Prioritizing Self-Care and Well-Being at Northwell Health

Every year, Northwell team members can rely on our employee wellness programs and trust in the implementation of new initiatives designed to create a happy, safe, and healthy work environment. Our well-being isn’t meant to be checked at the door when we finish our workday; several of the resources and activities available are devised with employees and their families in mind such as healthy recipes developed by our dietitians for home cooked meals. And in some cases, as with our annual walk challenges, the encouragement to get healthy has a ripple effect, inspiring family and friends to join in hikes for the sake of motivating our team members along.

This year’s walk challenge, Walk to the Caribbean, saw thousands of team members trek across state parks, local gardens, and sandy beaches, tracking their steps for a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the Caribbean. Three lucky teams claimed the winning prize: a team from North Shore University Hospital, led by team captain Lydia Brown, a team from Northwell Health Physician Partners Long Island Jewish Medical Center, led by team captain Anna Costakis, and a team from Lenox Hill Hospital, led by team captain Jacqueline Pinksbennett.

Participation in the walk challenges always runs high and it is just one example of many programs aimed at promoting wellness both in and out of work by incentivizing team members to get active by rewarding them with myRecognition points which can be used to claim amazing products through our internal portal. The health and wellness of our team members is a top priority to leadership in the organization and because of that our initiatives are actively encouraged, such as Northwell’s Well-Being Credit Program which offers employees who are who enrolled in a Northwell offered medical plan the opportunity to earn a maximum of $2,080 in paycheck credits in exchange for four healthy actions. It is our belief that a healthy workforce is a happy workforce, and therefore a successful one. 

Read on to learn about a few more of the programs and resources that have made Northwell Health #2 Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America by Healthiest Employers®.

Want to join an organization that puts employees first? Discover a career well cared for here.

Health and Wellness Isn’t Just about Our Patients: It’s about Our Team Members, Too

We spoke with Michael H. Goldberg, executive director at Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC), about his dedication to making wellness a top priority for employees at LIJMC and all of Northwell Health. Michael’s healthy initiatives have had a real impact throughout the health system — and with tens of thousands of followers on social media, Michael has inspired people far beyond the walls of LIJMC with his passion for healthy living at home and at work.

Michael has been with Northwell for more than two decades, beginning as an intern in 2000. “I was inspired by the executive leadership’s commitment to improving the lives of the people in the communities we serve,” he says. “I knew Northwell had values that aligned with my own — and was a place where I could help make a difference.” Throughout his tenure, Michael has committed to living Northwell’s core values, whether it’s helping other Northwell team members achieve their health goals or driving clinical and operational initiatives at LIJMC that ensure safe, efficient and innovative care to all patients.

Northwell expects collaboration and contribution from all employees, regardless of role, considering its CEO is known for saying things like “Ability is in everyone” and for noting that innovation is stifled when employees are expected to just do their jobs and aren’t encouraged to share new ideas. So it’s no surprise that Michael continually goes above and beyond his operational responsibilities to champion initiatives promoting employee self-care.

These initiatives include the new LIJMC fitness center available to hospital employees 24/7, healthier meal options at campus cafés thanks to menu changes made by Northwell’s very own Michelin-star chef Bruno Tison, and health challenges like the Northwell Heroes Challenge. The annual Heroes Challenge, a testament to Northwell’s “team of one” culture with hundreds of employee participants, is a fitness event to raise money for the Caregiver Support Fund, which provides resources to team members in need, such as programs and services related to emotional and psychological well-being, as well as financial support for essential and crisis services.

Michael still marvels at how far Northwell leaders go to improve patient and employee well-being. “Wellness goes beyond physical and nutritional health at Northwell,” Michael says. “There are many offerings for mental wellness, too. From transcendental meditation to acupuncture to our employee assistance program, the support available to all our team members is unparalleled.”

That level of support inspired Michael to run in the 2019 New York City Marathon and upon announcing his commitment to running as part of the Northwell Health team, the accolades, tips, support and donations to the caregiver support cause on his behalf started pouring in.

That’s what you can expect from colleagues at Northwell. What you’d soon learn, as Michael knows so well, is that your coworkers aren’t just colleagues — they’re family.

