Celebrating Nursing Assistive Staff

Updated on Jun 18, 2025 | Featured, Nursing

“We Are the Champions” is an apt theme for CNA Week 2025—Thursday, June 12, to Wednesday, June 18—as the Mount Sinai community recognizes Nursing Assistive Staff as dedicated champions of their patients.

Nursing Assistive Staff are essential members of health care teams throughout Mount Sinai who help to elevate the experience and outcomes of the patients and families who entrust us with their care. Their many contributions are evident is a variety of impactful roles, including Nursing Assistants, Patient Care Associates, Emergency Department Technicians, Cardiology Technicians, Surgical Care Assistants, Endoscopy Assistants, Medical Assistants, Clinical Oncology Associates, and other unlicensed members of our nursing teams.

The CNA role originated during World War I when the American Red Cross established the Volunteer Nurses’ Aide Service to train young women to provide basic support to nurses who were overburdened as demand for care increased dramatically. The Red Cross reactivated the program during World War II, and at the war’s conclusion, many of the aides continued as volunteers or transitioned to paid positions. The role continued to grow, and certification was established in the late 1980s. Today an estimated 1,350,000 nursing assistants are employed in the United States. National CNA Week provides a valuable opportunity to pause and thank our Mount Sinai Nursing Assistive Staff for the invaluable support they offer to our practice and our patients.

Below are personal reflections of several Nursing Assistive Staff from throughout Mount Sinai Health System who demonstrate their many contributions and dedication:

Jessica Lopez Mount Sinai South Nassau, D2 West

“Working as a Certified Nurse Assistant has shown me the true power of teamwork in delivering compassionate, high-quality care. Being part of a collaborative health care team motivates me to give my best each day, knowing that our combined efforts can make a meaningful difference in a patient’s life. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a patient walk out of our unit recovered and knowing I played a difference in their healing journey. Moments like those remind me why I chose this career path allowing me to connect, care and contribute to a patient’s quality of life saving care. I am proud to work alongside such a dedicated team and contributing to the meaningful care we provide daily.”
“The driving force behind my dedication as a PCA at Mount Sinai South Nassau in the Emergency Department is knowing that my actions, no matter how small can make a tangible difference in someone’s well-being, are incredible fulfilling. Whether it’s offering a reassuring word, assisting with daily tasks, or simply lending a listening ear, these moments of connection reinforce the importance of human compassion in healthcare. Ultimately, it is the act of giving back and extending compassion and grace that fuels my dedication to this role.”

Lynnette Sylvestre Mount Sinai South Nassau, Emergency Room

Margaret Daniels Mount Sinai West, 9C Addiction/Rehabilitation Impatient

“I enjoy being in this position because it is my desire to help people and it also aligns with my values and allows me to contribute to the organization. I am driven by the fact that I can contribute to meaningful work that makes a difference in people’s lives.  My motivation comes from knowing that my efforts are valued and appreciated. One of my biggest motivations is when patients are discharged after being cared for and I see that big smile on their faces, and they would say thank you Maggie… it makes me happy.”
“What I love about working in NYEE is my colleagues that feel like family as we work together as a team.”

Maximel Sorio New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Fourth Floor Operating Room

Audrey Jones Mount Sinai Morningside, STY-6 Rehab

“For the past 27 years, I have proudly served as a nursing assistant at Mount Sinai, where my passion for patient care has never wavered. I take great pride in providing compassionate and dignified care to individuals during their most vulnerable moments. My long-standing commitment reflects my deep respect for patient care. I show up every day to make a difference in the lives of my patients.”
“I have been a Patient Care Associate for about 23 years and am certified in Phlebotomy and EKG.  I appreciate the work that I do, and I understand that my impact on the staff and patients is immeasurable; from the exceptional patient care and customer service I give to the patients to the great teamwork I have with the medical staff here in ambulatory care. These things alone make my day go by faster and smoothly with the least to no conflict in this busy and demanding environment.  This friendly and cooperative working environment motivates me to come to work daily and stay longer if needed to help out.”

Ana Acevedo Mount Sinai Downtown Union Square, Ambulatory Surgery/Peri-Operative Services

Veronica Anderson Mount Sinai Queens, 3East

“I like helping people, I feel satisfied when my patients are happy, especially when they call me their angel.”  
“It has always been a dream of mine to care for the sick and the elderly. I have done so in many ways over the years. I am a nurturer and it gives me a deep sense of satisfaction, gratitude, and fulfilment to be part of the recovery process. I was beyond grateful beyond words to express when I was offered the position at Mount Sinai Queens as a nursing assistant. I felt at that moment my dream had finally materialized. Working with the staff over the years was an inspiration due to their professionalism and comradery. When my patients tell me they are comfortable and relaxed it is all the satisfaction I need to make my day. I am blessed.”

