Black History Month: My role in helping reignite humanism

At Northwell, we stand united together, celebrating our differences and respecting them. February is Black History Month, and we sat down with Helen White, manager, community relations, Long Island Jewish Valley Stream and Ralph Thomas, project manager, administration, clinical transformation, Northwell Health to learn about their background, journey to becoming a leader, who inspires them and the importance of reigniting humanism through inclusion, dignity and respect.

What is your ethnic background and family origin?

RALPH: I am Haitian American. Both of my parents were born in Haiti and I was born in Brooklyn, NY. My family moved here to seek better economic opportunities.

HELEN: I am an African American woman whose parents proudly originated from Harlem, NY and Pittsburgh, PA.

When did you know that you wanted to be a healthcare leader?

RALPH: I always had an interest in helping others as a child. Growing up in Flatbush, Brooklyn I personally experienced the challenges of accessing health care and the negative effects it had on the community as a whole. In high school, I decided one day that I would become a change agent in the healthcare industry. I began my journey in research and community health and eventually became an administrator.

HELEN: I have always been an outgoing and passionate person with the desire to organize and lead. While I did not plan on a career in health care, I grew to see how my values and my desire to help build bridges throughout our communities could be a powerful force in providing education and access to care to those who need it. 

What’s the best part of your job?

RALPH: The best part is collaborating with clinical leaders, front line staff and administrative personnel to overcome barriers and find solutions in clinical transformation and organizational-wide projects. The outcome of our work has an impact on our patients, team members and the communities we serve. I am enthusiastic to be a co-chair for Northwell’s Bridges Business Employee Resource Group (BERG) representing African American and Caribbean employees. Being a BERG leader has allowed me to work in partnership with senior leadership on how to enhance recruitment and retention of culturally diverse talent and increase community outreach.

HELEN: The most rewarding aspect of my current position is how it enables me to partner with other community organizations and provide outreach projects for the underserved.

What thoughts and emotions does Black History Month evoke for you?

RALPH: Black History Month shares our history and contributions to the world with a wider audience. Similar to the Adinkra symbol Sankofa, Black History Month expresses the importance of reaching back to wisdom gained in the past and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress. During this time and every day, I think of celebrating our rich past, present and work toward a better future.

HELEN: When I hear the term Black History Month, I fondly think of my childhood years. Every Saturday morning, the neighborhood children attended a Black History Reading Circle, hosted by a trailblazing woman in our community. We learned about black history on a weekly basis throughout the year and I can vividly remember the impact those sessions had on me to this day.

Is there a leader from history that inspires you? What about a figure from today?

RALPH: Nelson Mandela. He set an example of dedication, courage, and sacrifice for all. Also Angela Rye, an influential politico, lawyer, and advocate that has an unwavering commitment to ensuring positive change in the political process.

HELEN: I have always been inspired by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His strength and stamina to follow his dream while facing constant adversity and life threatening challenges made him larger than life in my eyes. He exemplified what a true leader should be by teaching all of us about inclusion, dignity and respect. Most recently, I have been inspired by former President Barack Obama. I admire how throughout his public life he faced many challenges, but was able to maintain a respectful and dignified character.

Why, more than ever, do we need to reignite humanism through inclusion, dignity and respect?

RALPH: As humans, we are all capable of doing good to create a better society. While embracing our uniqueness, we have the opportunity to change the narrative on inclusion. Our patients and team members all have distinctive stories, challenges and successes in life that can benefit one another. Embracing our uniqueness, relying on each other, and creating new narratives will evolve our organization and surrounding communities.

HELEN: There are many issues dividing people today, all of which make it essential for healthcare providers to incorporate humanism in their care plan. All people need to feel respected, valued and cared for. I believe a purpose-driven life is a life of service and therefore, what better industry is there than health care to fulfill that purpose.

We’re growing! Explore the new additions we’re making at LIJ Forest Hills Hospital!

Exciting things are happening inside LIJ Forest Hills Hospital! We have brought several major programmatic expansion and facility modernization projects to our community and the patients we serve over the last couple of years. This means more career opportunities in a wide variety of clinical and non-clinical areas. Check back often for the latest openings.

