NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Receives Prestigious Patient Safety Award from Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses
Elmhurst Hospital Surgical Nursing team achieves recognition for unwavering commitment to minimizing the risk of errors and enhancing patient safety through advanced education and training
Mar 20, 2025
Queens, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is proud to announce today that it has earned national recognition as Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety and received the Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Prevention of RSI award from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). This prestigious award recognizes Elmhurst’s unwavering commitment to minimizing the risk of surgical errors and enhancing patient safety through advanced education and training of its surgical team in preventing unintentionally retained surgical items (RSI). The Center of Excellence designation signifies that the hospital has successfully completed AORN’s comprehensive, evidence-based program, adopting and implementing best practices to ensure the continued safe care of surgical patients.
To achieve this recognition, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst underwent a rigorous process, demonstrating its commitment to RSI prevention through several key initiatives, including a comprehensive review and enhancement of existing surgical safety protocols, the implementation of standardized procedures for instrument and sponge counting, and advanced training for all surgical team members on best practices for preventing RSIs. The program also emphasized fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration within the OR to ensure that all team members are empowered to speak up if they have any concerns about patient safety.
“Congratulations to our Periop Nursing Department for achieving national recognition for their efforts to foster a culture of safety at our hospital,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde. “This recognition as an AORN Center of Excellence validates the hard work and dedication of our surgical nurses and team and shines an amazing light on Elmhurst as we continue to provide the highest quality care to our community.”
“I am so proud of the Surgical Nursing Teams in the Operating Rooms of the main OR and in the Labor and Delivery Suite who are committed to patient safety and quality, said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Chief Nursing Officer Joann Gull, RN, MSN. “Staff have been working very hard for months to achieve this designation. This award is a testament to our commitment to the culture of excellence at Elmhurst.”
“As the Director of Nursing for Perioperative Services, I am extremely proud of this accomplishment,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Director of Nursing for Perioperative Services Teresa Pedretti-Ramos, RN, CNOR. “The AORN designation for a Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety in the Prevention of RSI symbolizes the hospital’s commitment to providing high-quality and safe patient care. Every day there are challenges in a high stress environment like the OR. Patient safety in the operating room is paramount. The surgical team has worked for months to achieve this prestigious designation and we are deeply appreciative of this honor.”
For more information about programs and services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, please call 718-334-4000 or visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/elmhurst.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Atiya Butler, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, (917) 319-5167, butlerat@nychhc.org
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system, is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The 545-bed hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station, a Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Receiving Center, a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center of Excellence and a 911-Receiving Hospital. It is a premiere health care organization for several specialties, including surgery, cardiology, women’s health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services, and mental health services. Last year, the hospital received close to 700,000 ambulatory care visits and over 130,000 emergency room visits. The hospital has been nationally-ranked and named as a “Best Regional Hospital” by US News & World Report, and has been noted for providing exceptional care in key areas, including Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Stroke, Hip Fracture, Kidney Failure, Orthopedics, Pneumonia, and COPD. Stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ElmhurstHosp.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
