Patient and Staff Testimonials
“I met Jessica Goldstein mere days after receiving Total Laryngectomy surgery, a 10hr, life changing, surgery, during which my voice box was removed, followed by a medically induced coma. Upon awakening I found myself a neck-breathing, voiceless, individual. Not a good place for a Mental Health Therapist whose voice had been his bread and butter for decades. I was weak, scared, and feeling quite low in terms of hope for my future. Then I met Jessica and she changed all of this.
As soon as Jessica started her work with me and I began feeling hopeful. Despite her youthful age I could tell she was very thoroughly trained and really knew her stuff. Within days she had me safely swallowing fluids, and then soft foods, and finally all foods. But the real accomplishment came a week later when she had me speaking using a prosthetic valve implanted in my throat! Oh the relief I felt knowing that I would leave the hospital with an ability to communicate with some form of normalcy! I felt it was nothing short of a miracle, and I owed it all to Jessica’s commitment to my wellness.
But that’s not all, not by a long shot. Jess is very, very, skilled at what she does, to work with her even once is to know that, but what truly sets her apart is her overall commitment to her patients. Like the time I texted her in distress while in the hospital’s gym during OT/PT. Somehow, she managed to get to me in what seemed like under 60 seconds despite the hospital being four city blocks long and 15 stories high. I was surrounded by medical professionals who weren’t able to help me, but within a minute of Jessica’s arrival I was 100% again and able to continue working out.
My hospital stay lasted a few weeks, and my time with Jess was the high point of each day as I always felt more healed and one step closer to, “normal”, by the time she left. There were hard days, days when all I could do is cry as I lamented for the loss of my pre-surgical self, and Jessica, ever the professional, “sat in the suck”, with me for as long as I needed, just being the compassionate, supportive, caring, human that I needed to get me through to a better place. Because of her, I have been fully back to work both in my day job counseling children, and my private practice in the evening. I cannot state this emphatically enough, THIS WOUD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT JESSICA’S HELP & SUPPORT.
I wish nothing but good health for all humans of course, but if you ever find yourself in need of professional medical services in the field of speech and voicing, you simply cannot do better than Jessica Goldstein.”
"My name is Lauren, and I am one of the Otolaryngology PAs here at the hospital. I just want to recognize Jessica for her exceptional work with one of our recent surgery patients. She went above and beyond by spending ample time with him, educating him, and providing emotional support. She provides patient-centered care in a way that extends beyond her professional duties and demonstrates a sincere level of empathy. I have worked with her for several years now and I just wanted to highlight how excellent she is!”“Hi Jessica,
I’m not certain if you remember me. My name is XX. I had a bilateral transplant in March 2024. I’ve thought of you often & recall your warmth, compassion & caring you showed me. I was hospitalized for six months & towards the end of my stay you were very helpful. I recall you sitting bedside & the two of us chatting (really me wailing to you). You were a huge help. I’m two years post transplant & kicking arse. I’ve returned to the gym, put back 30 plus pounds (10 to go) & enjoying my second chance.
Enough about me. I remember you were getting married. It should have happened approx one year ago. I hope you’re still on your honeymoon.
Be well & thank you again for everything you did
Fondly,
XX”
“Hi Jessica,
I just wanted to thank you for the exceptional care you provided my father. You were truly the highlight of his stay. Buoying him up and bringing a breath of fresh air and light to what was a horrible situation. You kept him going for as long as you could which truly helped in his recovery because when he did “wake up” his throat muscles hadn’t atrophied as much as they could have and he was able to get it back. And I knew the exercises to do with him right away. I cannot thank you enough!! You are a VERY SPECIAL person. I hope everything is good in your world. You deserve only the best. ❤️”
“My name is Julia Owen, and I am a nurse practitioner with the cardiothoracic surgery team at NYU Langone Health. I just wanted to reach out to share how helpful and appreciated Jessica Goldstein is up here! I have been working with her on a specific very challenging case for the past couple weeks. The patient had an aortic aneurysm repair at the end of June, which was unfortunately complicated by a stroke and tracheostomy placement. Jessica was able to help us get the patient to PO intake before going to RUSK towards the end of July and then unfortunately the patient came back with a GI bleed and got an ileostomy, but in the past couple days Jessica has helped tremendously with the patient’s rehab! We have progressed the patient to the point of tolerating PO intake again and we are 8 hours into a so-far-successful cap trial for her trach! Jessica is motivated, thorough, joyful, and collaborative. She is incredibly motivating to patients and truly a pleasure to work with. Her work is 100% going to contribute to this patient’s successful discharge to RUSK in the next couple days. She is so fantastic to work with.” “Jessica has had an outstanding year and continues to be a highly valued, committed contributor to the team. She consistently demonstrates service excellence, resilience, and professionalism, while bringing a calm, positive presence to the department. Her adaptability and flexibility are notable strengths, and she reliably provides independent, high-quality clinical care. She collaborates effectively with her supervisor and colleagues to strategically advance her skills while also serving as a dependable “utility player,” stepping in wherever needed to support team goals.
A major highlight this year was her promotion to Senior Speech-Language Pathologist, reflecting her commitment to professional growth, clinical excellence, and career development. In alignment with this advancement, she has taken on increased responsibility managing complex patients across the SICU, CTICU, and acute care floors. She demonstrates strong clinical judgment, confidently managing her caseload while appropriately escalating cases for collaboration. In these discussions, she consistently presents with a thorough understanding of each patient, along with thoughtful plans and targeted questions that enhance clinical decision-making. Her written documentation is a clear strength—concise, insightful, and reflective of strong diagnostic and prognostic reasoning.
Jessica has also made meaningful contributions to patient care and team dynamics within the CTICU, CCICU, and acute settings. She has built strong interdisciplinary relationships and maintained a positive, resilient approach despite the challenges of complex patient populations and unit dynamics. Notably, she collaborated with her student to apply evidence-based practices in evaluating cardiac and dysphagia-related risk factors, effectively bridging research and bedside career. As a mentor to multiple students, she has fostered a supportive learning environment through active listening, open communication, and thoughtful feedback, while skillfully balancing guidance with opportunities for independence.
Additionally, Jessica partnered with an SLP colleague and a licensed independent practitioner to develop and deliver an in-service on tracheostomy care in the CTICU, addressing an important educational gap and enhancing team knowledge.
Overall, Jessica has had a truly exceptional year. We look forward to her continued growth and contributions, as she advances her professional goals and continues to positively impact her patients and the department.