If you’re looking for a workplace that does things differently — through a mission to create an environment where you can build relationships, thrive in positivity and make a difference in the community — then we invite you to discover a career well cared for at NorthwellCareers.com.

A recipe for culinary success — Northern Westchester wins Northwell Health’s 2021 Chefs Challenge

Each year at Northwell Health, we host the Chefs Challenge, where our chefs and their team members collaborate and create unique, healthy dishes that may be offered to their patients in the near future.

This year six Northwell Health hospitals recently competed in the 2021 Chefs Challenge at Glen Cove Hospital. Chefs, cooks and registered dieticians assembled to prepare healthy and delicious three-course meals within five hours — and using an assigned set of ingredients, in the style of an Iron Chef competition!

Northern Westchester Hospital was awarded first place in the competition. The winning menu included a butternut squash and shrimp wonton appetizer; entrée of braised lamb osso buco (shank) with spring vegetables, Yukon gold potato and slow-roasted cherry tomato; and caramelized pineapple upside-down cake dessert. South Shore University Hospital placed second, with a menu featuring butternut squash noodles carbonara, and Lenox Hill Hospital, whose meal included an herb and pistachio crusted rack of lamb, placed third.

Why join our culinary team?

When people consider hospital dishes, they usually don’t picture restaurant-quality three–course meals. Northwell Health believes in redefining hospital food because food is medicine, and our culinary departments strive to provide patients with the same level of nutritional care as the clinical care they receive altogether.

Our culinary department and chefs raise the standard of hospital food by designing meals with fresh ingredients, including herbs and vegetables harvested from Northwell Health’s gardens. Northern Westchester donates food from its recently opened wellness garden to discharged patients leaving who are food insecure or vulnerable, while Lenox Hill’s Victory Greens garden is New York City’s only hospital-based, organic rooftop garden.

In addition, our teaching kitchens partner chefs and registered dietitians together to share healthy recipes, basic culinary skills and nutrition education with team members and patients.

At Northwell, we believe food has the power to heal. Learn more about our culinary careers.

Meeting our winning teams and their menus.

First place: Northern Westchester Hospital

Appetizer: Butternut Squash and Shrimp Wontons

Entrée: Braised Lamb Shank Osso Buco with Spring Vegetables, Yukon Gold Potato and Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato

Dessert: Caramelized Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with Cardamom Honey-Yogurt Sauce and Crystallized Pineapple

Second Place: South Shore University Hospital (SSUH)

Appetizer: Butternut Squash Noodles Carbonara

Entrée: Cider Mustard Lamb Chop with Polenta Spinach and Rutabaga Puree

Dessert: Caramel Cappuccino “Cup of Joe”

Third Place: Lenox Hill Hospital

Appetizer: Butternut Squash Risotto with Squash Medley and Coulis

Entrée: Herb and Pistachio Crusted Grass-Fed Rack of Lamb with Ratatouille-Stuffed Tomato and Pepper with Mint Couscous

Dessert: Caramel Coconut Ice Cream with Banana Brûlée and Coconut Cookie

The perioperative team at Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC) and Cohen Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) takes their commitment to wellness very seriously. Not only the wellness of their patients, but also their own wellness and that of their colleagues. This is why recently the group of 14 registered nurses, certified surgical technicians, surgeons, managers, and support staff from LIJMC and CCMC laced up their hiking boots and hit the trails, something they do together regularly.

While these outdoor team-building exercises are a great way to enjoy nature, they are also a chance to get to know one another better and form bonds that help them work better as a team inside the operating room. . “Forming a better relationship/bond with your co-workers helps us work better as a team while at work,” says Danielle Colwell, assistant nurse manager, patient care at CCMC. “You gain more respect for one another and are more eager to assist each other when the need arises, which in the operating room is quite often.”  It’s that kind of commitment, support and mutual respect among colleagues that makes Northwell Health a Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®.

Northwell encourages its employees to find ways to make their wellness a priority both at work and outside of work. We provide the resources and support to make wellness more convenient and fun like incentives for exercising, such as walk challenges and wellness contests, as well as workshops, wellness apps, and access to resources for emotional and stress management, financial well-being, healthy eating, and more.

