Gretchen Kretkowski, RN

Gretchen Kretkowski, RN, is a nurse at Mount Sinai South Nassau and the chair of the hospital’s bereavement council. Gretchen actively reaches out to mothers and families who have experienced a loss during or shortly after childbirth.

She ensures families are seen by bereavement team members while in the hospital and follows up with patients who have experienced a loss by phoning them after they are discharged to assess how they are coping with their loss. If she believes they are in need of help, Gretchen will secure referrals for more assistance.

Elena Lobatch DNP, RNC-OB, NE-BC, Senior Director of Nursing, Patient Care Services at Mount Sinai South Nassau, says Gretchen is also an invaluable resource to the staff.

“She designed an education session on bereavement and teaches new Labor and Delivery nurses about bereavement support to patients and families. She shares her expertise with new perinatal bereavement committee members. Gretchen helps nurses navigate best practices for therapeutic communication. She takes phone calls on her days off or in the middle of the night if a fellow nurse needs guidance on the bereavement process. Gretchen is invaluable in supporting the staff members after a stressful or traumatic event on the job. Recently she also helped a family member of a fellow nurse, who suffered a full-term perinatal death. Gretchen’s empathy, compassion, and willingness to help those during a devastating time is extraordinary. She is our treasure.”

Gretchen clearly considers her role as a nurse specializing in bereavement as a calling. “To have the honor to be at someone’s side when they are going through maybe one of their darkest moments, to connect in the deepest human level is sacred ground. I am so intensely grateful I have the opportunity to let someone know that for at least that moment they are not alone.”

And she has deep appreciation for her team. “My colleagues have been instrumental in my growth and development as a nurse and as a person. Understanding our relationship with one another allows us to be more authentically connected to our patients, and ask, “What would I need in this moment?” Or, “What would help to make me feel less alone, afraid, or heard?” I counsel my new nurses not to be afraid to connect on a human level. They should be real, be honest.”

Certified Nurses Day™ is an annual day of recognition for and by health care leaders dedicated to nursing professionalism, excellence, recognition, and service. On this day, employers, certification boards, education facilities, and health care providers celebrate and publicly acknowledge nurses who earn and maintain the highest credentials in their specialty.

The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens celebrated Certified Nurses Day on March 22 and 23, with a Town Hall, photo sessions for certified nurses, and resource tables at both hospitals so nurses who wish to be certified could learn more about requirements.

The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens achieved a combined certification of 44 percent, which met the desired goal for 2021. Deborah Feehan, MSN, RN-BC, Director of Nursing at The Mount Sinai Hospital, was very proud of this achievement,  as was Frances Cartwright, PhD, RN-BC, AOCN, FAAN, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President at The Mount Sinai Hospital.

“Mount Sinai Nursing applauds our certified nurses, who have made the commitment to achieve board certification in their specialty,” Dr. Cartwright said. “Becoming a certified nurse demonstrates professionalism and dedication to providing best practices to diverse complex patient populations. It is a testimony to our Mount Sinai nurses who live the tenets of our relationship-centered care model, advancing quality care and caring for our patients, families, care teams, and the communities we serve.”

Both the Surgical and Transplant Intensive Care Units at The Mount Sinai Hospital received the Beacon Silver Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

The Beacon Award for Excellence recognizes caregivers in stellar units whose consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes. Units that receive this national recognition serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care.  This award highlights nursing excellence in the Intensive Care Units and the strong collaboration with our nursing leaders and the Institute for Critical Care Medicine.

“Congratulations to the entire team,” says David Reich, MD, President of The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens. “This award recognizes the exceptional care you provide to our patients and the supportive environment you have created for your teams.”