Inside:Kolker bids farewell to Nepal .. 1

Jeanette Ives Erickson ........... 2The nursing shortage

The Orren Carrere Fox Award .. 3

Making a difference ................ 5Running for fun andfund-raising

Timilty Science Fair ................ 6

Exemplar ................................ 8Tricia Cincotta, OTR/L

Occupational Therapy Month .. 9

Re-Hires ...............................10Patricia Buradagunta, RNand Jennifer Morse, RN

Health professions’billing project .................... 11

Clinical nurse specialists ....12Cardiac Access Unit

Educational Offerings ...........14

Bigelow 12 opening ..............16

CaringCaringApril 5, 2001

H E A D L I N E S

Working together to shape the futureMGH Patient Care Services

MGH nurse, Bettina Kolker, bidsfarewell to Nepal, the Peace Corps,

and some very good friendsDear friends and colleagues:

Hello again, after a lengthy inter-val! It is now the beginning ofFebruary, 2001, andvery shortly Iwill be fac-ing theend ofmy ser-

vice in the Peace Corps, whichconcludes April 19th. I can hard-ly believe how swiftly the timehas passed. These two years

have brought much personalchange and adventure, a bit ofwhich I’ve been pleased to sharewith you. With so little time re-

maining, itseems as ifthere is so

continuedon page 4

Page 2

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001Jeanette Ives EricksonJeanette Ives Erickson

Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MSsenior vice president for Patient

Care and chief nurse

The nursing shortage:addressing the problem

at the state leveln March 13,2001, I hadthe opportu-nity to testify

before the Massachu-setts Joint Committeeon Education, Arts andHumanities in supportof a very important billbeing sponsored bySenator Richard Moore.The bill, which calls forthe creation of a ClaraBarton Nursing Excel-lence Program, address-es the critical shortageof college graduates en-tering the nursing pro-fession. The bill pro-poses that the common-wealth of Massachu-setts establish a programto provide financial in-centives to graduates ofBORN-approved nurs-ing programs who agreeto work as nurses with-in the commonwealth atlicensed healthcare faci-lities. A stipend of$25,000, payable overfive years, would beawarded to those select-ed for the program.

Four key provisionsof the bill include:

Student-loan repay-ment assistanceSigning bonusesNursing mentoringincentivesInstitutional grantsfor mentoring andinternships

O In my testimony, Idid my best to educateour state legislators anddecision-makers aboutthe urgency of the prob-lem, and share some ofmy insight as chiefnurse at MGH. I wouldlike to share some ofthe highlights of mytestimony with you.

I began by remindingthe committee that bythe year 2015, therewill be 114,000 full-time nursing positionsthat we will be unableto fill. This shortage hascome about because ofan increased demand forhealthcare services; asharp decline in the num-ber of young peopleselecting nursing as achosen profession; anaging nursing workforce;the image of nursing aspresented in the media;and the fact that nursingis predominantly (95%)a female-driven profes-sion and many womenopt for part-time em-ployment in order tobalance family commit-ments.

I assured them that‘quick-fix’ strategies arenot the solution. Onlylong-term strategies thatrealign systems, andrecruit and retain nurseswill have a meaningfulimpact on this shortage.I suggested strategiessuch as:

demonstrating thevalue of nurses andnursingre-defining practiceneeds to better meetthe challenges facingus todaysharing decision-makingpositioning nursingto capture the inter-est and imaginationof a new generationof graduatesproviding incentivesto retain experiencednursesI made it very clear

that by supporting theClara Barton NursingExcellence Bill we aremaking an investment inthe future—the futureof healthcare, and thefuture of our common-wealth. Senator Moore’slegislation acknowled-ges the complexity andlong-range ramificationsof a nursing shortage,and offers a multi-facet-ed, comprehensive ap-proach to minimize andreverse the trend awayfrom nursing.

I emphasized theneed to raise the bar oneducational prepared-ness across the boardwith initiatives thatprovide incentives forbachelor-preparednurses and supportgraduate-degree nursingprograms. I suggested:

making it easier totransfer nursing cre-dits from two- tofour-year schoolsproviding morescholarships for mi-norities to attendfour-year programs(versus two-yearprograms)Preparedness in-

cludes knowledge of ourprofessional practiceenvironment. I stressedthe need for research toidentify ways to createa practice environmentin which:

nursing is viewed asan asset, not an ex-penseworking conditionsappeal to cliniciansof all agesstaffing meets work-load demandquality and safetyare top priorities forpatients and staffI was quoted recent-

ly in the Boston Busi-ness Journal as saying,“It’s a great time to be anurse.” I stand by thatstatement. Yes, there is

an impending nursingshortage. But there isalso a window of op-portunity that is wideopen! The focus of thenation is on the needsof the nursing profes-sion. People are listen-ing.

It absolutely is agreat time to be a nurse.We make a difference inthe lives of our patientsand families more thanany other professionaldiscipline. Nursing is anoble profession, and itis up to us to raise pub-lic awareness about thechallenges we are facing.It’s up to us to restorethe public’s perceptionof the nursing profes-sion.

UpdateSusan Gavaghan, RN,CNS, is the new clinicalnurse specialist for Big-elow 9. Most recently,Susan has worked as astaff nurse in the Car-diac Care Unit; shebrings more than 20years of nursing exper-tise to her new role.

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April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

Presenting solutionsMGH nurses presented five posters at lastmonth’s annual AONE conference held in

Long Beach, California. They were:

“A model for multidisciplinary evaluation ofthe professional practice environment,”presented by Joan Fitzmaurice, RN; JeanetteIves Erickson, RN; and Marianne Ditomassi,RN.“Nursing workload: critical managementinformation,” presented by Sally Millar, RN;and Chris Graf, RN.“Health literacy and patient education: therole and responsibility of nursing,” presentedby Taryn Pittman, RN; and Ann Martin, RN.“Nurse manager collaboration: from crisis tostrategic staffing,” presented by Wally Moul-aison, RN; and Chris Annese, RN.“Addressing the hospital nursing shortagethrough a partnership approach: the Bostonmodel,” presented by Leanne Espindle, RN;Lea Johnson, RN; and Dawn Tenney, RN.

Freeman receives first annualOrren Carrere Fox Award

RecognitionRecognition

MGH poster presentationAONE Conference, Long Beach

our years ago,Henry Fox andElizabeth De-Lana’s son, Orren,

was born prematurelyand brought to the NICUfor the first few weeksof his life. Based on thecaring and compassion-ate care he receivedthere, Fox and DeLanaestablished The OrrenCarrere Fox Award forNewborn Intensive CareUnit Caregivers. Theaward recognizes anindividual whose prac-tice, in the view of hisor her colleagues, bestrepresents the princi-ples of family-centeredcare.

