Officials at the Jack D. Weiler Hospital at Montefiore Einstein, located in Morris Park, announced the hospital earned the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Lantern Award on July 23. They said the prestigious award for excellence in nursing advocacy, practice and research, marks the second time Montefiore has been honored by the ENA for its care and commitment to a high-quality work environment.

 

They said the Weiler ED, which treats nearly 70,000 patients each year and earned accolades from the ENA for its redesigned triage process, interdisciplinary huddles, professional development and successful implementation of new technology.

 

“Our ED, located in the heart of the Bronx, is a place where our team is constantly navigating decisions that carry the weight of saving lives,” said Janine Llamzon, DNP, MS, AGNP-C, RN, CEN, NEA-BC. Llamzon is an assistant vice president on the emergency service line at Montefiore Einstein, and an assistant professor in emergency medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “With teamwork, trust and shared purpose, we bring hope and healing,” she said. ‘This is why we earned the Lantern Award. I couldn’t be prouder.”

 

Montefiore Einstein officials went on to say that initiatives like pairing seasoned professionals with novice and new-to-ED nurses are also fostering confidence and clinical skills to prepare the next generation of emergency nurses. They said this mentorship has been “invaluable” to Emely Gonzalez, MSN, RN, an eight-year veteran of the department.

 

“Working as an ED nurse was a dream of mine since middle school, and with the encouragement of our unit-based educators, nurse managers, directors, nurse practitioners and medical staff, I completed my master of science in nursing in education,” said Gonzalez. “My coworkers have become my family and our structured debriefing sessions enable us to reflect, learn and support each other. Each day I look forward to the privilege of providing care during some of the most critical moments in our patients’ lives.”

 

Montefiore Einstein officials said the culture of continuous learning has also driven clinical enhancements like moving patients who could be upright, rather than in beds and stretchers, to be cared for in areas of the ED designed for the level of care required. They said this shift has led to more effective communication, expedited care, and patient privacy.

 

They said that supporting these initiatives is an electronic tracking board embedded in the electronic health record so that nurses can effectively monitor completion times for tests like x-rays and CT scans. They added that a mobile medication scanning device now also aids accurate, “real-time” medication dosing.

 

Kayla McFarlane, MSN, RN, CEN, clinical director in the emergency department of the Weiler division, said, “Having new technology at our fingertips enables us to best advocate on our patients’ behalf. I’m inspired by the transformative advances we’ve already seen and look forward to continuing to reimagine what’s possible.”

 

in 2024, the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) earned the Lantern Award. To learn more about the award, click here.