Services & Specialty Centers

Cultural Initiatives Department

Mission

The mission of the Cultural Initiatives Department is to establish and promote an environment at South Nassau Communities Hospital that is responsive to, and respectful of, the differences of those we serve, and to ensure that the provision of health services will not vary in quality because of race, ethnic background, linguistic competence, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religious/spiritual practice, geographic location or socioeconomic status.

South Nassau Communities Hospital's Cultural Initiatives Committee oversees the fulfillment of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care as determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health. South Nassau's Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Sheila D'Nodal, and the staff of the Cultural Initiatives Department are committed to ensuring that the best care is provided to all patients and their families regardless of their race, ethnicity, culture, age, gender and economical status.

Bill of Patient Rights            

Our devotion to high ethical standards and to continuous improvement in the quality of the care we provide is unflagging. We regularly review and re-evaluate our systems to see that they keep pace with patient needs.

Interpretation and Translation Services

All limited-English-speaking patients who request this service are provided with an interpreter at no cost to them. South Nassau Communities Hospital offers interpreter services in more than 100 languages, including American Sign Language for the hard of hearing or deaf patients. Interpreters are available either on-site or through the telephone. Respect for cultural practices and beliefs and adherence to a strict code of ethics, which includes the patient's right to privacy and confidentiality, is upheld at all times.

Interpretation Services are available to the patient and their families free of charge. If an interpreter is necessary, please inform a member of your unit's health care team, or contact the Language Coordinator directly at extension 3484.

Hearing-Impaired Information

All hospital phones have adjustable volume control. Telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD) are available upon request at no cost for the patient or patient's family. Sign interpretation services are available at no cost to the patient. The Language Coordinator or any staff member of the hospital will assist you should you need any of these services.

Closed-captioned television is available in all patient rooms.

Cultural Competency

Periodically the hospital offers training, seminars or conferences on cultural competency for its staff members. Instruction in cultural competency is also addressed in each new employee orientation training session.

Working in cooperation with the Nassau County Minority Health Task Force and the Nassau Partnership, South Nassau is committed to providing increased access to health care services for all members of our diverse communities. Our initiatives include:

• Multicultural menu
• Latino Physicians Network
• Observant Jewish Program
• Kosher and Halal meals
• Sabbath doors and elevators
• Hospitality suite
• Cultural Initiative Committee
• Community outreach
• Faith-based outreach
• Language Coordinator / LEP(Limited English Proficiency) Patient Advocate services
• Community Liaison
• Charity care and sliding-scale arrangements
• CyraCom phone for live multi-language live translation service, including Sign Language
• Community CPR classes in Spanish
• Indian physician network
• Spanish educational channel
• Periodic cultural competency training for staff

Pastoral Services

South Nassau Communities Hospital is committed to meeting the spiritual needs of our patients, families and staff. We recognize that pastoral counseling and other spiritual guidance is an integral part of the patient’s healing process. We provide multi-faith spiritual care and pastoral services to you and your loved ones. We respect the diversity of patient beliefs and stand by your right to religious freedom and privacy. At your request, we will notify your pastor, priest, rabbi or spiritual leader upon your admission.

Our Hospital Pastoral Care Liaisons, Chaplain Allen Siegel, SFO, MA, BCC (Catholic/Inter-faith) and Rabbi Jay Yaacov Schwartz, LCSW (Jewish), are available to see patients/families. Chaplain Siegel, pager #962, is available 8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. Monday-Friday.

Rabbi Schwartz is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and for emergencies. The rabbi can be reached at 516-225-0086.

Our multi-faith Meditation Room is available on the ground floor in the “C” wing as a place of quiet and prayer. For those of Islamic faith, our Meditation Room has a curtain for privacy during prayer.

For quiet meditation and relaxation, the C.A.R.E. Channel plays soothing music with images of nature and is available free of charge on hospital channel 12.

Click here to make an online request for a visit or prayer.

Catholic Spirituality

The Sacraments of the Church, the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation are available. In addition, special observances, such as Ash Wednesday and the Blessing of the Throats (St. Blaise) are conducted.

