to spend time with her, sit with her and talk to her, and the things she said really impacted me. She said she hoped that someone she had met in Iher personal or professional life would remember her, and for something good. It’s a simple statement, but so powerful. We never know what seemingly small interaction can impact another person’s life in a profound way. I think of her often, and I try to use her sentiments in my practice and daily life.

“We had another patient with us for quite a while. Her brother would come stay here with her, and the staff here became their surrogate family. This ‘‘woman had been bedbound for many, many months and couldn’t leave her room. She made a goal to get outside, so the first step was to get her out of bed, and with the help of the aides we got her on a stretcher so she could lay on the patio. This was a huge deal for her. As time went on, we kept building on her progress and it sparked her spirit. With the consent of the medical team, she got to the point where she could stand for a few seconds, and eventually she could be in a wheelchair. She told us that she dreamt of seeing the ocean again, so I told our medical director and he worked with our CEO to arrange transport to the local docks so she could see the bay. I accompanied them that day, and she was so grateful, and her brother expressed what a huge milestone it was for her. She was able to forget her illness and not feel like a patient. The work that we do can be so emotionally difficult sometimes, but one of the really special things about Hospice is that we all work together to make things like this happen.”

9 Doreen Mather, ADN

ADMINISTRATION • GLEN COVE HOSPITAL

’m an Assistant Director of Nursing and recently I’ve been working in a new department in the office of Patient and Customer Experience. Through initiatives and improving processes, we work on enhancing the experience our patients have during their time with us. A few years Iago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and after two years of treatment I knew firsthand how important it is to have a positive patient experience. Working in this department is my way of supporting the wonderful hospital administration and employees who emotionally supported me throughout my own journey.

“I taught my staff that being truly compassionate is important – often in stressful situations we forget a person’s feelings while focusing on the ‘‘emergency. One night while I was supervising, a patient came into the ER in respiratory distress. While she was being treated, I focused on the patient’s emotional needs by providing words of support and encouragement. I checked in on the patient after she had been intubated and spent time with her, holding her hand and talking to her. Once she was stable I saw her family, and it turned out that she was a PCA (Patient Care Associate) that worked at Glen Cove for nearly 30 years! A few weeks later while doing rounds, I ran into her and she hugged me. I’ll never forget — it was a real reflection that every moment does matter.

“I originally became a nurse because my close friend was diagnosed with AIDS my senior year of high school. At the time I wasn’t sure what I was going to major in, but I decided that I would be able to assist my friend if I became a nurse, so I applied to nursing school. I never had the chance because she passed away before I graduated in 1996, but I never regretted my decision. Although I was not able to be her nurse I have been able to help hundreds of others, and I thank her every day for that.”

10 “You never know how one small act of kindness can have a big impact on someone’s life.”

11 “Caring for others is the core of who I am as a human being. A nursing career is not only a joyful privilege, it is a blessing.”

12 Christine Porter, RN, CCRN

NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT • COHEN CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER

hen I was 16, I became homeless, but I knew that I wanted an education. A friend of mine and her mother let me come stay with them and I began volunteering as a candy striper in the med-surg unit of the local hospital, and I realized Wwith a sudden clarity that one day I would become a nurse. From as far back as I can remember, I adored the profession of nursing. My great- grandmother was a nurse, I remember seeing her in her white dress and nursing cap — she was my hero. She loved unconditionally and cared for those in need, and this was who I wanted to be.

“A few years later, as a mother of three young children, I had to leave my husband to live in a domestic violence shelter. This was an incredibly ‘‘difficult time for me, but I realized that I needed to set a good example for my children to follow, and with absolute determination I began the arduous journey of becoming a nurse. I began working as a medical assistant in the faculty OB/GYN practice at Northwell. Encouraged by my family and colleagues, I began taking classes and not only did I pass, but I excelled — I became the president of my class and even went to study abroad in Austria.

“I received my first job in the NICU and fell in love with it. Over the next 20 years, I continued my education and received my BSN and then completed my MSN. Support is essential for growth, and Northwelll fosters this type of encouragement. Looking back at that difficult time when I was starting out as a young single mother, I remember crying and holding my infant daughter while standing in front of Queensborough Community College. It may sound corny, but I said to myself, ‘One day, I am going to graduate with my nursing degree.’ Years later, when I received my Associates Degree I also wept, but it was for a dream becoming a reality.”

