Laura Benedetto, a wound, ostomy and continence nurse, has worked at North Shore University Hospital since her graduation from Rutgers University College of Nursing in 1999. She started out as staff RN on 2 Monti, a 43-bed surgical-oncology unit.

Laura says her colleagues have become mentors, team members, support systems and, especially, friends. The caring she feels from them reflects in her treatment of her patients. It also spurred her on to attend the R.B. Turnbull Jr. School of Enterostomal Therapy Nursing at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation so that she could treat, educate and support patients with ostomies.

Laura values the relationships she begins with patients and their families in the post-operative phase. She promotes self-care and independence upon discharge and looks forward to following up with patients after discharge for evaluation, education and counseling. Laura says that she’s proud to be a part of the North Shore University Hospital interdisciplinary team, where patients and their quality of life are valued.