Milana Leviyev, RN, BSN
Milana Leviyev, RN, BSN
Head Nurse
NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler
21 years of service
“If you have people with big hearts that care for the patients, you can achieve a lot.”
When patients and their families are facing dementia and memory loss, Milana Leviyev provides more than medical support.
“Since we work with a lot of patients who have impaired memories, patience, empathy and compassion are all important personal characteristics to being a great nurse,” Leviyev remarks.
“We have seen a lot of great things come out of the music and memory program and person-centered care,” she continues. “We make connections with families. I spend time on team-building, so that our staff can feel very close with both our patients and with our peers. I make myself available to aid caregivers for any tasks to facilitate job accomplishment. With technology, we can make connections with people from all over the world; making the patients feel cared for, comfortable and loved.”
Leviyev says she was inspired to become a nurse by having multiple family members in the nursing field. Born in the former Soviet Union, Leviyev came to the United States when she was 12 years old. “I always wanted to be in medicine, and I was able to achieve my dream,” she says. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Hunter College and also earned a dementia care practitioner certificate.
“My goal is to continue expanding my knowledge and experience in dementia care,” she adds. “I hope to pursue a master’s degree and become a nurse practitioner for the geriatric population.”
Leviyev points out that addressing the social determinants of health is vital to the future of health care. “We live in a melting pot,” she comments. “The unit I work on has staff and residents from multiple ethnic backgrounds, and we respect and appreciate the different flavors that each brings; I educate our team members on cultural diversity.
“We accept and care for all residents regardless of their financial income or immigration status,” she continues. “We have residents who were homeless, from lower socio-economic backgrounds, who have a history of mental illness and substance use disorder. My team and I provide the best quality care to my residents, irrespective of their socio-economic status.”