KCH nurses practice what they preach & make history
Unlike a plethora of career
fields, more than financial
rewards, a nursing profession
demands caring and dedication.
Recently at Brooklyn’s Kings
County Hospital 30 nurse practitioners
went the extra mile to
execute their duties by serving
the community and in the
process made history by conducting
the first free, all-day
health fair there.
“Of course, our primary mission
is patient care,” Geraldine
Haughton, one of the nurse
practitioners at the 10-building,
44 acre landmark said, “however
all of us here feel a commitment
to the total community
and with that often come up
with ideas to better serve.”
Often working as a team, a
united group of specialists in
the medical field broached an
initiative to their administrator
Sheldon McLeod.
Yelena Ilyasora — whose
specialty includes knowledge of
prevention methods to avoid
a stroke, Suzette Williams, a
30-year devotee to her profession
along with Haughton
— who allegedly will readily
impart knowledge regarding
the (Human Papillomarus)
HPV vaccine — proposed a free
all day health fair to the public.
The first-time venture would
require careful planning and
cooperation from New York
State Nurses Association
(NYSNA) as well as outside
agencies including endorsers
— the Center for Disease Control
and Prevention, Nutrition
Unit of NYC Health & Hospitals,
NYC Department of the
Aging and a myriad of medical
bureaucracies that comprise
the conglomerate.
Despite the perceived impediments
the experts in their field
many regards as being the best
alternative to doctors and most
specialized nurses were convinced
the community “wants
and needs the information.”
Denise Romney another
nurse practitioner was also
fully onboard with the idea of
volunteering brain power to
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benefit the community.
Needless to say, every single
senior nurse practitioner (with
20 years of experience and over)
as well as novices agreed that
seniors, youths, adolescents
and others could glean vital
information from the open
house treat.
“We have a shared governance
council that understands
that we could be more visible in
the community.”
“The boss” jumped at the
idea.
“He did not hesitate,” Haughton
explained.
“Okay! Let’s do it,” he said.
A native of Trinidad and
Tobago, the chief executive
officer who reportedly has been
“efficiently in charge” for 19
months said “why not? My aim
is to allow the staff to be selfmotivated
and impactful.”
In his position McLeod
boasts the reputation of the
hospital for being designated
Kings County Hospital nurse practitioners at the health fair.
Kings County Hospital
number one in trauma care by
surgeons surveyed in 2017.
“We ensure safe quality care
to our patients and my job is
to make sure the staff has the
resources they need.”
Cognizant that some residents
of the diverse, immigrant
community might feel impeded
by their undocumented status,
McLeod said part of his responsibility
is to assure the community
that health care is not
limited to the privileged.
Of his staff, he said “I am
extremely proud of them for
taking the initiative and that
they are already planning for
next year.”
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