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NYP Westchester

NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester

Magnet® Excellence

NYPH Westchester location view from outside

In 1909 William Van Duzer Lawrence recognized the need for an outstanding community hospital after his son fell ill with appendicitis and had to be transported by baggage car to New York City. Following his son’s complete recovery, he purchased the land and donated the funds to build Lawrence Hospital. More than a century later, the hospital now known as NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester is a 288-bed facility, which joined the NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network in 2014. The partnership offers patients at NYP Westchester access to medical expertise, programs, and research. Formerly NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital, the hospital was renamed NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester in 2022 to reflect our continued expansion and commitment to the Westchester community.

To meet the needs of a growing and diverse population, NYP Westchester has initiated several capital improvement projects which provide upgrades and new services throughout the Hospital including a state-of-the-art Cancer Center and Operating Room Suites, the NewYork-Presbyterian Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Center for Sleep Medicine. We have recruited an experienced staff of talented doctors and nurses with training from the finest institutions in the world, including primary care physicians and specialists from ColumbiaDoctors, the faculty practice of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester, a multi-specialty physician practice. These experts have access to the latest clinical information technologies and high-tech equipment to give patients innovative and modern care close to home.

Further, NYP Westchester is a leader in stroke care as the hospital has been designated a New York State Stroke Center by meeting stringent requirements for speed and quality of care. The Stroke program has also received the American Heart and Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target Stroke™ Honor Roll. We have also earned important certifications such as Breast Imaging and Bariatric Centers of Excellence. Our cancer center offers infusion, radiation therapy, surgical and support services, and is accredited by the American College of Surgeons with Commendation.

As an indicator of our growth, NYP Westchester provides emergency care to approximately 42,000 individuals annually in our emergency department. We also deliver nearly 1,300 babies each year. New parents and their families enjoy their home away from home in our spa-like Center for Maternal-Child Health which features private rooms with showers, flat screen TVs, and free Internet access.

Our hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission and fully licensed by the New York State Department of Health. At NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester, we put patients first.

2024 Measures of Distinction

41%

National Board Certification Rate

95%

Percent of RNs with BSN and Higher Degrees

13

Newly Obtained National Board Certification

46

Formal Degrees Conferred

1

Nursing Research Studies in Completed

2

Nursing Research Studies in Progress

4

Professional Publication(s)

3

Podium Presentation(s)

7

Poster Presentation(s)

Contributions of Nurses

Beginning in January 2023, 5 South nurses Tshura Wilson, BSN, RN, and Tenisha McLymont, BSN, RN-BC, Clinical Nurse Manager, partnered with Claudia Scott Mighty, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Patient Care Director, to improve patient perceptions of nurse communication. Unit nurses provided education to the 5 South team related to evidence-based Commit to Sit practices that involve nurses devoting time to sit at eye level and listen to their patients. To drive accountability, the team incorporated peer feedback asking each other the question, “What was one thing you learned about your patient today?” The nurses reported positive interactions and emphasized the value of strengthening the nurse-patient relationship. Nurses expressed satisfaction with learning new details about the patients. They shared new knowledge about their patients with the team during huddles, hand off, and interprofessional rounds.

Outcome

Following implementation of the patient- and family-centered care initaitive, the patient experience “% always” response score for the “Communication with Nurses” domain of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS) improved. The communicaiton with nurses domain represents how well patients felt that nurses explained things clearly, listened carefully to the patient, and treated the patient with courtesy and respect.

As an active member of professional nursing organizations, Sharon Doyle-Hennessy, MSN, RN, C-EFM, Obstetric Patient Safety Coordinator, guided Labor and Delivery clinical nurses to apply Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) standards into their daily practice to reduce birth-related brachial plexus birth injuries (BPBI). Through implementation of a simulation-based collaborative learning curriculum and modules, nurses and physicians strengthened the culture of safety. Clinical nurses gained new knowledge and fully developed skills to improve patient outcomes associated with BPBI and shoulder dystocia risks. The inclusion of an AWHONN-recommended skills checklist strengthened the nurses’ application of standards and contributed to the sustainability of evidence-based nursing practice.

Outcome

Following the implementation of the collaborative learning and simulation-based training, patient outcomes improved. The birth-related brachial plexus birth injury rate decreased.

Kindra Sanders, MSN, RN, CIC, an infection prevention expert, implemented a rounding strategy on 5 North for the purposes of determining current nursing practice related to prevention of catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). Based on the expert’s initial findings of variations in nursing practice, knowledge deficits, and communication barriers, Ms. Sanders developed and implemented a professional development program combined with evidence-based practice changes to close the gap between knowledge and practice. The team implemented daily rounds among all patients with a urinary catheter, during which the team engaged in direct observations, exchanged critical feedback and communications, and provided real time improvements which promoted the full adoption of the evidence-based practice changes.

Outcome

By targeting nurses and the interprofessional teams with new knowledge about the evidence-based practices shown to be effective in reducing CAUTIs, the clinical nurses and teams were empowered to change their practice which resulted in a decrease of CAUTIs. 5 North improved patient outcomes, reducing CAUTI rates.