13 Susan Knoepffler, CNO

ADMINISTRATION • HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL

fter one and a half years of pre-med, I transferred to nursing. When you go through four years of nursing school they like you to go into a medical-surgical nursing unit to get the basics of time management, prioritization and pharmacology, but AI wasn’t sure if I wanted that. Then my niece was born prematurely at 2lbs 10oz and the care she received at the NICU was phenomenal. I soon discovered that this type of nursing provided the perfect combination of challenges, state-of-the-art technology and a special opportunity to work with the most vulnerable population and their families. I was amazed to see the resilience of those little preemies. I loved it and stayed in that unit for quite a few years.

‘‘“After the NICU I just kept moving, and through the years I took on different positions to round myself out, learning all along the way. I moved on to nurse management and that opened my eyes to the rest of nursing from a supervisory level, and my background working in almost everything, from CCU to Emergency, helped immensely. I realized I wanted to be a CNO to be able to influence nursing care and have an impact on the nurses and the patients, and I couldn’t be happier. This is my favorite job.

“I will tell you one thing: when we hire people, anyone who tells me they went into nursing because of something in their past — their mother, father, or whomever was ill or passed away — I like to hire those people because they are bringing their heart into it. I can teach them almost anything, but I can’t teach them to have that caring and that heart. So if you’re coming into this career for those reasons, you’re in.”

14 “I can teach them almost anything, but I can’t teach them to have that caring and that heart.”

15 “I have a lot of knowledge of pregnancy, so I reach out to these moms and I find out what their concerns are and what kind of support they need.”

16 Francoise Reilly, RN IIIC

MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH • NORTHERN WESTCHESTER HOSPITAL

n my role as an OB Patient Navigator, I am a link with the pregnant patients in the community and the hospital. I focus on the high-risk patients, and if there’s a chance a mother will be delivering prematurely, I reach out ahead of time to give her and her family as much information Ias they need and I arrange a tour of the NICU. This way they can see what a routine course is for a premature baby ahead of time, and they can meet the doctors and ask questions so it’s not a shock when they get here.

“I meet my patients directly from the obstetrician’s offices. One patient had a high risk of premature delivery; she was 26 weeks pregnant with twins and Twin B was not growing well due to poor blood flow through her placenta. Twin B continued not to grow, and at 33 weeks, he did not survive, ‘‘but Twin A was still doing well. This was an usual and difficult situation, and the family decided to deliver both babies closer to term so Twin A would not be premature. I reached out to the couple to provide support. She was torn between grieving the death of Twin B, but at the same time, being happy and excited about having Twin A.

“They were concerned about the delivery and what Twin B would look like. Would they want to see him? They decided to trust the obstetrician’s judgement at the time of delivery. I gave them information on the Maggie Rose Perinatal Bereavement Program, the spiritual support we offer here at the hospital, and some funeral homes that are sensitive to this kind of situation and can help make the necessary arrangements.

“She went into labor and Twin A, a girl, was born perfectly normal and healthy. The mother was also able to hold her son, Twin B, and grieve for him. The mother felt that because of the communication of the entire team, she had found a balance between the joy of birth and the grieving of their boy and she was able to bond with both children. As sad as this whole situation was, I am thankful I could coordinate care with the entire medical team and be supportive in this role. I am very proud of the care we were able to offer to this family.”

17 Katherine Barrett, RN/NP

UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY • CENTER FOR ADVANCED MEDICINE

was forever changed by my experience as an oncology patient. I had a nurse, Ellen, who went far beyond the call of duty to help me. Experiencing exemplary care motivated me to go back to school for Inursing and make a difference in the oncology population. “Patience is the most important thing a nurse can have, because no matter what is going on around us, we have a human being in front of us who may be going through a devastating diagnosis. There are times when we have to stop, tune everything else out and focus on this person in front of us, because if we don’t, they’ll suffer even more. As nurses, we’ve all got work to do, and we can sometimes be rushing around crazily in the daytime. But it really makes a difference to stop and pull up a chair; it can really impact ‘‘a patient’s outcome. Ellen helped me by listening and paying attention, all while completing the tasks that she needed to do for my care.

“I had a patient who was frightened of her diagnosis. She was a professional woman, and throughout her care, people were coming in and out of her room, residents, attending nurses, you name it. One day she stopped me to thank me. She said, ‘You actually took the time to talk to me. You looked in my eyes, you asked me a question and you really looked like you cared.’ I said, ‘I hope I look like I care, that’s why I chose to be a nurse!’

