Mary Muscari, PhD, Associate Professor at the Decker School of Nursing at Binghamton University is the 2009 recipient of the New York Regional Chapter of the Society of Pediatric Nurses Advocating for Kids Award. Dr. Muscari, a former Yonkers resident who once worked at Westchester Medical Center, has over 30 years of experience working with children and over 200 publications and presentations related to children.
"I am blessed to receive such an honor from a group that represents my roots in pediatrics," said Muscari. "Children are our most important natural resource, and we must never stop advocating for them, especially the vulnerable ones such as those with mental illness and children who have been adjudicated. This award represents the work of all pediatric nurses, a very large group of unsung heroes in the realm of children's advocacy."
The award was presented by Virginia Andriola, MSN, CPN, Assistant Director of Nursing at Blythedale Children's Hospital, Valhalla, NY, at their fifth annual conference, "Bullying Across the Lifespan: Recognizing it's Many Faces," for which Dr. Muscari was the keynote speaker.
The conference was organized by Colleen Booth, MSN, CPN, Director of Education at Blythedale Children's Hospital and was held at the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, also in Valhalla.
The Society of Pediatric Nurses is the only broad-based pediatric nursing organization founded for all nurses involved in the care of children and families and includes staff nurses, school and outpatient nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, administrators, educators and researchers. Its mission is to promote excellence in the nursing care of children and families through the support of their members' clinical practice, education, research and advocacy. The NY Regional Chapter, which also encompasses parts of New Jersey and Long Island, was started about 6 years ago. Ms. Andriola is the chapter president.
Blythedale Children's Hospital, the only independent, free-standing children's hospital in New York State, is dedicated to the diagnosis, care and treatment of children with complex medical and rehabilitative needs. Blythedale is a national leader in developing innovative, multi-disciplinary inpatient and ambulatory programs, as well as a community resource for children with a variety of medical concerns.
Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical is the advanced care pediatric facility for New York's Hudson Valley region and Western Connecticut. There, a dedicated staff of more than 300 professionals is committed to providing the very best in family-centered care. The hospital's experts are equipped with the latest diagnostic and interventional technologies and provide the finest care in a state-of-the-art setting, with operating suites, high-level ICUs and patient units designed specifically for children.