The first recipient ofThe Orren Carrere FoxAward, presented Fri-day, March 23, 2001, in

F the NICU ConferenceRoom, was staff nurse,Tracey Freeman, RN. Inpresenting the award,NICU nurse manager,Margaret Settle, RN,acknowledged the wis-dom of Fox and DeLanain opening the award upto all disciplines. SaidSettle, “We all look toeach other for learning,development and guid-ance.” She thanked thefamily for this greatopportunity to help usthink about how wedeliver care.

Accepting the award,Freeman said, “I workwith such a talentedgroup of nurses andcaregivers. I really be-lieve I would never havecome this far withoutthe help of my co-work-

ers.” She thanked Foxand DeLana for estab-lishing this award torecognize family-center-ed care.

(L-r): Elizabeth DeLana; Tracey Freeman, RN;Orren (4), Willy (6), and Henry Fox.

Goofing aroundbefore the ceremony!

Page 4

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

much more I could andwant to do! I have be-come quite bonded withmy community—everymorning, walking to thehealth post I am greetedby a successive chorusof ‘Namaste’ startingalong the trail and con-tinuing through the en-tire bazaar. As anyother nurse can say,I’ve had my share ofsuccess and sadnessalong the way. One ofthe challenges of over-seas nursing is maintain-ing your own health.

Recently, this proved abit of a problem for me,costing several weeks oftime away from post(most frustrating whenthere is so little timeleft!) All is well nowand I’m hard at work tomake my remainingdays as productive aspossible.

During monsoon lastyear, I designed andwrote a curriculum inNepali on reproductivehealth and began teach-ing a class of eighth,ninth, and tenth gradegirls at the local school.Many of these girls

will soon bemarried and

some, in fact, alreadyare. At first, they wereall very shy and shock-ed into speechlessnessby the subject matter.Nowadays, they arriveat my health post al-most daily in a laughing,chattering gaggle to sayhello. They are fascin-ated by my maternitynursing textbook withits endless pictures ofhow we birth babiesback home. I take greatpleasure in workingwith them; so manyyoung women arrive atthe health post with alengthy history of mis-carriages, deceased bab-ies, and countless priorpregnancies. It is myhope that the know-ledge I share will help atleast a few of my stu-dents to have healthier,happier lives.

With the support ofmy fellow staff, I haveimplemented a weeklyante-natal clinic day toimprove the flow andefficiency of our mater-nity services. This hasbegun to prove quitesuccessful. I’m partic-ularly pleased, as pre-sently, my co-worker,Hera, is away at a45-day refreshertraining program.

That leavesyours truly toconduct theclinic and pro-vide all ante-and post-natal

care.

At the request of myprogram officer, I’vebeen spending time tra-veling around the dis-trict, assessing and eval-uating potential newposts for incominghealth volunteers. Lo-cating new communitiesfor Peace Corps volun-teers has become in-creasingly challenging inNepal. As in many oth-er countries, politicalviolence here is on therise. While in Katmandurecently, I witnessedfirst-hand civil riots andcity-wide mayhem trig-gered by friction bet-ween Nepal and India.This is especially dis-tressing to a peopleknown for their peace-fulness and kind nature.Hopefully, it will beshort-lived. My

district, happily, hasremained calm and pas-toral.

As I prepare for thetransition to post-PeaceCorps life, I’ve beenreflecting on the manydifferent experiencesI’ve had and the won-derful things I’ve learn-ed from, and sharedwith, my Nepali friends,colleagues, and neigh-bors. Since coming toNepal, I have:

delivered babies bycandlelight on anearthen floorimmunized countlessinfants and children,hoping one more timethat the re-usableneedle will still pene-trate the skinlearned the efficacy ofa wet-to-dry dressingon a gaping wound

when normal salineand gauze are

all you haveto workwith

continuedon next

page

Kolker bids farewellcontinued from front cover

Page 5

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

treated (and survived)acute mountain sick-ness while strandedwith my party over-night on a Tibetanpass at 15,000 feetlearned to start IVswithout a tourniquetof any kindthrilled to the soundof a fetal heartbeat, nomatter how manytimes I’ve heard itbeforebeen sprinkled withcow urine as an act ofpurification after de-livering an infantshared love, laughter,dance and celebrationwith the local womenat Hindu festivalslearned to harvestwheat by handdelivered my neigh-bor’s calf (don’t ask!)

Kolkercontinued from page 4

been showered withaffection and food atevery mother’s groupI’ve attended (“No,seriously, I can’t eatanother bite! Well. . .okay. . .”)gained tolerance, tran-quility, acceptance,patience, thankful-ness, generosity, andappreciation

I’ve had a uniquechance to step back intime, where the cellphone and fax do notexist; where the soil ofterraced fields is stillturned with woodenplows drawn by oxen;the food you eat comesstraight from the earth;and the animals roamfreely to graze, the tin-kle of their bells likechimes in the wind. Thehills are richly peacefuland quiet, the laughterof children and themournful bellow of wat-

Special Event!Dame Cicely Saunders

to speak at ShrinersDame Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern

hospice movement, will be the featured speaker at aspecial event co-sponsored by the MGH Institute ofHealth Professions, The MGH Center for Clinical &

Professional Development, The Harvard MedicalSchool Center for Palliative Care, Hospice of the

North Shore, and the NE AIDS Educationand Training Center.

Friday, April 20, 20015:00–6:00pm

Shriners Auditoriumreception to follow

in the Wellman Conference Room

For more information, call the IHP at 726-3163

er buffalo gently float-ing up from the home-steads in the valley be-low. The Hymals fadeinto rose-tinted glorywith each setting sunand the clear night skyis brimming with stars.

It will be hard to saygood-bye to this amaz-ing land and its people.Like many Peace Corpsvolunteers and nursesbefore me, I feel I havereceived far more than Igave. Nepal has deepen-ed my understanding ofwhat it means to be anurse (and a human be-ing) and strengthenedmy commitment to be-coming a better one. Ithank you for sharingpart of the journey withme and I look forwardto greeting you in thehalls of MGH when Ireturn.

Peace.

Making a DifferenceMaking a Difference

EAP Work-Life Seminars“Eldercare Fair”

As the senior population continues to grow,more individuals and families are impacted by

the challenges of caring for elder relatives.This fair will provide information on a variety ofservices available to elders and their families.Representatives from several local agencies

will be on hand to answer questions.

Thursday, April 12, 200111:30–1:30pm

Wellman Conference Room

For more information, call the EmployeeAssistance Program at 726-6976

Running for fun and fund-raising:around the city and around the world!t’s great whenyou can combinetwo of your pas-sions into one

momentous event and atthe same time bring joyand pride to so manypeople. That’s what anumber of MGH em-ployees will be doingwhen they combinetheir love of runningwith their passion to

I help others as they em-bark on an ambitioustrek to raise money fora cause that is near anddear to their hearts.

