Josefina Gavieres, RN

Roxana Badiu, RN, is a senior nurse manager on 3 Dazian, a hospice unit at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. She describes Josefina Gavieres, RN, as “truly exceptional” and “wonderful with patients.”

Roxana adds, “Josie is one of the best, most dedicated nurses I have worked with, and I have been a nurse manager for over 25 years. Not only is Josie committed to our patients’ welfare, but she is concerned about the hospital, as well. She is always looking for ways to increase our efficiency, looking for ways to utilize all resources so that our unit has the all necessary equipment and supplies in order for our patients to be best served.”

Rabbi Jo Hirschmann recently nominated Josie for STAR recognition.  She explains, “I spoke on the phone to the daughter of a patient who was on hospice on 3 Dazian. The daughter mentioned that Josie was her mom’s nurse for the day and said that knowing her mom was receiving such excellent care was comforting in itself.  She was so grateful for Josie’s care.”

Josie says that being a nurse at Mount Sinai is a great honor. “I value my time that is spent giving of myself to my patients, including those who are on hospice, or are transgender, or might not have any family to comfort them,” she says. “It is so rewarding to know that I have made a difference; that a patient is comfortable and even happy being in our hospital, under my care.”

Odeisha Maitland, BSN, RN-BC, left, and Patient Care Associate Keisha Gourdet

The son of a patient who recently was cared for at Mount Sinai Brooklyn sent a heartfelt handwritten letter commending the team of nurses on 2 East for their compassion, courtesy, and professionalism, and for putting patients first.

Saying they were “dedicated to their work,” he was especially impressed with the willingness of his father’s care team to listen to feedback, helping to reduce his anxiety and assure him his father’s needs were being taken care of. Odeisha Maitland, BSN, RN-BC, and Patient Care Associates Keisha Gourdet and Kebeon Jackson were mentioned by name.

Odeisha speaks emotionally about the patient experience and nursing. “Whenever a patient visits the hospital, they come in filled with many different emotions. They have to adjust to an unfamiliar environment and schedule and most often have questions and concerns about their health. Knowing they may face these and many other challenges, I believe it’s important to make our patients feel welcomed and help them adapt to a new, and likely scary, setting. A smile, a reassuring word, or hug can not only brighten their day but also improve their overall health.  As a nurse at Mount Sinai, in keeping with our core values, I do my absolute best to provide for my patients and their families an experience of compassion, respect, and care.”

Patient Care Associate Kebeon Jackson, left, and Odeisha Maitland, BSN, RN-BC

Dionnie Gadian, RN, a nurse in the Interventional Radiology Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital, garners high praise from his supervisor, Nurse Manager Dawn Scasserra, RN, and the Stroke team. They consider him a “go-to” member of the team who often lends a helping hand in other areas that need assistance. His colleagues appreciated this during the recent COVID-19 surge. While Radiology was significantly short-handed, Dionnie worked numerous additional hours wherever there was a need.

Colleagues say that Dionne is also making a difference clinically. He recently received STAR recognition for demonstrating a commitment to excellence by working quickly and efficiently to get a patient to stroke intervention in 31 minutes from arrival, an exceptionally fast time to treatment. The rapid intervention made a significant difference in this patient’s outcomes; the patient’s stroke deficits had almost entirely resolved upon discharge. According to the team, “the teamwork and rapid evaluation and treatment shown here, particularly during a COVID surge, changed the outcome of a patient’s life. We are all very appreciative to have such a great team player like Dionnie in Radiology and at Mount Sinai.”

Dionne is humble and pays the recognition back. “Nursing entails dedication, knowledge, hard work, and empathy. These qualities are essential for the best patient experience,” he says. “And teamwork. Being a part of our awesome endovascular team, learning from them and improving a patient’s condition, is incredibly satisfying.”