Updated on Dec 16, 2022 | Featured, Nursing
The Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing celebrated 150 new graduates at its 120th Commencement in a joyous ceremony that spotlighted the critical role nurses play in supporting patients and improving health care. The ceremony was held Thursday, December 15, at Stern Auditorium, when degrees were awarded to 100 students from the December 2022 Class and 50 students from the August 2022 Class.
One of the reasons for joy was that all of the graduates have received offers for positions at the Mount Sinai Heath System.
For example, Blair Paltrowitz, the August valedictorian, is working at Mount Sinai South Nassau in labor and delivery, a favorite assignment for many nursing graduates.
Ms. Paltrowitz, who had been an actress on Broadway and in television, was inspired to become a nurse thanks to the care she received during her own labor and delivery experiences at Mount Sinai.
“It was extremely important to me to start my career as a Mount Sinai nurse,” she said in an interview before the ceremony. “I knew I would be embraced there as a new nurse, and learn from some of the most brilliant minds in the field. I also knew from my clinical experience how the nurses all work as a team at Mount Sinai, and I was eager to be a part of that culture. My new position at Mount Sinai South Nassau has been incredibly rewarding and challenging in the best way possible.”
Andy Charlorin, who is graduating in December, also is looking forward to working at Mount Sinai. “It was important to me to receive an offer from Mount Sinai because their pipeline for students shows their confidence and commitment to their education system,” he said in an interview. “I can’t wait to get started.”
Todd F. Ambrosia, DNP, MSN, FNAP, Dean of the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing and Vice President of Nursing Academic Affairs at the Mount Sinai Health System
Todd F. Ambrosia, DNP, MSN, FNAP, Dean of the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing and Vice President of Nursing Academic Affairs at the Mount Sinai Health System, presided over the ceremony. “It is definitely a unique time for nursing, as our health care landscape is ever changing and evolving in response to highly critical situations. But it’s every part of who you are becoming, and I thank you for rising to the challenge with such courage,” he told the the graduates, guests, faculty, and staff. “For all of us—if there was ever a time when we needed to come together and say we will make space for humanity in our care, and let it transform us into a more compassionate, courageous, resilient community, this is the time. And we are the ones to do it.”
Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive, Mount Sinai Health System, told the graduates they have a unique opportunity.
Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive, Mount Sinai Health System
“During this time of unprecedented transformation in health care, you are entering our nursing profession with an incredible opportunity to leave a mark and make a difference in the lives of others. As graduates of Mount Sinai’s Phillips School of Nursing, each of you has learned how to use your knowledge, compassion, and skills to contribute to public good,” she said. “Our world continues to face uncertain times, and your commitment to answer the call to help and serve those in need is noble and courageous. Your graduation starts your lifelong journey of continuous professional learning and reflects your resilience and determination.”
A ritual at commencement is a greeting from the Phillips-Green family, as the history of the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing has been intertwined with the Phillips family for more than six generations. The school is named for Seymour Phillips, who served as a hospital trustee for more than 50 years and chaired the school’s Trustee Committee for 37 years. This year, the greeting was delivered by Janet A. Green, Co-Chair of the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing Board and granddaughter of Seymour Phillips. Her mother had spoken for many years before her death in September 2021.
“This section of my remarks come directly from my mother—her sentiments so beautiful they need no improvement: As I look out at your beautiful faces today and feel the love of your families who now sit behind you but who have stood behind you during these difficult years of education, we realize that you represent the very best of our country and the hope for its future,” she said. “If America could look and act as this class does…with love and respect for each other, with strong support and caring concern for community, faculty, and family, then we will have deserved the continuing blessings of this great country.” (Click here to read her full speech).
In the keynote address, Lorraine McGrath, MA, RN-BC, Senior Director of Clinical Affairs and Associate Professor at the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing, where she has worked for 40 years, told the graduates that one of the highlights of her career has been meeting graduates who become nurses throughout the Mount Sinai Health System and other leading New York hospitals. She has taught generations of students, many times parents and then their children and their older and younger siblings—including the mother of one the current graduates, and her aunts.
Lorraine McGrath, MA, RN-BC, Senior Director of Clinical Affairs and Associate Professor
She urged the graduates to keep in mind the interest and needs of their patients. “My advice for you is to be caring and compassionate, to be able to think critically and problem solve, take the initiative in patient care, collaborate with the health care team and most importantly to be a strong patient advocate,” she said. “There are so many patients today who do not have a voice…now that is you, the RN.”