“She wrote me a beautiful letter, and it was so nice to get that. ‘Cause sometimes when you’re so exhausted you can barely make it up the hill to the parking lot, you remember times like this and you know why you’re doing it. I may be tired, but the patient could be going through hell, and they’re in an unknown world, out of their comfort zone, with ten, twenty people walking through their room in a day. So if you just stop and listen, it makes such a significant difference.”

18 “You have to give 100% of yourself on these shifts, no matter what, the whole entire time.”

19 “The greatest recognition for a job well done has come from my patients and their families. A simple ‘thank you’ is all I’ve ever needed.”

20 Kathleen Bakay-Caria, RN

PICP OUTCOMES • QUALITY RISK • STATEN ISLAND UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

had a gentleman under my care for two months. He was old school Italian and he had a very protective daughter — I am still good friends with her today. She and her father were ‘tough customers’ so to speak, with a very gruff exterior. But I understood that this woman was having Ia hard time and was doing her best to care for her father. When a loved one is that ill, everything bothers you because everything is bothering them. I told the rest of the staff, ‘I’ll take care of her, we’re both from Brooklyn.’ At the time I worked nights, and she would stay with him. I did my best to make her comfortable by giving her a blanket when she fell asleep in the chair. I assured her that I would do everything I could for her father, and once she saw I really meant it, we got along really well. On nights she knew ‘‘I was her dad’s nurse she’d say, ‘We are going to go home because we know you are going to take good care of him.’ This was truly an accomplishment.

“When I came to SIUH I took an entry–level position in the medical records department because I wanted to get my foot in the door. Once I did that, I worked in Quality Risk Management, Payer and Professional Services and Patient Care Services while working towards my dream to become a registered nurse. Ever since I was a young girl I wanted to become a nurse, but because of family and work obligations I was not able to get my degree until I was 46. I worked full time and moved towards my dream one class at a time. It took me a little under five years to accomplish it. It was rough at times, but I chipped away a little bit at a time, and before I knew it, I was like, ‘Hey, I’m getting my nursing degree!’”

21 Mary Semelrath, RN, OCN

3 WEST • OUTPATIENT INFUSION • PLAINVIEW HOSPITAL

usually work in the outpatient infusion room, which is for patients undergoing chemotherapy or blood transfusions. Nursing was always something I was interested in, but I married young and started my family. In 1990, after my Dad had gotten seriously ill, I took care of him Iand I realized that I needed to go back to school for nursing. “A few years ago, I started a Cancer Survivors Day at our small community hospital. You’re considered a survivor from the day you’re diagnosed; you’re surviving this disease. The main hospital had a huge event with over a thousand people, but it’s not always easy or convenient for our patients to get there, so we brought it here to 3 West. That way it was much more personal for them, and they can celebrate with their doctors, nurses, ‘‘dieticians — everyone they already know.

“One patient I will never forget was in our care at the end of his life. He was a little old Jewish man, and he would come in each week for his treatment and he was so sweet. He would bring me lunch in a little brown paper bag! He’d say, ‘This is for my Irish nurse.’ In the beginning of March, he would ask, ‘Am I getting my soda bread?’ and I would make him Irish soda bread. There was one Jewish holiday where he brought me in a special bread of his own. It was a very nice relationship. All throughout his illness he spoke with me and the other nurses about his wishes, which was something he had trouble doing with his family. We were able to express his requests to his family, and his passing was peaceful, calm and spiritual, as he had wished.

“Recently a patient I was very close with passed away. For over seven years I helped care for her, and we became very close. She would just call to chat, and she would talk to me about everything. She was elderly and lived alone, and I got into the habit of calling her between her visits. Sometimes a simple phone call to say hello can make a world of difference. When she told me it was time for her to go and that she was ready, I sat with her and held her hand. She taught me that patience and kindness really go a long way. Just take the time and really listen.”

22 “Patients have so much to share with us and teach us, we just need to listen to them.”

23 “Grief is private and individual; there is no one way to grieve or help someone else grieve.”