Once again, the MGHMarathon Team will berunning the Boston Mar-athon to raise money tosupport the PediatricOncology Program.More than 50 runnershave been training and

preparing for the April16th, 26.2-mile, historicrun from Hopkinton toBoston. Patients, fami-lies and spectators areinvited to gather at the20-mile mark to cheerthe runners on andshare in the spirit of theoccasion.

Three other MGHemployees, respiratorytherapists, David Peck-

ham, RRT, Annie Des-rosiers, RRT, and MICUstaff nurse, Laura Baer-inger, RN, will be par-ticipating in the KonaIsland Marathon inHawaii on June 24,2001, on behalf of theAmerican Stroke Asso-ciation (ASA). TheASA uses marathonsand other events as ameans to raise aware-

ness about strokes andtheir debilitating effects,and to raise money tosupport research, edu-cation, and advocacy.

All runners, who arerequired to raise a mini-mum amount in order tocompete, appreciate thesupport and encourage-ment of the MGH com-munity. For more in-formation about theseupcoming events, pleasecall the Caring Head-lines story desk at724-1746.

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April 5, 2001April 5, 2001Timilty PartnershipTimilty PartnershipTimilty students wow

spectators once again withannual science fair

tudents of the James P. Timilty Middle School brought ‘show and tell’ to anew level of sophistication at this year’s MGH-Timilty Partnership’s annualscience fair, held Friday, March 9, 2001, in the CentralLobby (and Charlestown Navy Yard). For two hours,

34 well informed seventh and eighth graders filled the corridorwith posters, projects, props, and the sound of genuine youth-ful knowledge and enthusiasm. The MGH-Timilty Partner-ship would like to thank the many MGH employees from alldepartments for their time, energy, and willingness to mentorthese future scientists with their school science projects.

S

Photos (top to bottom): MGH president,Dr. James Mongan (second from left), and (l-r)

Daniel Fortin, Dr. Harry Orf (Molecular Biology),Raymond Mayo, Wendy Chao (Molecular Biology),Sherraine Rodney, and Latiqua Braxton pose for

television cameras on site to cover the fair;8th grader, Sherraine Rodney, explains her

project, “Do antibacterial cleaning products workbetter than isopropanol at killing bacteria?”;

7th grader, Nathan Chan, talks about,“What colors crickets like”; and 7th grader,

Jean Paul Morais, discusses, “Whichsoda has the most caffeine”.

Page 7

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

Call forNominations!

The Stephanie M. Macaluso,RN, Expertise in Clinical

Practice AwardsThe purpose of The Stephanie M. Macaluso, RN,Expertise in Clinical Practice award is to recognizedirect-care providers throughout Patient Care Ser-vices whose practice exemplifies the expert appli-cation of the values reflected in our vision. Nomi-nations are now being accepted for the recipientswho will be honored in June, 2001. Nurses, occu-pational therapists, physical therapists, respiratorytherapists, speech-language pathologists, socialworkers and chaplains are eligible.

Nomination and Selection Process:

Direct-care providers may nominate one another.Nurse managers, directors, clinical leadershipand health professionals, patients and familiesmay nominate a direct-care provider.Those nominating may do so by completing abrief form which will be located in each patientcare area, in Department offices, and at theGray Lobby information desk.Nominations are due by April 20, 2001.Nominees will receive a letter informing them oftheir nomination and requesting that they submita professional portfolio. Written materials onresume-writing, writing a clinical narrative, andendorsement letters will be enclosed.A review board, chaired by Jeanette Ives Erick-son, and including previous award recipients, ad-ministrators and MGH volunteers will selectaward recipients.Recipients will be announced during the secondweek of June, 2001.

Awards and related activities:

Award recipients will receive $1,500 to be used to-ward an educational conference of their choosing.They will be acknowledged at a reception for peersand family, and their names will be added to theplaque honoring Stephanie M. Macaluso, RN, Ex-pertise in Clinical Practice Award recipients. Re-cipients will receive a crystal award from JeanetteIves Erickson, RN, MS, senior vice president forPatient Care and Chief Nurse.

For more information, or assistance with thenomination process, please call Mary Ellin Smith,RN, MS, professional development coordinator,

at 4-5801

Call for Nominations!2001 Oncology Nursing

Career Development AwardThis annual award, instituted in 1989, funded by the Friends of the MGH Cancer

Center and administered by the Cancer Affairs Nursing Subcommittee, recognizesa professional staff nurse for meritorious practice. The award provides financialassistance for continuing education to help further the recipient’s professional

goals. Acutely aware of the critical role of oncology nurses in the management ofcancer patients, the Friends are pleased to be able to recognize an outstandingindividual in the field, and engender a broader understanding of the nurse’s role

in cancer care as well as encourage others similarlyengaged in this life-giving work.

Nominees must be registered MGH staff nurses working in either the inpatient oroutpatient setting. Nominees must:

provide direct patient caredemonstrate consistent excellence in delivering careto cancer patientsserve as a role model to others in the professiondemonstrate commitment to professional development.

Only completed nominations will be considered.Nominations should be submitted no later than May 4, 2001.

Nomination packets may be obtained fromJoan Gallagher, RN, by calling 6-2551.

JobShadowShadowDay

The MGH-Timilty Partnershippresents

May 22, 2001The MGH-Timilty Partnershipis currently seeking employeesto act as hosts for seventh-graders participating in thisyear’s city-wide Job ShadowDay. Volunteers are asked tospend a half day sharing theirwork environment with astudent, imparting insight intowhat it’s like to work in anadult work setting. If you wouldlike to host a student, pleasecall Wanda Velazquez at724-3210, or send e-mail totimilty@partners.org.

Page 8

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001ExemplarExemplar

Tricia Cincotta, OTR/Loccupational therapist

Teamwork, innovation, andperseverence allow patient toreturn to independent living

M

continued on next page

y name is TriciaCincotta and Ihave been anoccupational

therapist at MGH forfive years. Since comingto MGH I have workedin many settings includ-ing cardiopulmonary,trauma, neurology, pedi-atrics, and orthopaedics.It was in the CardiacICU that I met a patientwho would challengeme as a therapist andmake a great impressionon me as a person. Atthis time in health carethere are many import-ant trends includingteam- and interdiscip-linary collaboration.Jack’s case is a greatexample of a rare, chal-lenging situation inwhich interdisciplinarycare was the center anddriving force that enabl-ed this patient to returnhome. Had it not beenfor his strong, highlyskilled, highly involvedprimary care team theoutcome of Jack’s casemight have been verydifferent.

