Archive for month: April, 2020
Setting the table for impactful culinary careers and extraordinary care
At Northwell Health, our culinary departments are built on providing the same standard of service that’s expected in the care we give our patients. With our hospitality-driven approach and our professionally-trained culinary staff, the work we do in the kitchen is essential in our quest to deliver patient satisfaction and redefine health care as a whole. One of the hospitals leading the charge is Huntington Hospital.
Teamwork is imperative, and the staff at Huntington Hospital thrive on teamwork, passion, and dedication. Just ask Sarah Ohlinger, Director of Food and Nutrition and Chief Clinical Dietitian at Huntington Hospital, “We truly believe that when you are surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.” When it comes to elevating care and improving patient outcomes, it’s the work of the collective that makes all the difference.
Our culinary teams work closely together to directly influence the course of our patients’ journey towards better health. Highly skilled dietitians collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to provide our patients with the latest evidence-based research to assist in improving patient outcomes. The dietitians then work alongside the chefs, diet techs and management team to execute new recipes and ensure that they meet guidelines for therapeutic diets. Then it’s time for the chefs and cooks to bring these recipes to life.
However, the work of the team doesn’t end there. Diet clerks are the voice of the department, handling hundreds of calls a day, and speaking directly to patients to obtain their orders. Our food service workers are the face of our department, delivering meals to patients in under 25 minutes with a smile and a kind word.
Northwell’s commitment to advancing the industry is evident in Huntington Hospital. In just three years, Huntington Hospital went from being ranked in the 16th percentile to being ranked in the 93rd percentile in the country, per the Press Ganey Quality of Food Scores., There’s so much that contributes to that success.
For example:
- Replacing dinnerware with bone china and high-quality flatware.
- Using freshly sourced, seasonal and locally grown ingredients whenever possible.
- Conducting meal rounds on a weekly basis to meet with patients to understand how we can best serve them.
- Being the first in our network to convert to an In-Room Dining model similar to hotel room service.
With meals like homemade blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes for breakfast and roasted cauliflower flatbread pizza for dinner, it’s no wonder our patients’ faces light up when their meals are delivered.
Providing support during the COVID-19 pandemic with food and nutrition
When it came time to modify the dining experience in the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at Huntington was ready to join the fight. Clinical Registered Dietitians work daily with the interdisciplinary team to optimize nutrition support for increasingly complex critical COVID patients who are fighting the virus. This is especially vital as research indicates that adequate nutrition can decrease the number of vent-dependent days and the mortality rate. The team transitioned to a modified meal delivery service to limit disruptions to the nursing staff. They worked together to create an abridged COVID menu to help lower staffing needs while accounting for the nutritional needs of our patients during potential shortages of enteral supplies.
This passion for using food to heal goes beyond the meals delivered to our patients. Chefs worked daily to make free homemade healthy snacks to fuel caregivers while they work on the front lines. Get well cards have been added to patients’ meal trays in hopes to help brighten their days and let them know that Food & Nutrition is available to provide support. When Meals on Wheels came to a halt during COVID-19, Huntington’s Food & Nutrition and the Quality Department filled the gap with the launch of “Mobile Meals,” a program where volunteers deliver meals produced and packaged by the culinary team to continue a life-sustaining service to homebound senior citizens in the community.
“Our team recognizes the important role food plays in the healing and recovery process,” says Sarah. “Food can help heal, and in the hospital setting, it can comfort. We are proud to serve our patients, caregivers and community members.”
If you feel you have the qualities needed to lead a fulfilling career in culinary services at Northwell Health, apply today.
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Joining the fight: Meet Alison Laxer, MD
Northwell Health is proud to spotlight our front line health care workers. See how Northwell clinicians – doctors and nurses – are responding and working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read their stories here.
After graduating early from the Zucker School of Medicine, Alison Laxer, MD, is entering the effort to care for COVID-19 patients.
March 25 is a day I will never forget. Not because I celebrated my birthday with my family, but because I learned something that would change my life forever.
Late that Wednesday evening, I received a message about a Zoom virtual meeting with Lawrence Smith, MD, MACP, dean of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, where I was well into my fourth year. We usually don’t have meetings with the dean like this, but under the current circumstances, anything was possible. Dr. Smith told us we are graduating early and have the option to join the fight against the coronavirus.
My parents, who are both physicians, were nervous. And rightfully so. Who would want their child to voluntarily be exposed to COVID-19? But they understood and would’ve taken the opportunity to do the right thing if they were in my situation. We are physicians after all. This is what we signed up for.