Nurturing wellness and empowering our people to decompress, get outside, and stay active however it best suits them is essential in healthcare. And we encourage and embrace opportunities for our teams to find ways to focus on their well-being together and bring that commitment and collaboration back to their careers at Northwell.

An Appointment With: Patricia Flynn, Assistant Vice President of Employee Wellness

Northwell Health’s Employee Wellness team helps enhance the well-being of every team member by delivering a healthy and safe work environment. Patricia Flynn, assistant vice president of Employee Wellness, helped develop the many programs that Northwell offers that guide our employees and their families.

Read our discussion with Patricia Flynn below to learn about the importance of well-being for our team members as we reflect on Employee Health and Fitness Month.

What is the significance of employee well-being at Northwell?

Caring for our patients begins with caring for our team members. At Northwell, well-being is so much more than a program; it is foundational to our culture – a culture that gives “permission” to be healthy!  It includes healthy food choices, flexible leadership, resources for healthy living, and more. Well-being at Northwell is holistic – recognizing the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial aspects of our team members.

How does your team champion Northwell’s culture of well-being?

It is an honor and privilege to lead the professionals on my team. We exist to serve the Northwell team members, providing resources to support good health.  The team is from varied backgrounds, covering the spectrum of well-being disciplines.  We have public health professionals, registered dieticians, exercise physiologists, psychologists, health coaches, licensed clinical social workers and physicians. Everyone on the team is dedicated to helping team members.

How has the wellness initiatives helped our team members manage their mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond?

In 2021 during the pandemic, we spoke with our team members, asked how this was impacting their overall well-being, and listened in order to create impactful programs to support them.

The Employee Wellness team partnered with a variety of departments throughout Northwell to support our team members, including but not limited to Employee Experience, Chaplaincy Services, the Employee & Family Assistance Program, Behavioral Health Service line and the newly formed Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery.

By listening to our team member’s wants and needs, the team came together to design well-thought out programs and resources that included:

• The well-being resource page – a focused well-being page that described all of our program offerings by topic area including emotional, mental, physical and spiritual.
• The Emotional Support Resource Call Center – a call line manned by the Employee Wellness team 24/7 where team members called in for emotional support and mental health referrals during the pandemic. Today, the Emotional Support Resource Call Center enables team members to speak with an Employee Wellness team member, a member of our Employee Assistance Program or Chaplaincy Services.
• An Employee Wellness YouTube channel – a channel that hosted over 100 videos including videos on guided meditation, deep breathing, self-care, healthy cooking, stretching, among others.
• Healthy Choice at Home cookbooks – developed by our own Registered Dietitian, these easy-to-make and heart-healthy recipes provided team members with a creative stress relief outlet through cooking.
• myHealthyBody Take 5 series – a series where team members could watch a pre-recorded stretch, have a certified personal trainer attend a team meeting, or join the myHealthyBody program and have a customized musculoskeletal program tailored to their needs. These were a hit among our team members and helped reinvigorate them before heading back to work.
• The first Healthcare Heroes challenge – a fundraising effort for our team members in financial crisis which raised over $25,000.
• And always a fan favorite among our team members, our “Walk to” challenge– an annual program our team members always look forward to and last year we continued our challenge virtually with Walk to the Parks.

What are some of the initiatives your team has planned for 2021?

Key priorities for 2021 are emotional well-being, supporting our team members’ families, a safe and healthy pathway back to the workplace and a continued focus on reducing chronic disease. We will also be launching another “Walk To” destination challenge.  Last year over 20,000 team members participated in our Walk to the Parks.

In 2020 we also made progress in de-stigmatizing mental health – but much more work is needed. In 2021 we will continue to normalize the conversation around these issues.

This year, the Employee Wellness continues to bring a wealth of resources and support to our team members. We continued to ask our team members for feedback and listened to their needs through the Well-Being Support Survey, a collaborative survey with Employee Experience and the Center for Traumatic Stress, Resilience and Recovery.

As a result of what we heard, we are launching or have launched programs that include wellness workshops; projects around the importance of self-care and community; resources and programs for mental health; and an inspiration call line for our team members to receive uplifting messages of hope and encouragement.

What else should someone know about Northwell’s dedication to employee well-being?