Kathleen Wong Mount Sinai Queens, 3 East

Esther Francis, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Oncology/Hematology

“I’ve worked at Mount Sinai for over 18 years and I love being a CNA/PCA at Mount Sinai because every day I get to make a real difference in our pediatric patients lives. Knowing that my care and compassion help patients feel supported and valued motivates me to give my best. It’s inspiring to work with such a dedicated team, and I’m proud to be part of a place where kindness and respect are at the heart of everything we do.”

 

“I’ve been working at The Mount Sinai Hospital for 10 years. I started as a nursing assistant (NA) and eventually transitioned into the patient care associate (PCA) role. Caring for people, but in particular the elderly population, has always been close to my heart. It reminds me of the times I spent caring for my great-great-grandmother. That experience taught me the value of patience, compassion, and dignity in caregiving. Over the years, I have also had the opportunity to train and orient many new NAs and PCAs, trying to pass on the same standards of care that are so important to me. What keeps me motivated here at The Mount Sinai Hospital is the supportive environment. I feel comfortable here, and that sense of support encourages me to continue giving every patient the same level of care I gave to my own family. Overall, being a PCA at Mount Sinai is more than just a job for me. It is a meaningful way to honor my roots in caregiving and help shape the next generation of compassionate health care workers.”

James Leon, The Mount Sinai Hospital, KCC 4/5 South

With Determination, a Former Equipment Transporter Made Dream of a Nursing Career Come True

Updated on Jun 10, 2025 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence

Irsa Quinones, RN, BSN

Irsa Quinones, RN, BSN, began working in the Department of Equipment Transport at The Mount Sinai Hospital in 2006. She was thrilled to be working in a health care setting, influenced partly by two aunts who were nurses and by her passion for taking care of people. Several years later, she decided she would apply to nursing school.

There were major challenges ahead. For one, she was a single mother of a young son and could not afford to work less than full time.

Irsa also faced another challenge—she has lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease. “I was impacted by lupus throughout my nursing journey, and it could have stopped me from continuing my education, but I was determined. I kept pushing toward my goal, no matter how much I had to endure.”

Irsa graduated in May 2023, and is now a nurse at The Mount Sinai Hospital Spine Center. She says the difficult road has been well worth any hardships. “I am so very happy to finally be a nurse at the hospital where I started my career in health care. I want to be there for patients, especially those going through hard times. I understand health challenges acutely. There is just not enough compassion in the world, and I want to be that compassionate and caring nurse.”

Camille Hamilton, BSN, RN, Nurse Manager at the Spine Center, adds, “Although Irsa is still fairly new to my team, she appears dedicated to being an excellent nurse.  She communicates well with her peers, health care team, patients, and family members, and takes pride in her work.”

Christopher Palamara, System Director, Patient and Equipment Transport, Mount Sinai Health System, worked with Irsa for almost 10 years and is not surprised she has made her dream come true. “Irsa is empathetic, patient-centered, hard-working, compassionate, innovative, creative, and a leader among her peers,” he says. “She is one of the best staff members I have ever had the privilege to lead, and I could not be prouder of her incredible growth.”

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To the Tune of “Stayin’ Alive”, Nurse Practitioner Saves a Life With CPR—and Urges More to Learn

Updated on Jun 5, 2025 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence

Leela Gupta, NP

On Sunday, May 18, Leela Gupta, NP, who works at The Mount Sinai Hospital on the Heart Transplant team, took her four-month-old puppy, Otis, out for a walk to McCarren Park, near her home in Brooklyn. She was walking along the track at the perimeter of a playing field when she heard a group of men screaming. They were playing soccer, so at first she thought there might be a fight over a disputed call. However, she looked over and noticed one of the players on the ground—a large man in his mid-60s who appeared lifeless, lying on his side.

She asked a bystander what was going on, and he said the player might be choking. She ran to assess the situation and announced she was a nurse practitioner trained in CPR. She noticed that the man had labored breathing and felt his neck for a carotid pulse, but could not feel one. She asked for help flipping the man from his side to his back, began CPR, and asked someone to call 911.