Here are some of our newest developments:

Breast Health and Mammography Program

Our brand new revolutionary mammography program led by Dr. Daniel Settle, board-certified radiologist, and mammographer, provides quality breast imaging to our community. Designed with our partners in Northwell Health’s Imaging Service Line, we’re working Truly Together from referral to mammography reading (completed by board-certified radiologists, fellowship trained in mammography) with additional procedures including Ultrasound and/or MRI if necessary. Our mammography suite is equipped with state-of-the-art mammography equipment and our entire program will soon be accredited by the American College of Radiology. Our director of breast surgery, Dr. Susan Lee, is available for immediate consultation and/or surgery, should that be recommended.

New Life Center (Labor & Delivery, NICU, Post-Partum Unit)

Our already Baby-Friendly designated hospital has recently undergone a total renovation. We’ve built a brand new post-partum unit, creating an amazing environment for patients and families, and renovated our well-baby nursery and Level 2 neonatal intensive care unit.

Telehealth and telestroke programs

Telestroke is a telemedicine technology that utilizes a computer screen and video camera to allow our board-certified, fellowship trained stroke neurologists to quickly evaluate patients presenting with stroke symptoms, even though those stroke neurologists may not be on-site. Through this technology, patients, families, and our health care teams in the Emergency Department can speak to Northwell Health specialists via the computer screen/camera, who can readily evaluate a patient with stroke symptoms to determine the best course of care. This is just one part of our continuous goal to renovate our Emergency Department to be on the forefront of medical advancements.

Meditation Center

In 2019, LIJFH opened its non-denominational meditation center with the input and help of chaplains from our community. This quiet space in the hospital provides an area for staff, visitors, and patients to reflect. This meditation center will also offer services from different community-based spiritual leaders who dedicate their time at the hospital.

If you’d like to part of this kind of exciting growth, explore openings at LIJ Forest Hills Hospital.

MEETH the team at Manhattan Eye, Ear, & Throat Hospital revolutionizing perioperative ambulatory care

Throughout 2018, Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital (MEETH) worked hard to increase the efficiency and quality of care in our ambulatory OR in New York City.

As part of this effort, MEETH had the exciting addition of robotic surgery in November, making us the first Northwell Health ambulatory center to perform robotic surgery. The program launched with Robotic Assisted Hernia Repair and Robotic Assisted Cholecystectomy cases to great success. The addition of robotic cases within MEETH empowers our team to deliver state of the art and highest quality care to our patients.

By allowing surgeons greater precision, dexterity, control, and visualization, robotics have proven to contribute to less post-operative pain and discomfort, minimal scarring and improved patient recover times. The OR team here at MEETH is very excited and proud to be able to offer this great service to our patients!

The OR Team at MEETH has also started doing ambulatory Total Shoulder Replacement Cases. We’ve also increased our ENT, GU, General Surgery, and GYN case volume to help better serve patients. This increase in volume has come along with a steady increase of our on time start times for the first cases of the day – with a 10% improvement over 2017.

Our collaborative care council has been revitalized to help improve our work environment with collaborative feedback from our team. Employees also participated in the MEETH Career Day Panel which helped introduce high school students to different healthcare opportunities and help excite them about joining the industry.

Not to mention, there’s always something to celebrate! One of our surgical technicians presented in-service focusing on the history of surgical technologists and the proud moments from MEETH during Surgical Technologist Week. In celebration of Perioperative Nurses Week, MEETH hosted our very own fashion show in which the staff created designs from unused OR supplies. During the holiday season, we hosted an International Holiday Breakfast/Lunch during which our team could bring in and share their traditional food to celebrate our diverse heritages.

Check out the photos below!

Are you Made for delivering exceptional care from an ambulatory location? Join our team at MEETH!

Northwell Ventures Presents: Neteera makes checking vital signs easier for patients and professionals

As a known industry leader and innovator, Northwell Ventures is always looking for unique and noteworthy ways to deliver better healthcare to our patients while making care easier for our staff. The most recent example of that kind of innovative thinking can be found in our latest collaboration with Neteera Technologies.

Neteera is a startup looking to revolutionize the way we obtain vital signs. Specifically, Neteera has pioneered a new sensing technology, a chip based on high-resolution, high-frequency radar which enable a previously unimaginable understanding of our environment in a reliable, efficient and safe manner. Think of it as a connection between the analog and digital ecosystems. This exciting technology has even been road tested in driverless cars and to aide NASA Astronauts.

