I am a registered nurse with more than 10 years of experience in pediatric oncology (cancer care for children and adolescents). In my current role, I provide bedside nursing care to children and adolescents, as well as adults who have leukemia (blood cancer), neuroblastoma (a rare cancer that starts in the kidneys or adrenal glands), and sarcoma (cancers in the supportive tissues).
I also care for children who have received a bone marrow transplant, a type of treatment for blood cancers that replaces unhealthy bone marrow with healthy stem cells.
MSK Kids, MSK’s pediatric cancer program, practices on a primary care nursing model. This means that the same delegated team of nurses will provide care whenever a patient is admitted. This allows for continuity of care and for the patient to become most comfortable with their team of nurses who will care for them. This is unique to nursing care at MSK because it adds a comfort level for the child and their family.
In pediatrics, we care for the whole family because of how a diagnosis can affect everyone in the patient’s life. We also work closely with every member of the care team, including child life specialists. Child life specialists are trained professionals who provide support to children and their families as they navigate their care. We include child life specialists in every aspect of patient care to help reduce fear and educate our patients at a level best suited for their age.
As Chair of the Pediatric Intracommunication Council, I work with other nurses from across the pediatric department to address any situations that arise. In the past, this committee has addressed ways to make the admissions process from our outpatient clinic to our inpatient unit more seamless, with the patient’s safety as our top priority. Our goal is to provide the best patient care possible to our pediatric population.
Before becoming a nurse, I worked in public relations and advertising. I fell in love with nursing after working in an administrative role in the pediatric unit of our outpatient clinic at MSK. I love interacting with children, and after seeing the special connection between nurses, patients, and their families, I realized how nurses play such a big role in the caregiving journey. The opportunity to truly make a difference inspired me to pursue a career in nursing.
When I am not providing care to patients, I love to travel with my husband and three children. As a native New Yorker, I am a loyal Yankees fan and love rooting for our hometown teams.