During compressions, Leela asked if anyone in the crowd knew CPR so she could alternate compressions, but no one responded. One of the players from the opposing team began to sing and clap the Bee Gees song “Staying Alive”, which Leela says was actually helpful. “It was total silence except for that song; the beat of which was perfectly timed to the rhythm of my chest compressions.”

CPR Training and Life-Saving Tips | Learn About Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation on NYC Health

A few minutes into providing CPR, Leela was worried her compressions would become compromised as she grew fatigued. Since no one else was trained in CPR, she instructed one of the man’s teammates to place his hands over the man’s sternum and provide compressions to the beat of the song. She kept her fingers on the victim’s femoral artery to ensure a palpable pulse during these brief breaks, which meant the compressions were effectively circulating blood and adequately performed. She rotated places with him for about ten minutes until Emergency Medical Services arrived.

The paramedics analyzed the man’s heart rate and provided one shock to the man’s heart using a defibrillator, and a heartbeat was restored. He was then transferred to a local hospital for further evaluation. “CPR is a lifesaving technique that helps circulate oxygenated blood until medical help arrives, but defibrillation is often needed to restore the heartbeat,” Leela says. “Without CPR, even if a heartbeat is later restored, the person in cardiac arrest risks brain injury or brain death from lack of oxygen.”

Leela has been in touch with the man’s daughter, who said her father is recovering from coronary artery bypass surgery.

“I am just relieved he is okay. Ironically, I care for very sick heart patients, but this is the first time I have ever had to perform CPR outside of the hospital setting. With no one else trained to do heart compressions on the field, and no automatic external defibrillator (AED) nearby, admittedly I was concerned about the outcome. Thinking about that day is sobering,” Leela says. “There had to be over 100 people at the scene, and not one person knew CPR. That is so scary. This man would have died had I not been at the right place at the right time, and sheds a light on the importance of all adults learning this truly lifesaving skill.”

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Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing Celebrates May 2025 Commencement

Updated on May 29, 2025 | Featured, Nursing

The Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing celebrated the graduation of 70 students of Cohort 13, the class of students who began their studies in January 2024. The Stern Auditorium at The Mount Sinai Hospital was filled to capacity with proud families and friends of the graduates and school faculty. The evet was held Tuesday, April 29.

After a welcome by Kimberly Glassman PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FAAN, Dean, Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing, Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive, Senior Vice President, Cardiac Services congratulated the graduates. She assured the graduates they are well prepared to move into diverse professional roles.

“You bring fresh energy, ideas, and perspectives that will strengthen our collective mission: to advance health and deliver care with excellence and equity,” she said. “Whether you choose to work in acute care, ambulatory settings, research, education, or policy—you will carry the torch of this noble profession forward with the foundation built at the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing.”

“Nursing is no longer simply about executing orders,” keynote speaker Selena Ann Gilles, Associate Dean, School and Community Engagement, Penn Nursing, told the graduates. “You are the bridge between science and soul.”

Janet Green, Chair of the Nursing School Board of Trustees, shared the story of the devotion of her ancestors to the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing, originally established at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital and later named for her grandfather, Seymour Phillips.

“Graduation was the favorite day of Seymour’s year,” she said. “He loved this school, its staff, and he especially loved its graduates. It was the highlight of his very full life when he was honored by having this nursing school bear his name.”

The keynote speaker, Selena Ann Gilles, DNP, ANP-BC, CNEcl, ANEF, FNYAM, FADLN, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, Associate Dean, School and Community Engagement, Penn Nursing, delivered an inspiring speech, underscoring that today’s nurses are entering a profession that must adapt to changing times.

“You are entering a health care system that is different from the one many of us joined years ago. Technology has transformed how we deliver care,” she said. “Data informs our every decision. Interdisciplinary teams are now essential. And patients expect to be partners in their care.”

These changes have a significant impact on nurses. “Nursing is no longer simply about executing orders. You are leading care teams. You are designing solutions. You are innovating new ways to care for whole communities,” she said. “You are needed to lead initiatives that promote quality, safety, and equity.  Nurses today are researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, deans, CEOs, and yes, still the ones who sit quietly at the bedside holding a trembling hand. You are the bridge between science and soul.”

Claire Notarfrancesco, BSN, RN, was honored as valedictorian, and she thanked her PSON classmates, faculty and leaders for their support.

She was inspired to pursue a nursing career by a hospice nurse caring for her grandfather who was “awe-inspiring.” She and her twin sister were born at The Mount Sinai Hospital.

Dr. Glassman concluded the ceremony by congratulating the graduates on a job well done.