The chip can be used almost anywhere and can be placed in a patient’s chair or bed to monitor their vital signs wirelessly without any sensors touching the body. This allows for consistent, reliable monitoring of patients so nurses won’t have to check on them as often. Even more exciting, patients won’t know that they are having their vital signs checked, so they can get more sleep which is an essential element in their healing process. This technology is currently being tested in a Northwell Health sleep study to prove its effectiveness in healthcare, led by Northwell Health clinician Dr. Greenberg.

Though this work is happening at Northwell Health, the impact will be global. Northwell Ventures’ interest in Neteera was sparked by our partnership with the Israeli Innovation Arm and with the State of Israel. After getting the information, “we had Northwell’s respective clinical and operations team vet and try out the products/technology to see if we will pilot or deploy them for the benefit of our patients,” said Todd Goldstein PhD, Director, 3D Printing & Innovation and Instructor in Orthopedic Research Lab at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Neteera’s global roots are further proof of Northwell Health’s Truly Innovative mission to gain and share innovative and disruptive technology to benefit our patients and patients all over the world.

Learn more about Northwell Ventures’ other initiatives here.

This post is part of a series focusing on the Truly Innovative concepts and technologies brought to life by Northwell Ventures. We invest in companies that will generate strategic returns- creating products that meet healthcare needs now and in the future. Northwell Ventures showcases our investment in unique and noteworthy innovations that will impact our work and the health of all.

An Appointment With: Michael J. Dowling, Northwell Health President and CEO

What does the year ahead hold for Northwell Health?

As we kick off 2019, it’s important to understand that the business of health care has never been more challenging, from navigating state and federal regulation to ever-increasing competition and integrating emerging technologies. These demands make the mission of delivering world-class health care to the communities we serve a test of resolve that requires discipline and focus from everyone at Northwell Health, beginning with the frontline staff on up.

That said, I believe we’re in a good place. There are phenomenal things going on. Very positive things will continue to happen, so long as we continue to adapt and be creative. We are the number one provider of care in New York, with a market share of nearly 30 percent – almost double our next-closest competitor. That’s a credit to the staff and leadership throughout the health system. You can only succeed if you have great passion and a dedicated staff. Because we have both, I’m bullish and optimistic about our future.

How will Northwell meet these challenges?

We will meet these challenges by being innovative, providing the best service and delivering the best quality.

Fundraising and philanthropy need to be an important component for the health system to thrive. In the past, philanthropy accounted for one-third of the funding required for any capital expansion project. Debt and operations made up the rest. That’s no longer the case.

Thankfully, the launch of the health system’s “Outpacing the Impossible” fundraising campaign in October and its $1 billion goal puts us on track to fund the projects that will move Northwell forward over the next decade. Philanthropy is increasingly important, especially for a nonprofit operating on a one percent margin. Our greatest contributors remain the employees. No gift is too small.

Can you explain how Northwell plans to continue to grow?

Our focus is targeted growth. We need to make investments in infrastructure, technology and clinical excellence, including new physicians along with new capabilities. There needs to be an emphasis on building alternative funding streams to offset the continuing reduction in insurance reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payers, as well as a focus on efficiency and productivity.

Give an example of why investing in capital projects matters?

We suffer from a legacy problem. The health system right now encompasses 17.8 million square feet of real estate with more than half accounting for the hospitals themselves. Most of our hospitals date to before 1950, which means when you try to modernize, you’re doing it in a space that was originally built 70 years ago or even longer.

We currently spend nearly $500 million to maintain our infrastructure with no return on investment – that’s just to maintain our facilities. That money is built into our budget every year. None of the new technologies we take for granted existed when these hospitals were constructed. Obviously, the expectations that existed back then are different than today. The leaders back then who planned these projects couldn’t possibly have anticipated the current state of health care delivery. That’s why we have projects in various stages of completion happening at facilities throughout the health system. Modernization is expensive but necessary to our survival.

Why are partnerships in Brooklyn and with Nassau University Medical Center important?

It’s our civic responsibility to help communities where a lack of access and health disparities exist. These efforts may have any financial benefit to us, but it’s the right thing to do. It’s easy to be successful by being selective and only investing in programs and services that make money, but our mission is to improve the health of our communities, especially those where there’s a high proportion of people at risk for chronic disease and other socio-economic factors that contribute to poor health.