I was in the CardiacICU one day when Iwas approached by anurse about an Occupa-tional Therapy (OT)order a doctor had justwritten. They asked if Icould come right in and

assist with the patient.It was then that I metJack. Jack was a 69-year-old man who hadjust been implantedwith a left ventricularassistive device or LVAD.Jack had a history ofsevere coronary arterydisease, had had a cor-onary-artery bypassgraft, and implantationof a defibrillator. Hisadvanced heart failureand ineligibility for atransplant precipitatedimplantation of theLVAD system. An LVADis a pump that is im-planted to assist theheart in pumping; it isoften used for patientsin advanced heart failurewhile awaiting a hearttransplant. The LVADhas a cable that comesout of the abdomen (thedrive line) and connectsto a small pocket-sizedcontroller that runs thesystem and detects anyproblems. The LVADcan be run by a mainpower source connectedto an electrical outlet orby battery packs, whichallow the patient to bemore mobile.

The nurse informedme that the team want-ed a strapping device tobe fabricated that wouldsupport Jack’s driveline preventing gravity

from pulling it down,which was keeping theentry site from healing.Historically, OT hasnot had hands-on exper-ience with LVAD sys-tems, as they are typic-ally used short-termuntil a patient receives atransplant. But after along discussion with thenurse, and Jack, andJack’s son, I came upwith a strapping meth-od to support the driveline that worked welland was easy for nursesto manage.

The next day I cameback to complete a fullOT evaluation. Jackwas not currently atransplant candidate,and the plan was forhim to go home with hisLVAD system. Initially,I began a treatment pro-gram of gentle strength-ening for his upper ex-tremities with emphasison his hands, as he wasexperiencing weaknessin both his hands. Jackwas going to need fullstrength in his handsand improved fine mot-or control to allow himto manipulate the cableconnectors on the LVADsystem at home. Jackand I began increasinghis participation in sim-ple activities of dailyliving, like brushing his

teeth, washing in themorning, and gettingdressed.

As Jack began toheal from his surgeryand get his strength andendurance back, thenursing staff on Ellison8 began the task ofteaching Jack the neces-sary procedures formanaging his LVAD forhis eventual dischargehome. After severalweeks of training, itbecame apparent thatJack suffered from mem-ory issues that made itdifficult for nurses toinstruct him. After yearsof decreased heart func-tion, patients sometimesexperience changes intheir cognitive abilitiesthat impact skills suchas memory-retention,problem-solving, in-sight, and new learning.

It was then thatJack’s primary nursesand I began working on adifferent approach totry to teach Jack. OTs

are highly trained andskilled in activity-anal-ysis, breaking downtasks into concrete steps.This break-down oftasks allows patients tolearn in a manner spe-cific to their individuallearning needs. ForJack, this meant design-ing a simple booklet.Jack, his nurses, and Iwent through each stepof handling the LVADand made simple check-lists for each task thatwere clear and mean-ingful to Jack. Everytime he began a taskwith the LVAD he wasto take out his booklet,proceed step by step,and complete the taskthe same way everytime. Verbal cueing andrepeated assistancewere key to his learning.This allowed him toretain the informationand develop appropri-ate problem-solvingskills so that he would

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April 5, 2001April 5, 2001Occupational TherapyOccupational Therapy

be able to perform thesetasks on his own athome. I continued towork with Jack and hisnurses on the appropri-ate techniques neededto increase his retentionof information. Hisnurses were now parti-cipating in cognitive re-training, a treatmentmethod OTs use withpatients who have cog-nitive issues.

Our program address-ed tasks like changingbatteries, changing froma main power source tobatteries and back again,performing systemchecks, and learning to

use the pump manuallyin case of an emergency.On a daily basis, Jackdeveloped independentproblem-solving skillsand, most importantly,gained confidence in hisown judgement.

After months ofcollaborative effort andmedical care, a dischargedate was set for Jack.He would go homedependent on this ad-vanced technology andit was my job to deter-mine how this wouldimpact his activities ofdaily living. Up to thispoint our primary OTfocus was on allowingJack to be independentwith the LVAD duringregular everyday taskslike showering, dress-

ing, going into the com-munity, and enjoyingtime with his family.Jack had been complet-ing many of these tasksfor some time, but wenow had to explore anypossible difficulties thatmight come up at home.We analyzed Jack’shouse and addressed allhis routine tasks. Jackwas finally ready fordischarge and returnedhome in November,right around Thanks-giving. He has had noproblems with hisLVAD, and is enjoyingbeing at home with hisfamily.

This experience withJack has shown me howmuch a strong primaryteam can accomplish

when they work togeth-er closely, teaching eachother new ways to dothings, and working tomeet the special needsand goals of each pa-tient. I achieved a greatdeal of professionalsatisfaction from beinginvolved with this casethat was so unique, sochallenging, and event-ually, so successful.

Comments byJeanette IvesErickson, RN, MS,senior vice presidentfor Patient Care andchief nurse

Tricia is right, there’snothing as powerful asclinicians pooling theirexpertise to meet theneeds of a patient. Her

Exemplarcontinued from page 8

ance. They analyze andbreak down the differ-ent barriers to function-ality, make recommend-ations, and intervene todissolve or decreasethose barriers. The maingoal is to increase pa-tients’ independence intheir own sphere of lifeactivities.

At MGH, we havean outpatient pediatricspecialist who evaluateschildren 3-18 years old.She meets with the par-ents and discusses any

difficulties the childmay be having at homeor in school. Is the childclumsy, uncomfortablewhen touched, sensitiveto certain textures,sounds, or tastes? Doesthe child have difficultymanipulating small ob-jects, writing, holding apencil, feeding herself?Is the child ambulatory?Hemiparetic? Does thechild have increased orlow muscle tone? Is heeasily overwhelmed?The OT addresses these

issues and works withthe parents and thechild to encourage thechild to develop withmore ease and indepen-dence.

OT has a specializedpresence in the Neonat-al Intensive Care Unit(NICU). Here the OTlooks at normal devel-opment, gently stimu-lates the baby to en-courage normal reflexesand normal responses tostimuli. She educatesthe parents on the bestand most comfortabledevelopmental inter-actions with their child.

There are nine occu-pational therapists whospecialize in hand andupper extremity ther-

apy. Eight of these ther-apists are board certi-fied hand therapists(the ninth will be elig-ible for certification thisfall). Hand and upperextremity therapiststreat post-surgical trau-ma patients, providingwound care, protectivesplinting, edema con-trol, scar-management,therapeutic exercises,and manual-therapytechniques to improvethe patient’s use of theinjured extremity. OTsprovide psycho-socialsupport and seek addi-tional support for pa-tients as needed. TheOT hand service worksclosely with MGH

Celebrating OccupationalTherapy Month

—by Carol Mahony, OTR/L, MS, CHToccupational therapist and clinical service coordinatorike many

health profes-sions, Occu-pational Ther-

apy is multi-faceted,specializing in severalareas of expertise. TheOccupational Therapy(OT) Department atMGH employs 25 ther-apists all with varyinglevels of experience,which creates a richatmosphere for creativi-ty, teaching and learn-ing.

