Christy Spalink

Faculty

Spalink Headshot

Christy Spalink

DNP MSN ACNP-BC ACHPN OCN RN

1 212 998 5811

433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States

Christy Spalink's additional information

Christy Spalink is a Clinical Assistant Professor. She is double board certified as an acute care and hospice and palliative care nurse practitioner and is an Oncology Certified Nurse. Prof. Spalink earned her DNP from NYU Meyers in 2020 and her MSN in 2011. She obtained her BSN in 2004 from Calvin University. Spalink conducted her DNP project at NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center where she created an evidence-based toolkit for electronic health record palliative care referrals in the outpatient oncology setting to improve equitable access to palliative care services and comply with the NCCN Palliative Care Guidelines.

Spalink’s diverse clinical, education, and leadership experience enable her to approach healthcare challenges from numerous perspectives, creating coalitions of support to build sustainable solutions for populations and medical centers. In her previous role as Administrative Director of Clinical Operations at NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office Spalink reduced the annual staff turnover rate from 34.4% to 24.6%, increased clinical employee retention from 59.3% to 77.1%, and increased the internal employee promotion rate from 2.9% to 39.9% while maintaining a vacancy rate of 14.7% and building the clinical department from 40 positions in 2019 to 65 in 2022. She received an abstract award through AACI-CRI for this work (2023). She did this by creating and implementing an evidence-based orientation and training curriculum and by cultivating a psychologically safe and collaborative culture through the implementation of High Reliability practices and communication. During her tenure in nursing clinical leadership all internal and external audits were passed, and clinical audit findings were reduced by 80%. Spalink created several evidence-based, financially sustainable patient programs that increased diverse patient access to complex early-phase clinical trials, including an inpatient early phase oncology clinical trial program and an outpatient solid tumor cellular therapy program. During her time in the Neurology Department at NYU Langone Spalink contributed to the research and clinical practice advancements for several rare autonomic diseases. Spalink designed, obtained funding for, and implemented a clinical program to provide cognitive behavioral therapy via telemedicine for patients with a rare neurodegenerative disease resulting in blindness and social isolation to improve anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. She collaborated with an expert team of clinicians and researchers to publish the first respiratory guidelines for Familial Dysautonomia supporting evidence-based practice respiratory care for children and adults and spoke internationally to support training and awareness.

In her current clinical practice Spalink provides advanced practice nursing care for adults with urgent complications of cancer and its treatment. Her clinical areas of interest include acute care, neurology, oncology, and clinical trials nursing practice and operations.

DNP, NYU Meyers
MSN, NYU Meyers
BSN, Calvin University

Acute Care
Leadership
Neurology
Oncology
Palliative care

Association of Clinical Research Professionals
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties
Oncology Nursing Society

Faculty Honors Awards

AACI-CRI (2023)

Publications

APP Newswire Perspective

Spalink, C. (2025).

Prescreening to Increase Therapeutic Oncology Trial Enrollment at the Largest Public Hospital in the United States

Spalink, C., Wu, J., Yakubov, A., Abdul-Hay, M., Love, E., Kroening, G., Cohen, D., Spalink, C., Joshi, A., Balar, A., Joseph, K.-A. A., Ravenell, J., & Mehnert, J. (2022). (Vols. 18, Issues 4, pp. e620-e625).
Abstract
Abstract
The recruitment of underserved patients into therapeutic oncology trials is imperative. The National Institutes of Health mandates the inclusion of minorities in clinical research, although their participation remains under-represented. Institutions have used data mining to match patients to clinical trials. In a public health care system, such expensive tools are unavailable.

Frequency and burden of gastrointestinal symptoms in familial dysautonomia

Spalink, C., Ramprasad, C., Norcliffe-Kaufmann, L., Palma, J.-A. A., Levy, J., Zhang, Y., Spalink, C. L., Khan, A., Smukalla, S., Kaufmann, H., & Chen, L. A. A. (2021). (Vols. 31, Issue 1, pp. 109-116).
Abstract
Abstract
Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a rare hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN-3) that is clinically characterized by impaired pain and temperature perception and abnormal autonomic function. Patients with FD have gastrointestinal dysmotility and report a range of gastrointestinal symptoms that have yet to be systematically evaluated. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with FD.