For example, we’re currently lending our support in Brooklyn to help Brookdale, Interfaith, Kingsbrook and Wyckoff hospitals, as well as providing management and operational expertise to Nassau University Medical Center. These are all financially distressed hospitals that care for people in medically underserved communities. We have an obligation to run our own health system well and to be successful as an organization. But we also have an obligation to use our resources to help others who are less fortunate. We can’t walk away from difficult challenges. Other health systems do that. That’s not us. Our mission is imbedded in our culture.

CRNAs go above and beyond while their patients are under. Learn more in Northwell Health’s CRNA Fact Sheet:

CRNAs are invaluable members of our patient care teams. Every year, they safely administer more than 45 million anesthetics to patients in the U.S. through a safe and cost-effective way. Explore this fact sheet and learn more about this noble profession:

What is a CRNA?

CRNAs are advanced practice nurses who’ve earned the credential of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist after passing a certification exam. They have over 2000 hours of advanced clinical training. CRNAs work with healthcare providers, ranging from surgeons and anesthesiologists to dentists and podiatrists and administer anesthesia to all surgical cases.

Where do CRNAs practice?

Wherever anesthesia is being delivered, CRNAs are there, caring for patients. Inside private practices, surgical suites, specialty offices, Obstetrics and U.S. military sites, CRNAs are caring for millions of people around the world each day.

What makes CRNAs so important to health care?

CRNAs are also a cost-effective alternative to anesthesiologists, making a huge difference for patients and insurance companies fighting against rising healthcare costs. CRNAs aren’t just important to save on healthcare costs, in many rural communities of the U.S., they’re vital as they are the primary anesthesia care provider. In many states, nearly 100% of rural hospitals rely on CRNAs as the sole providers for anesthesia care, meaning that without CRNAs, surgeries would be impossible.

What education is required to become a CRNA?

The minimum education and experience required to become a CRNA include:

●      Baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing or other applicable major

●      Valid registered professional nursing license and/or APRN

●      Minimum of one-year full-time work experience, or its part-time equivalent, as a registered nurse in a critical care setting within the United States, its territories, or a U.S. military hospital outside of the United States.

●      Graduation with a minimum of a master’s degree from a nurse anesthesia educational program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs

What is a CRNA program like?

Depending on the university, nurse anesthesia programs can vary from 24-51 months. Most programs have gone or are in the process of offering the DNP as the entry to practice terminal degree. After 7-8.5 years of study, professionals leave fully prepared for their position, graduating with immense clinical experience that averages to 9,369 clinical hours. All of this work culminates in a master’s or doctoral degree from a program that’s accredited by the Council of Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.

As an acknowledgment of CRNAs’ growing importance and educational expectations, by 2025 all CRNAs will receive a doctoral degree. Once they receive a degree, a CRNA graduate they must also pass the National Certification Examination before they can start practicing on their own.

What are the career opportunities for CRNAs?

CRNAs are highly regarded advanced practice professionals who enjoy real autonomy and incredible professional respect in their roles. Since they’re are solely responsible for the anesthetic care of their patients, their compensation reflects that immense responsibility. Beyond their degrees, some CRNAs utilize their fellowships to specialize in areas of anesthesiology like chronic pain management.

How do I become recertified as a CRNA?

We’re excited that you want to become recertified as a CRNA! You can enroll in the Continued Professional Certification Program, an eight-year program that’s dividing into two four-year cycles. Administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, the CPC is based on four components: traditional continuing education, professional development, core content modules, and a comprehensive exam.

Are you Made for a career as a CRNA? Learn more about CRNA opportunities at Northwell Health.

We’re celebrating CRNA Week! Meet Michael Greco who is spearheading big changes for CRNAs at Northwell Health

It’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) week and at Northwell Health, we’re celebrating all week long. CRNAs are advanced practice registered nurses who provide anesthesia care to patients. These hardworking advanced practice nurses are responsible for patient safety before, during, and after anesthesia.

