News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2013 

Nursing Excellence Awards Honors HHC Nurses for Remarkable Service

New York, NY ― Six nurses were honored today by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) for providing outstanding service to patients, the community and their colleagues. Nursing Excellence Awards are given for excellence in leadership, improving patient outcomes, education, teamwork and community service.

The HHC nurses who received the award have gone beyond their daily routines to be positive leaders and mentors for other nurses, implement programs and processes to improve patient care, and volunteer their personal time to provide medical services to communities in New York City and abroad. They are among the 8,000 nurses at HHC -- men and women who provide care each day to New Yorker's in its public hospitals, long-term care facilities and health centers across the five boroughs.

"HHC nurses are not only going above and beyond for their patients and colleagues, but voluntarily bringing that expertise and medical care to their communities," said HHC President Alan D. Aviles. "These nurses are an example of the skill and compassion we see and appreciate from them each day."

"These individuals have not only demonstrated their commitment to quality patient care, but also to advancing the knowledge and tools available to all staff," said HHC Chief Nursing Officer Lauren Johnston, RN, MPA. "They work tirelessly to not only improve the lives of patients, but to also make sure their families and caregivers have the support they need."

The 2013 Nursing Excellence Award winners are:

• Taiwo Adeniji, RN, Jacobi Medical Center – Received the award for "Excellence in Volunteerism and Service" for her selfless work with the Nigerian Nurses Association to provide medical care and preventive health screenings in New York City and in her native country through personally funded efforts.


• Linda Bulone, RN, Queens Hospital Center – Received the award for "Excellence in Advancing and Leading the Profession" for her work within the Queens Cancer Center to successfully increase the number of minority patients in cancer clinical trials through inpatient education, and community programs to educate about cancer screenings and prevention.


• Anna Krakowski, RN, Lincoln Medical Center – Received the award for "Excellence in Clinical Nursing, Inpatient" for her vital role in the growth of the Palliative Care Service, including implementation of specialized tools into practice, and ongoing education of physicians, nursing, and ancillary staff to increase awareness of patients with serious and chronic illnesses.


• Margaret Levine, RN, Woodhull Medical Center – Received the award for "Excellence in Education and Mentorship" for her work to reorganize, refocus, and revitalize the nursing education program, which has contributed to improved patient outcomes.


• Kathleen Marino, RN, Coney Island Hospital – Received the award for "Excellence in Management" for her leadership in the NICU to constantly improve the unit for staff and patients. She creates procedures and tools to help her staff improve performance for better patient outcomes, and encourages them to complete certifications. She also coordinates groups for NICU parents where they receive support and important health information.


• Peter Ching, RN, Gouverneur Health – Received the award for "Excellence in Home, Community or Ambulatory Care" for his leadership, positive attitude, and enthusiasm. He was instrumental in the development of the "Green Team" to improve patient access, satisfaction and clinical outcomes. To improve collaboration among team members, he helps to facilitate communication to ensure better work flow.

For the first time this year, HHC will present the Nursing Champion award to a person who has demonstrated support for HHC nursing. Josephine Bolus, RN, MS, CNP, APRN-BC was presented this award in recognition of her tireless work in the field leading up to and following her retirement in 1997. Josephine served as a Staff Nurse in the Pediatric Emergency Room at Kings County Hospital. She pioneered the establishment of the certification guidelines for the nurse practitioner in New York State, and served as Preceptor for Pediatric Nurse Practitioner students at Columbia University and for Registered Nurse students at Kingsboro Community College. Among her many post-retirement activities she serves on the HHC Board as the City Council designee for Brooklyn. As a Board member, Josephine is instrumental in advocating for patients and nurses, she challenges nurses to be active both professionally and politically, and insists on using quality resources to deliver exceptional patient care.

More than 30 nurses were nominated for the Nursing Excellence Awards. Winners were chosen by a committee, including last year's winners.

 

Contact: Ian Michaels (HHC) (212) 788-3339

 About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlus, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission's John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc or find us on facebook.com/nycHHC or twitter.com/HHCnyc.