Prescreening to increase therapeutic oncology trial enrollment at the largest public hospital in the United States.

Spalink, C. (2021). JCO Oncology Practice.
Abstract
Abstract
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Neurogenic dysphagia with undigested macaroni and megaesophagus in familial dysautonomia

Spalink, C., Palma, J.-A. A., Spalink, C., Barnes, E. P., Norcliffe-Kaufmann, L., & Kaufmann, H. (2018). (Vols. 28, Issue 1, pp. 125-126).
Abstract
Abstract
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Prevalence and characteristics of sleep-disordered breathing in familial dysautonomia

Spalink, C., Singh, K., Palma, J.-A. A., Kaufmann, H., Tkachenko, N., Norcliffe-Kaufmann, L., Spalink, C., Kazachkov, M., & Kothare, S. V. (2018). (Vols. 45, pp. 33-38).
Abstract
Abstract
Familial dysautonomia (FD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by impaired development of sensory and afferent autonomic nerves. Untreated sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has been reported to increase the risk of sudden unexpected death in FD. We aimed to describe the prevalence and characteristics of SDB in FD.

Respiratory care in familial dysautonomia: Systematic review and expert consensus recommendations

Spalink, C., Kazachkov, M., Palma, J.-A. A., Norcliffe-Kaufmann, L., Bar-Aluma, B.-E. E., Spalink, C. L., Barnes, E. P., Amoroso, N. E., Balou, S. M., Bess, S., Chopra, A., Condos, R., Efrati, O., Fitzgerald, K., Fridman, D., Goldenberg, R. M., Goldhaber, A., Kaufman, D. A., Kothare, S. V., … Kaufmann, H. (2018). (Vols. 141, pp. 37-46).
Abstract
Abstract
Familial dysautonomia (Riley-Day syndrome, hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy type-III) is a rare genetic disease caused by impaired development of sensory and afferent autonomic nerves. As a consequence, patients develop neurogenic dysphagia with frequent aspiration, chronic lung disease, and chemoreflex failure leading to severe sleep disordered breathing. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disorders in familial dysautonomia.

Dexmedetomidine for refractory adrenergic crisis in familial dysautonomia

Spalink, C., Dillon, R. C., Palma, J.-A. A., Spalink, C. L., Altshuler, D., Norcliffe-Kaufmann, L., Fridman, D., Papadopoulos, J., & Kaufmann, H. (2017). (Vols. 27, Issue 1, pp. 7-15).
Abstract
Abstract
Adrenergic crises are a cardinal feature of familial dysautonomia (FD). Traditionally, adrenergic crises have been treated with the sympatholytic agent clonidine or with benzodiazepines, which can cause excessive sedation and respiratory depression. Dexmedetomidine is a centrally-acting α -adrenergic agonist with greater selectivity and shorter half-life than clonidine. We evaluated the preliminary effectiveness and safety of intravenous dexmedetomidine in the treatment of refractory adrenergic crisis in patients with FD.

Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System : Autonomic Dysfunction in Pediatric Practice

Palma, J. A., Norcliffe-Kaufmann, L., Fuente-Mora, C., Percival, L., Spalink, C., & Kaufmann, H. (2017). In Swaiman's Pediatric Neurology: Principles and Practice: Sixth Edition (pp. 1173-1183). Elsevier Inc. 10.1016/B978-0-323-37101-8.00154-5
Abstract
Abstract
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Intranasal dexmedetomidine for adrenergic crisis in familial dysautonomia

Spalink, C., Spalink, C. L., Barnes, E., Palma, J.-A. A., Norcliffe-Kaufmann, L., & Kaufmann, H. (2017). (Vols. 27, Issues 4, pp. 279-282).
Abstract
Abstract
To report the use of intranasal dexmedetomidine, an α-adrenergic agonist for the acute treatment of refractory adrenergic crisis in patients with familial dysautonomia.

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