LAUREN CARUSO
Lynbrook,New York
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Summary
Strategic nursing executive with extensive leadership in emergency care operations and multidisciplinary team management. Translates organizational priorities into improved clinical outcomes, patient experience, and operational performance. Leads change initiatives, develops emerging leaders, and collaborates with physician and executive leadership to achieve strategic goals. Doctorally prepared and board certified in advanced nursing leadership.
Work History
NURSE MANAGER
NYU LANGONE HEALTH COBBLE HILL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
05.2017 - Current
- Provide strategic, operational, clinical, financial, and workforce leadership for a high-volume, 24/7 emergency department, with responsibility for more than 200 FTEs across nursing and support roles, including Assistant Nurse Managers, Clinical Resource Nurses, Registered Nurses, Patient Care Technicians, Hospital Concierges, and Patient Support Associates.
- Lead workforce planning, staffing strategy, recruitment, retention, succession planning, performance management, and leadership development to support safe and effective 24-hour operations.
- Partner with physician and interdisciplinary leadership to evaluate departmental performance, identify opportunities, and implement strategies that improve quality, safety, throughput, patient experience, and operational efficiency.
- Direct strategic and quality-improvement initiatives aligned with organizational priorities, including fall prevention, virtual observation, emergency department throughput, standardized arrivals, observation care, digital patient engagement, and virtual models of care.
- Utilized workforce, productivity, financial, quality, safety, and patient-experience data to identify trends, set priorities, and advocate for necessary staffing, equipment, and operational resources.
- Led implementation and sustained adoption of enterprise initiatives through multidisciplinary collaboration, staff education, performance monitoring, and follow-up to enhance departmental effectiveness.
- Developed frontline and emerging nursing leaders through coaching, delegation, succession planning, and performance management to strengthen leadership capacity within the team.
- Partner with senior leadership and organizational stakeholders on strategic planning, regulatory readiness, capital and resource needs, operational redesign, and new models of care.
- Designed, planned, and oversaw the operational readiness of the new emergency department at the NYU Joseph S. & Diane H. Steinberg Ambulatory Care Center.
- Led the department through achievement of the Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award, recognizing excellence in leadership, practice, education, advocacy, and research within emergency nursing.
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
NYU LANGONE HEALTH, RONALD O. PERELMAN CENTER FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES
01.2015 - 01.2023
- Launched and developed SAFE Program, establishing operational workflows, examiner coverage, education, quality-review processes, and interdisciplinary partnerships across emergency department sites to enhance service delivery.
- Directed program operations for eight years, overseeing program development, scheduling infrastructure, examiner education, quality oversight, and interdisciplinary coordination to ensure program effectiveness.
- Transitioned day-to-day program operations to designated program leads, providing ongoing leadership support and consultation in quality, education, program development, and operational needs for sustained program success.
- SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINER (SAFE) PROGRAM – NYU LANGONE HEALTH
- Provided ongoing leadership support to program operations, ensuring effective management and coordination. | 2023- PRESENT
ASSISTANT NURSE MANAGER
NYU LANGONE HEALTH COBBLE HILL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
10.2016 - 05.2017
- Facilitated daily clinical and operational leadership of emergency department, managing workforce, recruiting and developing staff, overseeing performance, ensuring quality and patient safety, and upholding nursing practice standards. Partnered with nursing, physician, and interdisciplinary leaders to define unit goals and align initiatives with organizational priorities.
- Led daily operations of emergency department, ensuring efficient patient flow and resource allocation.
- Implemented staff training programs to enhance clinical skills and improve patient care standards.
- Developed and maintained departmental policies, promoting compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices.
NURSE CLINICIAN
NYU LANGONE HEALTH COBBLE HILL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
10.2014 - 10.2016
- Delivered emergency nursing care across adult, pediatric, critical care, rapid-access, and triage populations as Charge RN, preceptor, clinical resource, and participant in unit-based shared governance.
- Managed patient assessments to develop comprehensive care plans in emergency situations.
- Provided critical support during high-stress emergencies, ensuring patient safety and comfort.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to implement effective treatment protocols and improve outcomes.
STAFF NURSE
NORTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Manhasset, NY
12.2011 - 10.2014
- Delivered emergency nursing care in Level I Trauma Center, supporting approximately 90,000 patients annually across critical care, pediatrics, triage, and rapid assessment.
- Administered patient care plans in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams.
- Monitored vital signs and documented patient progress accurately.
- Educated patients on health maintenance and disease prevention strategies.
Education
DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE - HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP
CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY
Addison12-2024
MASTER OF SCIENCE - NURSING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
Salt Lake City05-2017
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE - NURSING
MOLLOY COLLEGE
Rockville Centre05-2011
Skills
- Nursing Operations
- Patient Experience
- Regulatory Readiness
- High-reliability organization
- Change Management
- Strategic Planning
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Leadership Development
- Patient Advocacy
Affiliations
- Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
- Upsilon Chapter of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International
Certification
New York State Registered Professional Nurse, License # 651382, Nurse Executive, Advanced – Board Certified (NEA-BC), BLS, ACLS, PALS – American Heart Association, New York State Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE)
Timeline
NURSE MANAGER
NYU LANGONE HEALTH COBBLE HILL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
05.2017 - Current
ASSISTANT NURSE MANAGER
NYU LANGONE HEALTH COBBLE HILL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
10.2016 - 05.2017
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
NYU LANGONE HEALTH, RONALD O. PERELMAN CENTER FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES
01.2015 - 01.2023
NURSE CLINICIAN
NYU LANGONE HEALTH COBBLE HILL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
10.2014 - 10.2016
STAFF NURSE
NORTH SHORE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
12.2011 - 10.2014
MASTER OF SCIENCE - NURSING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE - NURSING
MOLLOY COLLEGE
DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE - HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP
CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
- Caruso, L. (2026, June). Best practice: Safety alert process. Oral presentation at the Strengthening Essential Emergency Departments (SEED) Conference
- Grabinski, Z., Smalley, S., Olinde, A., Ballentine, A., Creary, K., Caruso, L., Wiegner, M., Mathews, C., Belotti, L., Bylund, L. M., Wang, Y., Patel, K., & Smith, S. W. (2026). Improving the provision of emergency contraception for sexual assault survivors in the emergency department: A quality and health equity initiative. Academic Emergency Medicine, 33, e70238.