Newsroom

The twenty-one graduates of New York Methodist Hospital's Nurse Technician Education Program recently filed into the East Pavilion Auditorium to the cheers and applause of family members and friends at a ceremony celebrating their completion of the three-month program.

"It is important for you to recognize and understand how significant your role is to the Department of Nursing, the Hospital, and to providing the highest possible care for each patient," said Rebecca Flood, R.N., senior vice president for nursing at NYM, during the ceremony. "We are able to keep pace with the demands of the health care industry because of our nurse technicians and with that said, I thank and congratulate you."

The class of nurse technicians was chosen from a pool of over 1,000 applicants to participate in the program, which consists of rigorous training focused on how to work with registered nurses to provide excellent nursing care. "When you began this program, we promised you an intense journey and I am sure you can all attest to the high standards of care at NYM," said Myriam Soto, R.N., director of staff/management education at the Hospital, who added that the vast majority of program participants continue their career at the Hospital. The class brought the total number of nurse technicians who have successfully completed the program over the past 15 years, to 564.

"You were chosen because we saw something unique and special in each of you," said Lorraine Barton, R.N., staff educator at NYM. "It is possible to teach the practice of nursing but human empathy and love is something that you have to have inside and this group''s got it," she said.

Words of praise were not only given to graduates, but to the Hospital's educators and administrators. "We stand here today as students from all different backgrounds who came together to learn and grow and that is a feat we couldn''t have accomplished without great guides to show us the way," said Kirk Bryan, N.T., of East New York, who was chosen to speak on behalf of his classmates, who nicknamed themselves the "yankees" because of their team-approach to learning.

Along with Mr. Bryan, members of the program''s graduating class are: Arlene Carrero, N.T., of Williamsburg; Iliana Carrasquillo, N.T., of Bedford Stuyvesant; Lisa Charles, N.T., of Long Island; Natalie Charles, N.T., of Canarsie; Amanda Chung, N.T., of Bedford Stuyvesant; Heather Clemente, N.T., of Flatbush; Janet Crosbourne, N.T., of Bedford Stuyvesant; Consolacion Etienne, N.T., of Flatbush; Melissa Fernandez, N.T., of East New York; Maryluz Garcia, N.T., of Borough Park; Laura Hopkins, N.T., of Park Slope; Joanne King, N.T., of Flatbush; Claudine Moody, N.T., of Park Slope; Denise Neils, N.T., of Bedford Stuyvesant; Alina Pawluk, N.T., of Coney Island; Tennille Perotte, N.T., of Williamsburg; Jascinth Robinson, N.T., of Flatbush; Genovaite Skeriene, N.T., of Coney Island; Jennifer Williams, N.T., of Bedford Stuyvesant; and Judy Williams, N.T., of Bedford Stuyvesant.