Brooklyn nurses win praise for providing special care

October 27, 2017 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Coney Island Hospital nurse John Huaylinos was presented with the award for Excellence in Volunteerism and Service. Photos courtesy of NYC Health + Hospitals

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Two compassionate nurses working in Brooklyn hospitals were among the health care providers willing praise and awards at a celebration held on Oct. 24 by NYC Health + Hospitals, the agency that runs the city’s hospitals.

NYC Health + Hospitals named several Nursing Excellence Award winners from across the city for going above and beyond their professional duties to help patients, families and health professionals.

Sabina Wood, assistant director of nursing education and research at Woodhull Hospital, won the award for Excellence in Education and Mentorship. She was cited for her “clear communication, compassion and attention to new assistants,” according to a press release issued by NYC Health + Hospitals.

Wood, an oncology and chemotherapy nurse, revamped Woodhull’s orientation program so that it could better meet the needs of the hospital and its staff, officials said. She is highly respected for her expertise and has served as a guest lecturer at Woodhull’s Caring and Empathy Communication and Preceptor courses, according to officials.

Woodhull Hospital is located at 760 Broadway in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Coney Island Hospital nurse John Huaylinos was presented with the award for Excellence in Volunteerism and Service. He serves as an integrative nurse coach and works with patients dealing with substance abuse, depression and anxiety.

Huaylinos is a fixture at the New York City Marathon’s starting point at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, where he and other nurse volunteers talk to runners about the importance of staying hydrated during the long race. He also recruits volunteers to provide assistance at the Tunnel to Towers run each year.

Huaylinos, a veteran of the Iraq War, is a major in the U.S. Army Reserve Nurse Corps. Much of his volunteerism springs from his military service, according to officials.

Coney Island Hospital is located at 2601 Ocean Parkway in Coney Island.

Stanley Brezenoff, interim president and CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals, said in a statement that the winners are an integral part of the city’s health care system.

“Today NYC Health + Hospitals celebrates the Nursing Excellence winners and nominees who show unwavering dedication to our patients, countless times each day, in every corner of our essential health care system,” Brezenoff stated. “Our annual awards recognize a small group of nurses who represent thousands within our health system at the frontlines of delivering patient-centered care, with skill and compassion.”

The winners were selected from more than 150 nurses nominated by their colleagues.

There are more than 8,000 nurses currently working in medical facilities operated by NYC Health + Hospitals.

“Nurses across NYC Health + Hospitals are devoted to providing outstanding care to our many patients, and it is my honor to celebrate today’s winners,” said nurse Kim Mendez, system chief nurse executive and senior vice president of patient centered care at NYC Health + Hospitals.

“By celebrating today’s winners, we hope to illuminate the talent and passion we see in action every day across our health system,” Mendez added.

For more information on the 2017 Nursing Excellence Awards, visit: http://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/nursing-excellence-awards-2017/.