Stories of Excellence | Mount Sinai Today

Faces of Care Shines Light on ‘Behind the Scenes’ Staff at Mount Sinai

Updated on Dec 23, 2022 | Community, Featured, Stories of Excellence

Faces of Care is a unique series of eight moving, short videos featuring employees who work for the Mount Sinai Health System. These employees are professionals, deeply dedicated to their crafts. The videos show that every employee plays an integral role in delivering safe, high- quality, seamless care, and they underscore the importance of the essential services these employees provide.

“I’m going to prep the instruments as best I can, as fast as I can, because that’s the way I would want to be treated. I’m playing a part in that. I’m helping people. We’re saving lives.” -Leahcim Francis, Central Sterile Technician

The first set of videos focus on employees at Mount Sinai Morningside, including those responsible for everything from sterilizing instruments to operating a PET CT scan to waste removal, and they show how all Mount Sinai employees, no matter their task, keep the patient at the center of their work.

Sanford Lapsley, a high-pressure boiler operating engineer who is one of the featured employees, is part of a team that operates on the hospital’s roof 24 hours a day.

“We’re responders. We feel what we do is important to the whole operation of Mount Sinai,” he says. “We give you heat, we give you steam, and we help cure patients.”

As Mount Sinai Morningside’s Chief Transformation Office, Lucy Xenophon, MD, often goes to see staff in the place where their work is done. She says she is impressed and humbled by their determination, skill, and kindheartedness. She realizes that some roles are almost invisible to the public.

“When I found out that there is someone who stays on the roof of the hospital 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to ensure steam is available for essential operations, I was determined to find a way to tell this story and stories like these,” said Dr. Xenophon.

Dr. Xenophon continued, “We must appreciate the value of our people—their fascinating work and their inspiring accomplishments. There is so much value in shining a spotlight on those who work behind the scenes in critical roles that keep our hospital and health system running.”

Director/Filmmaker Sean O’Neill created the videos in conjunction with the Mount Sinai Video Production Department led by Nicole “Nicci” Cheatham, Video Studio Manager.

“We chose Sean because of his commitment to creating authentic videos,” said Ms. Cheatham. “The choice to film the staff in their workplace and utilize the natural sounds of their environment provides a true look into the subjects’ day-to-day work life.”

“What struck me in watching the videos is the direct connection all of these staff have to healing patients and improving health,” said Arthur A. Gianelli, President, Mount Sinai Morningside. “The sense of duty and passion of people throughout the hospital has always awed me—and it is clearly evident in these videos.” The series is being expanded across the Mount Sinai Health System.

In addition to Mr. Lapsley, the video series features:

Hilary Bogert, Speech Language Pathologist

Douglas Burgos, Patient Representative

Marita Cuenca, Laboratory Technologist

Leahcim Francis, Central Sterile Technician

Sehar Khan, PET CT Technologist

Joseph McSherry, Mechanic Foreman

Edgardo Valentin, Environmental Services, Waste Removal

Watch all of the Faces of Care videos

Nursing Excellence: New Mom Praises Compassionate Care by Nurses at The Mount Sinai Hospital

Updated on Dec 15, 2022 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence

Patient Stephanie Zile with daughter

Stephanie Zile and her husband were at The Mount Sinai Hospital in the Labor and Delivery Unit and were anxious. Their first child was born by a caesarean section, and it was a difficult experience. But this time around, two nurses, and other staff, made the journey a smooth one. “Beila Edelman, my OR nurse, is a rock star,” she says. “In the hours before I was ready to deliver, she immediately perceived that we were tense, Beila wanted to understand what we were going through; how we felt emotionally, and even encouraged us to cry. As soon as I gave birth and my daughter was deemed to be OK, Beila brought her close to me and then took a photo of my husband, me, and my daughter. It was wonderful how she made a sterile operating room feel warm and comfortable. And she did her best to expedite the recovery so I could be transferred to a postpartum room, also coming with me to make sure I was settled.”

Stephanie has equal praise for her daytime nurse, Shanaaz Begum, RN. “Shanaaz really listened to me and sometimes could just read my body language and know what to say or do. She was totally attuned to my needs. One night, my husband and I were tired, so Shanaaz took my daughter to the nursery so we could get some rest. Importantly, she made me feel totally comfortable with having some respite time while also trying to nurse. Although this was my second birth, she made suggestions to reorient me to new motherhood—for example about breastfeeding—that were so helpful.

Shanaaz is fully engaged with her role. “Being a perinatal nurse is truly an empowering experience. Educating and comforting new mothers during this transformative time gives me great pleasure. I do my best to listen to my patients and help them achieve what they envisioned for their delivery experience.”

Beila says she feels blessed to care for her patients. “From coaching women through their labor experience with encouragement and positive affirmations, and supporting them through their cesarean section experience, to bringing their newborns to them for their first kiss, I do my best to create a joyful and positive experience,” she explains. “Meeting each patient where they are and finding out what they might require allows me as the nurse, together with the Labor and Delivery team, to create the best experience possible. Being in service to moms and their families in their sacred birthing experiences is an honor and privilege, and I am blessed to be able to serve this community with love and joy.”

