UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health named Amber Castner, BSN, RN, CNOR, as the new Director of Surgical Services, effective August 4, 2024.
Castner joined Finger Lakes Health in 2009. During her tenure she has served in numerous roles including an operating room (OR) circulating nurse, Clinical Coordinator for Surgical Services, Geneva General Hospital (GGH) OR Manager, and most recently as Surgical Services Manager overseeing Finger Lakes Surgery Center and the GGH Operating Rooms. She was recognized earlier this year with the DAISY Leader of the Year Award and is a previous DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recipient.
In her new role Castner will oversee the design, administration, and evaluation of professional services within the perioperative setting, lead program growth, oversee surgical services operations, and coordinate with members of the surgical team to allocate resources to promote safe, high quality service and compassionate care.
“We are thrilled that Amber has accepted this position. Not only does she bring extensive surgical services expertise to the role, her commitment to patient care is outstanding. She exemplifies the professionalism, dedication and compassionate caring that we strive to cultivate in our leaders, and the entire Finger Lakes Health team,” comments Lara Chatel Turbide, COO for UR Medicine Finger Lakes Health.
Castner is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BA in Political Science and BSN from Chamberlain University, where she is currently pursuing her MSN. She received her Certification for Operating Room Nurses (CNOR) in 2023.
“Finger Lakes Health is committed to providing high quality general and specialty surgical care and is focused on expanding the Surgical Services team to meet our communities’ needs,” Turbide adds.
To that end, Surgical Services also welcomed two new staff members who will be part of the perioperative leadership team: Ellie Kearney, MFA, RN, BSN, CNOR as the new Perioperative Educator, and Norene Harrison, RN, MSN as the GGH Surgical Services Nurse Manager.
Kearney brings nearly 25 years of nursing and healthcare experience to her role and is happy to return to Finger Lakes Health. She started at FLH in the Community Services department and then upon graduating with her nursing degree, worked in the Surgical Services department at GGH. Most recently, she was a circulator and scrub nurse at UR Medicine, Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville, NY where she gained experience in general, orthopedic, OB/GYN, ENT, GI, eye, urology and pain management specialties. Kearney received her RN at the Finger Lakes Health College of Nursing and her BS in Nursing from University of Texas, Arlington.
Harrison also had more than two decades of nursing and healthcare experience. Harrison has worked in health care systems in Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York with extensive experience in the perioperative environment. Most recently she served as the Nurse Manager at UR Medicine FF Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua, NY. Harrison received her MSN from Capella University in Minneapolis, MN.
Finger Lakes Health’s Surgical Services include four ORs and one endoscopy procedure room at Geneva General Hospital, and three operating rooms and two endoscopic procedure rooms at Finger Lakes Surgery Center in Geneva.