“Nursing school is a tough academic program, especially in a full-time, accelerated track,” she said. “I am so proud of all you have accomplished in your time here – look at what you have achieved in just 15 months. Wherever you go, your patients are going to be in excellent hands, and I wish you the best as you move into your professional practice careers.”

People and Technology at the Forefront: Jonathan Nover, MBA, RN, System Vice President of Nursing, Emergency Services

Updated on Nov 19, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence, Nursing, Stories of Excellence

Jonathan Nover, MBA, RN

In the fast-paced world of health care, Emergency Services may set the pace. In mid-2024, Jonathan Nover, MBA, RN, assumed the role of Vice President of Nursing, Emergency Services, Mount Sinai Health System, in stride and with a running start.

Mr. Nover entered with an impressive track record of supporting nurses to do their best work, and with significant results. His contributions have led to reductions in hospital-acquired pressure injuries, reduced length of stay, nurse vacancy rates of single digit to zero, increased patient experience ratings, reduced workplace violence, and a strong display of quality improvement and health care legislative advocacy on the national stage.

“Jonathan brings an impressive portfolio of innovation and outcomes to the Health System’s nursing leadership team,” says Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive, Senior Vice President, Cardiac Services, Mount Sinai Health System. “A key ingredient driving his success is his steady focus on doing what’s best for the nurse at the bedside.”

Mr. Nover’s philosophy is seemingly simple and yet highly effective: place people and technology at the forefront.

“I approach my work by striving to be both innovative and servant-minded,” Mr. Nover says. “Innovative in the sense of leveraging technology and best practice to help to guide and accelerate change. I want our nurses and nurse leaders to be at the forefront of novel methods and engaged in this rapidly evolving health care landscape.”

“While I am very tech-forward, I am equally people forward,” he says. “I’m in a terrific position to serve others, to help make the work more aligned, efficient, and value based, and to make the best of every situation for the people around me, from the leaders to the clinical nurses and teams taking care of our patients. I am honored to be at the helm, guiding the collective decisions about nursing practice in the Emergency Medicine specialty. By focusing on serving others, I believe that energy is returned many-fold.”

Making Work More Efficient

In his prior role as Senior Director of Nursing at Mount Sinai Queens, this philosophy proved invaluable. “Jonathan’s decision-making—including the projects he chooses to move forward—centers around improving patient outcomes and the notion of giving time back to both the patient and the clinical nurse,” says Jill Goldstein, RN, MA, MS, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer of Mount Sinai Queens.

“We have an extraordinary opportunity to align goals with our data technology partners and artificial intelligence (AI) experts while ensuring our nurse experts are embedded into decision pathways and workflow processes. The nurse in the loop is critical,” Mr. Nover says. “This may open new doors in the ED clinical operational realm, predicting next steps in throughput with nurses re-engineering new workflows, developing models and tools to help guide nurses to seek out patients at higher risk for specific presentations, or removing manual steps for nurses to improve efficiency. The result should be improved outcomes and giving our patients back time, which in turn gives time back to our clinical staff to help them continuously reprioritize clinical demands and perhaps take a breath, absorb a learning moment, and bond with a colleague.”

Examples abound of Mr. Nover’s technology/person-forward approach and advocacy brought to life. Video patient monitoring is helping to decrease falls and improve safety. Pilots of virtual nursing have shown effective ways to offset the documentation burden on nurses. Electronic reminders of regulatory requirements are improving the efficiency of managers and assistant nurse managers. Text messaging applications are improving patient experience and digital engagement.

“We’re also creating new platforms and workflows that are going to make our work more efficient and more electronic and remove what little paper we still have left,” Mr. Nover says. “As we’re doing this work, it’s important that we commit to finding ways to decrease our footprint, waste less, and become more green.”

Once projects are piloted locally, they are then rolled out systemwide in various ways. In the case of the community-acquired pressure injuries, Mr. Nover’s team created a turnkey quality improvement project. This ensured that each Mount Sinai ED site was ready and able to carry out the specific steps or actionable items to move the project forward.

The One Mount Sinai Vision

“I am proud to note, our ED systemwide community-acquired pressure injury (CAPI) discovery project has captured over 800 CAPIs in the three months since the project has been live,” Mr. Nover says. “That translates to improved patient care and potentially a projected $12 million in-hospital cost avoidance. In another systemwide quality improvement project, we are piloting new workflows to use text messaging to reduce admission delays. We are predicting 50,000+ hours of ED boarding saved in the first year from a simple text message.”