To start off our celebrations, we spoke with Michael Greco, Ph.D., DNP, CRNA who is the director of the Nurse Anesthesia Services at Northwell Health. It’s noble work that he feels privileged to be a part of, “my favorite part of being a CRNA is that there’s no other profession where you’re going to meet your patient for the first time and that patient is going to give you all of their trust to maintain their care and keep them comfortable when they’re at that most vulnerable. I am lucky to get to develop that instant relationship, to make the patient and their family feel comfortable, and deliver the high-quality care that they deserve.”

Through Northwell’s collaboration with Columbia University, Michael was introduced to Northwell and then offered the opportunity to lead and expand the nurse anesthesia practice and direct the Northwell Health nurse anesthesia program as it is being developed. The position was directly in line with his professional values to develop his students, staff and himself professionally and clinically. Now, he’s pushing the anesthetics services and agenda even further. Michael says, “I’m a firm believer of risk-taking, so I took a risk to leave a job I was comfortable in because I saw that there was an opportunity to further my professional mission.”

Working toward a mission is a sentiment Michael learned in his over 10 years of service as a nurse anesthetist in the military. He served in Iraq, Italy, Germany, and throughout the continental US including West Point Military Academy. Michael says his military service was invaluable to his growth, “No school, no seminar, and no course could equip me with the skills that I gained from serving in the United States Army.” Now, he’s using those skills to lead four CRNA teams, two in Staten Island and two in Manhattan.

Leading four teams is a lot of work, and Michael’s dedication to the various responsibilities in his role makes him a truly inspiring asset to Northwell Health. As a director of the Nurse Anesthesia Services, he oversees the education of CRNAs, holds training seminars, accredited by the national association of Nurse Anesthesia, to help educate staff and grow their knowledge on certain anesthesia principles. He supervises CRNAs practicing within their scope and ensures standards are met. Michael works closely to make sure operating rooms have enough coverage to run fluidly and no cases are delayed. He performs clinical appraisals and hires CRNAs. He’s responsible for employee oversight and is in constant communication with the staff in regards to compliance and best practice, as well as any employee issues that may arise. Simply, Michael is a huge asset to CRNAs at Northwell Health.

Michael is working to develop a robust CRNA program and increase the numbers of staff while also building partnerships with other schools like Rutgers University and Columbia University to bring students into the operating room and train the next generation of CRNAs. “I live by the standard that if I’m not developing my staff, I’m not doing my job. A career in Nurse Anesthesia requires a commitment to life-long learning, each and every staff member is on a continuous journey to pursue education – if not to return to school the journey is to read and appraise the literature with a scholarly mindset. This allows my staff to deliver the most current and evidenced supported care in their practice” With that mindset, Michael plans to take his staff into the simulation lab to look at high-risk situations, so they’re equipped with the skills and experience to provide care when complications arise.

“It’s an exciting time because the practice of being a CRNA at Northwell is evolving. Where else would you want to be? As the program evolves, opportunities will present themselves to further grow your career. There’s no better time to be part of the nurse anesthesia profession in this department than now.”

CRNA week is a great time to get out there and educate not only our nurses but the public on the importance of CRNAs. We’ll be using this week to put nursing at the head of the table. Every breath, every beat, every second, CRNAs are there providing top-notch care to their patients. Learn more about our CRNA opportunities here.

What Makes us Human Makes us Made for This: How Northwell Health is helping battle burnout with the Schwartz Rounds Program

The discussion of burnout is a hot topic in today’s career landscape and this is especially true in healthcare. Operating in a high-stress and emotional work environment, healthcare professionals give so much to patients. At the same time, patients need professionals who deliver high-quality, personalized experiences from the staff that treats them. At Northwell Health, this is what our Culture of Care is built upon. We spoke with Pam Klatman, Director of Social Work, Cohen Childrens Medical Center about what our Patient Experience Team is doing to find the balance between great patient care and avoiding caregiver burnout.

As Caregivers in a large hospital system, our Culture of Care speaks to the way we provide care and go above and beyond for our patients and their families. We are taught to ‘find the yes’ and always use ‘LAST’ and ‘CONNECT’” says Pam, “This is easy when we have patients and families who are willing to allow us in but many times we have families and patients, especially in hospitals, that are angry, upset or frustrated.”