Our Catholic Priest Chaplain, Father Jerome Francis Ackah, is available Sunday 8:00 A.M. - Thursday 8:00 A.M. Please call the information desk at 516-632-3940 (9:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.) or the switchboard, 516-632-4000 (9:00 P.M.- 9:00 A.M.) and provide the patient’s name, unit, room number and reason for the request. They will contact Father Ackah or a priest from a local Catholic church.

Father Ackah conducts Catholic Holy Mass each Tuesday at 12 noon in the Meditation Room. Eucharistic ministers distribute communion Sunday through Friday.

Chaplain Siegel, SFO, MA, BCC is available to see Catholic patients from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. He may be reached at 516-632-4586 or 516-632-3000; ask for pager # 962.

Rosaries, Bibles (English and Spanish), prayer cards and spiritual pamphlets are available as requested. Each Friday at 12:00 p.m., Chaplain Siegel conducts a Catholic Communion Service for staff, volunteers and visitors in the multi-faith Meditation Room, located on the main floor in the "C" Wing.

Telecare, the television channel of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, is available free of charge on hospital channel 31.

Jewish Communities Program

Rabbi Jay Yaacov Schwartz, MA, LMSW is the Hospital Rabbi/Consultant. He is a member of the Hospital's Ethics Committee and Palliative Care Committee.

For emergency and pastoral visits, access to all Shabbat hospitality, Jewish holiday, kosher food, and other ritual needs, you may contact Rabbi Schwartz through Volunteer Services at (516) 632-3928. You may also contact the rabbi by cellphone at (516) 225-0086.

Sabbath Hospitality House: The Hospital has designated a Sabbath Hospitality House at 2430 Washington Ave for Shabbat and holiday sleepover guests. The home is within the Oceanside Community Eruv. NOTE: Eruv runs along utility lines on the opposite side of Washington Ave (walk on Hospital side of the street only), and on One Healthy Way (front entrance of Hospital, on the Hospital side, inside the utility poles. For Eruv information, please call Mr. Ben Lipschitz: (516) 536-0154 or (516) 763-3053. Beds, linen, durable kosher food items and a refrigerator are provided. Electric Sabbath candles are available. Access to the hospitality house is arranged through Volunteer Services at (516) 632-3928 or after hours, Patient Care Services at (516) 632-3910. Keys are picked up from Patient Care Services Office (Nursing Office) on the first floor prior to Shabbat and are returned there immediately after Shabbat. A picture ID, such as a driver’s license, must be left with the Nursing office in order to receive keys for the Hospitality House. The ID will be returned when keys are returned to the Nursing Office after the Sabbath.

Kosher Dietary Plan

All hospital patients may order Glatt Kosher meals by contacting the Food and Nutrition Department at extension 3903. Family members may request kosher meals for themselves as necessary for a fee of $5 per tray. (Attention Hatzolah: frozen kosher entrees are generally available for patients or family members arriving after hours. Please ask for the overnight hospital administrator for assistance.)

Siddurim, Tehillim and Chumashim are available in the Volunteer Office during business hours.

Local Jewish Funeral Homes that provide full Chevra Kadisha and Shomrim Services:

Boulevard-Riverside-Hewlett Chapel - 1450 Broadway, Hewlett, New York; Stanley Misikoff, Director: (516) 295-3100.

Gutterman's Inc. Memorial Chapels - 175 North Long Beach Road, Rockville Centre; Steven Kanowitz, Director: (516) 764-9400.

Local Synagogues

Young Israel of Oceanside (Orthodox) - (516) 764-1099

Temple B’Nai Sholom of Rockville Centre - (516) 764-4100

Temple Emanuel of Lynbrook - (516) 593-4004  

Muslim Spirituality

Our multi-faith Meditation Room is available on the ground floor in the “C” wing as a place of quiet and prayer. The Meditation Room has a curtain for privacy during prayer. A Qibla indicator is also provided.

Prayer Times and the Quran, English translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, are available by calling Chaplain Siegel at 516-632-4586 or 516-632-3000; ask for pager #962.

Halal food is available upon request for Muslim families in the Lobby Gift Shop. Muslim clerics are on-call, including a Mufti, and are available to see patients/families. Please contact Chaplain Siegel from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday to arrange a visit. He may be reached at 516-632-4586 or 516-632-3000; ask for pager # 962.