Becky Halpern, Resource Nurse, NP 15
Working as a Resource Nurse for the surgical oncology inpatient unit on the 15th floor of Smilow, Becky Halpern, RN, CN3, interacts with patients of varying disease types. She has been a nurse at Smilow since it opened, and has been in her current position for over a year. In her current role, Becky serves as one of four Charge Nurses on the floor, meaning that in addition to caring for patients, she is also responsible for the operations of the unit and staff.
Becky works with many different services daily. She communicates with the Department of Social Work and care coordinators to make sure everyone is on the same page as far as what the patient's needs are and where they are in terms of care. They all work together with the end goal of a successful discharge and a comfortable stay for the patient.
"I strive to treat every patient like they are a member of my family," Becky said. "I like to find out their interests and make sure they feel involved in their own treatment. There have been patients who are here for weeks, undergo a number of different surgeries, and struggle physically and emotionally, but then we see them make a full recovery and when they come back to visit are doing so well. It's wonderful to be able to see that progression."
Although Becky goes to work on the same floor every day, she commented that every day is different. Due to the nature of the floor she works on, she interacts with patients of different disease types on a daily basis, and each come with its own set of challenges. Tracy Carafeno, Becky's supervisor, commented, "Becky provides holistic individualized care to every patient she cares for. She has helped define the resource role on NP 15 and assisted in improving all metrics. Becky ensures that every patient receives the highest quality care with compassion. Smilow is fortunate to have a nurse with the enthusiasm and dedication that Becky has and we are lucky that NP 15 is where she calls home."
Becky works with many different services daily. She communicates with the Department of Social Work and care coordinators to make sure everyone is on the same page as far as what the patient's needs are and where they are in terms of care. They all work together with the end goal of a successful discharge and a comfortable stay for the patient.
"I strive to treat every patient like they are a member of my family," Becky said. "I like to find out their interests and make sure they feel involved in their own treatment. There have been patients who are here for weeks, undergo a number of different surgeries, and struggle physically and emotionally, but then we see them make a full recovery and when they come back to visit are doing so well. It's wonderful to be able to see that progression."
Although Becky goes to work on the same floor every day, she commented that every day is different. Due to the nature of the floor she works on, she interacts with patients of different disease types on a daily basis, and each come with its own set of challenges. Tracy Carafeno, Becky's supervisor, commented, "Becky provides holistic individualized care to every patient she cares for. She has helped define the resource role on NP 15 and assisted in improving all metrics. Becky ensures that every patient receives the highest quality care with compassion. Smilow is fortunate to have a nurse with the enthusiasm and dedication that Becky has and we are lucky that NP 15 is where she calls home."