NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Nursing to Receive Top International Honor from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Nursing to Receive Top International Honor from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Deepa Vinoo, DNP, RN, GERO-BC, CDP is the first NYC Health + Hospitals employee to earn a Fellow designation from the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Sep 01, 2026

New York, NY - NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler today announced its Associate Director of Nursing Deepa Vinoo, DNP, RN, GERO-BC, CDP will be awarded a Fellowship by Examination of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI); the first nurse leader at NYC Health + Hospitals to receive this honor. Dr. Vinoo will be formally appointed as a Fellow at the RCSI Conferring Ceremony scheduled for December 2026 in Dublin, Ireland.

The Fellowship by Examination of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery RCSI is one of the most prestigious professional qualifications awarded to nurses and midwives worldwide. It is internationally recognized as one of the highest professional distinctions for registered nurses and midwives who have articulated and expertly demonstrated how they have achieved, contributed and developed their capacity, competence and capability across four domains: Autonomy in Nursing/Midwifery, Professional and Clinical Leadership, Expert Practitioner in area of Nursing/Midwifery and Research.

"Deepa Vinoo is an exceptional nurse leader whose dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence have made a tremendous impact on Coler and the residents we serve. This prestigious fellowship is a well-deserved recognition of her outstanding leadership and contributions to nursing. We are incredibly proud of her achievement and honored to have her on our team," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief Executive Officer Nataliya Yakovleva, LNHA, LMSW.

"I am deeply humbled and honored to be accepted as a Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Nursing Associate Director Deepa Vinoo, DNP, RN, GERO-BC, CDP. "I am truly grateful for this recognition and for the mentors, colleagues, residents, and healthcare professionals who have supported and inspired me throughout my journey. I am especially thankful to the entire NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler team for their support, encouragement, and the opportunities I have had to learn, grow, and serve over the past 21 years. I look forward to my formal induction in December with sincere gratitude and humility."

"We are delighted to confer Fellowship of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery on Dr. Deepa Vinoo in recognition of her outstanding leadership and commitment to advancing nursing practice, education, and healthcare innovation," said RCSI University of Medical and Health Sciences Executive Dean of the Faculty, Professor Mark White. "Throughout her career and her more recent work with NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr Vinoo has demonstrated a deep commitment to improving patient care and strengthening the nursing profession. We are honoured to welcome her as a Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, RCSI and look forward to the continued impact of her expertise and collaboration within the Faculty and the wider global nursing community."

Dr. Vinoo is a nationally and internationally recognized nursing leader, dementia and palliative care expert, educator, and speaker with 30 years of experience in healthcare and academia. A dedicated member of NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler since 2005, Dr. Vinoo has held progressive clinical and leadership roles and currently serves as Associate Director of Nursing of Coler leading 150-bed, award-winning Memory Care Units.

Under Dr. Vinoo's leadership, Coler's Memory Care Units have undergone a significant transformation from a traditional medical model to a person-centered, evidence-based palliative care model for individuals living with dementia. The Memory Care Units have received multiple national awards and recognitions for excellence and innovation in memory care. These distinctions include the prestigious AACN Beacon Award for Excellence (Silver), making Coler the first and only post-acute care facility in the United States to receive this recognition. Dr. Vinoo spearheaded award-winning quality improvement initiatives on advanced dementia care, palliative care, psychotropic medication stewardship, and the Music & Memory Program.

Dr. Vinoo earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Executive Leadership from Chamberlain University and a Master's degree in Mental Health Nursing from India. She is a Board-Certified Gerontological Nurse (GERO-BC) and a Certified Dementia Care Practitioner. Her commitment to nursing excellence and patient-centered care has been recognized with honors including the NYC Health + Hospitals Nursing Excellence Award for Management.

Established in 1974, the RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery plays a pivotal role in leading and supporting the development of the nursing and midwifery professions nationally through the delivery of transformative learning experiences, impactful research in the areas of professional

development and supporting the contribution of nurses and midwives to healthcare and societal well-being. The faculty continues to expand its strategic impact nationally and internationally through exciting collaborations and alliances with leaders, researchers and influencers from local and global organizations.

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Media Contact: Rafael Dominguez, [email protected]

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler
NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler is an 815-bed skilled nursing facility located in Roosevelt Island, providing comprehensive skilled nursing, medical and rehabilitative care for more than 70 years. Coler is committed to serving New York City and the surrounding communities, while setting an example as a leader in memory care programming and rehabilitation. Ranked #10 in New York's "Best Nursing Homes 2026" by Newsweek and received a rating of "High-Performing" in Long-Term Care and Short-Term Rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report's Best Nursing Homes 2026, the facility earned a Five-Star CMS rating which designates them among the top 10 percent of skilled nursing facilities in the country. The facility also ranks in the top 1st quintile in the New York State Department of Health Nursing Home Quality Pool. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/coler.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth health plan-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - University of Medicine and Health Sciences
RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences is an international not-for-profit university, with its headquarters in Dublin. Our exclusive focus is on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide. Among the top 250 universities worldwide in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and their research is ranked first in Ireland for citations. They are currently ranked first in the world for contribution to the third SDG - Good Health and Wellbeing - which is an incredible achievement for a single-faculty university in a small country. RCSI is ranked in the top 150 QS World University Rankings in Nursing 2026. The index features over 1,500 higher education institutions across more than 100 locations.