Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospitalhas a new chief nursing officer — and she says she plans to be a familiar face on the floor.
Annalisa Monahan, a doctor of nursing practice with more than 30 years of experience, was appointed chief nursing officer and senior vice president of patient care services at SBELIH, effective Feb. 9. Her appointment was announced by chief administrative officer Paul J. Connor.
“I’m a nurse first. I like to be patient-facing,” Ms. Monahan said. “When I roll up my sleeves to help care for patients, it sends a message. It all starts with people.”
Ms. Monahan comes to SBELIH after serving as director of patient care services for medicine and surgery at Mount Sinai West in Manhattan, where she oversaw eight clinical units, dialysis services and quality oversight, and led the department through joint commission surveys. Her background also includes stroke care, addiction medicine and psychiatry — areas that align with the Greenport hospital’s existing clinical programs.
She began her nursing career in 1991 as a licensed practical nurse before becoming a registered nurse. She holds a doctor of nursing practice along with undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing.
Ms. Monahan said she interviewed at multiple Stony Brook Medicine facilities before choosing SBELIH.
“It was time to move from a director role to a chief nursing officer position,” she said. “I saw the potential here to grow with acute services and build something meaningful.”
Since starting this month, Ms. Monahan said she has been rounding on units and meeting staff across departments.
Her priorities include advancing nursing education, improving clinical metrics and supporting SBELIH’s ongoing pursuit of Magnet designation — a national recognition for nursing excellence. She also plans to expand shared governance, giving nurses more say in patient care decisions and workflows.
“Professionalism and kindness define nursing,” Ms. Monahan said. “We care for people at their most vulnerable.”
Source: The Suffolk Times
