Jeffrey Pick’s career journey from patient care associate to senior director of triage clinical call center

Jeffrey Pick is not someone who turns down a new challenge. He sees it as an opportunity to grow your skills. It’s this determination and willingness to take his nursing career in new directions that has led to his successful career journey at Northwell Health — beginning as a patient care associate to where he is today, as the senior director of triage at the Clinical Call Center.

Jeff began his career journey at Northwell Health in 2005, when he learned about an opportunity to work as a patient care associate at Glen Cove Hospital. While at Glen Cove Hospital, he received his AAS and BSN nursing degrees through tuition support provided by Northwell. Following, Jeff was offered a registered nurse position by his nursing manager. “I am grateful that as a nursing student I was able to work as a patient care associate, which started my wonderful career,” says Jeff. “Not only does Northwell provide excellent growth opportunities, but they also provide classes, leadership programs and the support to become successful.” Jeff started as a registered nurse on the medical/surgical unit until he transferred to acute rehab in 2013.

In 2014, Jeff started his journey at the Clinical Call Center at Northwell Health as a registered nurse. Jeff’s inspiration to join the call center team came from previous experience. “I used to own a non-clinical call center in my first career before I was a nurse so when I saw the opportunity to work as a clinician in a call center, I was excited.” That’s why Jeff jumped at the opportunity to use his nursing skills in a call center setting. “I am so appreciative that Northwell has so many opportunities in so many different areas so anyone can do what they love.”

Today, Jeff is responsible for the triage team at the Clinical Call Center at Northwell Health. The triage registered nursing team assists patients by evaluating their health over the phone to provide medical guidance and helps find the appropriate immediate medical care. After evaluations, patients may be requested to seek medical attention pending the severity of their ailment.

Jeff oversees a team of managers, supervisors and staff that handle everything from call quality, speed to answer and call outcomes. He is also involved in the growth of new programs and contracts. Jeff shared, “I love being able to instill my ideas to make my department a better place to work for the team which in turn helps the patients we serve.”

Jeff is most proud that the Call Center is accredited as a Center of Excellence for providing outstanding triage services. According to Jeff, “The path to accreditation was a huge undertaking and challenge, but most rewarding when we were successful. This really shows we are meeting and exceeding the standards from the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, demonstrating we are really taking great care of the patients we serve using evidence-based practice.”

When asked what advice he would give anyone looking to take the first step in their career, Jeff replied, “My advice is to be open minded and always keep learning. Take on new challenges and do not let fear hold you back. We all learn as we go so take the leap of faith and believe in yourself. You might fall along the way, but as long as you get up and learn, you will continue to grow in your role and be better off for it.”

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Whether your career journey is just starting out or you’ve begun to take your nursing career in a new direction, Northwell has the resources to support and guide you along the way.  Check out our registered nursing positions across Long Island, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Westchester here.