A key success factor in any workplace well-being program is leadership commitment. At Northwell, it is real!  Well-being IS the well in Northwell!  Another key success factor is the integration of well-being into the plans of many partners and that has been critical here at Northwell.  We partner with many teams across the organization.

Celebrating our Wellness Liaisons

Northwell Health’s Wellness Liaisons are an important part of our culture. More than 200 liaisons across the organization help enhance and support the well-being our of team members both mentally and physically by:

• Influencing them to live a healthy lifestyle
• Communicating system wellness initiatives
• Implementing wellness programs in their departments
• Hosting wellness workshops
• Providing healthy tips and much more

Hear why our team members love being a Wellness Liaison and how they’ve achieved personal growth through healthy living:

Celebrating National Nutrition Month with Health Choice recipes

This National Nutrition Month, our Employee Wellness team and registered dietitians are helping educate team members across Northwell Health about making informed food choices. Their resources are helping improve well-being by providing the education needed to develop healthy eating and physical activity habits.

And at Northwell, we know our team members are all unique, with different personal and professional goals. Since there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health, our Healthy Choice recipe videos provide instructions to a variety of recipes and dietary needs. Our team members even have the opportunity to submit recipes themselves, showcasing their favorite healthy dishes to eat at home with their family.

Join us at home with Loretta Desimone, outreach services associate from Staten Island University Hospital, to make her one pot, easy weeknight meal for the whole family.

Turning a passion for wellness into an impactful career at Northwell Health

An integral part of our success as an organization, especially as it relates to providing our patients with care that empowers them to lead healthier lives, are the healthcare professionals on our teams that lead healthy lives themselves. One person in particular who has been extremely impactful in this regard during her time at Northwell Health is Mystique Haynes, PTA, AAS, a physical therapist assistant at ORZAC Center for Rehabilitation.
Thirteen years ago, Mystique received her license as a physical therapy assistant (PTA), a move that would direct her steps on a path toward a rewarding career. Driven by her passion for health and wellness, she soon discovered incredible opportunities for growth at Northwell Health. “As a PTA in the sub-acute rehabilitation setting I work closely with nursing and medical staff to follow the patients’ prescribed treatment plans,” says Mystique. “I have had the opportunity to rehabilitate patients recovering from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, joint replacements, fractures, amputations and much more.”
Now, as she approaches a decade as a dedicated and valued member of our staff, Mystique has found even more ways to bring her passion and purpose together though Northwell’s commitment to team member well-being. In 2018, Mystique was chosen by the Human Resources department to be on the wellness committee, and after only a few months in the role, she became the Lead Wellness liaison and spearheaded the facility’s program.
Encouraged to bring her own passion to her work, Mystique leveraged what motivates her to be at her personal best to drive impactful change within our company culture and her department at the ORZAC Center for Rehabilitation. With her hands-on approach and eagerness to help the lives of others, she began to introduce programming at Northwell that further pushed both her goal and ours of promoting healthier lifestyles. By educating on wellness and providing resources that team members can use to improve their overall health, Mystique believes it all comes down to one word: consistency. “Consistency is the key to longevity of the heart,” says Mystique, and her heart for the health of those around her couldn’t be more evident in her day-to-day.
As the lead wellness liaison, Mystique has developed and hosted activities like health and wellness fairs, walking trails, weight training, Zumba classes, line dancing, and self-defense training. Her work has helped encourage and incorporate a healthy lifestyle into the work culture of Northwell Health and lead our team members to a better version of themselves. And as a result, our patients also benefit as our team members are then able to pass that knowledge on. As Mystique explains, “We only get one body and wellness is a major source of determining our quality of life.”
Additionally, Mystique has created a space for team members at ORZAC to benefit from organic health produce through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). CSA is an upfront investment in a local farm, which then provides weekly “shares” of the farm harvest. This promotes farm to healthy table eating by delivering a variety of seasonal vegetables, herbs and some fruit directly to ORZAC.
The work she does in wellness goes far beyond our facilities and overflows into the communities and lives of people she interacts with in her personal life too. “I try to pass along health tips, credible information, and encourage everyone around me to start where they are and to just keep moving depending on each individual person and what their needs are,” she says. “Being a wellness liaison is my opportunity to give back to Northwell to say thank you for investing in me, my co-workers and my family.”
Discover a career that invests in your passions at Northwell Health. Apply today!