Patients and their families come to us in their most vulnerable state and often that evokes all kinds of feelings for those who treat them. Those emotions can have a serious effect on a health care professional’s mental wellbeing as well as their quality of work which is why our patient experience team is focused on the mental wellbeing, burnout, and resilience of every one of our valued employees. So what are we doing about it? Enter The Schwartz Rounds.

“Schwartz Rounds provides a confidential space for all caregivers to talk about the way a patient and their family made the caregiver feel or how a particular situation made them feel,” explains Pam, “It is important that when we have these feelings we process them and work through them so that we are able to handle the next obstacle that comes our way.”

This system-wide program gives our employees a regularly scheduled time during their fast-paced work lives to openly and honestly discuss these issues, to feel supported, and to properly process. Through this sharing, caregivers are better able to make personal connections with patients and colleagues when they have greater insight into their own responses and feelings. It’s a place to be themselves and to take care of their own emotional needs so they can go and continue to deliver excellent care to our patients.

And Pam knows that the effect of the Schwartz Rounds program doesn’t end there, “by showing compassion to our colleagues and supporting one another we take care of each other and in turn, take care of ourselves. It is a way to ‘recharge our batteries’ and feel more equipped to handle the challenges of the coming days.”

At Northwell Health, we believe that when we can share our experiences with each other and thus become better caregivers, coworkers, and people. What makes us human, is what makes us Made for this.

Made for delivering holiday cheer

At Northwell Health, we know how important the holidays are for our patients. We take pride in being able to help our patients, their families, and our employees celebrate all season long across the health system! By delivering holiday cheer, our team members help patients and employees alike get into the spirit of the season.

“The holiday events that we host here at Cohen Children’s Medical Center bring such joy to the children at our hospital,” says Danielle Young, special events and donations coordinator of the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Program at CCMC, “These are just a few small ways that we can put a smile on the faces of the patients and brighten their day.”

And it’s not just children who get excited to celebrate! “Creating a holiday light show not only impacts the patients we care for, but also impacts the staff caring for this special population,” says Melissa Anne D’Agostino BSN, RN, Child and Adolescent nurse manager at South Oaks Hospital, “It brought tears to our eyes when an adult patient told us she was so happy to see the light show as she was recently admitted and away from her child for the holiday. Another little boy was using the fake snow to make snow angels and walked around with the snow on his face, telling staff he was Santa. It was an amazing event for all!”

Check out a quick recap and pictures from just some of the amazing events Northwell hosted this holiday season!

Cohen Children’s Medical Center

• Macy’s Santa Visit with AFLAC – December 5^th
  Macy’s Santa comes with AFLAC and visits with the children, delivering the gift of AFLAC toy ducks.
• North Shore High School Holiday Performance – December 21^st
  North Shore High School comes and does holiday songs in the atrium for patients and families.
• Violin performance – December 6^th
  A group violin performance in the atrium for patients and families.
• SISCO Santa Event – December 14^th
  CCCM turns an office into the North Pole and kids can skype with Santa to let them know what they want for Christmas. Santa also has gifts for each room.

South Oaks Hospital

• Holiday Campus Tree Lighting – December 3rd
  Holiday campus tree lighting for employees and their families.
  
• Winter Wonderland Light Show – December 19th
  The courtyard is decorated with lights and blow up decorations for the holidays. Holiday music is played and there is even a snow machine (that both the kids and adults love!) to create snow while patients are served hot cocoa and cookies.

Lenox Hill Hospital

• Annual Employee Children’s Holiday Party – December 14th
  Lenox Hill employess are invited to bring their children to this festive event, which features face painting, kiddie rides, seasonal treats and decorations and, of course, a chance to meet Santa Claus.
• Annual NICU Reunion Holiday Party – December 14th
  Each holiday season, children who spend time in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) are invited to come back to LHH and to spend time with the doctors and nurses as well as other patients who were here during the time they were.

