Thirty years ago on October 18, 1984 Anthony Silvera began his journey in the United States Air Force at Basic Military Training. Little did he know during his 30 year career he would be able to serve as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer and Commissioned Officer in roles such as a logistician, program manager, flight commander, and an instructor. He would be stationed in Germany, Texas, California, South Carolina and two year long deployments in Iraq. With extensive hands on experience, a hardworking attitude and the determination to succeed in civilian life, Anthony retired from active duty on December 2014 as a Major. Although his transition wasn’t easy, he is now the Northwell Health Veteran Program Specialist and ready to help each Military member who is battling the same struggles he did.

As the end of December 2014 brought a chapter of Anthony’s life to a close he was still excited to begin his journey and adapt to civilian life. With a polished resume and a suite freshly pressed he was ready to take on his first interview. Until he realized he didn’t have one. The lack of emails and phone calls left him unmotivated and confused- surely a man with 30 years’ experience and a college degree deserved a chance to prove himself in an interview. After months of frustration and interviews ending in “You’re terrific, but you’re just not qualified for this position” Anthony had about enough until one day a Veteran Case Manager from Eastern Seals got in touch with him.

“I learned I was making all the classic mistakes. Applying for too many positions and not identifying the correct things on my resume. All simple things that I wouldn’t have known unless I was taught – I will never forget how Eastern Seals helped me get to where I am today” Silvera said.

A little while later he received an email from an employee in Talent Acquisition at Northwell Health (then North Shore-LIJ Health System) about an open position. Thrilled about the opportunity he decided to call her right then and there, “I was too excited to wait and I figured I would get her voicemail since it was 8:00 PM, but to my surprise she picked up! We chatted about the Barracks to Business Workshop and Game of Thrones and she said she would contact me about the open position. I still thank her to this day for finding me.”  A little over a year later his passion for helping Veterans has grown even more, “I was one of them. I understand the struggles they are going through and I’m determined to help them find a career here.”   

Every current service member, transitioning service member, or veteran should know that Anthony is here for you: your needs will be met, your questions will be answered and you will never be alone in this process. He is dedicated to developing, collaborating and managing all relationships and assisting in the transition of Military Veterans into a career here.

 Transition to a new mission with us. 

Attend one of our Barracks to Business: Translating Military Skills into Career Success Workshops,  search our jobs or contact Anthony at asilvera@northwell.edu.

“As a medical professional you want to do everything you can to help your patients. However, sometimes the best medicine doesn’t come from a bottle, it comes from a smile!” – Adair Galanski, CCLS

Sundays are known for family time – games, adventures, and everyone’s favorite family dinner. Whether it’s a big roast with mashed potatoes, taking a stroll in the park to see who can swing the highest, or having a refreshing day on the beach, it is a day made for bonding. For some children and their families at Cohen Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) it may not be so relaxing. Instead it can be filled with doctor’s appointments, shots and more.

Adair Galanski, a Certified Child Life Specialist at CCMC recognizes the importance that this day holds in families hearts and decided to take action by creating a different theme to entertain the children every Sunday throughout the month. “The hope was to create an atmosphere that would allow an opportunity to ease the difficulties of being hospitalized on a regular basis.  I enjoy helping to facilitate a day that patients, families and staff look forward to and enthusiastically participate in,” Adair said. 

Ranging from Disney princesses, to safari adventures, Adair and her team on the Inpatient Hematology-Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit always know how to shift the focus from treatment, to fun. “As a Child Life Specialist, my role is to help children understand their medical condition, teach them how to cope successfully with their hospitalization, and help normalize the hospital environment.  Since Sunday’s are typically comforting days at home, I wanted to create an environment more familiar and fun for patients, families and staff.” Throughout the months she has been the hope, the smile, and the loving hands for so many children and their families. Every difference, big or small, makes a huge impact to those who depend on you. We empower and support every employee to push their limits and create their own style of unique care.

 Follow Adair and the rest of the Child Life team at CCMC each month and dive into their world of teamwork, friendship and unparalleled care for the little ones who bring light to their life each and every day. 