He continues, “This methodology of rolling out projects systemwide is part of the bigger vision to align our emergency departments under the One Mount Sinai vision. Essentially, this vision means that whether you walk into an emergency department on the Upper West Side or in Brooklyn or any other site, the experience will be similar and of the same high quality in terms of care, treatment, policies, clinical practice, and even something granular like offering electronic discharge as an alternative to paper.”

In recognition of their work, four Mount Sinai EDs have received Lantern Awards from the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) for demonstrating exceptional and innovative leadership, practice, education, advocacy, and research. The ENA is described as the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing. Mr. Nover says, “I envision all our EDs holding the prestigious Lantern Award by year’s end, because we are hyper-focused on excellence.”

Pathway to Leadership

Mr. Nover brings more than 18 years of progressive and transformational nursing leadership experience in emergency medicine and hospital leadership to his role of Vice President of Nursing, Emergency Services, Mount Sinai Health System. He joined Mount Sinai in 2019 as Senior Director of Nursing, Mount Sinai Queens, where he directed and oversaw the daily operations and performance of the Emergency Department, critical care and medical-surgical services, inpatient dialysis, and evening/night nursing administrator services.

Prior to joining Mount Sinai, he served in several leadership positions at NYC Health + Hospitals from 2010 to 2019, including Associate Executive Director, Emergency Department, and Hospital Patient Experience Officer, South Brooklyn Health; and Associate Director, Nursing Adult and Psychiatric Emergency Department, Lincoln Hospital.

Mr. Nover is the recipient of the New York State 1199 Nurse of Distinction for Leadership Award, and a New York City Proclamation for Community Service from Mayor Eric Adams, a testament to his transformational leadership style and commitment to community health.

He currently serves as Chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the New York State Emergency Nurse Association and is enrolled in the Yale Healthcare Leadership, Systems, and Policy Doctor of Nursing Program at the Yale University School of Nursing.

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Nurse Is Inspired to Help Create an AI Tool That Prevents Pressure Injuries

Updated on Nov 19, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence, Nursing, Stories of Excellence

Kim-Anh-Nhi (Nhi) Nyugen (left) and Maria “Vickee” Sevillano

In 2022, Maria “Vickee” Sevillano, BSN, RN, CWCN, COCN, Wound Care Specialist at The Mount Sinai Hospital, attended a virtual informational discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) that clicked like a light bulb in her mind. “Even before attending that lecture I had been wondering if we could create a machine-learning application for pressure injury prevention. I was aware that big strides had been made using AI to interpret radiologic images. But could we use AI to identify patients at risk for pressure injuries? Most likely.” So Vickee reached out to Robbie Freeman, DNP, RN, Chief Digital Transformation Officer at the Mount Sinai Health System, and asked the question.

Vickee quickly became deeply involved in exploring how AI could be used in wound care as a member of a workgroup with Kim-Anh-Nhi (Nhi) Nyugen, MSc, Senior Clinical Data Scientist, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Nhi needed to know our workflow, from placing the consult to chart review and completing a consults. Shadowing the nurses at The Mount Sinai Hospital to understand how wound care prevention, assessment, and treatment currently existed, we identified more than 300 clinical data points that would indicate a profile of patients at risk,” Vickee says. “From there, we created a model called the Pressure Injury Prevention Artificial Intelligence (PIPAI) Tool that would align best with our workflow. I validated the model every day for four months on two pilot units, and after some finetuning, we scaled to five additional units. I did unit-to-unit in-service with the staff to increase tool utilization. We deployed the tool to additional units, and currently the PIPAI tool is in use in 15 units.”

The initial results from the pilot units were overwhelmingly positive. There was a nine percent increase in patients discharged without pressure injuries, compared with before the pilot started. And the model was 50 percent more accurate in identifying patients at risk compared to the current risk assessment tool, the Braden Score.

“Pressure injuries are a global issue, and a heavy financial burden for hospitals, in addition to contributing to complications for patients,” Nhi says. “Traditional methods miss more than half of patients who will develop pressure injuries. “We need to create a tool to be more proactive in prevention rather than reactive after a pressure injury happens. The tool runs independently and continuously, thus at-risk patients are identified as soon as they arrive in the unit, even before the nurses see the patients.”

The model will be rolled out to Mount Sinai Morningside later in 2025 and likely to the rest of the Health System over time.

Vickee’s face lights up with a big smile when she speaks about the impact of this AI tool. “I am so excited and happy when a patient goes home with a healed pressure injury or no injury,” she says. “With this tool, maybe we can reduce pressure injuries around the world!”

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