North Shore University Hospital

• Holiday Parade Around 4 Cohen 
  4 Cohen hosted a Holiday Parade where in collaboration with PT and OT, patients and family paraded around the unit to holiday music
• Winter Wonderland Event
  The NSUH Winter Wonderland is a multi-session, appreciation event for employees and their children led by NSUH Administration, Human Resources and Engineering Department. The Engineering Department uses their incredible talent and skill to transform the entire Rust Auditorium into an amazing winter-themed display, complete with lighted trees, animated figurines, giant inflatables and fake snow for employees and their families to view the display, take their picture with Santa Claus and enjoy traditional winter treats. Additionally, fun entertainers include therapy dogs, Frosty the Snowman and face painters.
• Acapella Music
  College students (including a NSUH volunteer) from local Acappella groups come in and sing to help deliver holiday cheer to the patients.
• Visit from the Brotherhood from Temple Beth El
  For the past 46 years the Brotherhood from Temple Beth El in Great Neck has been coming in to spread cheer at North Shore University Hospital. About 45 members come in and are divided into 3 groups. 2 groups go up on the units and sing for patients, visitors and employees. They are equipped with guitars, bells and tambourines. The other group works with our Rabbi to create 800-1,000 Bikkur Cholim Boxes which are handed out to Jewish patients by volunteers every Friday.
• Holiday Gifts from the Auxiliary of North Shore University Hospital
  The Auxiliary of North Shore University Hospital pays for holiday gifts to be handed out to every patient in house. The gift is a picture frame which is wrapped in ribbon and has a card attached. It is hand delivered by members of our Auxiliary and also other North Shore University Hospital Volunteers.

Meet our Truly Compassionate NP Sharon Hasfal

This post is part of a blog series highlighting Northwell Health’s Advanced Clinical Providers (ACP). Each Northwell Health employee was nominated by their manager as an individual that exemplifies a central Northwell Health value. This month, we’re proud to introduce you to Sharon Hasfal DNP, ANP-BC., who is a “Truly Compassionate” member of our team. Here’s why:

It’s hard to find an Advanced Clinical Provider who provides more Truly Compassionate care than Sharon Hasfal. Sharon is a nurse practitioner (NP) in the medicine service line, where she plans and participates in many of the team building/engagement activities that help keep our team working well, together. But Sharon’s compassion goes way beyond the call of duty, and she does so with a humbling grace that shows, no matter the challenge, she’s Made for this.

Sharon was born to be an NP. Blessed with, as she claims, “the gift of gab,” she uses her skill to speak with her patients and takes time to let them know what their plan of care is for the day. She remembers a dedication that struck a chord in her career early on, “a colleague of mine on 3 DSU instilled into her nurses the importance of sitting with your patients and taking the time to speak with them and help them understand what is going on.” This lesson stuck with Sharon.

On her most rewarding day at Northwell Health, she joined the senior case manager and social worker of her hospital and medicine hospitalists to work with patients with an excessive length of stay. As a team, they took the time to speak with patients and their families to learn the ins and outs of what was affecting the patients’ hospitalizations. “I felt I was effective in helping patients make very difficult decisions like advanced directives or arrangements for a safe discharge to home. Good teamwork makes a big difference in providing good care for our patients and working with this team was great.” Speaking of volunteering, Sharon co-chairs every nurse practitioner event that takes place in her hospital. The planning is done on her own time and she usually comes in on her day off to allow herself to fully focus on the success of the celebration. Sharon says, “I enjoy being a nurse practitioner. I believe if you do not enjoy what you are doing you will not be able to be an advocate for your patients and their families.” Her goal is to celebrate nurse practitioners and ensure they have a fun, memorable time- and it’s definitely been accomplished! She’s organized a Hawaiian Luau, a Carnival, a Tea Party, a Beach Party, a Mardi Gras and many more! And that’s just her own hospital. Sharon also serves as the chairperson for the Nurse Practitioner Association of Long Island (NPALI) annual conference, a volunteer position where she organizes a full day educational conference for nurse practitioners throughout Long Island!

Sharon’s compassion is shown in how she cares for people in her workplace, in her community, and in the world. She volunteers for medical missions in underserved countries, using her vacation time and her own money to travel to the needed destination. She does not want or expect anything in return. Her reward is the knowledge that she was able to make a difference in someone’s life. It’s a job she loves. It’s a career she’s Made for. “As an NP I will continue to be true to my patients, their families, along with my peers,” said Sharon. “I will continue to keep my patients informed while they are in the hospital; take the opportunity to educate patients, their families and my colleagues both inpatient and outpatient; and my missionary work. It’s how I can make a difference as an NP.”

Are you Made for working with exceptional Advanced Clinical Providers like Sharon?

Explore your career opportunities at Northwell Health here.