Oct 31, 2025 | Stories of Excellence
Shou Yong Liang, left, and Mildred Andujar
Leadership of The Mount Sinai Hospital recently received a heartfelt note praising two members of the housekeeping team, Mildred Andujar and Shou Yong Liang, for their exceptional attention to detail, commitment to cleanliness, and dedication to patient safety.
The letter, to Patricia Lamb, Senior Vice President for Ancillary and Support Services, said:
Dear Ms. Lamb,
I would like to share my recent experience with two of your housekeeping staff members. My husband was hospitalized on the 5C Intensive Care Unit and 7 West. I am an RN at another New York City hospital and so acutely aware of the potential spread of infections through contaminated surfaces and equipment in the hospital. I observed Mildred cleaning my husband’s room. She was an absolute marvel, as she left no surface untouched—bed rails, call bell, counter, and bedside tabletop. She was also able take care of the entire floor, maneuvering around all the ICU pumps, equipment, and staff. It was clear the staff knew she would be undeterred by their presence. Her attention to detail set a very high bar for cleanliness.
My second experience was with Shou. He was performing the daily room cleaning as well as my husband’s roommate’s discharge bed cleaning. I was observing him carefully and was equally impressed with his thoroughness. I asked Shou if he knew Mildred from 5C, and he responded that Mildred had trained him! Both Mildred and Shou deserve recognition for maintaining such a high standard of cleanliness. They are both invaluable assets, and you are truly fortunate to have two unsung heroes on your team.
Mr. Liang is deeply dedicated to the welfare of his patients and his colleagues.
“Patient experience means we do what we can to help each and every patient, no matter their their race, gender, age or appearance. The main thing is treating a patient like a friend, not just another room to clean,” he says. “I have seen my coworkers and their families in these rooms. I would never want them in a half-clean room with the potential to get infected by something they picked up in the hospital. I also see how hard the people who trained me work to make their unit the best of the best; I want to honor that.”
Updated on Aug 20, 2025 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence, Uncategorized
From left: Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, FAAN; Melissa James, BSN; Claudia Garcenot, MSN, MHA, RN; and Nicole Jones, BSN
Melissa James, RN, began her career in health care as a patient care associate (PCA) at Mount Sinai Brooklyn in 2015, but nursing school was always in her plan. It was also in the family, as Melissa’s mother began her own health care career as a certified nursing assistant, eventually becoming a licensed practical nurse.
In fact, Melissa’s mother encouraged her to become a PCA in order for her to test the waters and make sure nursing was the right path. Melissa quickly decided it was, and began saving for her nursing education. She attended Long Island University part-time during the day for five years, while continuing to work at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, at times covering both evening and morning shifts, in addition to scribing for a local medical office.
”It was challenging,“ she says, “but doable. My family and work colleagues were tremendously supportive. And after 16-hour days while I was a student, my current 12-hour shift is a breeze.”
Melissa says her experience as a PCA was invaluable training for a career in nursing.
“It was like having clinical rotations before even starting nursing school. As a PCA, I spent a lot of time at the bedside, which really helped me develop strong patient communication skills, something that might have taken longer had I gone straight into nursing,” she says. “While I’m still very much involved with patients as an RN, the nature of my role has changed. There are certain hands-on tasks I no longer perform as often, but I now have the opportunity to apply critical thinking and collaborate with fellow nurses and the medical team to develop treatment plans.”
Melissa is on the same unit, 2 East, as she was as a PCA. “My unit is special. If you stick your head out the door asking for assistance, people come running,” she says. “We are all committed to helping one another. 2 East works as a team! And, we are a fun, friendly group.”
Nicole Jones, BSN, began her health care journey as a patient care associate at Mount Sinai Brooklyn in 2020. Like Melissa, she always knew she wanted to become a nurse. And she previously majored in Science as an undergraduate. In 2023, she took the next step by enrolling in the accelerated BSN program at the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing.
“Balancing part-time work with the intensity of a 15-month program was challenging, but the support at PSON made all the difference,” she says. “The faculty truly wanted us to succeed—tutoring was accessible, and the close-knit environment made it easy to build strong relationships with both faculty and classmates.”
After graduating in 2024, Nicole started her nursing career in February 2025 at Mount Sinai Brooklyn’s Stepdown Progressive Care Unit, where she cares for patients transitioning from surgery or the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“I absolutely love being a nurse and having the autonomy to make decisions in patient care,” she says. “Working as a PCA really shaped me—it not only taught me to prioritize safety and strengthened my appreciation for bedside care, but also prepared me for the demands of nursing school by enhancing my clinical awareness and time-management skills.”
Nicole, like Melissa, is focused on the present but remains open to what the future holds. “I’m considering the ICU as a potential next step to grow clinically, but I’m also interested in pursuing wound care—both areas really speak to different parts of my nursing passion,” she says. “It feels good to be in a place where there are so many meaningful directions to explore.”
Jul 24, 2025 | Stories of Excellence
Francesca Sosnowski, PharmD, MBA (left) and Simone Muller, PharmD, BCPS
A highly allergic patient safely delivered her first baby at The Mount Sinai Hospital, and her mother expressed appreciation for the exceptional efforts of pharmacists Simone Muller, PharmD, BCPS, Director of Medication Safety, The Mount Sinai Hospital, and Francesca Sosnowski, PharmD, MBA.
