The Northwell Health Nurses Choir gets a standing ovation, the golden buzzer and worldwide attention for their stellar performance on America’s Got Talent.

by Andrea Barol, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

Northwell Health is a nonprofit integrated healthcare network in the Greater New York City Region with 23 hospitals, 9 of them Magnet Recognized for nursing excellence with more on the Magnet Journey. Northwell Health nurses bore the brunt of the first surge of critically ill Covid-19 patients in the US. In the fall of 2020, leaders of Northwell Health seeking to rebuild resilience of their nurses, put out a call for nurses interested in joining the all-nurse choir. The Northwell Health Nurse Choir’s journey began in 2020 when they gathered virtually to support Nurse Heroes—a nonprofit initiative to help solve the global nurse shortage by raising awareness and providing much needed funds for nursing scholarships.

Most of the singing Northwell nurses didn’t know each other before joining their voices to support Nurse Heroes. The power of music lifted their spirits, helped rebuild their resilience, and helped them forge a special bond among themselves, with other nurses, and with the patients and families with whom they shared an unbelievably difficult time.

On June 2021, the Northwell Nurse Choir appeared on America’s Got Talent (AGT). Their performance captivated millions when they received the Golden Buzzer Award and advanced in the national competition. All eight Northwell Health hospitals participating in Magnet4Europe have nurses participating in the 18-person choir: Huntington Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Mather Hospital, Glen Cove Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital, North Shore University Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital, and Phelps Hospital. In two short months, their performance which was a mashup of two much-loved American songs “Lean On Me” and “Stand By Me,” has well over 2 million views on YouTube. The Northwell Nurse Choir is a great portrayal of nurses’ contributions during Covid and has attracted an outpouring of public appreciation for nurses.

This YouTube video gives you an impression into the experiences of the choir at America’s Got Talent: ​​

Back live on the AGT stage
​The Northwell Health Nurse Choir will perform in the live quarterfinal round of America's Got Talent on 8/17/2021 (live results show 8/18/2021). If you would like to support the choir, you can vote via the AGT app or also vote online from 8/17/2021 at 5:00pm PST (8/18/2021, 1:00am MEZ) until 8/18/2021 at 4:00am PST (12:00pm MEZ). You can even vote 10 times per Act and email address.

Find more information about the Northwell Health Nurse Choir here or follow them on Instagram.