Yvette Geier, RN, who works on 3 East at Mount Sinai Queens recently nominated Ruth Kernizan, Nursing Assistant, 3 West, for a STAR award.

“Ruth is very attentive with her patients. She takes vital signs on time and is very diligent. She will make sure the room and bedside tables are cleaned before she leaves. Her efforts do not go unnoticed. We praise her for her contributions and we celebrate her commitment. Bravo, Ruth!”

Ruth’s supervisor, Anne Pisciotta, RN, Clinical Nurse Manager, agrees.

“Ruth is an excellent Nursing Assistant. She often goes above and beyond to ensure patients are not only well cared for but focuses on a positive patient experience. MSQ is very fortunate to have her as a part of the team.”

“Donjeta Tominaj has worked at the Mount Sinai Health System since 2015. Since then, she has taken on multiple roles and currently works as a manager in our Admitting Department at Mount Sinai West. She is a great team player and was very instrumental at helping convert our VIP unit to one for COVID-19 patients, repurposing our conference rooms and leading the team in other key areas during the surges of the pandemic. Thank you for everything you do, Donjeta. Your teamwork and agility have truly made a difference!”

Janice Connolly, Vice President, Administration

Marc Samuels, Director, and Megi Duhanxhiu, MHA, Assistant Director, Admitting and Throughput, 14B Concierge Services

“Right at the start of her shift at Mount Sinai Queens 2 East, nurse Bonnie Boyce, MSN, MPH, noticed that a patient, who was not her own, looked unwell. When she took the patient’s pulse, she did not find one and immediately called a code. Advanced cardiac life support brought the patient back, and the family was so grateful. Later, Bonnie alerted me to a patient with elevated serum glucose and low bicarbonate levels, with elevated lactate. The patient was in the Emergency Department at the time, but had just been admitted with a bed assignment on 2 East. I immediately reviewed the chart, and we upgraded the patient to the ICU for diabetic ketoacidosis to start on an insulin drip. Both patients received better care because of Bonnie’s excellent clinical judgment. She is the true definition of a team player. She shows great empathy to her patients and their family members.”

Tenzin Noryang, PA, Physician Associate Supervisor, Mount Sinai Queens

“Giovan Sofia is a maintenance mechanic at Mount Sinai Queens. Gio’s help prior to and during our move to the new MSQ Infusion Center was greatly appreciated. He went above and beyond to ensure that TVs were installed, patient signage was hung, and there were no safety issues that would impact our patients or staff on our first day of operations. Gio did not leave our space until he was sure there was nothing else he could do to help us have a successful opening day. Thank you, Gio, for your teamwork and dedication.”

Vivian Franco, Administrative Manager, Mount Sinai Queens Infusion Center

“Latrell Griffin, Security Officer, was called over as one of our staff had been locked out of their office. The door is never closed, and someone accidently closed it. He came over to unlock the door and when asked, received permission to make us a set of keys. Latrell was busy when we called Security, yet he came when called. He was cordial and calm. Latrell really made an impression; he was a great help! I am happy to know he is one of the security officers who are helping to protect the Mount Sinai Queens staff and patients.”

Tricia Kearney, Case Management Administrative Manager

“On June 15, Rose Chery, RN, was working in front triage of the Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Morningside. After walking a patient to the Evaluation B treatment area, she noticed an elderly woman standing in front of the first floor elevator bank with a nervous expression on her face. She asked the woman what was wrong, and the woman stated she had a scheduled ultrasound appointment on the third floor and was scared to use the elevator alone due her being claustrophobic. Rose decided to wait with her and travel on the elevator to help get to her destination safety. It’s the little things like this that truly show how helpful we can be for anyone in need. Rose showed compassion and willingness to help a patient, and that is a shining example of enhancing the patient experience.”

Lawrence Gaskins. Operations Manager, Emergency Department, Mount Sinai Morningside

“This is a recognition of a group of hemodialysis nurses who was called upon for the uncommon and challenging task of hemodialysis for a newborn infant with a life-threatening condition only dialysis could help.  The nurses are:  Shanti Basnet, RN, Vernalyn Sangatanan, RN, Abeyson Jacob, RN, Anna Mazerski, BSN, RN, Theresa Dequito, RN,  and Iwona Wisniewski, RN.