The patient is strongly allergic to eggs and dairy and was at potential risk for an anaphylactic reaction such as hives, swelling, and trouble breathing—symptoms that could be catastrophic. Francesca, Simone, and team worked collaboratively to develop a comprehensive list of medications that include the allergens of concern, and then conducted an exhaustive search to ensure the patient would not be exposed them.
The patient’s mother writes, “Their attention to detail and passion for doing right by my daughter is noteworthy and commendable, especially as the very comprehensive list they produced clearly reflected hours of painstaking work. She carried this list in her go bag, and I can testify that it was extensive and clearly coded, leaving no room for error.”
Francesca credits the entire team for the effort. “Simone and I may have done the legwork, but it was also providers from obstetrics and anesthesiology, nurses, pharmacists, and others, who came together to empower the patient in her own care. This experience truly demonstrates how collaboration and shared commitment to medication and patient safety can optimize the patient’s comfort during a sensitive time. I’m proud to be part of a team that leads with such heart.”
Simone adds, “There isn’t always a specific person to do an unusual task/project, especially when it is known to be a large undertaking with a deadline. Each of us has to step forward when needed and work together to ensure our patients are safe. It can be done when we work together and have a common goal.”
Kimberly Zammit, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, BCCCP, FASHP, Executive Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services, directs her praise to the two women. “Our pharmacy team takes great pride in Simone and Francesca’s outstanding dedication, professionalism, meticulous attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to safety. Their actions helped ensure a safe delivery for a high-risk patient and peace of mind for a family during a vulnerable and emotional time.”
Jul 16, 2025 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence
Grace Tesoriero, NP
A patient recently shared their experience with Grace Tesoriero, NP, Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Mount Sinai Morningside. They said, “I came in experiencing a great deal of pain and was angry at everyone I encountered because I just couldn’t manage it anymore. But Grace treated me as if she could feel exactly what I was going through. Her presence was calming, and just being with her made me feel better. I was truly blessed to have seen her that day.”
Romelin Bonilla, Practice Manager, Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Care Medicine, says Grace’s commitment to patients is truly outstanding. “This patient encounter is one of many that speak to Grace’s ability to bring comfort and connection during moments of deep vulnerability. Grace approaches each patient with genuine empathy, clinical excellence, and unwavering dedication. She does not just treat symptoms; she connects with people on a human level. Grace is the kind of provider every patient hopes for: attentive, kind, thorough, and deeply committed to making a difference.”
Grace explains what the patient experience means to her: “A patient’s experience to me is how a patient feels appreciated, accepted, and understood by the provider with their medical concerns, and sometimes with their emotional and personal issues. My goal as a provider is to provide high-quality and effective care while having patients feel comfortable, heard, and acknowledged, with all their issues entrusted to me.”
Updated on Jun 30, 2025 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence
Olivia DeCurtis, BSN
Olivia DeCurtis, BSN, Assistant Nurse Manager in the Emergency Department, The Mount Sinai Hospital, has long been a fan of the Mount Sinai Health System. “I grew up on Long Island, and when I needed a neurologist as a teenager, I was referred to Mount Sinai. I am still a patient of hers, today!” She majored in health care administration in college, but during her last semester, the COVID-19 pandemic erupted, and she felt a calling to care directly for patients. So she enrolled in the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing. Olivia liked the idea of attending a school affiliated with Mount Sinai and the ability to complete her education in 15 months. As classes began and clinical rotations followed, she fell even more in love with nursing.
Olivia’s first position after graduation was as a New Grad Fellow in the Emergency Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital. Olivia had completed her student clinical hours there, and she felt strongly that it was the right place for her to begin her nursing career. “I loved the culture, teamwork, and leadership,” Olivia says. “The fellowship was a 24-week immersion into the ED, and everything clicked for me; it felt like a second home. The managers and the preceptors were outstanding and taught me so much.”
Olivia’s dedication, enthusiasm, and growing skills were instrumental to her winning Rookie of the Year Award for both The Mount Sinai Hospital Nurse Excellence Awards and the Mount Sinai Health System Emergency Nurse Awards. Recipients of Rookie of the Year have eighteen months or less experience working in the ED and consistently display confidence, initiative, and high potential in providing clinical care and contributing to the team’s success.
Olivia rose quickly to Charge Nurse and then her current position as Assistant Nurse Manager.
Olivia’s schedule is intense, but that has not stopped her from pursuing a dual MSN/MBA from Johns Hopkins University; she will graduate in 2026. “I feel that my calling is leadership. It comes naturally to me,” she says. “I love the bedside, but in a leadership role, I can be more of a role model and resource for my team and still make an impact in the clinical realm. So much of what I am learning right now in my classes I can apply directly to my clinical work.” Olivia plans to continue her education after earning her master’s degrees, and pursue a doctorate in executive leadership.
Ashley B. Caceres, MSN, RN, Director of Nursing, Emergency Services, The Mount Sinai Hospital, says Olivia is a natural born leader. “Since joining the team as a student, Olivia has showed great promise,” Ashley says. “She has grown tremendously in the department, and even as a new graduate nurse stood out as a leader and role model. I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
Olivia says, “The connections I have made throughout my time at Mount Sinai have been influential in my leadership development. Ashley has been a role model to me and has played an instrumental role in my leadership journey.”
Despite a full plate, Olivia has not forgotten her nursing school origins. She is currently helping a group of students in their final semester prepare for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). “Vivian Lien, DNP, RN, CNE, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Well-Being, was such a wonderful professor and mentor,” Olivia says. “She took me back with open arms. I am thrilled to be helping students cross their educational finish line.”
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.”
