Senior Director of Clinical Operations for Surgical Services, Tampa General Hospital
Growing up, Yessenia V. Salgado didn’t initially envision herself in nursing, but always knew she wanted a career centered around people. After exploring architectural engineering and computer science as potential professions, she quickly realized they weren’t her calling.
Seeking advice, she turned to her mother, who revealed her own, unfulfilled dream of becoming a nurse. That conversation planted a seed, and today, not only does Salgado share her mother’s passion for the noble profession of nursing but so does her younger sister.
“It’s exactly what I was meant to do,” Salgado said.
Salgado began her journey with an associate degree from the Beth Israel School of Nursing – now the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing. She credits the program’s rigorous training for shaping her into a balanced, patient-focused clinical nurse.
“With the intense and comprehensive training I received in my ADN program, it felt like I was as prepared as a first-year medical resident,” Salgado said. “The emphasis on patient-centric quality care ensured I became a safe and compassionate nurse.”
In 2002, Salgado joined New York-Presbyterian Cornell at a time when New York City was grappling with a significant nursing shortage. Turning down four other offers, she chose NYP-Cornell because of its plans to establish a neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU). Her initial role in the neurosurgery step-down unit, coupled with medical-surgical neurosurgery and neurology assignments, was challenging, yet formative.
“We managed patients with EEG monitoring for seizures, glioblastoma multiforme pre- and post-surgery, and complex spine cases,” Salgado recalls. “It was intense, but offered invaluable learning experiences.”
Despite her growth in the specialty of neurosurgery, Salgado sought new challenges. One fateful day, during a break, she wandered onto an operating room floor and struck up a conversation with an employee. That conversation led to an impromptu interview with the director, who offered her a position as an OR nurse.
“It completely caught me off guard,” she says. “But his warmth, rapport with the team, and the energy of the OR convinced me. I never looked back.”
Transitioning into perioperative nursing gave Salgado a deeper understanding of her patients’ journeys. Working alongside the same physicians she had observed on the inpatient floor, she gained a renewed appreciation for the continuum of care.
“It felt like I was part of something bigger,” she says. “Perioperative nursing allowed me to be autonomous while also contributing to a dynamic, collaborative team.”
Salgado’s time in the OR was marked by growth and support from leaders who encouraged her to pursue professional goals. She successfully completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and earned her nursing certification. These achievements proved invaluable when, as a new mother, she sought opportunities with more flexible hours.
Her search led her to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where initially she oversaw the pediatric surgery line. “The experience reignited my passion for nursing,” Salgado said. “It grounded me in my ‘why.’ I’ll always treasure the incredible perioperative team and physicians I worked with there.”
She worked at MSK for over a decade, where she ultimately rose to become the director of perioperative nursing for the 1275 Main Campus, and holds those memories close to her heart. There, Salgado completed a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership from Regis University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Villanova University while remaining dual-certified as a Nurse Executive (NE-BC) and perioperative registered nurse (CNOR).
As her family grew, Salgado and her husband, also a nurse, began considering a move to a warmer climate.
“I told him, ‘If the right opportunity comes along, I don’t want to miss it,’” she said.
That opportunity arrived in August 2023 with an unexpected email from Tampa General Hospital. By September, she was interviewing, and by October she had a start date for November.
The move to Tampa not only offered her family a fresh start but also elevated her career. Salgado praised Tampa General’s forward-thinking approach, particularly its integration of cutting-edge technology like Apella in the OR.
“Apella provides a 360-degree view of operating rooms in real time, enabling teams to make informed decisions, anticipate needs, and plan effectively,” she explains. “It uses AI and computer vision to predict case durations, optimize staffing, and identify opportunities for improvement. This innovation has the potential to drive down costs, enhance care, and increase efficiency.”
Salgado is grateful for the mentors and support she’s received to continue her education and opportunities to assume leadership roles. She encourages nurses to stay adaptable and open to change.
“Nursing, especially in the OR, is constantly evolving,” she says. “To avoid complacency, approach each day with curiosity and a willingness to embrace innovation, including advancements in AI and technology.”
She concludes with advice for her peers: “This profession offers endless opportunities for growth. Stay current, stay curious, and remember why you started.”
