The Southold and Greenport rotaries honored Patrica McArdle, infection prevention and control director at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, as their 2026Laura Goodale Awardrecipient on June 12.
The annual award recognizes those who show extraordinary service, compassion and commitment to the community, in honor of Ms. Goodale, who spent 42 years as a nurse with the Greenport hospital.
Ms. McArdle “leads with knowledge, but also humanity,” said Annalisa Monahan, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of patient care services. “She holds high standards while making people feel supported, keeps patients safe while never losing sight of the people doing the work, and reminds us all that kindness and humor are powerful forms of leadership.”
Ms. McArdle joined SBELIH in 1999, serving in numerous roles throughout the organization. During COVID-19, she ensured infection prevention standards were followed, all while educating, supporting and reassuring staff during one of the most challenging periods in healthcare history.
Colleagues shared that Ms. McArdle is rarely found behind a desk. Instead, she is out teaching, guiding and supporting colleagues, and building connections throughout the hospital.
Paul Connor, SBELIH’s chief administrative officer, reflected on themany nurses who have received this honorover the past 41 years. He noted that Ms. McArdle “joins an extraordinary group of caregivers whose contributions have shaped the history and culture of our hospital.”
Ms. Goodale — who’s often referred to as the “Florence Nightingale of the North Fork” — began caring for patients on the North Fork in 1918. She went on to work more than four decades at Eastern Long Island Hospital, assisting in surgeries, caring for generations of families and helping deliver more than 2,000 babies.
Source: The Suffolk Times
