Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE), 380 2nd Avenue, New York, NY (2026)

Nurses Improving Care for Healthysystem Elders (NICHE), is an international program designed to help hospitals and healthcare organizations improve acute and long-term geriatric care. The NICHE program, an extension of the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, educates nurses with the knowledge and skills to provide exceptional patient care to older adults.

10/15/2026

NICHE announces 2026 Trailblazer Award Recipient NICHE Coordinator of the Year: Rachel Thomson, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, MEDSURG-BC from Clinical Nurse Educator/NICHE Coordinator, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY, USA

The 2026 Trailblazer Award submissions showed how the NICHE practice model helps improve patient care and the patient experience through the work of skilled and dedicated geriatric nurses. A volunteer committee from the NICHE Community reviewed 45 submissions across four categories and selected four 2026 recipients.

Throughout Rachel's five years as NICHE Coordinator, her organization continually demonstrated its NICHE Exemplar status with ever-increasing staff engagement and evidence-based innovations that positively impacted patient outcomes. She engaged over 100 nurses to become Geriatric Resource Nurses, and their confidence in caring for older adults increased by 51%. She worked to embed the NICHE online education for GRNs and GPCAs into their onboarding, hosts an annual Geriatric Education Day & Fair, facilitates monthly sessions with Dementia consultants, and implemented a "Get to Know Me" process to help clinicians better connect with older adults and their families.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients! Check out the award ceremony here: https://ow.ly/i7tp50ZWXQy
White Plains Hospital (WPH)

10/15/2026

NICHE announces 2026 Trailblazer Award Recipient Project of the Year: Atlantic Health System from Hackettstown Medical Center ICU

The 2026 Trailblazer Award submissions showed how the NICHE practice model helps improve patient care and the patient experience through the work of skilled and dedicated geriatric nurses. A volunteer committee from the NICHE Community reviewed 45 submissions across four categories and selected four 2026 recipients.

The “Breaking Free: Rethinking Restraint Use in Older Adult Care” improvement project targeted a long-held myth that restraint use is always necessary to prevent patients from accidentally removing their breathing tubes while on a ventilator. Hackettstown Medical Center ICU's Geriatric Resource Nurses, Geriatric Patient Care Associates, Dr. Cristen Mackwell, NICHE Coordinator and ICU nurse leader, and other interdisciplinary team members transformed this practice by focusing on what matters most to each patient, involving families, and reviewing medical devices daily. Restraint use decreased by an impressive 89.8%, with no patient accidentally removing a breathing tube, and patients needed fewer days of ventilator care in the ICU.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients! Check out the award ceremony here: https://ow.ly/i7tp50ZWXQy
Atlantic Health Hackettstown Medical Center

10/13/2026

Join us on October 14, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET for "Caring for Transgender & Gender-Diverse Older Adults."

🗣️ Speaker: Anthony Carney, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Clinical Associate Professor, NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
Date & Time: October 14, 1:00–2:00 PM ET

This webinar will explore gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse older adults. This includes strategies for creating psychologically safe clinical environments, addressing specific healthcare considerations and promoting equitable, high-quality care.

🔗 Register Here: https://nyu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_L5JBkh7USAKJfPm2FHZt6g #/registration

10/13/2026

NICHE announces 2026 Trailblazer Award Recipient GPCA of the Year: Brianna Luna, PCT III
10th Floor ACE Unit, Memorial Hermann Southwest, Houston, TX, USA

The 2026 Trailblazer Award submissions showed how the NICHE practice model helps improve patient care and the patient experience through the work of skilled and dedicated geriatric nurses. A volunteer committee from the NICHE Community reviewed 45 submissions across four categories and selected four 2026 recipients.

In her role as a mobility technician, Briana helps older adults stay active and independent while reducing their risk of physical decline and falls. She has also gone beyond her regular duties by creating and leading a music program. She chooses songs in several languages to connect personally with patients from diverse backgrounds. Her singing sessions help improve patients’ mood, awareness, and overall experience. Her nomination demonstrates what an ideal age-friendly care unit looks like and reflects the influence Geriatric Patient Care Associates provide.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients! Check out the award ceremony here: https://ow.ly/i7tp50ZWXQy
Memorial Hermann

10/13/2026

NICHE announces 2026 Trailblazer Award Recipient GRN of the Year: Jordyn Stangl, BSN, RN, GERO-BC, CDP from Geriatric Resource Nurse, ACE Unit, Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA

The 2026 Trailblazer Award submissions showed how the NICHE practice model helps improve patient care and the patient experience through the work of skilled and dedicated geriatric nurses. A volunteer committee from the NICHE Community reviewed 45 submissions across four categories and selected four 2026 recipients.

Jordyn is a trusted Geriatric Resource Nurse (GRN) who helps new nurses learn how to care for older adults based on each patient’s needs. She developed an Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms framework reporting tool for use in rounds, which she leads. As the unit’s Mobility Champion, she helped reduce falls and created “Walking Bingo,” which doubled how far patients walked on game days. Jordyn strongly supports care plans that respect each patient’s goals, dignity, and the needs of their family or caregiver.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients! Check out the award ceremony here: https://ow.ly/i7tp50ZWXQy
Methodist Hospital

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380 2nd Avenue
New York, NY
10010

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+12129985445

Website

http://www.nicheprogram.org/

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