Northwell’s Walk to the Parks step challenge is improving employee wellness

Focusing on team member well-being at Northwell Health is a walk in the park – a virtual one that is. 2,774 teams made up of 15,691 team members are virtually walking our National Parks as they compete in this year’s employee step challenge for the chance to win $5,000!
During our Walk to the Parks innovative employee step challenge, teams of six have six weeks to walk two million steps, the distance between all national parks. Tracking their physical activity, each day brings them one step closer to their goal and unlocks virtual destinations throughout their wellness journey. Any team that successfully goes the distance will be entered into the grand prize raffle – a $5,000 prize for each team member.
In these unprecedented challenging times, it’s more important than ever for our team members to find the time to focus on their own well-being.  From walks outdoors during lunch to safely gathering in parks on days off, our teams are finding fun ways to get their steps in while gaining more energy, developing healthy habits and improving mental health. Additionally, for many of our currently remote employees, it provides a unique chance to connect with their teammates despite the temporary distance.
“Walk to the Parks is more than getting in your steps, it’s about team building, challenging yourself and taking time for your own well-being,” says Niha Malcomson, manager, Employee Wellness. “Now more than ever, it is something that is needed by all.”
And this isn’t Northwell’s first step challenge! Each year Northwell provides a fun opportunity to increase physical activity while allowing team members to focus on their own well-being in unique competitions. Last year’s Walk to Rome challenge included 2,018 teams who walked a total of 9,116,790,338 steps. That’s 4,558,395 miles – or enough steps to travel 183 times around the Earth!
With so many team members competing in this year’s challenge, Northwell Health is ready for a journey both to the parks and to better well-being.
Are you up for the challenge? Get moving and apply to Northwell Health today!!

Northwell Heroes Challenge promotes team member well-being while giving back

When our team members need help, you can expect everyone to rally behind them. The culture of giving runs strong at Northwell. That shined through during our first Northwell Heroes Challenge.

Inspired by a team member hoping to run a marathon to raise money for Northwell colleagues in need, a cross-functional team created the Northwell Heroes Challenge. This challenge was a way to encourage team members to focus on their well-being while raising funds in support of their colleagues.

Participants were encouraged to choose an activity and distance that fit their lifestyle, whether it be bicycling, running, swimming, walking, lifting, dancing or more. Over the next four weeks, team members trained and tracked their activity and movement on Northwell’s myWellness platform to meet their goals leading up to the first weekend in August when the challenge took place.

Partnering with Northwell’s Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Services (STARS) rehabilitation team, stretching and recovery exercises were shared throughout the challenge. Training materials were also provided including goals for beginner, intermediate and advance levels from the New York Road Runners, a Northwell non-profit partner that helps and inspires people to run the New York Marathon. Northwell’s wellness team also curated a nutritional guide featuring recipes for training and race day. These resources and more helped take care of our team members have fun and achieve their well-being goals.

“During the height of the pandemic, the well-being of our team members was something that we passionately invested in as an organization,” says Pat Flynn, assistant vice president, Employee Wellness.  These trying times only brought to the forefront the importance of physical, psychological and emotional health, and it was inspiring to see our team members using all forms of movement to improve their own health and well-being goals while so generously supporting our Caregiver Support Fund.”

490 team members rose to the challenge, raising $54,850 for our Caregiver Support Fund. This fund provides rent relief, mortgage relief, money for food and other necessities for team members who need it most. Big or small, every contribution helped to make a true difference in the lives of colleagues in need.

“The enthusiasm and generosity of the Northwell team is incredible. Providing support through the Northwell Heroes Caregiver Support Fund is a critical and timely need, and we are grateful to everyone who has donated to this important initiative,” says Brian T. Lally, senior vice president and chief development officer, Northwell Health Foundation. The Northwell Heroes Challenge is an extraordinary example of our mission and values coming to life through the Northwell team.”

And while giving back is a reward on its own, those who fundraised had the ability to reach three different goals with rewards including a certificate, points on our team member reward platform myRecognition, Northwell branded swag, and the chance to win the grand prize – a Peloton bike and one-year Peloton digital membership!

