Taking Quick Action to Help a Patient in Distress, a Duo at Mount Sinai Morningside Earn High Praise

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Stories of Excellence

Andrew Turay, left, and Nekeisha Lynn

The first thing Andrew Turay noticed about the man standing at the front entrance of the Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Morningside was that he was sweating profusely. Andrew, a security officer, also noticed that the man was slurring his words.

Andrew could not be sure, but it seemed the man was having a stroke. Andrew guided him to a chair, and as soon as the man sat down, he dropped his bag in such a way Andrew felt sure his hunch was right.  Seeing Nekeisha Lynn, Lead Business Associate at Mount Sinai Morningside, walking by, he told her his suspicion, and she immediately took action. Nekeisha made a phone call to the ED clinical team, who took the man in for an evaluation, where it was confirmed he was having a stroke.

Jeanine Maldonado, Security Field Supervisor, takes quiet pride in her team. “It gives me such joy to know that Security Officer Andrew Turay saved a patient life during our shift of the day. I am so proud to be his supervisor and to have him as a member of the Security Department team.”

Lawrence Gaskins, Emergency Medicine Operations Manager at MSM, is equally pleased with Nekeisha’s efforts. “This is amazing, and is just one of many things Ms. Lynn has done since she taking on the lead business associate position in the Emergency Department,“ he says. “She goes above and beyond to help patients and staff when in need.”

She Has Heart Surgery at Age 104 and Attends a Wedding at 105

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Stories of Excellence

In the early summer of 2020, Shirley Farca was told by a New Jersey hospital where her 104-year-old mother had been admitted for heart failure that there was nothing more they could do.

Shirley’s brother was not convinced. He told his mother he was going to call a physician and some trusted rabbis and would get back to her. That same day, the family arranged for an ambulance to take their mother to The Mount Sinai Hospital.

At Mount Sinai, Samin K. Sharma, MD, Director of Clinical and Interventional Cardiology, and President of Mount Sinai Heart Network, performed a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a minimally invasive procedure to replace a narrowed aortic valve that fails to open properly. She did so well, she was discharged two days later.

“This technique of TAVR is a real game changer,” says Dr. Sharma.  ”It provides hope to many patients suffering from aortic stenosis who cannot undergo open heart surgery due to frailty, old age, and associated medical conditions.”

Shirley credits the physicians at Mount Sinai for her mom’s return to health, as well as Rabbi Menachem Horowitz, who does volunteer work in spiritual care at Mount Sinai and is a consultant to numerous Manhattan hospitals through Chayim Aruchim, a project of Agudas Yisroel of America. Indeed, after turning 105 years old, her mom attended her granddaughter’s wedding.

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After Her New Daughter Spends Two Months in the ICU, Mom Thanks the Compassionate and Caring Team at Mount Sinai West

May 14, 2021 | Featured, Patient Stories, Stories of Excellence

Allyson Bragg with her daughter, Aayla, who was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai West for more than two months.

Allyson Bragg lives in Edison, New Jersey, a 45-minute drive from Mount Sinai West under the best of conditions. But after meeting Robin Brown, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Mount Sinai West, she had no hesitation in driving to New York City so that Dr. Brown could oversee her pregnancy.

Allyson needed someone special. She had suffered numerous miscarriages, and was referred to Dr. Brown by Martin Keltz, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist, who said Dr. Brown was an expert in high-risk pregnancies. “He was so right. She is incredible; I love her.”

Although Allyson’s pregnancy was uneventful, her daughter Aayla was born prematurely at 28 weeks.  Weighing 1 pound and 4 ounces, Aayla was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai West for more than two months.

Allyson was determined to be with her daughter every day, but she found the commute and expenses of gas and tolls challenging. That all changed when Allie Rubin, LCSW, secured a room for Allyson at the Ronald Mc Donald House located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Allyson stayed there for 55 days, allowing her to have unlimited time with Aayla, worry free. “I am so grateful to Allie. Despite the circumstances, it was a wonderful experience,” she says.

Allyson is also appreciative of the entire nursing staff for their care. She has special praise for Glen Marie Bona Greszta, RN. “Glenn was amazing.” She was the first one on Aayla’s care in the NICU after she was born. Glen shared knowledge about premature babies and, by going above and beyond, assured Allyson that Aayla was in good hands.

“I was thrilled that Glen was the nurse who put Aayla in her car seat when she was able to leave the NICU, so she was the first and last person to care for my rainbow baby,” she says. “Nurse Glen sets the standard for nursing care! I’m also grateful for nurses Rose Husbands, RN, and Yolanda Dela Cruz, RN; they treated my daughter like she was their own.”

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Letters of Appreciation: The Mount Sinai Hospital and the Birth of My New Son

May 7, 2021 | Letters of Appreciation, Stories of Excellence

Alanna Bonner, RN, left, and Arielle Sharpe, RN

“I thought I’d put together my and Kyle’s thoughts on the amazing people that we encountered at The Mount Sinai Hospital for the birth of my new son.