My boyfriend, Alexander Smith, MD, who is also in my class, had similar feelings about the decision — he said we can be a part of history. We both decided independently, and it was never a question of if to do it, but when do we start?
The truth is, I will start in a few days. I finished virtual training earlier this week. Fear. Excitement. Concern. There’s a wide range of emotions flowing. We know we won’t see our families. We know we should avoid highly populated places like grocery stores. But we also know that we can help make a difference for so many struggling with the pandemic.
They say your fourth year of medical school is supposed to be a glorious time. Alex and I had plans to go to Europe, then the Caribbean, then to my cousin’s home in Chicago. It was supposed to be a time to really relax and rest before starting my residency at Cohen Children’s Medical Center. It’s strange that I will be spending this time at a hospital rather than a beach. But if this is what is needed, I’m going.
To say I’m scared would be an understatement. This is something we have never done before and I think I’m more nervous about not being very helpful. I know Northwell has plenty of personal protective equipment. And I can see the camaraderie among staff who are celebrated and sharing their experiences in the media. I just want to play my part.
This virus has touched so many lives. I never thought being a doctor was a hazardous profession, not like a firefighter or policewoman. But we will be exposed and our mission has never been greater. Hopefully, this will encourage more people to go into medicine.
Alison Laxer, MD, is a recent graduate of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine. After assisting in the fight against COVID-19, she will assume her pediatric residency.
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Connecting with coronavirus patients, and their families
Northwell Health is proud to spotlight our front line health care workers. See how Northwell clinicians – doctors and nurses – are responding and working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read their stories here.
Nicole Fishman, RN, isn’t just caring for COVID-19 patients at Huntington Hospital, she’s helping them communicate with their families too. Hear her story.
During the COVID-19 crisis, there’s been an even greater focus on caring for our patients as whole people in light of very limited visitation policies. They sometimes get scared having minimal contact with their friends and families. But my staff and I have been proactively calling family members and giving them updates on their loved one throughout the day. We are also using iPads and tablets to Facetime and Skype with families, so they can share their love with our patients.
When we are communicating with families through tablets, I think about my own parents and how I would want them to be treated if they were in this situation.
It’s been amazing getting so much support from throughout our hospital. All of the people are are caring for are either suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. So everyone is isolated and requires a higher level of care. We are managing this by working as a team, staying strong and supporting each other in any way that we can. As expected, we’re taking everything day by day.
Wearing all of this additional gear can make it harder to breathe, which is why we need more frequent breaks. I try to take advantage of any time away, going outside for fresh air and to clear my head.
All of Huntington Hospital’s employees have been so appreciative of the meals that we’ve received from community donations. It’s been very helpful to not have to worry about cooking or preparing food. We can focus on what matters most — our patients.
One thing I’ve been surprised about is that younger patients — people in their 40s, 50s and 60s — are deteriorating faster than I would have anticipated. Some don’t have a past medical history of pre-existing conditions.
I’m fortunate to have a very supportive boyfriend who’s at home cooking and taking care of things while I’m out fighting COVID-19. Many of the other nurses on my unit have supportive significant others who have been writing encouraging letters and packing food for us.
When I leave work, I take several precautions in an attempt to protect my boyfriend from this dangerous virus. I change my shoes before I get into the car and shower immediately when I get home. I take all of my clothes off right by the door and throw them straight into the washing machine on a hot water setting. I feel safer being on my unit versus out in the community because we’re all wearing the proper protective gear and the unit is constantly being cleaned.
As advice from someone who has witnessed the devastation COVID-19 causes, please listen to what everyone’s saying. Stay home. Only then can people hopefully stay out of the hospital. If you don’t have to go out, please don’t.
Even though the world seems on hold right now, for health care workers it’s more like business as usual. Caring for our patients in all circumstances is what we’re made for.
Nicole Fishman, RN, is a nurse manager at Huntington Hospital.
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Beyond the call of duty: answering the call to deliver care
When it comes to veterans finding careers at Northwell Health, during or after their service, the opportunities are limitless. Take Stephanie Leibman, a registered nurse at Northwell and a member of the Army Reserves. She began her journey here in 2016 and quickly discovered this was the place she was meant to be.
Starting as a patient care associate (PCA) at Glen Cove Hospital while in nursing school, Stephanie experienced an accommodating and supportive environment that encouraged her professional growth and helped her discover a different mission that she was more than ready to accept.