Julie Argueta, a unit service associate at Huntington Hospital was the lucky winner of the grand prize. “I joined the Northwell Heroes Challenge to honor the heroes who work with me at Huntington Hospital,” says Julie. “Their bravery and courage during the height of the pandemic inspired me to take challenges and reach goals with pride. What an honor for me to win this, I only wish I could get one for all the heroes on my unit. My daughter Alexus and I cannot wait to cycle to nowhere!”

Hear from some of our Northwell Heroes Challenge ambassadors, who led the way throughout training with motivational posts and tips:

Johanna Moustouka embraced the Northwell Heroes Challenge as she continues her wellness journey

When Johanna Moustouka started her career journey at Northwell Health 11 years ago she looked forward to a career as a nursing assistant and to developing her skills professionally. She never realized the impact that the organization would also have on her personal life, especially on her wellness journey. Today, Johanna is a wellness champion and liaison at Northwell and also at home, and she is a triathlete who is always striving to reach her professional and personal goals.

Starting out at Glen Cove Hospital in the Rehabilitation Unit and eventually transitioning to the Emergency Department at Huntington Hospital, Johanna has gained career experience caring for patients with different illnesses. Along her Northwell career journey, she also became more aware of her physical and mental wellbeing, realizing that by living a healthier lifestyle she could help provide better care for her patients. Northwell has helped Johanna achieve her wellness goals by offering a great environment for leading a healthy lifestyle.

“I have always loved the wellness awareness and initiatives that Northwell provides to their employees such as, the yearly walking challenges, the wellness app, and the many events that Northwell sponsors as additional motivation,” she says.

Being a Northwell wellness liaison, Johanna also shares her wellness experiences with her colleagues at Huntington Hospital.  She encourages her teammates to exercise including three-minute workouts on their breaks and going for walks. She realized if she was healthy and strong, she would be able to provide better care for her patients and her family. She also wanted to teach her five kids good wellness habits and instill in them that you can do anything you set your mind to, but you must lead by example. And, Johanna did just that.

Leveraging Northwell’s benefits, Johanna was able to instill healthy habits such as clean eating, clean shopping, and being physically active. This helped her family to adapt a healthy lifestyle! Johanna explained that her kids enjoyed partaking in her journey as a triathlete and training for the half marathon. They have done multiple 5k runs, completed races, and they go to the gym together. “I absolutely love how on board they are with all of this because it’s keeping them healthy and it’s extra bonding time for us,” she says.

Johanna leads a very active life and understands the true meaning of dedication. “Being a triathlete or a runner requires a significant amount of determination and discipline. You have to be able to balance work, family time and training. That could mean doing an open water swim or run at 5:00 am before punching into work at 6:45 am or a late afternoon or evening bike ride or run before bed,” Johanna said.

While working in the Emergency Room Department during the COVID-19 pandemic, Johanna saw how hard her team members were working and wanted to give back to her fellow heroes. She decided to participate in the Northwell Heroes Challenge during the first weekend of August. This wellness Challenge allowed employees to get moving while raising money for the Northwell Heroes Caregiver Support Fund, which provides programs and services to team members in need of emotional, psychological or financial support and more.

Johanna is a Northwell hero who goes above and beyond for her patients, the organization, and her family. Northwell’s culture and wellness encourages our employees’ growth professionally and personally, and Johanna is Made for this.

Explore career opportunities at Northwell Health.

Northwell’s Employee and Family Assistance Program: Taking care of our team members

At Northwell Health, we’re committed to creating benefits that are as unique as our team members. As New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, we have more than 72,000 team members working to ensure we deliver compassionate care to our patients and communities. Our benefits help us to deliver that same compassionate care back to our team and their families in and out of the workplace.

One of these unique benefits is the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP offers complimentary confidential counseling services to employees and their benefits-eligible family members. These services provide short-term, goal-directed coaching and counseling designed to help resolve problems that impact work and home life.

The EAP provides counseling through in-person services, both at their main office and through a dedicated EAP team member at each of our hospitals. These one-on-one sessions help guide team members through specific issues they may be facing, whether it’s dealing with a stressful professional or personal challenge. Phone and telehealth services are also available to help support our team members.