24 Michelle Pagano, Specialist

OBGYN QUALITY • OBGYN • NORTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

worked in Labor and Delivery for the first half of my career, starting in 1976. Mostly it was a happy place, but a patient came into the unit and when the fetoscope was placed on her abdomen it showed the fetal heart rate was very slow. She was rush to the delivery room for Ian emergency Cesarean while her husband waited in the hall. She was frightened and I held her hand and told her she was safe, and we were working as fast as we could. Unfortunately, there were complications and the pediatricians were unable to revive her baby. When the doctor informed the parents of the outcome, I brought them their baby to hold. This was unheard of at the time — normally the mother wouldn’t be given the opportunity to hold and mourn her baby. ‘‘“The couple kept asking, ‘Why?’ and all I could do was cry and say, ‘I don’t know!’ The physician told me to pull it together, and he answered the couple with things like ‘It was meant to be,’ and, ‘You can have more children.’ This wasn’t an uncommon way of trying to comfort people who had a pregnancy loss. There was no recognizing the parents had undergone a loss and they were going to need time to get over it, and they were never going to forget it. Later, that couple sent me a thank you note for crying with them, holding their hand and being truthful that I didn’t know why this happened to them.

“I worked with another nurse who had a history of pregnancy losses and we published an article in a physician journal, The Female Patient, which was not easy for nurses to do at the time. Our article explained what we believed to be a physician’s role in pregnancy loss and bereavement: to allow the patient to grieve their baby, and not make the pregnancy insignificant. We explained that doctors and nurses were not trained in how to handle these situations, which of course is much different now.

“I learned then to validate someone’s loss and not to feel the need to try and replace it. I have used the lessons I’ve learned on Labor and Delivery in my everyday life. Helping people cope with loss can be uncomfortable, but you should try. It can soothe your soul while easing their pain. I thank God for my experiences with the nurses and patients in Labor and Delivery, we made a difference!”

25 Nancy Bianco, RNC

LABOR AND DELIVERY • LONG ISLAND JEWISH WOMEN’S HOSPITAL

hen I started my nursing career 28 years ago, I was on a medical-surgical unit and had a long-term patient named Jean Claude. His condition had required him to have a tracheostomy, and he was on and off a ventilator Wthroughout his stay with us. We were close in age, and over our time together we talked regularly and formed a special bond.

“About two years later, an experience volunteering as a Lamaze coach for a friend changed my path. Inspired by the experience, I requested a transfer to Labor and Delivery. It usually takes a long time to get an assignment in this department, but circumstances were such that I had an opportunity to start training earlier than I had expected. I still frequently visited Jean ‘‘Claude on my breaks to fill him in on my progress. After two weeks of training at Labor and Delivery, I began to question my decision about transferring. I spoke to Jean Claude about my anxieties and apprehension and he was incredibly supportive. He encouraged me to stay put and realize my dream of helping mothers bring new life into the world.

“When he was discharged, we exchanged addresses and sent Christmas cards to each other every year. A few years later, I received a letter from Jean Claude’s sister saying he had passed away. I am in tears as I write this, because he was such a special person to me and so instrumental to my career when I was a new nurse trying to find my way.

“I am still in Labor and Delivery 26 years later thanks to him. I am blessed to have known Jean Claude, and he will always remain in my heart.”

26 “I love to help people and take care of them. I feel so rewarded as I get involved not only in the physical, but also the emotional and spiritual aspects of their care.”

27 “I’ve learned how important it is to care for my patients as if they were my own family members.”

28 Navjot Hira, RN

TELEMETRY • LONG ISLAND JEWISH WOMEN’S HOSPITAL

ach patient has their own unique way of trying to get comfortable, so if I can make them comfortable I can help them get the care they need, even though they might be reluctant at first. When I was a new nurse I had a patient whose daughter was at her Ebedside 24/7. The daughter was very kind and involved in her mother’s care and took the initiative to thank the staff for their time and effort. The mother was uncooperative and frustrated a lot of the time, but the daughter remained calm and never lost her cool. She knew her mom inside and out, so she knew exactly what to say to her and she did everything she could to make her environment the way it needed to be to get her to take her medications and cooperate for wound care dressing changes. ‘‘This showed me how far patience and understanding can extend when you take the time to show compassion through your words and actions.

“I’m Indian, and a lot of my Indian patients feel a cultural connection with me because I speak their language. So if I have a patient that can communicate with me but they can’t communicate with other people because they don’t speak the same language, I usually have a different type of relationship with them. These patients can tell me in detail how they are feeling. Their family members also feel more comfortable if they know I’ll be there for the next 12 hours to care for their loved one because they don’t have to stay by the bedside the entire time to translate. I’m glad that an aspect of my own personal identity can help my patients and their families.”