OTs evaluate pa-tients’ physical andpsycho-social perform-

L

continued on page 13

ability to craft a strap-ping method for theLVAD is evidence of herskill and also of her will-ingness to explore un-charted territory. Thisis characteristic of ex-perienced clinicians whoare confident in theirabilities. When Jack’snurse asked Tricia forassistance, she got morethan a simple OT con-sult; she got Tricia’sextensive knowledge ofworking with patientswith short-term mem-ory loss. And togetherthey developed andimplemented a plan thatallowed Jack to becomeindependent in his care.

We are indeed strong-er when we work togeth-er. Thank-you, Tricia.

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April 5, 2001April 5, 2001Re-HiresRe-HiresBack on Bigelow 14...

and loving it!

Patricia Buradagunta, RN (left),and Jennifer Morse, RN,staff nurses, Bigelow 14

atricia Burada-gunta, RN, andJennifer Morse,RN, met in nurs-

ing school. They had alltheir clinical rotationstogether and becamefast friends. Morse hadworked at MGH as astudent nurse and sign-ed on full-time after shegraduated. Buradaguntacame to MGH shortlythereafter, in April of1995. They both work-ed on the Bigelow 14Vascular Surgical Unit.

Morse became in-volved with the MGHVascular Home CareProgram, and found thatshe really enjoyed thehome-care aspect ofnursing. After a fewyears, she felt like shewanted a change, so sheleft MGH to do home-

P care nursing full timewith a local agency.

Shortly afterward, inthe summer of 2000,Buradagunta was feelinga little ‘burned out,’ andthought that a home-care position closer tohome might be justwhat she needed. SaysBuradagunta, “I thoughtit would be the idealsituation—no nightshifts; Monday throughFriday, eight in the mor-ning to four in the after-noon; I’d be out drivingaround, making my ownschedule. The pay wassimilar. It sounded veryattractive.”

Says Morse, “Weboth left on good termswith Deb (Burke), ournurse manager. She wasvery supportive of ourdecision to leave. She

understood why wewanted to try this newexperience, and she of-fered to let us stay onon a per-diem basis,which was great.”

Morse and Burada-gunta worked as homecare nurses for severalmonths. But their en-thusiasm soon waned.Says Buradagunta, “Itwasn’t just one thing. . .it was everything. I wasdoing a lot of paper-work on my own time.Management was notwell organized. Theatmosphere wasn’t pro-fessional. But the big-gest thing was... I didn’tfeel fulfilled by mypractice anymore. Thefocus of my workwasn’t patient care, itwas efficiency and re-imbursement. I like to

spend time with mypatients, and there wasreal pressure to see asmany patients as possi-ble.”

Morse agrees. “Iwas driving a hundredmiles a day. There wasoverwhelming paper-work, poor communica-tion, and little supportfrom leadership. Therewere never any discus-sions about quality ofcare. I saw a huge dif-ference between theMGH home care pro-gram and what I wasdoing now. After aboutfour months, I reallybegan to get discour-aged.”

But Morse told her-self she’d give it sixmonths. Says Morse,“Six months after sign-ing on, almost to theday, I left!”

Morse and Burada-gunta called nurse man-ager, Debra Burke, RN,to see if there were anyopenings on Bigelow14. Says Buradagunta,

“Deb is the best mana-ger. She was so happyto have me back. Andthat really made me feellike she valued me as anurse!”

Says Morse, “I amso happy to be backfeeling like I’m makinga difference again.”Morse recalls visiting afamily friend at MGHduring her brief hiatusfrom Bigelow 14. “Justbeing here, walking thehalls, seeing the nurses,there was such a ‘pull’to come back!”

Says Buradagunta,“I don’t regret leavingat all, because it gaveme a much better per-spective of what’s outthere. But I have to say,I feel very happy andfulfilled to be back. It isso rewarding to be partof this team.”

“I know it soundscorny,” says Morse,“but I love my job, andI feel comfortable tellinganyone that this is agreat place to work!”

“The impact of religion onend-of-life decisions”

The MGH Ethics Task Force presentsa special forum, which will include a

panel discussion with:Dr. David Todres, moderator

Rev. Mary Martha Thiel, Protestant chaplainMichael McElhinny, Catholic chaplainRabbi Susan Harris, Jewish chaplain

Imam Talal Eid, Muslim chaplain

Refreshments will be served

Wednesday, April 11, 20014:30–6:00pm

Walcott Conference RoomsFor more information,

call 726-6125

Page 11

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

the point of first-servicecontact to completionof care. The new sys-tem restores clinicalcare hours by re-defin-ing workflow, eliminat-ing redundant businessprocesses, promotinginformation continuity,managing insurancecompliance, and enhanc-ing revenue collections.David Romagnoli, MS,RRT, NHA, senior pro-ject specialist for Pa-tient Care Services andarchitect of the system,says, “The benefits ofthis product go far be-yond its original expect-ations. We are now richin information and havemoved beyond gut feel-ing and hand-countingmethodologies to data-driven decision-mak-ing.”

So often, managers,in the absence of imme-diate, electronic data,use operational assump-tions to guide their busi-ness decisions. Todaywe have more concrete,readily accessible datato enhance our decision-making accuracy. Weoften hear the words,“We think. . .” Today,we have the ability tomove beyond ‘we think’to ‘we know.’

As a result of thisnew technology, wenow have the ability toknow:

the distribution ofvisits by payor typeand referral source(e.g., physician prac-tice)which visits, up to 14days in advance of anappointment, are miss-ing referral or criticalauthorization infor-mationthe number of visitsreleased to billingwhile missing un-obtainable referralinformationmore about the actualcare we are providingprocedure variabilityamong providers forlike diagnostic codesvisit distributions perpatients’ episodes ofcare

Paper encounter-form processing is nowa thing of the past inthe health professions;it has been replacedwith a computerizedsystem. Support staffmanage referral infor-mation while providerstaff manage clinicalinformation. Encountersnow contain 100% ofrequired informationbefore being passedalong to Revenue Con-

trol, and the longestpossible delay in send-ing is seven days. This‘watchdog’ methodol-ogy has made rejects inRevenue Control almostnon-existent while en-hancing our efforts inrevenue enhancement.Each site manages itsencounter and referralprocess separately. Inthe event that assist-ance is needed fromstaff at the main campus,a centralized approachis available and allowsfor shared support.