“My nurse manager was always very accommodating with my school schedule, and all of the nurses that I worked with were always willing to teach me what they knew,” she says. “Northwell was constantly holding career-related events which eventually helped me move from PCA to nurse.”
What she details is just an example of the programs we have available to help develop our talent. Following her transition from a PCA to a registered nurse, Stephanie first gained experience in pain management before accepting an RN position at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) in the Labor and Delivery department.
Although still new to the labor and delivery team, she’s quickly made herself at home within a department she’s dreamed of since her first day of nursing school. “Even though I’ve just started in labor and delivery, I love it,” she says. “I love the friendly and helpful environment, and how there is constant learning opportunities. I love being a part of such an amazing process and assisting women and their families through it.”
Her time serving the country, functioning as a healthcare specialist, provided her with a unique skill set that easily transferred to the work we do every day at Northwell. “In the Army Reserves, I’ve received a great deal of fast-paced trauma training which I find useful every day of my career. It really helped teach me how to function in high-stress situations,” she says.
Everyone who joins our team with a passion for redefining healthcare will find many opportunities for development and career growth. Northwell’s culture has tremendous revere and admiration for our veterans and reservists who have sacrificed so much to protect and keep our country safe. As Stephanie knows, there is always a place on our team. “I’d definitely recommend other veterans and military members to work for Northwell. The organization appreciates the work we do, and is flexible to reserve/army schedules.”
Explore our careers and discover how to leverage your veteran experience at Northwell Health.
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Celebrating acts of kindness among our family of Northwell heroes
Though we span across 23 hospitals and more than 750 ambulatory locations, our Northwell Health team is one big family. And as a family, our team members are committed to not only delivering the best patient care, but caring for each other and our communities.
Check out these stories of our clinical and non-clinical team members alike working to bring moments of positivity, hope and support amid COVID-19.
Finding Connections Hospital to Hospital, Unit to Unit
Kindness is connecting our teams across Northwell through video messages, photos, cards and other countless examples of ongoing support and humanity. For example, Krista Griffin, a patient access team member at Southside Hospital, raised money with her family to have catered food delivered to overnight workers in the ED. Also, the NICU team at Cohen Children’s Medical Center created and delivered care packages to other Northwell hospitals, and our nutrition and dining services teams baked fresh cookies for workers to bring home after a long day.
Bringing the Grocery Stores to our Team Members
Hospitals across Northwell realized the need to help support our healthcare heroes get the necessities they need at home. Hospital cafes have turned into temporary grocery stores, where our nurses, environmental services workers, physicians, therapists, transporters, techs and others can safely shop to stock their pantry or choose a freshly prepared meal to take home.
Stitching for our Heroes
Gloria Medina, a booking clerk at one of Northwell’s endoscopy practices, posted a call to action for all stitchers to help create artwork for our heroes. These custom portraits are being delivered to our healthcare heroes on the front lines as a way to say thank you and make them smile.
Finding Inspiration at Glen Cove Hospital
The 1 South Rehab team at Glen Cove Hospital created an Inspiration Tree within the hospital to leave small tokens of wisdom and motivation for team members and patients. These messages help them to find optimism and the importance of what matters most.
Chalk Art Acts of Kindness
Throughout the health system, chalk art has been popping up outside our hospitals. Messages from team members and our communities are being drawn to thank our workers and give them something bright and cheery to look at as they walk in and out of work.
Take 5 for YourSELF Fridays
The Employee Wellness team collaborated with myHealthBody to start a weekly series to encourage team members to take five minutes to care for themselves with “Take 5 for YourSELF Fridays”. The weekly videos and printouts include guided stretches and exercises to help relieve tension and grant wellness benefits that last all day.
We are all filled with gratitude for our wonderful Truly Together team. Their passion, dedication and kindness inspires us daily. To all healthcare heroes here and everywhere – THANK YOU!
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The best healthcare careers for your personality type
When it comes to students deciding on what career to pursue, the amount of choices can seem daunting. With that in mind, psychologist Dr. John L. Holland invented a set of personality types. These types, known as Holland Codes, work under the belief that people work best in an environment where they enjoy their tasks and might provide some insight into the best career option for you.
As the largest private employer in New York State, Northwell Health has a diverse selection of careers for every path and personality type. We listed the different Holland Code personality types alongside the healthcare careers that might best fit each.
Take the Holland Code assessment and see which personality type you are by clicking here and then match your results to the careers below.