We’ve all been there – a blank screen with a blinking cursor taunting us with the words we can’t think of and the inevitable question playing in our heads, “How can I possibly summarize who I am and what I have done on one page?” That question is the one thing that is holding you back from your dream job. Well, take a deep breath and clear your head! Here are 10 of our best resume tips:

1. Keep it to a page – You want your message to be clear and concise. Your resume should not have every work experience you’ve ever had listed on it. Show the most important information to keep the recruiter interested. 
2. Keeping it general – Include your relevant work or volunteer history that relates to the position. This could lead you to have 4 or 5 different resumes, but it will help the recruiter identify your skills and experience for the position. Remember, a recruiter only spends 10 seconds per resume – you want to be the one that stands out!
3. Including a photo – As some may find this unique, our recruiters find it distracting. No matter what type of photo it is, professional or not, it shouldn’t be in your resume. You want the recruiters to pay attention to the experiences that make you qualified for the position, so the less distractions, the better.
4. Alignment and grammar – Yes, recruiters look to see if your titles and dates line up properly, but most importantly that your spelling and grammar are correct. Don’t be afraid to edit your resume and always remember to double check it.
5. Informal writing – There is absolutely no reason to abrev anything on your resume (see what we did there?) First and foremost, it’s unprofessional, and the translation or meaning of the word could be lost, causing the recruiter to become confused and lose interest quickly. 
6. Attachments – The story is way too common: you have an email open to send a cool new workout to your friend, and another email with your resume to send to a recruiter, and you just so happen to mix up the attachments. Always make sure your email is professional and contains the correct attachments before pressing send.
7. An outside audience – “Hey mom do you mind taking a look at this for me?” No matter who it is, your mom, a friend, or your mentor, find someone who will take the time to go through your resume with a fine tooth comb.
8. Honesty is the best policy – We all want to look like a superstar, but there’s no reason to stretch the truth to get a job. Take pride in what you have already accomplished and focus on those areas and how they make you qualified for the position.
9. Take it down a notch – Once again, you want to make your message clear and keep it at an easy reading level. You never know who might receive your resume first, a recruiter, assistant or executive director – you want it to be readable, relevant and understandable for all of them. Contrary to popular belief, industry jargon is the last thing recruiters want to see.
10. Forgetting to add a resume objective – This is an opportunity for you to be specific on what you are looking for, and it won’t be overlooked by the recruiters. Even if the position you apply for doesn’t work out, they have your resume on file and can use this tip to pair you with another job opportunity.

Remember, you will have time during the interview to show who you are and explain the work you have done, but for now keep it short and interesting.  We know it’s difficult to put yourself on paper, but these tips and tricks will help tailor it to be ready for the next time you shake someone’s hand and pass your resume across the table to them.

 Think your resume is up to the test? Explore our endless career possibilities.

Northwell Health’s Healthcare Management Program Internship. The future of health care is in your hands.

This summer, our newly expanded, elite 8-week Healthcare Management Program (HMP) Internship,  offered undergraduate students a unique opportunity to influence the future of health care. With over 500 applications nationwide, thirteen top students were chosen to participate at one of our ten participating facilities. 

From day one, they were welcomed as a respected member of our team and immersed in real, meaningful project work with executive leaders and mentors- all working together toward the goal of transforming care.  This program engaged and developed our future health care leaders by helping them realize their full potential, and giving them a hand on experience into health care administration and operations at various hospitals and facilities.

During the program, interns were given numerous opportunities to advance their skills and the Northwell Health mission through:

• Strategic, important project work. Opportunities like, new facility process mapping, annual report creation, hospital performance dashboards, venture capital planning, fundraising initiatives, product line financial reporting, redesigning of hospital units and so much more. 
• Weekly educational sessions. Lead by our executives, our weekly Lunch & Learns from the best showcased topics such as Finance, Operations, Budgeting, Role of a Healthcare Administrator, Project Management, and Career Mobility.
• Networking opportunities. From chatting with past HMP interns and mentors at our Alumni Dinner to on-site visits & Lunch & Learns, the HMP interns were immersed in networking opportunities with various leaders and team members.
• Hospital and facility tours. To help students understand how their impact behind the scenes makes a difference to our overall operations they were given all access tours to our facilities.
• And yes….we even had time for fun events arranged specifically for the HMP intern group such as our Escape the Room team-building adventure!