The student speaker, Brittany Robinson, salutatorian of the December class, noted in her remarks what an honor it is for the graduates to embark on a career in nursing, well prepared for the challenges ahead. While at the School, she said, students had “bonded over our passion for social justice and equality, and honed a competency and passion for nursing” that will help countless patients.
Following the presentation of the graduating class and conferring of degrees, Vice Dean Laly Joseph, DVM, DNP, CNE, RN-C, MSN, APRN, ANP-BC, FNAP, and Assistant Professor, Carla Santos MS, NPD-BC, NC-BC, CCRN, distributed awards to graduating students, and Lynn Rubenstein, MA, RN, Professor Emeritus, Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing, delivered the international pledge for nurses.
The following awards were announced (August Class, December Class):
Seymour Phillips Award (valedictorian): Blair Paltrowitz, Paola Coronel
Paula and Sherman Raskin Award for Maternal and Child Nursing: Noa Allen, Doris Arias-Bonilla
Paula and Sherman Raskin Award for Academic and Clinical Excellence in Nursing: Fana Dealla, Sarin Grey
Eileen Melnick Award for Compassion in Psychiatric Care: Patrice Stellato, Molly Beitchman
Eileen Melnick Team Spirit Award: Veronica Javellana, Marvin Anderson
Dean’s Award for Professionalism: Daniel Angielczyk, Courtney Hart
Rose Hauer Award, given by the Alumni Association based on the vote of students: Julie Huang, Andy Charlorin
(Rose M. Hauer, RN, MA, was the Dean at the School and Nursing Director at Mount Sinai Beth Israel for more than 40 years. The honorees are selected by a vote of the graduating class for the student who made an outstanding contribution.)
The Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing was approved this year to charter a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. A total of 31 students and 9 nursing leaders were inducted.
These classes are the first to graduate from the School’s new, cutting-edge facility in East Harlem. It includes a high-tech simulation lab and classrooms to prepare nurses to meet the health care challenges of the day. Graduates come from all over the country, represent a variety of backgrounds and ages, and have different reasons for wanting to become nurses.
All graduates of the 2022 class are a part of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN), a program to support and train nurses with the flexibility they need to succeed. It is one of two programs the school offers, along with an RN-to-BSN program.
Updated on Nov 18, 2022 | Diversity and Inclusion, Featured, Nursing, Stories of Excellence
The Mount Sinai Health System celebrates nurse practitioners (NPs) during the week of Sunday, November 13, to Saturday, November 19—and recognizes their commitment toward furthering the mission and vision of the organization. “Nurse practitioners are a critical link in the comprehensive compassionate care we provide,” says Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive, Mount Sinai Health System.
Since the NP role began more than 50 years ago, nurse practitioners have risen to meet each challenge, worked to eliminate health care disparities, and strengthened the nation’s ability to ensure patients have equitable access to high-quality care, says Priscilla Samuel, DNP, FNP-BC, Vice President of Advanced Practice Nursing, Mount Sinai Health System.
“NPs are integral in promoting clinical excellence and fostering patient safety and quality,” Ms. Samuel says. “In collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, we provide exceptional patient care while ensuring that patient preferences and values guide all clinical decisions.”
Here are the thoughts of several of Mount Sinai’s dedicated nurse practitioners on what inspires them, what fills them with pride, and what they wish people knew about their role:
Lena Chang, MSN, RN, ANP-BC
Clinical Program Manager, Cardiology
Mount Sinai Beth Israel
I’ve been working at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Mount Sinai Union Square for 28 years, 24 of which have been in the Cardiovascular Services Department.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as an NP?
As a nurse practitioner and Clinical Program Manager, I am able to involve myself directly with the patients along with system-wide projects. I have a wonderful team of nurse practitioners and am so proud of their hard work to make the department excel.
I am also a co-chair of the Mount Sinai Downtown and Mount Sinai Heart Diversity Councils. This work is extremely important to me, and so relevant during these tumultuous times. I also enjoy community projects, such as my involvement in American Heart Association community events. Aside from my hospital involvement, I sit on the Leadership Council for the Chinese-American Planning Council, which provides resources for senior and youth programs in New York City. I was recently accepted onto the Board of Directors of New York City’s Home Care Program. I look forward to doing more important work for senior programs in the city.
