MCSM’s Core Values INSPIRE us every day in so many ways, so I’m introducing a new column called MCSM INSPIRES. Here, I will highlight some of the many ways we are INSPIRED by Integrity, Nerve, a Supportive Environment, Partnership, Imagination, Respect and Excellence.
This month I’m focusing on PARTNERSHIP and EXCELLENCE by highlighting Mt. Sinai and highlighting New York University in the hopes that it INSPIRES you to learn more about the medical center we have right downstairs, a possible career path, and a possible college option for you to explore.
By: Waverly Winchester
Here is my interview with Sharena Frith, Mt. Sinai Practice Manager, which discusses our PARTNERSHIP which we are so lucky to have! Below that is my interview with Nurse Practitioner Anne Herlick. I hope this INSPIRES you to take advantage of all the services Mt. Sinai offers us as students here at MCSM, and it may even INSPIRE you to pursue a career path in the medical field.
We are so lucky to have the Mount Sinai School Based Health Center as our partner right here in our very own building! Can you tell us a little bit about the specific services you offer?
School-Based Health Centers are medical health centers within the schools. They are pretty much just like your pediatrician’s office. They help students manage their healthcare during the school day. Due to the location, the School Based Health Center at Manhattan Center is an easy health care option for our students. Students and their parents do not need to worry about students missing large portions of their school days because of appointments at their local doctors’ offices. Instead, they can just come by the health center and receive great care from our Mount Sinai professionals. They offer: physical examinations, immunizations, medical care for acute conditions (like an ankle injury from gym) and chronic conditions (like asthma or diabetes), medications and prescriptions, medical laboratory tests, age appropriate reproductive health care, mental health counseling and services, and screening for vision, hearing, asthma, obesity, and other medical conditions. All of these options at no cost to the students or their families.
There are a few people working at the Health Center, can you tell us everyone’s role?
In addition to our two nurse practitioners, we also have a medical assistant and a mental health provider. In our health center, our medical assistant is Ms. Leslie Ventura. The medical assistant’s primary role is to help and support the medical staff by performing clinical and administrative duties. Medical assistants take vital signs, draw blood, perform other laboratory and screening tests. The medical assistant may also help the medical staff with exams and procedures. Leslie is often the first person you meet when you visit our center. She will find out why you have come to visit and get you ready to see the nurse practitioner. She is also the last person you will see on your way out. She will help you set up your next appointment, if needed, or assist you with necessary paperwork or follow up. In addition, Leslie makes sure that the center is well stocked and that it runs efficiently.
Ms. Lisette Garcia is our mental health provider and a licensed social worker. Her role is to provide mental health care for students. You may be having a hard time adjusting to school, or feel stressed, depressed or anxious. At times, you may need help navigating relationships. As a social worker, Lisette will help provide care to address your mental and emotional concerns and equip you with the tools you need. In some cases, Lisette may provide you with a referral to connect to other resources and programs you may need for a variety of reasons.
Many people just think about physical health when they think about going to doctors. What are some other forms of health that need care in teens’ lives, in your opinion?
Just like everyone else, teens need to feel valued, safe and secure. They need to know they have a voice and that what concerns them really matters. Well-being is not just not about how one feels physically, but it also includes mental and emotional well-being. Teens also need to be empowered when it comes to their health. As they transition from teenagers to young adults, it is important they learn how to be their own advocates and how to be responsible for their overall health. It is our hope that students’ visits with us will help them on their journey in all these areas.
How can students take advantage of all the services you offer?
Students can have their parents or guardians enroll them in our program by having them complete and sign the parental consent form that can be found on line at: https://tinyurl.com/MCSMSchoolClinic . We also have a paper consent form that they can pick up in the health center. Once the signed consent form is submitted to us- they can start receiving services at no cost to them or their families. Whether enrolled or not, we invite students to come to the center and check us out and ask questions. We also have free first aid for all students.