As a stepping stone into our Management Associate Program (MAP) after graduation, the HMP internship teaches you that from bedside to the business offices, there is nothing more fulfilling than knowing that we each play an integral part of the care of our patients and the customer experience.  

Don’t just take our word for it; hear from our 2016 HMP Interns….

Applications for the 2017 program begin in December 2016. Visit our Students page for up-to-date information.

Do you know these 5 interviewing tips?

We all know how stressful an interview can be. From picking out the perfect outfit, to constantly rehearsing the perfect answers, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. That’s why we spoke to Artie Feinstein, Talent Acquisition Recruiter, about his best interviewing tips to help you prepare before your next pre-interview freak out.

1. Smile – This may seem as a very simple thing, and even second nature, but when you are nervous you might not realize the look you have on your face. Try to always have a smile on and be friendly to others in the office. Many recruiters or hiring managers ask around to see if you were nice to other employees, and if you’d be a good fit for the organization.  Don’t forget to smile and greet the receptionist as well.
2. Know the company – Preparation is everything. Whether it’s reading about the company on their website, or going through recent news articles, learn as much as you can. Having the basic knowledge on the organization is good, but if you can go into detail on any of their recent headlines you will really be able to impress the recruiter and hiring manager, and it will help you stand out from the other potential candidates.
3. Practice – This simple task can take you from stumbling, stuttering and giving a blank stare, to relaxed and prepared. Sometimes our nerves get the best of us, and it’s important to know that hiring managers and recruiters understand. Sometimes all you need to do is take a deep breath and re-organize your thoughts. By practicing different interview questions you will have responses ready – and remember, if you happen to miss something don’t sweat it! No one knows what you had planned anyway, so continue to talk as if you said everything you wanted.
4. Be confident – Besides standing up straight, having a firm handshake, and keeping eye contact, be confident in your accomplishments too. Take pride in projects you managed in your last job, or activities completed in school. If you can relate them back to the job you are applying for say them loud and proud, and explain why they will help you succeed if you get the position.
5. Ask questions – Make sure you come prepared with questions on the position, but write down any questions throughout the interview as well. Sometimes people think it’s not appropriate to ask questions, but this is a common misconception. The interviewer wants to know that you have been listening and are truly interested in the position and company. In addition, don’t be the person who only asks a question about salary and time off – you will learn about that all in good time. 

Artie’s two best pieces of advice:

“The most important thing you can do is relax – when you’re relaxed you can think clearly and answer the questions more effectively. The interviewing process is give and take, meaning you have to show me how you will be able to positively affect the company, while I need to show you why you want to work here.”

“If you think you don’t need to prepare, you’re wrong. There is nothing you shouldn’t do to learn about the company, the industry, their competitors, the interviewer, etc. All is important to know.”

South Oaks Hospital, a proud member of Northwell Health, has not only continued to have a long term reputation for compassionate care for their patients, but for their employees as well. Hear from Colby Povill, Nurse Manager, about how she can only see the good that comes from psychiatric nursing and from working in an environment that encourages every employee. 

“South Oaks Hospital has afforded me the opportunity to develop and grow over the past eight years.  I started as a float RN, and I was offered opportunities to work in all service areas, and to cover as our second ECT nurse.  As South Oaks leadership saw potential in me, I was promoted to an inpatient charge nurse, and was later given a position as the Charge of the Adolescent Partial Program.  While in this position, I started working towards my MSN, and when a management position opened up, leadership again saw potential in me and gave me the chance to develop as a nursing leader.  I have been a manager for the past three years, starting in the Child & Adolescent service area, and more recently transitioning into Adult services.  Due to my experience, I believe that leadership here at South Oaks recognizes its employees’ goals and strengths, and offers constant opportunity for development and growth. 