I am involved in wellness programs within the Cardiovascular Services Department, and like to encourage participation in our walking events, including the Heart Walk, the premier event of the American Heart Association, and meditative practice within our staff. I am most proud of all the work we have done as a department to provide the highest standards of care, as well as the work of the Mount Sinai Downtown Diversity Council to strive toward diversity, inclusion, and equity.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I wish people knew how much nurse practitioners do for our patients, using the latest evidence-based research treatment protocols. They are also excellent problem solvers and strong patient advocates.
Charleen Jacobs, MS, ANP-BC
Sickle Cell Nurse Practitioner
The Mount Sinai Hospital
I work in the Mount Sinai Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your job?
As a sickle cell nurse practitioner at The Mount Sinai Hospital, the most interesting aspect of my job is having the ability to provide longitudinal care to a unique population. Sickle cell disease requires specialized care. Our approach to care is holistic, preventative, and lifespan-focused.
Every day at work, I have the opportunity to care for patients in inpatient and outpatient settings. The sickle cell nurse practitioners provide consult services to inpatient teams once a patient arrives in the Emergency Department, and continue to follow them throughout their hospital course. Once a patient is discharged, we can provide outpatient follow-up care, as well. With this approach, we can provide high-quality, evidence-based care, identify potential gaps, and prevent long-term complications associated with sickle cell disease.
As a Black health care provider, I am most proud that I can provide care for my community, which is disproportionately affected by sick cell disease. As their nurse practitioner, there is no feeling more incredible than knowing I can serve people with this disease. It is one of the most fulfilling parts of this role.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I hope that others in the larger health care community understand the value of nurse practitioners. There is so much diversity among nurse practitioners—from those in leadership, academia, clinical care, and research. With this, nurse practitioners are well-posed to participate in significant decision-making due to our wide experience in a variety of health care roles.
David Skovran, NP
Internal Medicine Associates
Respectful and Equitable Access to Comprehensive Healthcare (REACH) Program
Division of General Internal Medicine
Director of Nursing, East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership
I am a primary care provider currently with Mount Sinai Doctors Internal Medicine Associates at The Mountain Sinai Hospital.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
The most inspiring aspect of my role is having the opportunity be a primary care provider with my own panel of patients. I have cared for some patients for the past six years, which has allowed me to establish long-term relationships with my patients, encourage open communications, and strive to provide personalized care.
I am proud to be part of the Respectful and Equitable Access to Comprehensive Healthcare (REACH) Program. As part of this program, I am able to provide a comprehensive, patient-centered, harm reduction approach to primary care for persons who use alcohol or other drugs, and for individuals living with hepatitis C. As part of this program, I have had the opportunity to present at national conferences on buprenorphine treatment, stigma-free risk reduction counseling, hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, and overdose response training. I am most proud of being able to educate people about the important work this program does within the Mount Sinai Health System.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
Nurse practitioners play a vital role in our nation’s health care system. They provide acute and primary care to patients across the health care continuum, from assessing, diagnosing, and treating illnesses to educating communities on disease prevention.
Katherine D. Reina, DNP, APRN, AGNP-C
Clinical Program Director, Delirium Program
Mount Sinai Morningside
Faculty Member, Committee on Professionalism
I work for the Mount Sinai Health System’s Delirium Program, a one-of-kind approach that enables early recognition and treatment of patients who develop delirium while hospitalized, which I oversee at Mount Sinai Morningside.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
As a nurse practitioner, I am honored and humbled to be a part of the Health System’s interdisciplinary team caring for some of our most vulnerable patients and their families. I feel that nurse practitioners are uniquely positioned to manage patients across their lifespan. As nurse practitioners, we get to combine the best of nursing and medicine to optimize the health care delivery model. I truly believe the Health System is at the forefront of innovation and research in health care.
I am most proud of first being a part of the Delirium Program. As a nurse practitioner, I have helped expand the program at Mount Sinai Morningside while helping to manage patients. My work within the program has helped reimagine the role of the nurse practitioner as one that includes serving as a lead consultant for a clinical program. It has also increased awareness of delirium and best evidence-based practices to improve management of our patients.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
Nurse practitioners are the fastest growing career field in the United States, with more than 355,000 nurse practitioners practicing across the country. Nurse practitioners hold the potential to become the foundation of health care delivery models and standards.