Here is my interview with Anne Herlick, Nurse Practitioner:
Describe a day in the life of a Nurse/NP: I work regular hours, 9 to 5. I see patients like a dr. The difference is that NPs cannot perform surgery, but we can do almost everything. We see patients, take their histories, order lab work, give advice, and make a decision about their medical problems. Sometimes, I look at patients’ lab results and answer messages or finish writing notes from home. In medicine, some jobs are more demanding than others. I have worked where I don’t have time to take breaks. In other places, I get an hour in the middle of the day for lunch or to hang out with a friend. There are many different types of NP jobs. Some are more stressful or busier than others. You can choose the kind of environment you want to work in. I enjoy seeing patients and figuring out how to help them deal with clinical problems. My day flies by!
What is the difference between a Nurse and an NP?
There are a few different nurses:
LPN, licensed practical nurse. The LPN works under the RN to assist. They can give injections and are the eyes and ears on the floor.
RN, a registered nurse. They can assess patients and make judgments. Primarily they work with providers to take care of the patients. They have a high level of training and education. They need to know everything the Doctors and Nurse practitioners know. They work as an advocate for the patient and their families also. This means they are part of a team. They can question the Dr. if they think something is not in the patient’s best interest. They educate, give medications, and do all they can for the patient. An RN must have a high level of knowledge about medications. They need to know everything!! Some have a 2-year associate’s degree, while others have a 4-year one. They earn excellent salaries and can have flexible schedules.
An NP is an RN, but we also have a Master’s degree in Science and Nursing, MSN. We can diagnose, prescribe medication, and supervise an RN or LPN. We work collaboratively with a physician but have an independent practice. We don’t need a Dr. To sign off on our plans, but they are available to consult about complex medical problems. I work very closely with the Doctors!
You should consider this career choice if you…..like people and figuring out problems. Medicine is detective work most of the time, and you have to care about people! There is no more incredible feeling than making a difference in someone’s life. Maybe you will be the first person they tell about trauma in their lives, and you might be the first provider they feel listened to them. I never go home feeling like I didn’t do something that impacted someone’s life.
What type of salary does a Nurse/NP make yearly? Nurses and NPs make excellent salaries, although it depends on where you live, what state, rural or city. It depends on what state you live in. In NYC, we have higher wages than most, and most nurses have significant medical and health benefits paid for by our employers.
Salaries for RNs range from 70,000 to 120,000, and NPs are from around 90,000 to 165,000. It depends on years of experience and extra certifications.
You can work in a hospital or a private practice. Salaries in private practice are less predictable and vary greatly.
What steps did you have to take to become a Nurse/NP?
I received a bachelor’s degree in social science before realizing I wanted to become a nurse. I was working as a health educator after college, but I went back to school and did an accelerated BSN/MSN program at Pace University. I received a bachelor’s in nursing, a BSN, a master’s or MSN in Family nursing, and a certification. I also have extra training in some procedures, like IUD insertions. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner, so I can see anyone from a kid to an older person, and I have done both.
What is one piece of advice to INSPIRE MCSM students to pursue this career path?
The best way to know what you want to do is to talk to people you know to hear about their jobs. I worked as a medical assistant in college, which is how I discovered what an NP was. I also asked my neighbor, an RN, if I could follow her around at work all day. Internships are also a good way to learn about a work environment. I never thought I would be comfortable giving injections, drawing blood, or dealing with people’s bodies. Eventually, I realized that challenging what you think you know about yourself is very exciting! I also knew that I liked science and microscopes, and loved science in high school.
I advise working as many different jobs as possible to see what environment you like. Even working as a receptionist helps you check out workplace culture and all the players. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer until I saw the books my friend had to read in law school, and that was the end of that plan! Also, don’t stress if you don’t know what you want to do in high school. You can always change your path if you wish. I returned to school to be a nurse when I was 27.
Nursing is a satisfying profession, pays well, and has flexibility. There are many different directions and work environments to choose from. You can continually expand your knowledge and specialization and reinvent yourself professionally. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.
Thank you to Mt. Sinai for being such amazing and helpful partners to us, and for all you do every day here at MCSM.