- Jun
- 8
- 2017
Truly Compassionate
Truly Compassionate: a Northwell Health value that was recently reinforced from our own voices and exemplifies how our 2017 President’s Award recipient for the Exceptional Patient/Customer Experience performs for our patients and families every day.
Shawna Vernisie is a creative art therapist for the department of child life and creative arts therapy at Cohen Children’s Medical Center. She uses her gift for music to treat our most vulnerable patients and their families.
“Although it is incredibly heartbreaking to work with patients at the end of their journey and the families that are at their side, I find solace in knowing that we have done everything we could to ease a devastating life event,” says Shawna.
Shawna not only doles out compassion, she also soaks it in from those she cares for.
I love that each day brings something new, exciting, and powerful. I also appreciate how each and every patient teaches me something new about myself, or teaches me about how music can make such an impact during distressing times.
When asked how she re-energizes herself for her patients each day Shawna shares more.
By spending time with the people I love, and my dog, Chico Suave, the singing Chihuahua, my heart fills right back up allowing me to give my back to our patients one hundred percent. I also love the ocean. It doesn’t matter what the season, when my toes are in the sand and there is salt on my skin I am at peace.
Find out more about this year’s President’s Awards.
Thank you Shawna for what you do. You are a gift for those children and their families at their time of need. You are an inspiration!
Very inspiring. I would love to see a video of Chico Suave performing. That would no doubt go viral and be an internet sensation.
This story touched my heart because as a caregiver during my dad’s journey, I unfortunately didn’t have the luck to have met someone like Shawna. I can say that I will treasure forever the very few compassionate people that I met during my dad’s journey, and I will be thankful for the rest of my life. There is nothing more comforting than to see those who truly love their job, and they demonstrate it like Shawna.
Great job, God bless!
What an inspiration to us all! Amazing work Shawna!
Congrats