Marie Brownrigg,PT, healthcare centerclinical specialist forPhysical Therapy says,“The health profes-sions’ billing applica-tion is an asset to ourpractice. It allows anaccurate and timely bill-ing process, saves time,and provides an accuraterecord of the type and

time of treatment inter-vention. But my favoritepart of the new systemis its ability to alert uswhen a Medicare cer-tification is coming due.”The Medicare compon-ent Brownrigg mentionsis presently being pilot-ed and will help improveour compliance withMedicare regulations.

Improvements con-tinue to be made that gobeyond the realm of thehealth professions. En-hancements to manageMedicare certificationswill be deployed in thecoming weeks. Changesin revenue control sys-tems will soon enable usto send bills electronic-ally as we do with ourinpatient systems. Thisenhancement alone willeliminate the need tokeypunch more than40,000 patient bills an-nually.

Health professions’Computerized Encounter

Project reaches majormilestone

TechnologyTechnology

he AmbulatoryHealth Profes-sions’ billing(AHPB) project

has reached a majormilestone. On Monday,March 12, 2001, Occu-pational Therapy ‘wentlive’ at the RevereHealthCare Center. Thisevent marks full imple-mentation of the coreAHPB product at allambulatory rehabilita-tion practice sites.What this means forPhysical Therapy, Oc-cupational Therapy, andSpeech-Language Path-ology, is a completeconversion from apaper-based encounterprocess to a new com-puter-based system.

The Revere installa-tion is the last to becompleted of all therehabilitation servicesites that include themain campus, Charles-town, Revere, and Chel-sea health centers, andMGH West in Waltham.First started in Marchof 1999, and winner ofa 2000 Partners in Ex-cellence Award, theAmbulatory HealthProfessions Billing sys-tem is a computerizedprogram that automatesthe patient’s entire en-counter process from

T

Call for Nominations!Family Centered Care Award

It is time once again to recognize theexceptional caregivers of the MassGeneral Hospital

for Children who best exemplify our missionin providing care to children and their families.

Any employee of the MassGeneral Hospital forChildren may be nominated. Nominations may be

put forth by any interested party—employee,patient, family member, or visitor.

To nominate someone, simply write a brief letterstating why you believe that person deserves to be

recognized with a Family Centered Care Award.

Submit nominations to:Judy Newell, RN, Ellison 17No later than April 13, 2001

For more information,call Judy Newell at 4-5820

Page 12

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

disease. The unit isunique in that nursepractitioners, in conjunc-tion with the attendingcardiologist, manage themedical care of our pa-tients.

The unit handles ahigh volume of patientswho are usually in thehospital for relativelyshort lengths of stay.Through effective com-munication among staffnurses, CNSs, NPs,physicians, case manag-er, physical therapists,nutritionists, nurse man-ager, and other consult-ing caregivers, patientsreceive excellent care.

The development ofa Cardiac Nursing Ori-entation Education Pro-gram has evolved over

time through the collab-orative efforts of manyindividuals. Unit-basedclinical nurse specialistsand nurse practitionersfor Ellison 11 played aleadership role in plan-ning and implementing aday-long specialty ori-entation program fornew nurses on the unit.The need for this pro-gram was identifiedthrough discussionsbetween CNSs and new

staff nurses who cameto the unit with varyinglevels of cardiac nursingexpertise. Several newstaff expressed difficul-ty in gaining increasedcardiac nursing exper-tise in the CAU’s fast-paced environment. Thenurse practitioner groupvalidated these observa-tions, and it becameclear that a solution wasneeded. The CNSs con-vened an educationalplanning group thatincluded expert staffnurses, nurse practi-tioners, and our nursemanager to discuss aproposal we had devel-oped to address theseeducational needs.

The initial proposalwas implemented as ahalf-day program inFebruary of 2000. Webelieved that schedulingthe program four to sixmonths after partici-pants had completedunit orientation wouldbe most beneficial. Thiswould allow new ori-

entees a chance to focuson the organization ofcare for their patientsand clarify the cardiacconcepts they wantedto understand better.The program includedspeakers who had ex-pertise in various as-pects of Cardiac Nurs-ing. Evaluations fromthis program led ourgroup to expand thecurriculum. This year’sprogram was a full dayof presentations on dif-ferent aspects of Car-diac Nursing with timeallotted for discussionabout individual adjust-ment to the role of staffnurse on the CAU.

Collaborative effortssuch as this enhance thetransition of staff nursesnew to MGH. NPs(from the CAU andCardiology), CNSs (in-cluding the cardiac sur-gical CNS) and expertstaff nurses willinglyand enthusiasticallyshare their expertise in

Advanced practice nursing:collaboration among CNSs

and nurse practitioners

Clinical Nurse SpecialistsClinical Nurse Specialists

dvanced practicenurses (APNs)share a commongoal to educate

and assist the clinicalintegration of new staffnurses into the practicesetting. On Ellison 11,clinical nurse specialists(CNSs) and nurse prac-titioners (NPs), withthe support of the nursemanager and expertstaff nurses, work to-gether effectively toachieve this goal. TheCardiac Access Unit(CAU) is an inpatientunit dedicated to thecare of patients under-going cardiac proced-ures, such as cardiaccatheterization, balloonangioplasty, or stentinsertion for patientswith coronary artery

A —by Sioban M. Haldeman, RN, MSLillian Ananian, RN, MS

Lynne Chevoya, RNDenise Gauthier, RN, MSKathleen Keenan, RN, MS

Patricia Lowry, RN, MSMimi O’Donnell, RN, MSEllen Robinson, RN, PhDBrenda Schwartz, RN, BS

Marisa Shea, RN, BSMaura Sullivan-Borah, RN, MS

Catharine Wetzel, RN, MS

continued on next page

Sample Curriculum:A Review of Coronary Artery Dis-ease: Past, Present and Future Ther-apyNoninvasive Cardiac ProceduresInterpreting Cardiac CatheterizationResultsDiagnosis of Myocardial IschemiaandInfarction: EKG Interpretation andBlood Test InterpretationCommon Bedside Emergencies forCardiac PatientsNursing Assessment of PatientsReceiving Cardiac MedicationsCare of the Cardiac Surgical Pa-tients.

(L-r): Brenda Schwartz, RN, BS; Mimi O’Donnell, RN,MS; Catharine Wetzel, RN, MS; Patricia Lowry, RN, MS;

and Ellen Robinson, RN, PhD

Page 13

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

Published by:Caring Headlines is published twice eachmonth by the department of Patient Care

Services at Massachusetts General Hospital.