Overnight in the wee hours of May 24 and late into that day this group of nurses provided 10 hours of amazing care.  I credit also Juzlyn Noboa, RN, and Yvette Cummings, RN, the nurse managers for dialysis, for enabling these nurses to work in pairs for this baby, recognizing the need for more hands to make this risky procedure as safe as possible.   Though called late at night and past standard hours, the team was well-prepared and mobilized without hesitation.

These dedicated dialysis nurses seamlessly integrated into the larger nursing and physician and tech teams of the PICU.   It was like a tango as they worked together to keep the dialysis circuit running in the center of a whirlwind of acutely intensive care for this newborn.  All 3 dialysis sessions totaling 10 hours were successfully carried out in about 18 hours.

Hemodialysis for infants is a procedure few institutions can perform and the reason the baby was transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital.  We should be proud of our dialysis team. It is among the finest anywhere.”

Jeff Saland, MD, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, and Medical Director, Pediatric Kidney Transplant Service,  Recanati Miller Transplant Institute (RMTI) of Mount Sinai. 

“Luis Prieto is the administrative coordinator for pediatric nephrology and rheumatology. Luis’s dedication to the teams he works with and his patients is unmatched. He is selfless and compassionate and goes above and beyond each day to make sure our patients and families get the best patient care possible. He often goes outside his role and job responsibilities to help his team members and is always available to us. Although Luis does not interact face to face with patients, all of our patients have a relationship with him and rely on him for support and assistance. They know that Luis is always available to help them with any issue, big or small. Luis comes to work each day with a smile on his face and is a joy to work with. He is such an integral part of our team and is a big factor as to why we are so successful as a team. This has been especially true during the pandemic, where he kept us all together and our practices running smoothly. Our entire team would like to thank Luis for his unwavering support and dedication to our patients.”

Victoria Hartman, LMSW, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital

“I am so impressed with Joseph Crimi, PA. There was a patient who was crying out for help on 3 East. She was evidently confused. As I approached the room, I witnessed him at bedside, eye level, purposefully reorienting her. He did this with patience. I sensed compassion and empathy in his approach and tone. He reassured her that she was safe and, eventually, the patient was expressively comforted. It feels great to know that we have clinicians of this caliber at Mount Sinai Queens, exuding excellence. He is a role model.”

Jonathan Nover, MBA, RN, Senior Director of Nursing, Emergency and Critical Care Services, Mount Sinai Queens

“I would like to recognize EVS Tech Nichole Bruce for her outstanding work in the Mount Sinai Morningside Emergency Department. She started in the ED several months ago and has been going non-stop ever since. Nichole is determined to make the ED always look its best, cleaning everything in sight. She makes my job easier as she writes down any items in the ED that need repair and makes sure I know about them on a real time basis. Nichole also has a positive, upbeat attitude that make everyone feel good. Thank you, Nichole!”

Anthony White, Supervisor, ED Handlers and Equipment, Mount Sinai Morningside

As a hospitalist at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, I was always impressed by the professional demeanor and agility of Gayrleen Friedman. A unit secretary, she supported COVID-19 units, and she did so admirably. Her nurse manager, Leonie Taylor, recently retired, but she told me she could not have survived the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic without Gayrleen’s assistance. “In times of extreme crisis,” she says, “Gayrleen provided stability and reassurance. And I recently found out that Gayrleen’s 23rd anniversary with MSBI was in December. We are lucky to have such a loyal team member.”

Bethany Kranitzky, MD, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Mount Sinai Beth Israel

“On two separate occasions, I asked Mr. Minns if it was possible to change beds for patients who were very uncomfortable. Both times, he dropped whatever he was doing to assess the situation, locate new beds, and act with compassion and understanding to change the beds and help make our patients comfortable. I appreciate his empathy and teamwork when we can collaborate toward putting our patients’ needs first and addressing their needs in a timely manner. It made those patients feel much better and they were happy with the care and service they were receiving.”

