May 2023 Announcements
By Office of Communications & Marketing | May 1, 2023
UPD Announce Evolv Weapons Detection System (Evolv)
In response to the seemingly endless tragic mass shootings nationwide, the President’s Office has instructed University Police Department (UPD) to impose greater rigor in screenings at the various entrances to our campus, including enhancing technology to improve safety for all constituent groups. As such, UPD is proud to announce the deployment of the Evolv Weapons Detection System (Evolv) throughout the campus.
Evolv is a non-intrusive system that balances a new approach in technology with the community's needs and understanding the role that security measures play in reducing anxiety and improving safety on campus. The system incorporates state-of-the-art weapons detection that identifies weapons while ignoring harmless personal items as students, staff, patients, and visitors enter at a natural pace. This technology has been employed around the state, including at other SUNY campuses. We want to ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep each member of the Downstate community safe. Installation of the system will begin this week, with completion and a go-live scheduled for early next week.
Regardless of these new measures, always remember that safety is a shared responsibility. If you hear, see, or have an alarming or unusual experience on or near the campus, it is vital that you immediately contact UPD at X-2626 or from a non-campus phone at (718) 270-2626. If you are off campus, dial 911 for emergency assistance. Timely reporting can help prevent crimes or other incidents.
Preparations Continues for the Cafeteria Expansion Project
As we enter the early stages of the Cafeteria Expansion project,
we ask for your cooperation and patience as construction gets underway.
Beginning Monday, May 22nd National Grid will be opening up the sidewalk/street to install gas piping. We anticipate the duration of this work to be two days. National Grid will be posting signs and barriers and will take up approximately 5 parking spaces along Lenox Road. Pedestrian traffic will be maintained utilizing jersey barriers and flagmen when required.
We hope this work will cause minimal disruption to our daily operations. We appreciate your continued patience and cooperation and will do our best to provide frequent updates as the project progresses.
Please direct any questions to:
Jason Elijio at ext. 3242
jason.elijio@downstate.edu
Anthony Piscopo at ext. 4668
anthony.piscopo@downstate.edu
Alesia Varga at ext. 3714
alesia.varga@downstate.edu
Thank you.
Register Today for an Upcoming Active Violence Emergency Response Training (AVERT)
AVERT, short for Active Violence Emergency Response Training goes beyond active shooter training by teaching emergency bleeding control techniques, warning signs of a potential aggressor, quick response in a violent situation, escape, evade, or attack in critical seconds during an event, and staff confidence needed to respond. University Hospital at Downstate is now a training center with 14 certified instructors that includes staff from Emergency Management, University Police, the HAZMAT team, and the ED.
Please RSVP by using the link below to register for an upcoming Active Shooter Training:
- Event Address: University Hospital at Downstate
- Exact location will be emailed after registration is complete
- For more information, contact Jennifer Guzman at Jennifer.Guzman@downstate.edu
- Register for an upcoming event here: https://downstate.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Da7gRVrzTWnjzU
Culture of Safety Survey 2023
Patient safety is everyone's priority. By completing the survey, you make a difference by identifying gaps in safety and what steps are needed to correct them.
This survey is ANONYMOUS and you can take it in your preferred language. Please complete survey between May 1 - May 28.
UPDATE: Wearing Masks in the Hospital and Clinical Areas
As of now, we will not screen staff or visitors at the entrance utilizing WellScreen or with hand-held devices. If any employee has any symptoms related to COVID-19, please report to Employee Health Service.
Masks are to be worn on all inpatient nursing units, the Emergency Department, procedure areas, diagnostic testing areas, Student Health Center, Employee Health Service, and all outpatient clinics.
Masking will no longer be required in first-floor corridors, lobbies, the cafeteria, break rooms, conference rooms, and offices.
Staff who elect to wear face masks should continue to feel comfortable doing so.
It is strongly recommended that staff, patients, and visitors with respiratory symptoms wear a face mask and practice respiratory etiquette.
The Infection Control Office actively monitors the situation and will adjust the hospital masking policy accordingly. Our paramount concern remains with the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff.
We thank everyone for their continued dedication and cooperation.
SUNY Pilot Telecommuting Policy Extended through June 30, 2023
As a reminder, SUNY has extended the Pilot Telecommuting Policy until June 30, 2023.
If you are an employee whose title has been identified as eligible to telecommute, please be advised that the SUNY Telecommuting Policy set to expire for UUP, CSEA, NYSCOPBA, and PBANYS on December 31, 2022, has been extended to June 30, 2023. Therefore, if you have an approved application, no further action is required on your part.
If you have not submitted your telecommuting application and would like to participate, please contact humanresources@downstate.edu for more information.
Upcoming Events
3rd Annual Brooklyn Stroke Symposium
Thursday, May 25, 2023
8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
There's still time to register for this free in-person and virtual symposium for physicians and other healthcare professionals featuring top stroke experts.