Realistic Holland Code: The Builders
Those who fall under the realistic interest profile are classified as builders. These individuals tend to be practical, sensible and mechanical, while enjoying hands-on tasks that are concrete or fixed such as building, repairing or using machines. Independent work is preferred and they tend to be action-based while focusing on solutions.
Healthcare careers for builders may include:
- Environmental Services
- Materials Management
- Engineering and Mechanical Services
- Security
- Radiology
Investigative Holland Code: The Thinkers
If you have an investigative interest profile, you’re classified as a thinker. Thinkers are analytical and scientific, preferring to work with research, exploration and intellectual pursuits. These individuals may prefer to work with theories, enjoying gaining knowledge and exploring the possibilities in the world.
Healthcare careers for thinkers may include:
- Medical Research
- Clinical Laboratory
- PeriOperative Services (Surgical Technologists, Operating Room Nurses and Surgeons)
- Teleheath
- Information Technology
- Pharmacy
- Clinical Informatics
Artistic Holland Code: The Creators
Those who identify with having an artistic interest profile are known as creators. Creators usually prefer to work in an unstructured environment where they have the freedom to come up with new ideas and expressive work. These individuals thrive in flexible jobs without much repetition or routine and they can use their imagination to influence their work.
Healthcare careers for creators may include:
- Marketing and Communications
- Video and Photography
- Culinary
- Music Therapy
- Art Therapy
Social Holland Code: The Helpers
Individuals who identify as having a social interest profile are known as helpers. Helpers are supportive and healing in nature, enjoying teaching and working in collaborative work environments. They enjoy working with people and being helpful, whether it’s through service or education.
Healthcare careers for helpers may include:
- Nursing and Nursing Support
- Child Life Services
- Social Work
- Advanced Clinical Providers
- Rehabilitation
Conventional Holland Code: The Organizers
If you identify as having a conventional interest profile, you’re known as an organizer. These individuals tend to thrive in methodical and procedural work where they find success with their accuracy and precision. They’re detail-oriented and enjoy working with data and numbers in a systemic approach.
Healthcare careers for organizers may include:
- Finance
- Administration
- Human Resources
- Revenue Cycle
- Clerical
Enterprising Holland Code: The Persuaders
Those who find they relate to an enterprising interest profile are known as persuaders. Persuaders thrive in a competitive environment where they feel their work is able to influence process. They are ambitious and unafraid to take risks while enjoying strategizing and being in positions of leadership.
Healthcare careers for persuaders may include:
- Management
- Operations
- Business Development
- Law
- Public Relations
While the Holland Codes are a great starting point for students to explore careers, it’s important to remember that you may be a combination of more than one interest profile. To further explore all the career opportunities that exist in healthcare, join our Student Talent Community today!
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Meet the winners of this year’s Spark! Challenge
Northwell Health’s Spark! Challenge is an annual program for high school students across the New York area that brings together educators, schools and lots of passionate Northwell team members. Students who participate in the Spark! Challenge have the opportunity to learn about careers directly from our team members, igniting their spark for healthcare careers. The Spark! Challenge plays a vital role in helping reach, engage and inspire tomorrow’s healthcare leaders.
With this year’s Spark! Challenge bigger than ever, approximately 1,000 students from more than 50 schools participated in hands-on site visits with Northwell team members across more than 81 departments, hospitals and facilities to have a immersive learning experience about healthcare careers. After their Northwell site visit, students are given the challenge to create a poster featuring one healthcare career they learned about and then present on that career as a team.
Meet the winners from this year’s poster competition below!
First Place: John F. Kennedy High School, Bellmore-Merrick
The students from John F. Kennedy High School, Bellmore-Merrick visited the trauma team at Cohen Children’s Medical Center and learned about an electroencephalogram (EEG) and how placement of sensors on the head produces outputs. They also met patients who have experienced head trauma, including one patient who has a 3-D printed skull. Students then visited the morgue to learn about the brain post-mortem.
After meeting with the team, the students chose to have their poster focus on the child life specialists who help make pediatric patients more comfortable during their hospital visit.
Second Place: Valley Stream South High School
When the students from Valley Stream South High School visited the Department of Family Medicine, they were presented with four simulated cases in Family Medicine. Working together as a team, students had to learn and decide how to care for patients such as a pediatric child in urgent care with a sore throat and an elderly patient who needed an ultrasound. Through these simulations, students left with a better understanding of the variety of cases a Family Medicine care team might see in one day.