29 Patricia Biazzo, RN

OPHTHALMOLOGY • SYOSSET

he unit I work on is a wonderful, busy ophthalmology OR. We care for a lot of pediatric patients. Some of them come into the OR often so we really get to know them very well. We have a special bond with these children as they become part of our Tophthalmology family. “A lot of these kids are born with different genetic syndromes and they have so many obstacles — the threat of losing their eyesight is a very real and scary part of their lives. It’s so impressive how these children have to deal with so much at such a young age, and yet they are so strong and full of life. Children take things so much better than adults; they don’t whine ‘‘about anything. “One little boy that comes to mind started coming to our OR on a regular basis. He was only about a year old, so he couldn’t have an examination without being put under anesthesia. He had many challenges and it was quite traumatic for him. However, through tender loving care, each time became easier for him and his parents. He would come in about every six months for almost 14 years. He never wanted to get into the bed, he would walk around like the mayor of the unit. He was so cute, and his parents were very nice people and everybody bonded — he became a part of the unit. Now he’s older and he’s doing well so we don’t really see him anymore, but his mother keeps in touch, every holiday she sends a beautiful card. Her words confirmed to me that what I do every day really has a huge impact on the lives of others.

“These children are truly an inspiration. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of their lives and it is so rewarding to see them progress. This is what nursing is really all about: caring for others and helping to maintain the highest quality of life for all!”

30 “I do believe every patient, every day, changes me in some way.”

31 “We do our best to be cheerleaders for our patients when we can.”

32 Ruth Ruvivar, RN

SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT • LONG ISLAND JEWISH MEDICAL CENTER

come from a family of nurses ­— my mom and sister are nurses, but I gravitated towards a career in something more creative or artistic. But as I was going through college I made up my mind to become a nurse Ibecause it coincided with what my values were. “I studied Reiki and found it very helpful with my own ability to relax. I had a patient close to my age who had been in our unit for several months, and she was very depressed. We got to know each other and she asked if I could help her by giving her Reiki. I was still new to practicing this therapy but I tried it out with her one day and she had a positive experience and asked for it again another day. It made me think differently about what holistic treatments and complementary therapies can do for people. These patients ‘‘are in an ICU and are bombarded with machines, but sometimes it’s a simple therapeutic touch that helps patients feel that someone who cares is there for them.

“My coworkers and I all help empower each other, both day and night shifts. We let each other know if there’s something a patient needs that one of us can offer, because we all have the same goal of giving each patient the utmost care. Whether it’s something huge like a transfusion emergency or something as small as taking the time to clean a patient’s nails, we work together to accomplish it.”

33 Samantha Undari-Schwartz, RN

PALLIATIVE CARE • SOUTHSIDE HOSPITAL

‘ve been a nurse practitioner for five years, and a nurse for 24 years. I’ve always had a passion for helping elderly people, even as a child. When I was five years old, there was a little old man who used to pass by my house, and every day I would wait for him at the front door and walk Ihim to the corner. “Geriatrics are a population that’s growing, and I feel that there’s not enough people that respect them. Just the fact that they’ve lived their entire lives and put their time in makes me feel that they deserve more respect. I chose this career because I wanted to make a positive change in their care, to recognize and help manage their delirium and pain. I conducted research at Southside about pain management and delirium in ‘‘the geriatric population, and my work has been published, and I continue to speak at conferences and educate staff on a national level.

“Three years ago, my father was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and I was in total denial — I found myself calling Sloan Kettering, looking for treatment options. Meanwhile I work in Palliative Care, and had been seeing people whose family members were dying and witnessed their denial. While I felt compassion for these people, I didn’t truly understand what empathy was until I had gone through the same thing with my father. He passed away at Southside on our service, which was very difficult. The first day I came back to work, my first patient was a woman with Stage 4 lung cancer. Her daughter was at the bedside, in denial of the diagnosis. I felt that was God’s way of saying to me, ‘This is what you are meant to do: help people through this journey.’ To help the patients with the management of their pain, their symptoms, but also help the families, because it’s so difficult having a loved one in hospice. Now I understand from my own experience how difficult it is, and it made me better at what I do.”