Arielle Sharpe, RN: She was super competent and had amazing, calming energy. I can’t believe she, herself, was 34 weeks pregnant! She made us feel instantly at ease and that we were in excellent hands. We were particularly nervous as this was our first child, and Arielle was the first person we interacted with at the hospital. The anxiety level went down immediately after interacting with her.

Alanna Bonner, RN, BSN: She took such good care of us in the thick of things. What an ideal person to have with you in the delivery room! As I was pushing, she was cheering me on and was so helpful throughout the whole process. My husband compared her to a coxswain in rowing, who is used to motivate people, and get the most out of them when they are truly exhausted—and I thought that was an apt comparison.

Emily Barasch and husband and son

Ruoru Huang, RN: We loved Ruo! She was truly so kind. On night one, as I was sleeping and Kyle, also running on zero sleep, was taking care of the baby, Ruo stepped in and took care of him for a few hours so Kyle could sleep too. It was crucial and so sweet of her! Kyle would later talk about this simple gesture as if Rou pulled him out of a burning building; she really saved him! She also just seems to love babies and clearly has a special way with them.

Miriam Polanco, RN: Miriam was our last nurse, and though admittedly the last bit of the hospital is slightly a blur, Miriam was so incredibly helpful getting us situated and had a really loving vibe.

Jessie Kempner, MD: Having her as my doctor was an amazing experience! She was so on top of it, an excellent communicator, and a comforting presence. She made sure we were very comfortable and attended to, and was overall just very lovely to have there.

My husband, Kyle, and I have always told our delivery story with the most sincere of praise to the incredible team of doctors and nurses that made such an intimidating process so much less so due to their kindness and expertise.”

–Emily Barasch

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Delighting New Moms at Mount Sinai West with Food and Friendship

May 7, 2021 | Stories of Excellence

Bernadette Sterling

Bernadette Sterling, a 15-year veteran of the Mount Sinai Health System, loves her job in Food Services at Mount Sinai West, where she covers the Obstetrics service, taking meal requests for moms-to-be and new moms. But for Bernadette, her charge is more than delivering a hot meal or making sure allergies are noted and food preferences are met.

“I want these moms to be happy,” she says. “I will ask them if they need anything, and if I have a little extra time, chat with them and get to know them personally or tell them something about me.”  A note from a recent patient confirms she excels in her mission.  “Ms. Bernadette went above and beyond to make sure my meals were exactly what I needed, even with my food allergies. She is such an amazing person and made my stay the best experience ever.”

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KidZone TV Manager Brings Joy and Fun to Young Patients

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Stories of Excellence

Mathea Jacobs, left, and David Reich, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Mount Sinai Hospital

For young patients and their families, being in the hospital can be an especially difficult experience, with many unknowns. One of the staff at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital who strives to make these patients’ hospital stays positive and empowering is Mathea Jacobs,  a program manager on the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy team, who has overseen KidZone TV for the past six years.

KidZone TV is a state-of-the-art, interactive production and internal broadcast studio within Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital. KidZone TV produces live programming for pediatric patients and families five times a day, seven days a week, which is  broadcast throughout Kravis Children’s Hospital on a dedicated channel.

Learning, socialization, and creativity are promoted through popular interactive games like Bingo, Name That Tune, Text Twist, and KidZone Trivia shows. In addition, KidZone TV Presents features entertainers and celebrities who lend excitement to daily programming and includes collaborations with local cultural organizations such as the American Ballet Theater and Broadway Hearts. Children who are not confined to their rooms can participate as camera operators, storywriters, or hosts of the show, while others have the opportunity to view the program and participate by calling in and answering a question, creating a story, or winning prizes.

Mathea works with the department’s Child Life Specialists, Art and Music Therapists to help them host and create therapeutically rich and engaging live shows which strengthen the healing partnerships with their patients. In this process, Mathea gets to know our pediatric patients and is able to develop unique shows that engage, distract, educate, and bring joy throughout each day.

Mathea says she decided to take her production and creative skills into health care in order to do something “meaningful and important.”

She explains, “Bringing a child out of his or her shell and finding a new way of expressing feelings during a hospital stay is invaluable.” Her deep commitment to having the studio be a positive experience for hospitalized children extends even beyond the walls of Mount Sinai. With support from the Child Life and studio teams, she leads yearly training sessions for similar professionals in other hospitals, sharing knowledge and experience so that patients around the country might benefit from similar programming.

Recently Mathea was honored by David Reich, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Mount Sinai Hospital, for her work and dedication in this year’s virtual pediatric/perinatal memorial service.

KidZoneTV programming has been generously funded for one year by the Mount Sinai Auxiliary Board.

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