Luz Lucero-Calabro, MS, RN
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse Specialist
Mount Sinai Brooklyn
I am a nurse practitioner engaged in system policy changes, standardizing pressure injury prevention practices, managing products, and providing education for the staff.
I started in 2019 as the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurse (WOCN) Nurse Practitioner specialist at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, with a unique position as an educator, provider, and nurse administrator. While I work mainly at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, I am also engaged in a number of Mount Sinai Health System initiatives related to the prevention of hospital acquired-pressure injuries.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
I have the autonomy to plan and develop treatment plans as a provider while also engaging in a holistic approach due to my nursing roots. I take into account the patient as a whole. It is rewarding to make a difference in the wound and ostomy community.
I am most proud of helping to create the Mount Sinai Brooklyn Skin Care team with registered nurses and personal care assistants. I am also proud of collaborating on the development of a program to improve electronic reporting to the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators®, which provides reporting of structure, process, and outcome indicators to evaluate nursing care at the unit level, and using the data for quality improvement projects. I am also proud of my engagement in standardizing the WOCN practice throughout the Mount Sinai Health System, and serving as chair of the WOCN Steering Committee.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
We uphold the highest professional standards for ourselves, and desire to succeed and model care through our practice.
James Murphy, DNP, ANP-C
Administrative Director
Advanced Practice Nursing
Mount Sinai South Nassau
I am currently the Administrative Director of Advanced Practice Nursing at Mount Sinai South Nassau. Clinically, I work with the Critical Care team as a provider on the Rapid Response team.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
I love clinical work and being able to spend time caring for and speaking with patients and their families regarding care. I also enjoy assisting the resident physicians with their education through the Rapid Response team. Both are very rewarding.
I am co-chair of the Resuscitation Committee at Mount Sinai South Nassau and love working on this proactive committee. I believe we all work well together and make changes where it counts most—through policies and at the bedside of patients. I am also called upon to review charts and medical team cases when questions arise. I have also had the pleasure of working on the Mount Sinai Health System CPR Committee, which worked on a system-wide medical team policy.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I wish more people knew who we are and what we can offer. Nurse practitioners take time with our patients and are holistic in looking at all aspects of our patients’ physical and emotional care. We see the whole patient.
Kimberley Ennis DNP, APRN-BC
Senior Director of Nursing
Mount Sinai Queens
I am a nurse practitioner currently practicing as a nurse leader at Mount Sinai Queens, overseeing all operations of medical-surgical units, cancer center, dialysis, catheterization/electrophysiology, and hospital administrator team. I also act as liaison to the Magnet Recognition Program for nursing excellence, and oversee advanced practice nurses.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
The most inspiring part of my role is the ability to mentor, coach, and inspire new and experienced nurse leaders and other nurses and nurse practitioners who aspire to leadership roles.
I am proud to be a part of a system that is leading change in diversity, equity, and inclusion and a system that has many opportunities for RNs to advance to nurse practitioners. I am proud of the projects and initiatives I have led, in opening a new clinical unit and lab and significantly impacting multiple quality metrics at Mount Sinai Queens. I am even more proud to be a mentor to Mount Sinai Health System nurses and nurse leaders.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
I want more people to understand the multifaceted roles of a nurse practitioner in the health care setting.
Monica An, PhD, RN
Inpatient Oncology Nurse Practitioner
Hematology and Oncology Infusion Center
Mount Sinai West
I am currently an inpatient consultant for a non-teaching service in the Hematology/Oncology program.
What is the most interesting and inspiring aspect of your role as a nurse practitioner?
Inpatient consultants have a big responsibility to optimize the patient’s oncologic care during hospital admission. My role is to provide a unique inpatient nurse practitioner service, which bridges oncologic care with that of the primary medicine and primary oncology teams.
I am proud that the Mount Sinai Health System supports our nurse practitioner service as an advanced practice provider in many ways, such as orientation programs that combine essential, detailed information with extensive mentorship for new nurse practitioners. The Health System also supports nurse practitioners in initiating research projects. And leadership consistently provides a supportive environment for nurse practitioners who want to advance their degrees, which was instrumental in my earning a PhD. Working as a nurse practitioner at the Health System has been a precious and extraordinary experience that has allowed me to grow in my profession.
What do you wish people knew about nurse practitioners?
Everything we do, including the critical role we play in nursing and medicine. Nurse practitioners practice with independence, profound knowledge, and experience. As such, we are crucial in ensuring better outcomes and greater satisfaction for our patients.