What I have found throughout my years here is that every position is an invaluable experience, and every patient population offers opportunities to learn. Psychiatric nursing not only offers a wealth of diverse experiences, but it is also constantly evolving. I also learned that psychiatric nursing is one of the only specialty areas that truly focuses on the patient-to-nurse relationship such as, recovery and wellness  which always depend upon our contentedness with our patients. The professionals who succeed in psychiatry are truly the most selfless and infinitely patient people that one could ever know.  Working among such individuals has been a truly rewarding experience and has made South Oaks my second home. 

South Oaks Hospital is a place not only to develop professionally, but to also grow personally.  The sky is the limit, and the challenges offered here can teach you a great deal about psychiatry, mental health, and people in general – as well as a great deal about yourself, and your own potential.  If psychiatry is something that fascinates and calls to you, I can’t imagine a better place for you to work.”

Written by: Colby Povill 

Ever hear of the GEM Awards?

A national program developed by Nurse.com to promote the overall nursing mission of excellence, the GEM Awards highlight the most prestigious nursing professionals in the nation. The awards focus on the leadership, management, education, volunteerism, inpatient care and community care that leads these professionals each and every day – and 3 of our very own employees have been nominated. Meet our nominees! 

Gail Probst, MSN, RN, APN, OCN, AOCN, NE-BC

Nominated for her Excellence in Education and Mentorship, Probst is the Director of Cancer Services, Nursing, at Huntington Hospital. Responsible for the oversight of all the cancer services in the 400-bed facility, the first oncology unit took shape under her organization and she developed all oncology policies and procedures. She received state recognition for her work in widening cancer prevention opportunities for women’s health screenings, and advocated for resources for those who did not have the financial means to follow up on breast abnormalities. Her accomplishments range from overseeing the oncology core curriculum for new nurses, to psych-educational support programs, to volunteering in all community outreach programs. 

Marianne DiStefano, MSN, RNC, IBCLC

Nominated for her Excellence in Management, DiStefano is the Senior Director of Patient Care Services, Nursing Administration, at Staten Island University Hospital.  Credited with taking the lead to move forward with electronic health record implementation, she drove her staff members into the future of electronic documentation with patience and constant encouragement. Her accomplishments range from achieving baby-friendly designation, to initiating bereavement education and perinatal bereavement practices, to leading the interdisciplinary obstetrical hemorrhage protocol. 

Meet the Excellence in Management Award Winner – Laura Iacono! 

Awarded to an RN who makes significant contributions to the management, supervision, or direction of the environment of care and the performance of staff, demonstrating an ability to lead, influence and improve outcomes of care in any inpatient or outpatient setting.

Laura Iacono, MSN, CCRN, CNRN, CNML

Winner of the Excellence in Management Award, Iacono is the Nurse Manager of the Neurosurgical ICU at North Shore University Hospital. Her passion for staff development, professionalism and empowerment has resulted in her unit’s achievement of more than 50% improvement in staff certification and her staff achievement of clinical ladder status has improved from 0% to more than 63%. While managing such a prestigious unit, Iacono is also on the clinical advisory board at a local university school of nursing, showing the dedication she has to the nursing profession and helping others. 

Congratulations to our 2016 GEM Award nominees and to Laura Iacono for winning the Excellence in Management Award!

Nursing Educational Development Opportunities 

Our Nurse Educators are dedicated to influencing, guiding and providing the top resources and programs for all our employees so they are able to accomplish their career and educational goals. Focused on empowering and creating  lasting relationships, our nurse educators work tirelessly to ensure every employee who wants to grow has nothing holding them back. Read below to learn about some of our programs that Nurse Educators directly influence or participate in with our nursing professionals.  

Nursing Externships
This year, 53 nursing students across the United States participated in our 8-week summer Nurse Extern Program. After a formal orientation at the Institute for Nursing, that continued at each participating facility, the externs had the opportunity to work at various Northwell Health Sites.  

Nursing Fellowships

Northwell Health Nurse Educators provide clinical education, support, guidance, and mentorship throughout the pediatric, emergency department, peri-operative services, and critical care fellowship programs. Last year, over 240 nursing fellows were hired after being a part of this program.  

