Appreciating our Nurses – Today and Every Day
Healthcare workers are – and have always been – essential to the work we do at The Foundling. From 1880 to 2005, we operated a pediatric hospital, and from 1927 to 1973, our Nurse Training School taught nurses to care for infants and children. Now, we operate four medical clinics for children in our programs, have a nursing team to care for those in our Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Puerto Rico, and provide medical care to those residing in our supportive residences for people with developmental disabilities. The Foundling aims to support our neighbors in reaching their full potential – and our nursing staff ensure that the children, adults, and families we serve are in the best physical shape possible.
Since February, the role of nurses and our entire medical team has become even more prominent at The Foundling. Working on the frontlines, our compassionate and caring staff are currently facing the COVID-19 crisis with strength and resilience. In honor of National Nurses Month – which usually spans a week – we wanted to give our nurses the opportunity to share their experiences in their own words.
What does being a nurse at The Foundling mean to you?
Ben Arubuola
Registered Nurse, Developmental Disabilities Division
“Nursing is not just a job. A patient in my care must be able to trust me. More so, it also means treating my patients and colleagues with respect, kindness, dignity and compassion.
Being a nurse at The New York Foundling during this challenging period is an avenue for me to foster positive difference in the lives of those we serve and their families.”
Nannette Wharton
Registered Nurse, Developmental Disabilities Division
“Being a nurse at The Foundling means having compassion and patience, empathy and sensitivity. It means being there for others, at all hours of the day, and all hours of the night.
During COVID19, we are on the frontlines caring for our patients day in and day out, and implementing strategies to prevent us and others from risk. Nurses are a vital link between the patient and the rest of the health care team.”
Maribel Cardona
Nurse, San Juan, Puerto Rico
“Por qué me apasiona servir, ayudar a los demás y saber las necesidades de las personas especialmente de los niños. La enfermera es un todo así que somos un poco de trabajadoras sociales también, un poco psicólogas, un poco nutricionistas y un poco maestras. Lo más que me gusta de mi trabajo es ver como las enfermeras evolucionan de diferentes maneras, sirviendo como yo de diferentes recursos. Me encantan los niños lo genuinos que son.”
I am passionate about serving, helping others and knowing the needs of people, especially children. The nurse is a whole so we are a little bit of a social worker, a little bit of a psychologist, a little bit of nutritionist and a little bit of teacher. What I like most about my work is seeing how nurses evolve in different ways, serving as I do with different resources. I love how genuine children are.
Delores Lawrence
Assistant VP of Nursing, Developmental Disabilities Division
“Working with the Foundling has enabled me to utilize my nursing skills which includes showing compassion, listening to both verbal and nonverbal expressions, to acknowledgeable each person’s beliefs, and building relationships.
We are now in the middle of a global crisis where we all are learning new routines. I am willing to work long hours and provide help where help is needed most. With the help and support I receive; I feel the sacrifice is worth it.”
Rashunda Ross
Assistant Nursing Supervisor, Developmental Disabilities Division
“Being a Nurse at The Foundling is an acquired identity in which we are committed to excellence. We are compassionate, ethical and selfless.
We are healthcare advocates for those we serve; we are a part of The Foundling’s heart.“
Jessenia Molina
Health Coordinator, Puerto Rico
“En NYF, trabajamos con amor. Desde mis inicios en la organización tengo el compromiso tanto con las familias servidas, personal, como el garantizar la salud y seguridad de nuestros centros. Me apasiona ayudar, servir, ser un ente de apoyo, educar sobre la promoción y prevención de la salud.
La pandemia no nos ha detenido. Nos hemos reinventado utilizando la tecnología a nuestro favor para lograr continuar ofreciendo un servicio de excelencia y calidad e identificando recursos en la comunidad para poder ayudar a las familias y empleados.”
At The New York Foundling, we work with love. From my beginnings in the organization, I have been committed to serving families, staff, and guaranteeing the health and safety of our centers. I am passionate about helping, serving, being a support entity, and educating about health promotion and prevention.
The pandemic has not stopped us. We have reinvented ourselves using technology in our favor to continue offering excellent and quality services, and identifying resources in the community to help families and employees.
Sashoi Grant
Vice President of Nursing
“Being a nurse at The Foundling means you are a part of a diverse family. As the caregiver of the family, we have to ensure that medical, physical and emotional needs are met. Being a part of The Foundling is rewarding, because you get to be a part of the lives of some amazing individuals and you get to work alongside dedicated and caring colleagues.
Nursing is a work of heart and art, and as we face the COVID pandemic, we have been challenged to be more creative and innovative with our delivery of care. We have a great team of nurses at The Foundling who rose to the occasion and have been working tirelessly to ensure that our individuals are cared for. They have selflessly did whatever was necessary to successfully overcome some difficult situations. Our Foundling nurses are truly superheroes.”
Happy National Nurses Month to our wonderful nurses!
To learn more about how The New York Foundling is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit our emergency response page. Stay tuned for more stories from the frontlines as we continue to support our neighbors on paths to stability and strength.
