PEF nurses earn top billing at ‘grand rounds’
By
DEBORAH A. MILES
As medical technology advances, methods of teaching and sharing information
are also changing.
For example, “grand rounds” for medical interns and residents in a hospital
once meant sharing information and asking questions at the bedside of a
patient, usually lead by master clinicians. Today, medical grand rounds have
morphed from ward-based teaching to didactic talks or presentations by
senior faculty or guest speakers.
At Downstate Medical Center, PEF nurses have been asked to share their area
of expertise.
“It is an honor for our nurses to participate in the grand rounds,” said PEF
Region 11 Coordinator Jemma Marie-Hanson. “Our nurses are dedicated and
should be acknowledged for their contributions to the health care team.
Managers at Downstate – one of the three SUNY teaching hospitals – recognize
these nurses as valuable sources of enlightenment because of what they learn
and do every day.”
In
February, Marie Dolce, was among the first PEF nurses to be a guest speaker
in front of doctors, interns and other nurses. She spoke about the various
symptoms of congestive heart failure.
“Approximately 40 to 50 people attended, and it was an honor for me to do a
presentation,” Dolce said. “For 15 years, I worked as a medical/surgical LPN
for the state in the cardiac disease unit and then became a registered nurse
in 2005.
“I’ve seen a lot of patients, so my experience helped me in talking about
congestive heart failure and the various signs and symptoms,” Dolce said.
Experience also aided Abdallahi Diop, an RN who works in the kidney
transplant unit at Downstate. A month after Dolce was congratulated by her
peers for a comprehensive presentation, Diop also received a large round of
applause for his talk on the correlation of lupus and kidney transplant.
Diop said he prepared for his presentation for more than two weeks, going
over charts and interviewing several patients.
“It’s important for us to participate and share our knowledge and be an
active part of the teaching process,” Diop said.
“Nurses are usually very attentive and they understand the implications when
someone is diagnosed incorrectly.
“This forum allows us to help more patients. We are glad the nursing
managers value us and include us in the grand rounds.