Maimonides Medical Center designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 8.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits
SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVES
- Provide an educational review of new research and clinical paradigms in stroke care and biomarker discoveries for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of stroke
- Provide updates and gain insight on the contemporary management of cerebral aneurysms, carotid web, and cardiovascular surgical advances in stroke treatment
- Learn about state-of-the-art stroke neurocritical care and current trends in neurorehabilitation
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
- Physicians, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, neurointerventionalists, radiologists, intensivists, hospitalists, cardiologists, vascular specialists, emergency and critical care specialists, as well as medicine, primary care, and other physicians
- Healthcare professionals, including first responders/EMTs, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, rehabilitation specialists, and others
- Interested members of the public
Annual Graduate Day Keynote Lecture
Thursday, May 4, 2023
2:00 PM
Autism Spectrum Disorders for the Primary Care Practitioner and Other Providers
Friday, May 5, 2023
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Join Us for Hospital Week
Monday, May 8 to Friday, May 12
14th Annual Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Conference
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
NURSES CARE: A REFLECTION ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF NURSES
PURPOSE
This educational activity is designed to provide a forum to highlight current nursing
research and evidence-based practice for improving healthcare and patient care outcomes.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Registered Nurses, Advanced Practice Nurses, Nursing and Healthcare Leaders, Students
and Faculty of Nursing and the healthcare disciplines.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
At the end of the educational program, participants will be able to:
-
- Disseminate nursing research to drive evidence-based practice.
- Examine research and evidence-based initiatives that display nurses’ contributions in leadership and innovations in practice.
- Critically appraise original research and evidenced-based practice reports for practice implications within the context of evidence-based practice.
- Examine findings and outcomes of selected nursing studies and evidence–based projects for application to practice.
- Engage in networking opportunities for evidence-based practice research.
- Recognize the contributions of Nurses .
WellNYS Everyday Monthly Webinar:
Fitting in Your Favorite Physical Activity
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
May is National Physical Activity Month. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. What is your favorite physical activity? When do you fit it into your busy schedule? Join us as we share the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and how to fit physical activity into your busy day.
Presented by:
Linda Carignan-Everts
You will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the session. This session will be recorded and made available on the WellNYS Everyday website.
Work-Life Services (WLS) Programs are joint labor-management programs that benefit New York State employees by enhancing employee wellbeing, increasing productivity, and improving morale in the workplace. The WLS programs include the Employee Assistance Program, Network Child Care Centers, and DIRECTIONS: Pre-Retirement Planning. The WLS programs are funded through the collective bargaining agreements between the State of New York and the public employee unions: CSEA, PEF, UUP, NYSCOPBA, GSEU, Council 82, and DC-37 and PNANYS. The Office of Employee Relations contributes on behalf of management/confidential employees.
Haitian Culture Day Parade and Street Festival
Saturday, May 13, 2023
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
We are recruiting hospital employees, faculty, and students to walk with Dr. Pardo representing SUNY Downstate in the Haitian Culture Day Parade and Street Festival. We hope you will join us with community leaders, elected officials, business leaders, non-profit & education, media influencers, and cultural activists to commemorate and celebrate the rich histories, diverse cultures and important contributions of both Little Haiti & Little Caribbean communities. SUNY Downstate will also have a booth set up to promote our services. Please let us know and I hope you can join us.
10:00 am: Line up on Nostrand and Church Ave. to walk as a SUNY Downstate team in the parade with Dr. Pardo
11 am – 3 pm: Street Festival where SUNY Downstate will have a booth to promote SUNY Downstate services will be on Foster and Brooklyn Aves.
Interested in Volunteering?
Third Annual SOHP Dean’s Lecture Series: “Using Data-driven Decision Making to Improve a Clinical Practice or Program”
Wednesday May 24, 2023
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Holidays / Observances
Days
5/6: National Nurses Day
5/8: National Student Nurses Day
5/12: Birthday of Florence Nightingale and International Nurses Day
5/18: National Speech Pathologist Day
5/23: National Medical Coders Day
Weeks
5/7-13: National Hospital Week
5/14-20: Neuroscience Nurses Week
Month
National Nurses Month – (replaces Nurses week)
Week 1 – Self Care
Week 2 – Recognition
Week 3 – Professional Development
Week 4 – Community Engagement
Days
5/1: Melanoma Monday
5/2: World Asthma Day
5/3: World Maternal Mental Health Day
5/5: World Hand Hygiene Day
5/12: Fibromyalgia Day
5/15: Global Employee Health and Fitness Day
5/18: World AIDS Vaccine Day
5/20: Clinical Trials Day
5/20: World AiArthritis Day
5/24: World Tuberculosis Day
5/31: National Senior Health & Fitness Day
5/31: World No Tobacco Day
Weeks
5/1-7: National Physical Education and Sport Week
5/7-13: Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week
5/14-20: Maternal Sepsis Week
5/14-20: National Women’s Health Week
5/14-20: Healthcare Documentation Integrity Week
5/14-20: Neuroscience Nurses Week
5/22-28: National Respiratory Care Week
Month
American Stroke Month
Better Hearing and Speech Month
National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
Healthy Vision Month
Hepatitis Awareness Month
Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Melonoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
National Arthritis Awareness Month
National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month
National High Blood Pressure Education Month
National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
National Physical Fitness & Sports Month
National Stroke Awareness Month
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
National Trauma Awareness Month
National Women’s Health Month
Oncology Nursing Month
Preeclampsia Awareness Month
Psoriasis Arthritis Action Month
Skin Cancer Prevention and Awareness Month
Days
5/5: Cinco de Mayo (Mexican)
5/5: Vesak (Buddhist)
5/8-9: Lag B’Omer (Judaism)
5/17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
5/21: World Day for Cultural Diversity
5/23: Declaration of the Báb (Baha’i)
5/25-27: Shavout (Judaism)
5/26: Birthday of Buddha (Buddhist)
5/28: Pentecost Sunday (Christian)
Months
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
Military Appreciation Month
Older Americans Month
Check back for regular updates to this page!
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