34 “I tell patients’ families, ‘I’m not speaking off a script, I didn’t learn this from a book. I do this from my heart, because I’ve been there.’”

35 “I know the importance of focusing on patient-centered goals during the patient’s overall recovery.”

36 Sheila Davies, NP

FOLLOW YOUR HEART • HEALTH SOLUTIONS

hen I was 16, I had to be hospitalized and was cared for by amazing nurses who showed their compassion to me and my parents. When my family couldn’t be by my side, the nurses would take extra time out of their busy schedule Wto sit with me and keep me company. What truly stuck with me was how everyone worked as a team and stayed positive even though I knew the hospital was not a happy place to be for most people.

“As a nurse practitioner and care navigator with Health Solutions, I help with transitional care: we go to patients’ homes or rehab facilities and follow them in the community for usually about 30 days or more. We medically manage them, we change their medications as needed, and we ‘‘assess them and keep them very well-connected to their care teams. If you think about it, if a patient has a major surgical procedure, it can be difficult to get to their doctor appointments, so we come to them.

“I had a patient in her late 80s who fell at home and broke her hip and wrist the week before her granddaughter’s wedding. She was a wonderful lady and she was very close with her granddaughter — she lived with her — so this was obviously very upsetting to them. I spoke with her and she said her number one priority after her surgery was going to her granddaughter’s wedding. So, we all got together and said, ‘She is going to go to that wedding!’ I obtained surgeon approval to get her a day pass so she could attend the ceremony. It was great to be able to provide awesome care to her and achieve her goal of seeing her granddaughter get married. We have a picture of her in the ambulette with her mink coat and a cast on her arm. I have that picture on my work computer, because when I see that photo I am reminded of why I do what I do. She looked beautiful and was able to be there for an important moment!”

37 Theresa Goldsmith, RN

RHEUMATOLOGY • HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL

hen I was little I dreamed about being a teacher, but my aunt passed away from cancer at the age of 42. Our family was shocked and devastated, and I began to think about becoming a nurse. When it was time for me to go Wto college and choose my future career path, I was torn between teaching and nursing. My mother said something that I haven’t forgotten ­— she pointed out that nurses are often teachers, and as a nurse I could fulfill both passions.

“I find myself teaching often: teaching patients about their medication, which infusion sites to use and which to avoid, how to manage their doses, when to call the doctor, or just about their disease in general. I also teach ‘‘them how to explain their disease to others, because their family and friends may not see them as sick on the outside, but it’s very important for them to understand what’s happening.

“I had a patient with chronic joint disease and her husband was battling recurrent cancer. She always arrived early for her appointments, making sure she stayed on top of everything she had to do to manage her own health because she wanted to be the best she could be so she could go home and take care of her husband. She was a beautiful soul, always friendly and appreciative. It’s safe to say she touched the lives of everyone I work with and she is someone we still look forward to seeing every time she comes in. This woman taught me how difficult, yet beautiful, life can be.”

38 “I love being part of a team that helps these patients, whether it’s with their infusions, speaking with them, or simply holding their hand. And then to watch them come back in again and again and get better, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

39 “The best of my work is when I’m spending time with fellow nurses and imparting any kind of knowledge that I can. It’s so satisfying and fulfilling.”

40 Launette Woolforde, RN, EdD, DNP

VICE PRESIDENT • SYSTEM NURSING EDUCATION

‘ve always wanted to be a nurse, I’ve never entertained another career. My family is from the West Indies and in the Caribbean nursing is a very prestigious profession. After high school I went straight into nursing Ischool and I never looked back. “I’ve been a nurse for 25 years, and I’ve been exclusively in nursing education for most of that. I really ventured into nursing education because when I worked as a staff nurse I would precept student and newly hired nurses and found that I really enjoyed teaching. Eventually I decided education was something I really want to get into.

“It’s really my life’s work and my daily joy to see the successes of the nurses ‘‘I help. I recently had a meeting in Manhattan, and when I walked in, the nurse sitting at the desk said ‘You might not remember me, but I was in an orientation where you were the nurse educator.’ She showed me her badge and I remembered her! It’s those things that really keep me going, I’m so happy to see that I’ve been able to have a positive impact on other nurses. I see it in the way they care for patients and families every day, and in how they’ve chosen to advance their expertise to be better care providers.