These students chose to highlight doctors in their poster and showcase the diverse care they deliver to patients.
Third Place: Baldwin High School
Baldwin High School students spent the day with Northwell’s Corporate Business Development team to discover healthcare careers within business strategy. During the field trip, students were presented with the challenge to form a capital cost estimate for a physician practice based on an outline of a practice assessment. Using a previous example, the students worked through the capital process with a defined budget to discover how business strategy is used to improve the care our patients receive.
Their poster focused on the role of a practice transitioner who is using their knowledge to implement improvements in our practices.
Honorable Mention: Patchogue-Medford High School
Students at Patchogue-Medford High School learned that it takes talent to fill our health system with the right people in the right roles. After meeting with the Talent Acquisition team, they learned how to find candidates who embody the Northwell values from thousands of applicants through attracting, vetting and hiring candidates.
Choosing to highlight a healthcare recruiter, they wanted to showcase the integral role that Talent Acquisition plays in identifying top candidates who are “Made for this.”
Facebook Favorite: Great Neck South High School
Great Neck South High School students traveled to LIJ Forest Hills Hospital to learn about the innovation with healthcare. Arriving at the hospital, students took part in an interactive exercise with the Assistant Director of Environment of Care Compliance/Safety before being split into groups to learn about the different areas of care. The teams learned about safe patient handling, MRI Safety, Operating Room/Delivery Room, basic life support, and wound care. The day concluded through sharing the team’s career journeys.
For their poster, the students chose to highlight the career of an obstetrician and gynecologist. Winning the Facebook Favorite award means that their poster was voted on by hundreds of Northwell team members!
Rookie Poster Award: Plainedge High School
Plainview Hospital hosted the Plainedge High School students and taught them about all of the careers that exist within our Imaging Departments. After attending a lecture and receiving a tour, the students then scrubbed into a procedure in interventional radiology, where they used the ultrasound machines and spoke with team members.
Their poster showcased the role a nuclear radiologist plays within our hospital to help diagnose and treat patients.
Watch our video announcement of the winners below!
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Five tips to ace your next virtual interview
As times change the needs of the companies do as well. In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in companies relying on online platforms to conduct candidate interviews. Recruiters actively utilize video conferencing now more than ever to engage and reach a more diverse, global group of prospective hires. For you, the prospective hire, it can give you an advantage if and only if you take it as seriously as you would an actual in-person interview. Northwell Health has prepared a number of tips to help you master the virtual interview so you’re confident and prepared to take on the next step in your professional career.
First things first, considering virtual interviews happen online, it is essential that your online connection is strong. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of explaining why you’re the perfect candidate and the recruiter is met with grainy, pixelated images of you, or worst case, a dropped call. To avoid this, test your equipment beforehand. It may even be helpful to have a friend try a mock interview just so you’re aware of what the person on the other end of the call experiences throughout the process.
Now that you’re all set with your technology, what do you wear? It’s best to dress as if you’re walking into an actual office to conduct your interview. Dressing professionally isn’t only expected, but it also shows the recruiter that though you are home, you made an extra effort to make sure you made a quality first impression. Trust us, that goes a long way.
On to where you take the call. Most interviewees prefer to take the call from home, that way they are able to have more control of their environment than if they were at a coffee shop or even a library. If you do field the call from someplace else outside of your home, be sure it’s someplace quiet. You would hate to repeat yourself for your recruiter because they couldn’t hear you over a coffee grinder or the latest music from your second favorite band playing in the background.
Find the perfect spot. As much as it may be tempting to be as comfortable as possible seeing as most likely you’ll be taking this call from home, sitting at a desk or a table is much better than sitting on your bed. A tabletop provides the feel as if you’re sitting across from the person asking you questions and even helps keep your posture focused and your mindset on what’s in front of you.
Now that you’ve tested your equipment, figured out what to wear, where to go, and where to sit, it’s time to make sure you’re prepared. And though this process may be a bit different from what you may or may not be used to, it’s important you treat this the same as you would a regular interview. Come into the interview with questions you may have about the organization, a brief elevator pitch about your experience, how you feel you can add value to the team, and what you’re hoping to get out of your experience altogether. The more you’ve prepared, the more relaxed and confident you’ll be.
Follow these tips and set yourself up for success on your next call on others in the future. And if you’re interested in redefining health, Northwell Health has plenty of opportunities. Be sure to take a look at careers by clicking here.
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