Tuition Reimbursement

Northwell Health Nurse Educators support professional development. Nurse educators provide academic guidance, assist nursing students in finding preceptor placement, and serve as preceptors themselves. In 2015, over 1,900 Northwell Health nurses returned for their Bachelor of Nursing Science and Master of Nursing Science in a variety of specialties. Northwell Health offers tuition reimbursement for our employees to further their education and career goals.

To further the education of Northwell Health nurses, our Nurse Educators and Institute of Nursing provide many resources to achieve any academic goal. Our Nurse Educators play a vital role in ensuring the educational success in various programs. 

• Academic Progression Our Nursing Educators and the Institute for Nursing help our employees reach goals by counseling nurses who are seeking to continue their life-long academic goals and support them in achieving specialty certifications.
• Our growing partnerships. We have over 50 nursing affiliation agreements to support clinical experiences at our facilities.
• Advancing your education. Our Nurse Educators serve as preceptors to nursing professionals furthering academic progress in BSN, MSN, Ph.D and DNP programs. Our Nurses also have the opportunity to attend on-site classes to work towards their BSN or MSN degree.

Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. 

Launched in 2015, the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies aims to be the global leader in interprofessional education preparing the next generation of advanced practice nurses and physician assistants. The Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies incorporates the diverse academic programs and infrastructure of Hofstra University, as well as the significant clinical activities and educational resources of Northwell Health. Our nursing leadership and educators teach classes at the University to assist students in becoming Adult-Gerontology, Acute Care, and Family Nurse Practitioners. (Hofstra Northwell School)

Our Nurse Educator Stories 

Take a look at how our Nurse Educators bring their expertise to every specialty area and facility in our health system. Hear from our different employees about:

Why they became nurse educators

Who and how nurse educators have influenced their lives and careers

What nurse educators do to help different departments

Where nurse educators strive to make a difference 

When they make a difference each and every day 

Nursing Professional Development Opportunities 

Clinical ladders 

Registered nurses, at participating Northwell Health sites, demonstrate growth in clinical practice and leadership progressing from RN-I, RN-II, RN-III. The focus areas of growth include:

• Education
• Research
• Quality
• Service Excellence
• Leadership

This program has grown from 46 participating RNs to over 620 RNs as of 2015, showing the exponential growth that has been seen in the number of clinical ladder nurses for more than 10 years. We have focused on the growth areas we listed above to help our nurses expand their reach of care and accomplish their goals. 

Some examples of these successes include: 

• Renee Gilchrist, RN (2014) – Partnered with her hospital’s skin care team to decrease patient’s skin breakdown, which led her into initiating a research study on pressure ulcers.

• Germain Gelo, RN  (2015) – Reviewed the literature on unplanned extubations to support the development of a systematic approach for the management of unplanned extubations and an airway safety bundle.

• Melanie S. Weiss, RN – Published Pickle-Over-PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections). In the forward of the book, Dr. Rosario Trifiletti describes the book as a “little book that explains, in simple terms that children can understand” as well as empowers parents, about PANDAS. 

Additional resources to excel in your career

• Passport to Preceptorship elearning module and courses are available to Northwell Nursing Professionals
• Nursing Leadership Basic courses offers a foundation for excellence within the organization with 79 participants in 2015, and 61 to date for 2016
• SOURCE learning lab for clinical staff to enhance clinical skills and create an individualized learning environment
• Specialty Orientation Classes – Cardiac Devices, Core Concepts of Mechanical Ventilation, and Basic and Advanced Neurologic Concepts with over 650 nurses attending last year and with continuation for 2016
• Onsite nursing classes, learning management system with online courses, and support to attend professional conferences
• Over 35,000 contact hours awarded in 2015, and 95 new programs offered through the Institute for Nursing in 2015. Many elearning modules offer contact hours. The efforts are continuing for 2016.
• Team STEPPS education to support communication and team work in clinical practices and across the healthcare continuum  

 Check out our nursing career opportunities.