PublisherJeanette Ives Erickson RN, MS,

senior vice president for Patient Careand chief nurse

Managing Editor/WriterSusan Sabia

Editorial Advisory BoardChaplaincy

Mary Martha Thiel

Development & Public Affairs LiaisonGeorgia Peirce

Editorial SupportMarianne Ditomassi, RN, MSN, MBA,

executive director to the office of seniorvice president for Patient Care

Mary Ellin Smith, RN, MS

Materials ManagementEdward Raeke

Nutrition & Food ServicesPatrick BaldassaroMartha Lynch, MS, RD, CNSD

Orthotics & ProstheticsEileen Mullen

Patient Care Services, DiversityDeborah Washington, RN, MSN

Physical TherapyOccupational Therapy

Michael G. Sullivan, PT, MBA

Reading Language DisordersCarolyn Horn, MEd

Respiratory CareEd Burns, RRT

Speech-Language PathologyCarmen Vega-Barachowitz, MS, SLP

DistributionPlease contact Ursula Hoehl at 726-9057 for

all issues related to distribution

Submission of ArticlesWritten contributions should be

submitted directly to Susan Sabiaas far in advance as possible.

Caring Headlines cannot guarantee theinclusion of any article.

Articles/ideas may be submittedby telephone: 617.724.1746

by fax: 617.726.4133or by e-mail: ssabia @partners.org

Please recycle

Next Publication Date:April 5, 2001

this educational initiative.The ability of the unit to

support this program was clearfrom the initial proposalthrough development and im-plementation of the program.Nurse manager, Lillian Ananian,RN, ensured the success ofthis program by supportingstaff nurses’ attendance and

CNSscontinued from previous page

speaker participation. Feed-back from participants wasvery positive. One staff nursewrote, “This program wasextremely helpful. It answeredmany of my questions. Thankyou!”

We look forward to offeringthis program again. The suc-cess of an educational programsuch as this requires the dedi-cation and support of all rolegroups. Our goal is to enhancethe transition of new staff to

the unit. Our plan is to repeatthe program twice a year, asneeded, based on the numberand experience of newly hiredstaff nurses. The continuedsuccess of the program willdepend on the value placed oncollaboration among NPs, CNSs,expert staff nurses, and thenurse manager. We believe thatrole-modeling collaboration onthe unit in initiatives such asthis really makes a differencefor our new nurses.

hand surgeons, fellows, andresidents.

OT hand therapists treatcrush injuries, snow-blowerinjuries, table-saw injuries, andmultiple types of trauma. Theyevaluate patients who experi-ence ‘over-use symptoms’from performing repetitivetasks such as typing or otherforms of repetitive motion.OTs make recommendationsabout how to adapt work sta-tions, posture, and work hab-its. Musician therapy is an-other specialty area. Musicianscome in with their musicalinstruments and therapistshelp adapt hand placement ormake external adaptations tothe instrument itself to allevi-ate over-use symptoms.

We have a skilled group ofOTs who provide coverage toall inpatient units, rotatingthrough Neurology, Orthopae-dics, Pediatrics, Medical, Sur-gical, and the ICUs. OTs eval-uate patients, determine theirmedical status, functional stat-

us and overall condition. Willthey be safe at home; are theygood candidates for rehabilita-tion; can they return to theirprior vocations or living situa-tions; will they benefit fromadaptive equipment, whichwill allow them to return home;or will they function moreindependently in an assistedliving situation?

The inpatient/outpatientadult burn program is a wellestablished therapy programthat treats patients in the bac-teria controlled nursing unit(BCNU) as inpatients on Big-elow 13 and in the OT outpa-tient program after they’redischarged. OTs treat patientsfor edema control, active rangeof motion (AROM) and pass-ive range of motion (PROM)to avoid joint contractures, andsplinting for positioning. Aspatients improve, and woundsand grafts heal, OTs focus onrehabilitation of the affectedareas, addressing scar-manage-ment, soft-tissue mobilization,AROM, PROM, strengthen-

ing, and psycho-social issues.OTs treats neurologically

impaired clients in the out-patient setting. We see pa-tients who have sustainedhead injuries, brain tumors,amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), cerebral vascular acci-dents (CVAs), and Parkin-son’s disease. We focus onthe patient’s functional leveland assist with increasingtheir independence at per-forming community tasks,memory issues, upper-ex-tremity function, splinting,and cognitive issues.

Join the OccupationalTherapy Department and theMGH community in cele-brating National OT Monthwith two different educa-tional displays in the CentralLobby. On April 4th we willpresent information on ar-thritis; on April 18th we willpresent information on erg-onomics and home safety.

For more informationabout the services and pro-grams provided by the Occu-pational Therapy Depart-ment at MGH, please call4-0147.

Occupational Therapycontinued from page 9

20April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

20Page 14

—Educational —Educational DescriptionWhen/Where Contact

Hours

For information about Risk Management FounInternet at http://ww

Intermediate ArrhythmiasThis 4-hour program is designed for the nurse who wants to expand his/her knowledge of arrhythmias.The program focuses on atrial arrhythmias junctional arrhythmias and heart blocks, and prepares staff totake the level B arrhythmia exam. For more information, call The Center for Clinical & ProfessionalDevelopment at 726-3111.

3.9April 178:00–11:15amHaber Conference Room

Pacing and BeyondThis new and exciting workshop will discuss indications for initiating therapy, fundamentals of the pace-maker system, pacer implantation, international codes/modes of pacing and nursing care. Rhythm-stripanalysis will focus on normal functioning and basic trouble-shooting. The session will conclude with adiscussion of current and future technology. For more information, call The Center for Clinical & Pro-fessional Development at 726-3111.

5.1April 1712:00–4:30pmHaber Conference Room

CPR—American Heart Association BLS Re-TrainingRegistration is required by 12:00 noon of the day prior to class. For information, or to register, call TheCenter for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

- - -April 187:45am, 1:00pm, 4:00pmVBK 401

Transfusion Therapy Course (Lecture & Exam)For ICU nurses only. Pre-registration is required. For information, call Sue Pauley at 6-3632; to register,call The Center for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

- - -April 18, 8:00am–12:00pmApril 20 (Exam)8:00–10:00amBigelow 4 Amphitheatre

Culturally Competent Care: Understanding Our Patients, Ourselves and Each OtherProgram will provide a forum for staff to learn about the impact of culture in our lives and interactionswith patients, families and co-workers. Topics include understanding and defining the importance ofculture; the principles of cultural competency; understanding the dynamics of difference; the culture ofWestern bio-medicine; and the appropriate use of language services. A variety of interactive exercises willhelp to illustrate the concepts presented. For more information, call The Center for Clinical & Profes-sional Development at 726-3111.