Working in healthcare also means the potential of working through critical times. As our healthcare heroes deliver care through the COVID-19 outbreak, the EAP is there for continuous  support. Currently the EAP is offering emotional support and referral services to all employees. Through partnership with the Behavioral Health Service Line, Wellness, and Human Resources, they’re ensuring that all team members get the support, services, and information they need to navigate through this crisis.

“Problems are a part of life,” says Margaret Kuzminski, the EAP program manager. “But unresolved issues can lead to a crisis that may affect an employee’s health, home life and/or job performance. The EAP offers goal-directed assistance and sometimes all it takes is just a phone call to help them get back on track.”

And the benefits go beyond just one-on-one meetings. Team members can participate in educational programs at The Center for Learning and Innovation or customized programs on-site that provide guidance on a variety of topics. Additionally, the EAP offers Northwell supervisors and managers programs to help them mitigate potential stresses in the workplace, such as interpersonal workplace concerns, recognizing team members in need of help, and developing training strategies.

Are you Made for a career at Northwell Health? Explore jobs and apply today.

How to strive and thrive on alternate work schedules

From more time spent with your family during the day to running errands without the crowds, there are a lot of advantages to working nights and weekends. We asked some of our Northwell Health team members who work shifts other than days about how they make the most of their alternate schedules.

Their tips? Technology, helpful neighbors and flexible spouses are just some of the things helping our team members manage their social lives and family time, including childcare.

Anacleto Bristol
Ward Clerk, Emergency Services, Plainview Hospital
“I let [friends] know my time constraints and I reconcile my calendar with them. My phone’s calendar app is invaluable for this. I color code it with colors for work, night/social life and ‘me time.’”

Lucy Grant
Administrative Supervisor, Northern Westchester Hospital
“I have been doing this for 29 years. When the kids were young, my husband was there. I also was lucky enough to have a neighbor who babysat.”

When it comes to adjusting to a new shift, getting adequate sleep and shifting from work to family/social time and back, our team members suggested blackout curtains, preparing meals ahead of time and being organized about scheduling. Here are their tips and tricks for staying healthy:

Patrick Wang
ED Technician, Emergency Department, LIJ Medical Center
“Power nap on your breaks. Keep in touch with your friends and family but understand that you also need time to yourself to decompress. Everyone needs some alone time to ease their mind.”

Caitlin Vega
Registered Nurse, Brain Injury Unit, Glen Cove Hospital
“Avoid coffee after a certain time during the night and eat fruits instead. Work out, try to eat right and drink a lot of water.”

No matter what one’s work hours may be, balancing multiple priorities is a universal goal. We asked our shift workers how they make the most of their time off. Several said that doing chores and running errands when most people are at work frees up the rest of their time for what matters most: family, friends and healthy activities.

Amanda Zilnicki
Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Peconic Bay Medical Center
“I sleep, clean, do yardwork, do homework, or go to the beach or gym. Great time because no one is home to bother you and public places aren’t as crowded.”

Natasha Vasquez
Registered Nurse, Labor & Delivery, Southside Hospital 
“I plan once a month group mommy dates and once a month date night with the hubby.”

Denise Walker
Supervisor, Patient Access Services, Emergency Department, Peconic Bay Medical Center
“I love riding my motorcycle, and during the day and during the week I get the most time in. When it’s a weekend, my husband and I will go for a ride and stop different places and enjoy the island. I also get the shopping done.”

Overall, we learned that our team members have impressive goals, are incredibly organized with their schedules, and are focused on healthy habits. With these helpful tips, they’re able to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle outside of their alternate work schedule.

Are you Made for delivering care on an alternate schedule? Apply today!

Northwell Health Wellness Recap for 2019

At Northwell Health, we know that wellness starts with our team members. By focusing on our employees’ wellness, we’re delivering a healthy, engaged workforce and a culture of well-being. With system-wide walk challenges, food and nutrition transformations, well-being programs and online resources, we’re constantly working to build on our commitment to our employee’s health. 

Take a look at how we’ve helped our team members in 2019:

Learn more about our benefits at jobs.northwell.edu/benefits