Robin Givan, Patient Advocate, to Alwyn Minns,  Housekeeping Aide

“I would like to highlight Carrie Fuller, Physical Therapy Assistant, of the Rehabilitation Medicine Department at Mount Sinai West. She has consistently demonstrated Mount Sinai’s values in her more than 10 years here. Compassion is easily one of her most recognizable strengths. Although this is a common trait in our department, Carrie stands out. She has a genuine kindness to her words, intentions, and actions. She provides thoughtful care from start to finish and supports patients, their families and other staff.

When a patient with an ambiguous support system suffered a long, complex hospitalization, Carrie continued to treat and care for him for several months and was a steadfast advocate for his physical, mental, emotional, and social needs. She has unparalleled professional involvement outside of our department. Her dedication was recently recognized by the New York Physical Therapy Association’s PTA Excellence award for being a role model and inspiration to patients/clients, peers, and students. She has certainly been a role model for us; her skill and flexibility permit her to cover various areas of the hospital, even when unexpected changes occur. We are grateful for her daily efforts and contributions to our patients, our department, and our profession.”

Samantha Narzabal, DPT, Mount Sinai West

“Geremy is an awesome clinical emergency room pharmacy manager. He is instrumental in improving patient care and outcomes. Geremy never misses a moment to educate administrative, nursing, and medical staffs. He is a vital member within the Emergency Medicine Department. When the pharmacy staff has an issue with an order in EPIC, he is just a Vocera call away. Geremy is the true representation of someone who provides excellent patient care. I applaud him for his outstanding service.”

Juanita Miles, Registered Pharmacist, to Geremy Carpenter, PharmD, Mount Sinai West

“During the COVID pandemic the pharmacy team at The Mount Sinai Hospital was absolutely outstanding. Anytime I needed guidance for my patients they were always there. They did not miss a beat. I consider them friends, not just colleagues, and I couldn’t do my job without them.”

Amir Steinberg, MD, to The Mount Sinai Hospital Pharmacy Department

“My sister fell ill right before Christmas on December 17, 2019, and she was taken to Mount Sinai West, where she passed away March 13. The Intensive Care Unit team that cared for her were exemplary! Jean, Tom, Donna, Petra, Lydia, Yvonne, Marvin, James Salonia, MD; Vicki Shanker, MD; Joseph Mathew, MD, Director of the ICU; and nameless others in that unit. The ninth floor nurses and Patient Care Associates Christina, Margaret, Carol, Chana, and others whose names I sadly cannot recall. Kelly Manon from Food Services, who delivered more than a guest meal; she always managed to deliver a smile whenever she came around! The Food Services team that worked in the cafeteria; always so pleasant whenever my family and I came through for a meal, especially Luke at the sandwich station. Rita Ferrans, RN, in hospice, who tended to my sister in her last moments. I cannot thank everyone enough for their time and efforts, and the concern and love that they showed to my sister and family! I will always be thankful for all that you tried to do to save her.

A special thanks to the late Max Forbes, MD, and Jorge Buxton, MD, and most recently to Paul Sidoti, MD, Professor and Deputy Chair for Clinical Affairs for the Department of Ophthalmology at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System, for preserving what eyesight my sister had left. Dr. Sidoti was an integral part in her last days, in that he made sure she always had all the eye drops that she needed while she was a patient in Mount Sinai West.”

—Sarah Arthurton-Preston

“I must take a moment to tell you about my contact today with Kenisha Oliver at Mount Sinai Brooklyn. I have 34 years of experience in various customer service positions with American Airlines, and I value the rare opportunity to speak to someone as knowledgeable, articulate, patient, and thorough as Kenisha Oliver is. She has a warm and friendly manner and because of her diligence, in a situation where I was concerned about getting prompt medical care, I was able to see otolaryngologist, Dr. Michael Turner within 36 hours of my call. What more could you want from patient services?”

Sincerely,

Lois Elsis