“To be a good nurse, it takes an extraordinary amount of compassion. It takes an understanding that a patient may be going through one of the most difficult times in their life. You have to have a never-ending supply of compassion, and I think that we get that through our coworkers. Nurses strengthen other nurses to help refill that bucket.”

41 Andrew Peana, NP

NEUROLOGY • STATEN ISLAND HOSPITAL

s a young man, I spent a lot of time in the hospital. My mother was ill, and I would sit with her, doing my homework in her hospital room. I saw first-hand the impact good nursing had on her health, and I knew I was made to be a nurse. As a boy, Abecoming a nurse didn’t seem like a common path, but as I got older I saw there were more male nurses. I was a lifeguard as a teen, then I became an EMT before finally becoming a nurse.

“Today, I’m the nurse practitioner for the stroke service here in Neurology at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH). My work involves the application of a pretty amazing technology — TeleStroke. With this technology, doctors are able to evaluate strokes even if they’re not in the building. For example, ‘‘if a patient in the emergency department is showing signs of a stroke in the middle of the night, we can use the TeleStroke machine to connect them to the neurologist in minutes. The machine is equipped with a camera, so the doctor can perform the exam from home and make recommendations about medication. It can be lifesaving. I recognized the learning curve for this new equipment and arranged teaching sessions for 120 of the nurses in the ER. This training brought an improvement in performance, which ultimately helps the patients. It was gratifying work.

“Ultimately, it always comes down to making the patients comfortable. At another point in my career, when I was a nurse in the Cardiology Unit, I had a patient who didn’t speak any English — she was visiting from China for her daughter’s wedding. She had been brought into the unit with acute chest pain and had undergone a cardiac catheterization and stent placement. Sadly, she was unable to attend the wedding. But I coordinated with her family members to Skype into the wedding with a tablet so she could watch her husband give away their daughter! There she was, with tears in her eyes, bawling at seeing her daughter getting married, and the rest of the staff and I were watching, holding back tears ourselves. We didn’t speak the same language, but we were all on the same page. This wasn’t a medical intervention, but it was something I will never forget.”

42 “I saw male nurses taking care of my mother and I thought, ‘I could do that.’”

“Everyone wants to feel like they mattered and to know that someone cared.”

43 “Nursing becomes a lifelong commitment to which we are willingly and unselfishly dedicated.”

44 Jean Zagorski, RN-BC, CRN

INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY • HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL

believe my role as a nurse began in my early childhood. As a child, I would not hesitate to reach into sticky spider webs to rescue poor bugs from certain death. I can also remember those days fixing a ‘boo-boo’ on my favorite baby doll by using every Band Aid in the house. My Icompassion and empathy was evident then, and it still is today. “To me, the role of the nurse is one that is 24/7, it’s more than a ‘job’ or paycheck. Nurses become nurses to satisfy an inner calling; it takes a special individual to be a nurse. It’s not for everyone, as some realize after experiencing their first clinical rotation. Those who remain realize this is what they want to do, and passionately set forth to do the job. ‘‘“I love to speak to my patients and hear their stories, especially the elderly — I’ve had patients that survived the Holocaust and had the tattooed numbers on their wrist. It’s just so nice for them to be able to have a conversation with somebody during a procedure, so to me that’s extra special, and it takes their mind off what’s going on. That way the doctor can do what they need to do, and before you know it they’re done.

“Nursing doesn’t stop upon exiting the hospital after shift completion. Instead, it follows us home, lives with us, even goes on vacation with us. The knowledge nurses possess, combined with the ability to use it is invaluable throughout our lifetimes. We utilize these God-given talents outside the workplace, as well as within. It is my job to stop at an auto accident instead of slowing down and staring from afar like so many do. It was my job to administer CPR to a collapsed store clerk while on vacation in San Francisco. Why do I do this? Because I am a nurse. A driving force from deep within me makes me care and want to help those in need despite the risk, much like rescuing those flailing bugs caught in the web from years ago.”

45 Kathleen Regan, CCRN

SPECIAL CARE • SYOSSET

arly on in my career, I was a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Schneider Children’s Hospital (now Cohen Children’s Medical Center). I had a 4-year-old patient who had undergone surgery for a non-malignant brain tumor. This little girl was with us for about 3 Eweeks and she was extremely irritable and difficult to comfort — her cries could break your heart. My colleagues and I discovered that sitting with her in a rocking chair and holding her helped calm her better than any pain medication she received. Her father was a limousine driver and would visit early in the morning and he frequently found me rocking his daughter on my lap while I finished my charting for the night.

