Charleen Jacobs, MS, ANP-BC, a nurse practitioner in the Mount Sinai Health System Adult Sickle Cell program, Co-Chair of Sinai Nurses Against Pain, and winner of the MSHS Nurse Practitioner Week’s Resilience in Action award, is modest. “Nurses don’t like to take credit,” she says. “Caring for patients is our job.”
But Charleen has shown she goes far beyond the call of duty. Her award nomination letter from the directors of the Sickle Cell Program team—Jena Simon, DNP, FNP-BC; Jeffrey Glassberg, MD, MA; and Brittany McCrary, MS, AGNP-BC—includes the following praises:
“During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Jacobs remained a committed team member. She contributed to the rapid deployment of telemedicine and offered patients innovative strategies to manage acute complications of their disease. She responded to patients during non-working hours, and she kept many patients out of the Emergency Department, safely, at home.”
“Ms. Jacobs plays a vital role in developing the sickle cell disease workforce. In the United States, there is a shortage of providers with expertise in sickle cell. Charleen has precepted several nurse practitioner students and inspired some to enter the field.”
“Ms. Jacobs is appreciated and loved by her patients. They value her empathy and warmth and rely on her to deliver evidenced-based care that she tailors to each individual. She also works with community-based organizations to mobilize needed resources and support for her patients.”
Charleen, a PhD candidate, is always thinking about how best to serve her patients. She is excited that telemedicine will continue to offer patients who have difficulty traveling to Mount Sinai the means to get the care they need. And she hopes that someday home-based services will also be available to those patients who need them.
“Working with patients living with sickle cell disease is a passion,” Charleen says. “While the work to support our patients can be challenging, my inspiration to continue providing high-quality care comes from understanding the needs of patients affected by sickle cell disease. My advanced practice nursing skills have enabled me to connect with and serve patients so that they can live full and healthy lives. This work takes a village, and I could not do without my amazing team. I am honored and humbled to receive the Resilience in Action Award and thankful for the recognition.”