A Pillar of Environmental Services Is Dedicated to Patients and Team

Updated on Dec 2, 2022 | Stories of Excellence

Urszula Olech

Urszula Olech, affectionately called “Oolah,” has been a New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai staff member since 1983. According to Adam Pobliner, Assistant Director of Environmental Services, she is one of the pillars of the department.

“Oolah single-handedly runs our linen department while covering schedules as needed,“ he says. “Her cleaning is impeccable, her attendance flawless, and her commitment to the facility’s success is unmatched. She is humble and modest but takes great pride in her work. Daily, Oolah is the leader of our team. She monitors the linen usage and looks for a way to save the facility money, but more importantly makes sure her patients have everything they need for their stay with us.”

He adds that Oolah is an exemplar of teamwork. “She is always first in line to help her colleagues, and will often volunteer to take on extra work to ensure that the facility is clean and that her coworkers are not overloaded. Oolah means the world to everyone who knows her. She is family to our entire team and can always make us laugh. We appreciate Oolah for her dedication, commitment, and loyalty.”

Urszula is dedicated to her patients. “We always think about the patient first,” she says. “Our priority is to make sure the patient feels that they are cared for and comfortable. Sometimes an extra blanket goes a long way.” And she gives a lot of credit to her team. “Our team at NYEE looks out for each other and supports each other any way we can. We all have the common goal to take care of our patients, and we could not do it without teamwork.”

Nursing Excellence: Making a Difference for Patients and Colleagues

Updated on Nov 18, 2022 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence

Nicole Reynoso, BSN, RN

Nicole Reynoso, BSN, RN, is fairly new to Mount Sinai West, but has made a strong impression on patients and her colleagues. One of her patients recently wrote a letter of commendation to Kenneth Davis, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Sinai Health System.

“Nicole Reynoso is a consummate professional in the nursing field. Ms. Reynoso succeeds in a field where others strive to reach. I am writing about those qualities that distinguish between a great nurse who sees nursing as a career choice to help patients, and others who see it as a job. Ms. Reynoso not only reaches the top of the bar, but exceeds on each and every point. Ms. Reynoso treats her patients as individuals and reacts to each in a like manner. No matter how busy, Ms. Reynoso always finds the time to make certain each patient’s needs are met. Performing her duties, she demonstrates that those duties are an honor to help others, and it comes through during each exchange with the patients, family members, and co-workers. My wife Roxanne, a retired RN, paid Ms. Reynoso one of highest compliments when she told me, ‘Nicole was born to be a nurse.’”

Annalisa Monahan, MSN, MHA, RN-BC, Director, Patient Care Services, Mount Sinai West, echoes this patient’s praise. “Although she has been here a mere five months, Nicole has made such a wonderful impact to the 9B unit,” Annalisa says. “She is outgoing, kind and warm to our patients and their families. Nicole ensures that her patients feel cared for and makes a relationship-based connection that makes patients and families feel safe in her care. Her colleagues also speak highly of her, describing her as kind, caring, someone who is always eager to learn new things, and always willing to help someone in need.”

Nicole finds great satisfaction in her profession. “As a nurse, I have to opportunity to meet people with diverse backgrounds from all walks of life,” she says. “Being a nurse is very rewarding, because sometimes I can feel how I am making a difference in my patients’ lives. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a long-term patient on your unit heal and eventually be able to go back to their family.”

Celebration Week for Nurse Practitioners—Ever Rising to Meet the Needs of Patients

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.

Nurse Practitioner Applauded for His Skill, Compassion, and “Calm, Positive Energy”

Updated on Nov 11, 2022 | Nursing, Stories of Excellence

Matthew Gayton, NP

Matthew Gayton, NP, is a nurse practitioner at the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program. According to Silvia Chavez, RN, Associate Director of Nursing for Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors, Matthew is an outstanding and compassionate nurse practitioner who provides high quality, culturally sensitive primary and end-of-life care to the most vulnerable underserved homebound patients in Manhattan. “Matthew is an exemplary nurse practitioner who always goes above and beyond the call of duty for his patients, caregivers, colleagues, and staff,” she says. “His fierce determination, dedication, and compassion toward our mission and vision break through any roadblocks that he may face. He always has the best interest of his patients and their families. Matthew instills a calm, positive energy deep into our souls.”

Jonathan Ripp, MD, MPH, Senior Associate Dean for Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, shares a story about Matthew that attests to his commitment to the patient experience. “One of my patients passed away somewhat suddenly while I was away. It was a traumatic end for this patient, and his wife wanted us to know that Matthew was ‘spectacular, patient, and kind’ as he walked them through the last hour of the patient’s life.” Dr. Ripp adds, “I want to thank Matthew as well. The end of life for our patients can at times be traumatic for the family; thank you for being such a wonderful clinician to them when needed.”

Adaga Catano, RN, a clinical nurse at Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors, has another story: “Matthew stayed with a Russian-speaking home assistant, helping her through the process of end of life with one of our patients. He did a telehealth visit to assess the patient’s breathing and stability, utilized interpreting services to have better communication with the home health aide, and stayed with the aide until EMS arrived to patient’s home and pronounced the patient’s death. Matthew showed an excellent use of telehealth to support end-of-life care for the patient and caregiver.”

Silvia speaks for the entire team. “We would like to applaud Matthew for his compassion, empathy, creativity, safety, excellence, and professionalism.”

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