Cardiac Catheterization Lab clinical nurses Andrea Lacourciere, MSN, RN, FNP, CCRN, NPD-BC, CNOR, CFER and Darlene Cabrera, DNP, RN, CCRN, partnered with Ray Gannon, PhD, RN, AGPCNP-BC, NewYork-Presbyterian Office of Nursing Research and Innovation, to conduct the prospective quasi-experimental single-blinded study, The Impact of Post Procedure Instructions on Patient Satisfaction and Knowledge Comprehension in Cardiac Catheterization Patients. The study compared the effect of providing patient discharge instructions and education on satisfaction and perceived knowledge comprehension of post-procedure recovery instructions in cardiac catheterization patients pre-procedure versus standard of care post-procedure. This study revealed that pre-procedure cardiac catheterization education was an effective method for increasing patient-perceived comprehension and satisfaction.

Outcome

Following completion of the study, the clinical nurses disseminated the findings to multiple audiences, including clinical nurses and nursing leaders throughout the organization. During 2023, the results of this study informed a local practice change that involved the Cardiac Catheterization Lab nurses revising their practice to teach patients post-procedure recovery instructions prior to the procedure when deemed appropriate.

Publications

Professional Publications:

Aningalan, A.M., & Gannon, B. (2023). Driving Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries to Zero: A Quality Improvement Project. Advances in Skin & Wound Care, 36(11), 1-6.

Aningalan, A.M., Erslev, S., Harmon, C. (2023). Obtaining a Comprehensive Health History to Support Optimal Wound Healing. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing, 50(4), 337-338.

Aningalan, A. M., & Hovan, H. (2023). The patient with fecal and urinary diversion: Assessment and management of complications. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing, 50(1), 84-86.

Lombardi, C. & Nazim, A. (2023). Medical surgical nurses: Changing lives one patient at a time. Nursing Management, (7), 52-53.

Awards and Recognitions

External Honors

Hudson Valley’s Excellence in Nursing Award – Top 20

Quasha Morefield, BSN, RN, MEDSURG-B

4 North

May 2023

Clinical Excellence Recognition

Clinical Nurse Excellence Award

Andrea Lacourciere, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNOR, NPD-BC

Cath Lab

Nurse in Advanced Practice Role

Deborah Guerra, DNP, RN

Workforce Health and Safety

Nurse Leader Award 

Althea Scott-Bonaparte, MSN, RN

6 North

Nurse Preceptor Award 

Orphia Blade Geddes, RN

Labor and Delivery

Rising Star Award 

Thanoon Thabet, BSN, RN

5 North

Nursing Support Partner Award

Alston Coombs

Anesthesia Technician

Operating Room

Friend of Nursing Award

Environmental Services Department

Structural Empowerment Unit Award

Intensive Care Unit

DAISY Awards

Q2 2023

Tina McCarthy, BSN, RN

Clinical Nurse

5 North

DAISY Nurse Leader Award 

Althea Scott-Bonaparte, MSN, RN

Patient Care Director

6 North

Q4 2023

Danny Rackman, BSN, RN

Clinical Nurse

6 North

Kendall Krafick, BSN, RN

Clinical Nurse

6 North

Quality Cup

Q1 5 North

Q2 Intensive Care Unit

Q3 4 North

Q4 Intensive Care Unit

Podium Presentations

Alex Aningalan, DNP, RN, CWON, CPHQ. The Basics of Recertification by the WOCNCB’s Professional Growth Program. 2023: Northeast Region Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society Regional Conference. Pocono Manor, PA.

Alex Aningalan, DNP, RN, CWON, CPHQ. Ostomy Accessories. 2023: WoundCon Spring. Virtual.

Susan Chin, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, NNP-BC; Catherine Lombardi, MSN, RN, NE-BC. The 124 Hour Interview: An innovative Preceptorship Program. 2023: American Nurses Association New York (ANA-NY) 11th Annual Conference. Verona, NY.

Hazel Holder, DNP, RN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN. Partnering for Success: Improving Department Performance Through Collaboration Between Nurse Leaders and Clinical Nurse Specialists. 2023: 48th Annual American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Poster Presentations

Alex Aningalan, DNP, RN, CWON, CPHQ. Feasibility of Nasal Bridge Pressure Injury Prevention Using a Protective Dressing and the N95 Mask in a COVID-Positive Environment. 2023: National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) Annual Conference. San Diego, CA.

Jona Caparas, MSN, RN, VA-BC; Cynthia Valcorza, BSN, RN, VA-B. “How Do We Prevent Phlebitis with Vancomycin infusion? Have We Learned Anything?” 2023: Association for Vascular Access (AVA) Annual Scientific Meeting. Portland, OR.

Nurine Chodosh, MSN, RN, CPAN; Althea Scott-Bonaparte, MSN, RN. Building Mentorship Partnerships During 1st Year Residency. 2023: Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Sharon Doyle-Hennessy, MSN, RN, C-EFM, Karen Rennie, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM; Allison M. Frank, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM. Improving Patient Safety Through Standardized Communication in Labor and Delivery. 2023: Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) New York 5th Annual Conference. Tarrytown, NY.

Hazel Holder, DNP, RN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN. Older Adult Dignity and the Inpatient Gown. 2023: Midwest Nursing Research Society 47th Annual Research Conference. Des Moines, Iowa.

Thanoon Thabet, BSN, RN; Alex Aningalan, DNP, RN, CWON, CPHQ. A Literature Review on the Assessment of Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes of Pressure Injuries and the Implications of Interventions. 2023: Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) and Wound Healing Society (WHS) Annual Meeting. National Harbor, MD.