7.2April 198:00am–4:30pmTraining DepartmentCharles River Plaza

Nursing Grand RoundsNursing Grand Rounds are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month. This presentation willfocus on, “End-of-Life Issues in Diverse Cultures,” presented by Mike McElhinny, oncology chaplain. Formore information, call The Center for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

1.2April 191:30–2:30pmO’Keeffe Auditorium

Cancer Nursing: Anchoring our Practice to KnowledgeThis program will provide information to support the care of patients with a variety of cancer diagnoses,treatments, technologies, and new integrative therapies. Nursing strategies and challenges will be explor-ed. For more information, call The Center for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

TBAApril 208:00am–4:30pmO’Keeffe Auditorium

Career Development: Your Bridge to the FutureIn this program, participants will identify personal goals, wishes and values; assess knowledge, skillsand abilities; and identify trends and options for career development. Working individually and in smallgroups, participants will begin to build their bridges to the future. For more information, call The Centerfor Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

7.5April 208:00am–4:30pmTraining DepartmentCharles River Plaza

Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump WorkshopThis two-day workshop sponsored by the ICU Educational Consortium is for ICU nurses only. The pro-gram will provide a foundation for practice in the care of critically ill patients requiring balloon-pumptherapy. Day one hosted by and ICU Consortium hospital; day two held at MGH for MGH staff. Toregister, or for more information, call The Center for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

14.4for completing

both days

April 23: 7:30am–4:00pmat St. Elizabeth’s MedicalCenterApril 24: 8:00am–4:00pmat MGH (VBK6)

Management of the Burn PatientThis conference will assist nurses and therapist with the development of their practice related to the careof thermally injured patients. Topics will include the epidemiology and patho-physiology of burn injury;wound management; surgical treatment strategies; rehabilitation; psycho-social issues; and burn preven-tion. Registration is limited to 15. For more information, call The Center for Clinical & ProfessionalDevelopment at 726-3111.

6.9April 238:00am–3:30pmBigelow 13 ConferenceRoom

01April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

Page 15

01 Offerings— Offerings—

DescriptionWhen/WhereContactHours

ndation educational programs, please check theww.hrm.harvard.edu

Core Curriculum for Neonatal NursesThis two-day conference will discuss clinical topics related to the care of premature and full-term infants.Topics will include specific needs of premature infants and potential complications; full-term infants withsepsis and neonatal depression; and diagnoses requiring surgical interventions in newborns. For moreinformation, call The Center for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

8.7 hours foreach day

April 24 and 258:00am–4:30pmVBK601

Congenital Heart Disease: a Review of Defects, Repairs, and ManagementThis four-hour session is designed for nurses who work with neonatal and pediatric patients diagnosed withCHD, or for nurses interested in learning more about heart disease in children. Topics will include anato-my and physiology of the heart, cyanotic and acyanotic heart defects, open and closed heart surgicalrepairs, temporary pacing, and post-operative management. For more information, call The Center forClinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

4.5April 248:45am–12:45pmClinics Three UpperAmphitheatre

Care of the Respiratory-Compromised PatientThis respiratory program is geared for clinicians on general units who care for mechanically ventilatedand tracheostomized patients. It is also appropriate for clinicians who would like an update or review.Topics will include mechanical ventilation, tracheotomy and other airways, weaning strategies, nutritionalneeds, discharge planning, therapy needs and nursing care. For more information or to register, call TheCenter for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

7.8 (for RNs).6 (for SLPs)Certificate ofattendance forRRTs,OTs and

PTs

April 308:00am–4:30pmO’Keeffe Auditorium

Critical Care in the New Millennium: Core ProgramFor ICU nurses only. This program provides a foundation for practice in the care of critically ill patients.Pick up curriculum books and location directions from the Center for Clinical & Professional Develop-ment on Founders 6 before attending program. For more information, call The Center for Clinical &Professional Development at 726-3111.

45.1for completing

all six days

April 30, May 1, 2, 7, 8, 97:30am–4:00pmSt. Elizabeth’s MedicalCenter

Obstetrics UpdateThis workshop will expand nurses’ knowledge of normal pregnancy in areas of physiological changes,breast-feeding, fetal heart monitoring, and assessment, patho-physiology, and nursing care of patientsexperiencing complications. For information, or to register, call The Center for Clinical & ProfessionalDevelopment at 726-3111.

TBAMay 18:00am–4:30pmVBK 601

CPR—American Heart Association BLS Re-TrainingRegistration is required by 12:00 noon of the day prior to class. For information, or to register, call TheCenter for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

- - -May 37:45am, 1:00pm, 4:00pmVBK 401

Congenital Heart Disease: a Review of Defects, Repairs, and ManagementThis four-hour session is designed for nurses who work with neonatal and pediatric patients diagnosed withCHD, or for nurses interested in learning more about heart disease in children. Topics will include anato-my and physiology of the heart, cyanotic and acyanotic heart defects, open and closed heart surgicalrepairs, temporary pacing, and post-operative management. For more information, call The Center forClinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

4.5May 37:00–11:00pmVBK 601

Nursing Grand RoundsNursing Grand Rounds are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month. For more informationabout this session call The Center for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

1.2May 31:30–2:30pmO’Keeffe Auditorium

A Different Kind of CarePart of a four-part program sponsored by the Ethics in Clinical Practice Committee, the Palliative CareDepartment, and The Center for Clinical & Professional Development. This session introduces theevolution of palliative care in the American healthcare system and emphasizes the holistic approach tocare. A discussion of all aspects of care (including spiritual) will be presented. Program will include bothlecture and discussion, as well as a video of the highly acclaimed Bill Moyers PBS series. For more infor-mation, call The Center for Clinical & Professional Development at 726-3111.

3.6May 48:00–11:00am12:00–3:00pmO’Keeffe Auditorium

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Re-Certification ProgramOpen to all participants whose 2-year PALS certification will expire before October, 2001. Limited to 25people; registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Fee: $80 for Partners nurses, therapists, resi-dents; $110 for all others. For more information, call 726-8287. To register, call The Center for Clinical& Professional Development at 726-3111.

---May 98:00–12:00pmVBK 601

Page 16

April 5, 2001April 5, 2001

CaringFND125

MGH55 Fruit Street

Boston, MA 02114-2696

CaringH E A D L I N E S

New UnitNew UnitScenes from the newBigelow 12 Cancer

Infusion Unit

Bigelow 12 nurses (l-r): Claudette Jacob, RN;Karen Ward, RN; Rose Marujo, RN; and Kristen

Fernandes, RN, at new nurses’ station

Formerly the Neuro Intensive Care Unit, andmore recently a ‘swing space’ for other unitsbeing renovated, Bigelow 12 has now been

converted into an adult oncology infusionunit adding 14 chair/stretcher infusion sitesto our outpatient infusion accommodations.

Thanks to a collaborative effort betweenPatient Care Services, The Planning Office,

and Building & Grounds, the unit will beopening in the next few weeks.

Patient service coordinator,Edna Vicente, and operations

coordinator, James Greer

Bigelow 12 nurses (l-r): Kristen Kinsella, RN; Carol Gurski, RN; Caroline Cook, RN;Kara Olivier, RN; Emily Storey, RN; Sandra Mendez, patient care associate;

and Mary McDonough, RN, nurse manager