“I was engaged to be married that year and he said, ‘Let me do your wedding!’ and offered his limo services. On my wedding day, when he came ‘‘to pick me up, I was brought to tears when he opened the door and my former patient was sitting in the front seat with a bouquet of flowers! I will never forget the look of love that little girl gave me. I have been happily married for 32 years and I still remember that limousine ride and that special little girl.”

46 “I knew that all the heartache of my profession could never overtake the joy that I received by knowing that I truly made a difference in someone’s life.”

47 “As soon as I knew right from wrong, I had this idea that everyone’s purpose is to help others, and therefore it became mine.”

48 Jessica Phelan, RN

HOME CARE • LONG ISLAND JEWISH MEDICAL CENTER

hope I make a positive impact on all my patients. Recently, I had a patient that was struggling with several psychosocial issues. This gentleman was a veteran, and I was able to bring some light into his home by simply asking him about his service to our country. He Ismiled and showed me his Purple Heart! I was amazed. Sometimes by just taking the time to really listen to our patients we can bring some joy into their lives.

“I also received a card from a former patient thanking me for helping her during a time that she felt extremely fearful. She had a wound and was afraid it wouldn’t heal properly and she said I helped ease her mind. I’m so ‘‘glad I was able to be there for her. “Going above entails a lot of different things — I try to relate to my patients and build a rapport with them, so they feel comfortable sharing what’s bothering them, and I can help.”

49 Nancy Delassalle, RN

CLINICAL IMPACT SPECIALIST • LONG ISLAND JEWISH MEDICAL CENTER

like to think that I’ve had a pretty memorable career as a nurse. Having spent the last three decades at LIJ Medical Center, I’ve been part of many exciting and novel things that have come through the nursing and Imedical world. “Recently, I was given the opportunity to help the relief efforts in Houston, Texas during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. I was part of a small contingent of medical professionals sent to MD Anderson to assist the staff that had been working tirelessly over the days and nights following Harvey’s devastation.

“Before arriving, I had my concerns, just as any other nurse would. How would I best care for patients who have not only undergone tremendous ‘‘stress from disease and illness but have also become displaced, or may have even lost their homes and loved ones? These worries were quickly abated the moment I went to the bedside and did what I normally do — care for people in their time of need and at their most vulnerable. The core values of innovation, compassion, ambition, team work and uniqueness were highlighted and reinforced during my short time there.

“There was one patient that remains in my thoughts. He was a pastor from a local Baptist church that had spent a considerable amount of time at MD Anderson. He was very outgoing and friendly. Noticing my accent, the first thing he asked was, ‘Where does your delightful accent come from?’ When I divulged I was from New York, he said my accent sounded familiar since his mother was from Buffalo. From that point on, we clicked. He and his wife taught me some Texan colloquialisms over our time together, so when I was leaving I smiled, put my new vocabulary to use, and said, ‘I’m fixin’ to go back to New York. I’ve really enjoyed knowing you, bless your little hearts!’”

50 “There is one language in the profession of nursing that will always carry me through any situation — that language is caring.”

51 “I became a nurse because I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives by offering my service to them.”

52 Thessamarie Vesagas-Lindon, RN

GERIATRIC • ZUCKER HILLSIDE HOSPITAL

had a patient who was a 79-year-old man who had tried to take his own life. When he was admitted to our unit he was depressed and was causing a lot of stress to himself and his family. He kept to himself and didn’t want to see his family, but I sat with him whenever I got a chance. II listened to his concerns and he opened up to me. I learned he was a priest, and since I am Catholic, we had a connection and bonded over our spiritual beliefs. Sitting with him, listening to him and allowing him to express himself helped him realize that he still had a great life head of him, and that he had a family who loved him and cared about him.

“As the days went by, I was able to squeeze out a smile from him. He started to communicate with his family, respond to treatment, and he was ‘‘discharged from the unit. I won’t forget what he told me. He said, ‘You see me, not as a patient, but as a human being who has feelings. Thank you for taking the time to sit with me and make me smile, even though you are busy.’”

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Editor: Brian Mulligan Designed and Produced by Onward Publishing, Inc. Port Jefferson, NY, 11777 (631) 757-8300