Your Healthcare Team

Your doctor, who is on the faculty of the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, manages your patient care team. Several doctors may be involved in your care, as well as other staff members:

• Attending physicians or hospitalists are responsible for patient care and oversee residents.
  • House physicians are fellows, residents and interns, who have finished medical school and are in training. They are directly involved in patient care.
  • Fellows are fully credentialed physicians who have completed their residency and elect to complete further training in a subspecialty.
  • Residents are physicians undergoing three to seven years training to become board certified in a specialty, such as pediatrics or oncology. 
  • Interns are new physicians in the first year of residency.
• Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse midwives, other allied health practitioners also provide care.

There may be many nurses and nursing staff members involved in your care. The nursing staff works closely with the medical staff and other members of the healthcare team. The nursing team includes the nurse manager, RN Supervisors, nurse specialists, nurse educators, registered nurses, nursing assistants, technicians and nursing station clerks.

• Nurse managers are responsible for the supervision of the nursing staff.
• Nurse specialists have advanced training in a specific nursing specialty and are responsible for assuring that quality care is received by patients.
• Nurse educators provide education and training to nursing staff.
• RN supervisors are the nurses who are responsible for operational management of a unit during a particular shift.
• Registered nurses plans and coordinates your overall nursing care each shift and assigns tasks to other members of the nursing team such as clinical assistants, licensed practical nurses and technicians.

Care managers work with your team to coordinate your care while you are in the hospital and assist with discharge planning for those patients who need care after their hospitalization.

Social workers help you and your family to manage the stress of illness, hospitalization and treatment, assist with discharge planning, and plan for your care after you leave the hospital.

Your team strives to provide comprehensive and coordinated care throughout your stay. As a major teaching resource, Stony Brook trains health professionals, including doctors, nurses, medical students, physical therapists and social workers.

Should you wish to hire a private duty nurse, speak with your nurse or contact the Nursing Office for a list of approved agencies. Please note that private duty nurses are not members of the hospital staff. You will be responsible for forwarding payment directly to the agency you select.

Volunteers assist with a variety of services throughout the hospital. You will be able to identify volunteers by their identification badges and their royal blue-colored jackets. 

Each staff member, student-in-training and volunteer is required to wear a clearly visible identification badge bearing a photograph, name and job title. The ID badge confirms the employee's status at the hospital and specialty area. Do not hesitate to ask staff members to identify themselves. If someone you do not know enters your room, it is your right to ask who the employee is. If you have any doubts about the identity or the intentions of any visitor, call a member of the nursing staff immediately.