Inside Northwell: Women’s Health

Our Inside Northwell Facebook Live series is back! For our latest event, we hosted a panel from inside of Katz Women’s Hospital at Long Island Jewish Medical Center to talk about Women’s Health careers. Our expert panelists met and discussed career and growth opportunities in this booming sector of health care. Hear JoAnn Marzouk (Practice Nurse Manager, OBGYN of Islandia), Joelle Palmer (4/5 Katz Nurse Manager, Maternal Child Health, North Shore University Hospital), Nadine Simmons (Director, Patient Care Services, LIJ Forest Hills), and Robin Moreno (Northwell Health Recruiter) discuss their own experiences in Women’s Health and answer your questions. Check it out by watching the video below!

Igniting change across Women’s Health one nurse at a time

If you asked JoAnn Marzouk the secret to her successful nursing career in Women’s Health at Northwell, the answer is simple: great leadership. JoAnn started at Northwell in 2004 as a per diem Clinical Nurse Project Manager. Four titles and two degrees later, JoAnn has just been promoted to Nurse Manager at Islandia OB/GYN Contemporary Care, and she credits this accomplishment to her leaders who pushed her along the way. This progression led her to her current specialty in Women’s Health where JoAnn is helping to redefine health care with each nurse she mentors.

Transitioning to Women’s Health has JoAnn ready to take on new challenges. JoAnn’s been working in Women’s Health since 2016 when Donata Megaro hired JoAnn as a Nurse Supervisor at Women’s Comprehensive Health Center. This provided her with an opportunity to explore and learn another nursing discipline, which catapulted her career in Women’s health. This experience at WCHC has prepared JoAnn for the next step in her career.

“I am very privileged and excited to take on another new challenge in the OBGYN service line with a recent promotion to nurse manager at Contemporary Women’s Care in Islandia. Nurses have to understand that ambulatory nursing is significantly different than working in a hospital and that the responsibilities for nurses can at times be underestimated.” This is an underestimation that JoAnn is working hard to change. During her managerial time at Northwell, she hopes to be able to give new nurses the necessary skills tailored for physician practices, starting with developing strong telephone triage skills.

“All the accomplishments in my career, and furthering my education are because I work for Northwell Health. And now, once again, the OBGYN service line, has provided another great opportunity for me to become all that I can be as a nurse manager.” JoAnn says, “I was an associate degree prepared nurse before I came to Northwell and now look where I am.”

Starting her career with Northwell back in 2004 was an easy decision for JoAnn. “I could foresee the growth of the system even then,” she says, “I knew that this was a health system to be reckoned with and that they were doing things the right way.” Working per diem also provided her the flexibility to be at home with her kids.

From there, JoAnn went fulltime before she was recognized by her leader Wendy Carnel, VP, Revenue Integrity Ops, to do more project work in the hospital. Next, she was approached by her mentor, Winnie Mack, SVP, Health Systems Ops, to become the Nurse Manager at Southside for Wound Care.

“There was always that leader there to push me to the next step,” JoAnn says, “and they gave me the support and confidence that I needed to succeed. It’s thanks to leaders like Wendy, Winnie, Pat Farrell, Teri Manno, Anita Rice, and Natissa Sang that I am where I am.”

Desiring to continue growing as a nurse, JoAnn enrolled in a Southside cohort to get her BSN onsite at Southside through Farmingdale University. She went on to graduate with Leadership Honors, receiving a nursing leadership award and giving the speech at graduation.

Her education didn’t stop there. JoAnn was provided an opportunity to return to school again. In another cohort environment, set up once again by Southside Hospital, JoAnn earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing through Stony Brook University in two years while still working fulltime. JoAnn feels very indebted to Tricia Lewis, Director of Nursing Education & Research at Southside Hospital for providing such an incredible opportunity for her to further her education.

As her career progressed, JoAnn was able to take her experience and education to inspire new nurses in our health system. “I take pride in identifying staff and pushing them to further their education. The reason I’m able to do that now is because someone did it for me. I’ve been able to take on new positions to continue to ignite change for new nurses

And it’s not just new nurses that JoAnn is inspiring – her own daughter has started her career with Northwell and is an assistant coordinator in Research at Zucker Hillside Hospital.

Part of building a great nursing team, means to keep learning herself. This October marks JoAnn’s next return to school. This time she’ll be working towards Doctorate in Nursing Practice, receiving tuition reimbursement from Northwell.

Huntington Hospital, one of our community hospitals, has recently attained its 4th Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This is the highest honor an organization can receive for excellence in nursing care. In addition to being the first on Long Island,  they are also second in New York State, and one of just 36 in the country to receive Magnet four or more times.  Magnet status is the gold standard for nursing excellence – a reflection of Huntington Hospital’s nursing professionalism, strong collaboration, innovation, and teamwork as well as superiority in patient care.

Huntington Hospital’s culture is built on a commitment to quality, exceptional experience, and excellence for both patients and employees.  “Our Nursing Leadership team is professional, dedicated, and committed to ensuring the best practice environment,” said Janet Milanese, Associate VP of Nursing.

Their nurses are able to practice in a supportive environment where opportunities are abundant, innovation is encouraged and their voices are heard. Their nurses work collaboratively and collegially with their interdisciplinary team to provide the best outcomes for their patients. “Senior leadership remains committed to nursing and meeting their strategic goals by supporting education, certification, and resources necessary to continue to provide high-quality care.  Achieving and maintaining Magnet designation is a true testament to not only nursing efforts but also the efforts of all that support the nursing department at Huntington Hospital,” said Donna Tanzi, Director of Nursing Education and Professional Development.

Nurses at Magnet facilities can feel the strong attraction between the two as they are known for their high retention rates, high job and employee engagement/satisfaction scores, as well as a culture of excellence and positive patient outcomes. “As a new nurse seeking employment, Huntington Hospital was my number one choice because of their sterling reputation as a Magnet designated hospital. Working alongside nurses who hold such high standards has given me an unsurpassable advantage in my career. I consider myself very lucky to work in an organization that thrives on education and excellence,” said Jessica Shremshock, RN. Nurses are identified as the pioneers at the forefront of our evolving health system and all aspects of patient care, and the nurses at Huntington Hospital are always keeping the patient and their family’s needs at heart and find innovative ways to meet those needs. It’s that sense of empathic necessity that keeps their nurses motivated and constantly seeking ways to improve the care of their patients by refining nursing-sensitive indicators and keeping patients at the center.

Huntington Hospital nurses feel empowered knowing they have a voice that will be heard, and this support reinforces the culture of pride that is felt by all who work here. Megan, a registered nurse in the ER reaffirms just how special working at a Magnet organization feels, stating, “Working in a Magnet facility reminds me every day why I chose a career in nursing in the first place.” Shannell Blanchard, RN, also adds, “Working at Huntington Hospital has really changed the way I practice nursing. As a magnet hospital, they hold their nurses to standards of excellence and it has given me a foundation with which to be a better nurse. I am glad I made the choice to work here.”

Being recognized by Magnet is a tremendous honor.  The culture of excellence at Huntington Hospital continually inspires the highest level of safety, quality,  and patient and staff satisfaction. This fourth achievement affirms the foundation of nursing excellence they have built.Explore their nursing opportunities. (link to RN Huntington positions)

 Explore their career opportunities.