For Alondra Hernandez, RN, Assistant Vice President, Patient Care Services, taking on this nursing leadership position at BronxCare in May 2024 was “almost like coming home.” Ms. Hernandez grew up on 184th Street and the Grand Concourse. She continues to live in the Bronx as do her parents. “It was the opportunity to serve in a senior Nursing Leadership role at BronxCare that became a full circle moment for me, a chance for a girl from the Bronx to give back to my community and achieve optimal results,” stated Ms. Hernandez.
As Assistant Vice President, Patient Care Services, Ms. Hernandez, in close partnership with Erica Dusseldorp, RN, Vice President, Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer, is actively involved in integrating health equity into a patient-centered approach where quality and compassionate care, as well as operational efficiencies, are among the highest priorities. Ms. Hernandez’s daily rounds at the Concourse Hospital Division and frequent visits to the Fulton Division provide her with an opportunity to see all of BronxCare’s inpatient units and identify strengths and areas for improvement. As a result, she is continuing to encourage nursing team leaders and staff to lead by driving meaningful change through evidence-based practices and quality improvement initiatives. Equally important to Ms. Hernandez is her ongoing interactions with BronxCare’s physician and administrative leaders. “Collaboration is the key to success, with nurses having an essential seat at the decision-making table,” stated Ms. Hernandez.
Ms. Hernandez views the major and serious health needs of the Bronx as presenting many challenges for the nursing staff. She is also confident that the new nursing leadership in place, in addition to BronxCare’s strong management team and dedicated employees, will continue to make a positive difference. “I saw from the very beginning that BronxCare employees at all levels had an unwavering dedication to the hospital, which is rare to find and speaks volumes,” stated Ms. Hernandez. She also continues to be impressed with how engaged BronxCare’s nursing staff are, from its leaders to those at the unit level.
Prior to joining BronxCare, Ms. Hernandez served as Director of Nursing at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where she began her seven-year term of service in the Safety and Quality areas, subsequently advancing to leadership positions. Ms. Hernandez was also a Clinical Educator and staff nurse in the Women’s Health area at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
Throughout her career, Ms. Hernandez has strived to advance herself. It was at Mother Cabrini High School in Washington Heights where an advisor encouraged Ms. Hernandez to pursue the nursing profession. She subsequently received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the College of New Rochelle and a Master’s degree in Nursing from Long Island University. It was in 2022 that she decided to move forward academically to better understand the operational side of health care. Ms. Hernandez then enrolled in the business program at Empire State University, where she received her Master’s degree in Business Administration in 2024.
In looking to the future, Ms. Hernandez is confident she can contribute to the success of the nursing team and BronxCare. “We will achieve a true patient-centered approach where the patient always comes first through the lens of our collective experiences and expertise,” stated Ms. Hernandez.
