CaringCaringFebruary 6, 2003

H E A D L I N E S

Working together to shape the futureMGH Patient Care Services

Inside:IMSuRT Team Responds to

Guam Disaster ................... 11111

Jeanette Ives Erickson .......... 22222Managing WorkplaceViolence

Fielding the Issues ................ 33333The Service RecoveryProgram

Exemplar ................................ 88888Julie Conlin, RN

Martin Luther King, Jr.Celebration ........................ 99999

Magnet Hospital Update ..... 1010101010

Spirit of Thanksgiving .......... 1212121212

Professional Achievements . 1111133333

Excellence in Action Award ... 1414141414

Educational Offerings .......... 1515151515

Guam, December 21, 2002Guam, December 21, 2002Guam, December 21, 2002Guam, December 21, 2002Guam, December 21, 2002

On December 8, 2002, super-typhoon, Pongsona, ravagedthe Pacific island of Guam, a United States territory located

approximately 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii. With sus-tained winds of 150mph and wind gusts exceeding 180mph,

Pongsona leveled homes, destroyed roadways, and se-verely damaged Guam Memorial Hospital, the island’s

primary source of medical aid and only civilianhospital. On December 9th, President Bush

declared Guam a federal disaster area, callingfor the deployment of medical-assistance teams

to help with rescue and recovery operations.MGH nurses, doctors, therapists, and

others who volunteer with theInternational Medical-Surgical

Response Team (IMSuRT)were called to action.

IMSuRT team deployedafter super-typhoon, Pongsona,

devastates Guam

IMSuRT team deployedafter super-typhoon, Pongsona,

devastates Guam

Continued on page 4

Page 2

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003Jeanette Ives EricksonJeanette Ives Erickson

Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MSsenior vice president for Patient

Care and chief nurse

Managing workplaceviolence

An interview with Bonnie Michelman,director of MGH Police & Security

continued on next page

Jeanette: Bonnie, MGHis a safe place to work.Why is it important totalk about workplaceviolence?Bonnie: MGH is a verysafe place to work. Butin every work place, inevery industry, in everygeographical location,there is always a po-tential for violence. Themore prepared our em-ployees are to manageand prevent potentiallythreatening situations,the better it is for every-one.

Jeanette: What exactlyare we talking aboutwhen we say, ‘work-place violence?’

Bonnie: There’s a widerange of behaviors andsituations that fall underthe heading of, ‘work-place violence.’ We couldbe talking about threatsof physical harm, inti-midation, stalking, do-mestic violence, unwel-come e-mails, harass-ment, cyber-crime, pa-tients having psychoticepisodes, the scenariosare endless. Workplaceviolence is any situationin which an employeefeels unsafe.

We find that mostpotentially volatile sit-uations stem from threebasic areas: disgruntledemployees; patientsand/or family memberswho may be upset; and

random acts of violencethat aren’t necessarilyattributable to any iden-tifiable source.

We’re fortunate tohave an extremely well-trained and proactivestaff in the departmentof Police & Security.Because of our abilityto defuse potentiallydangerous situations,we’ve been able to keepserious violent incidentsto an absolute minimum.

Jeanette: If an employeefeels threatened or findshim/herself in a poten-tially harmful situation,what should he/she do?Bonnie: Anyone whofeels threatened in anyway should inform theirmanager and call Police& Security immediately(726-2121).

I can’t stress strong-ly enough the impor-tance of contacting usearly. The sooner weknow about a potentialthreat to an employee’ssafety, the more optionswe have to de-escalatethe situation.

I always tell peopleto listen to that littlevoice inside them; aperson’s instincts areusually right. You maybe reacting to a look, ora nuance of behavior, orany one of a number ofnon-verbal cues. Listento those warnings, andmake that call.

I also want to advisepeople not to try tohandle difficult situa-tions on their own. Thisis a hospital; most em-ployees are clinicians orsupport staff or admin-istrators who aren’ttrained to handle crimi-nal or potentially vio-lent situations. I certain-ly wouldn’t dream oftrying to perform sur-gery or operate a vent-ilator —that’s not myarea of expertise. Em-ployees need to let us

handle these matters.This is what we’retrained to do.

Jeanette: Do MGH Po-lice & Security staffmembers have the sameauthority as public po-lice officers?Bonnie: Most membersof Police & Security aretrained and licensed asstate special police of-ficers, which gives usthe same authority aspublic police officers onWorkplace violence

warning signsRomantic obsessionChemical dependence (alcohol or drug)Depression

One in seven depressed peoplewill commit an act of violenceagainst themselves or others

Pathological blaming of othersElevated frustration with theenvironmentInterest or obsession with weaponsPersonality disorders

Unusual changes in normalbehaviorInflexible, impaired, or unhealthybehaviorRigid, won’t listen to reasonDramatic shifts from calm toaggressive

What can you do toprevent workplace

violence?Report all suspicious behavior

Take all threats seriously

Inform Police & Security about anyproblems outside of work that couldresult in workplace violence

Trust your instincts, and be aware ofyour surroundings

Be professional with co-workers, pa-tients, and visitors

Contact Police & Security for consul-tation or assistance at 726-2121.

Page 3

Jeanette Ives Ericksoncontinued from previous page

MGH grounds. We dohave the authority tomake arrests on MGHproperty.

Jeanette: Can you giveus an idea of what anemployee can expect ifthey call Police & Secu-rity for assistance?Bonnie: Every situationis different, so everyresponse is different.Our response is neces-sarily geared to the na-ture and severity ofeach individual threat orsituation.

Some of the thingswe would do might in-clude:

conducting a completeassessment of thesituation, including anevaluation of theemployee’s safetyboth here at MGHand at homeasking a lot of ques-tions to get a thoroughunderstanding of thesituation (includingmany questions theemployee may nothave considered orthought to be rele-vant)imposing limitationson individuals, suchas restricted visitinghours, or requiredescorts

making changes to anemployee’s work siteto ensure they haveadequate protectiontalking with suspectsto let them know theiractions or behavior isunacceptableescorting employeesto and from their carswhen they come andgo from worktracing phone callsconducting intensivebackground checks onpotential suspectsmeeting with locallaw-enforcementI want people to

know that our servicesextend to every employ-ee of the hospital wheth-er they’re here at MGH,at home, or anywhereelse they may feel threa-tened.

And our services arefree and confidential.

Jeanette: How can em-ployees learn moreabout recognizing andmanaging potentiallydangerous situations?Bonnie: The departmentof Police & Securityoffers a number of pro-grams for employeesand managers. One ofthe best is, “Manage-ment of Aggressive Be-havior,” which is avail-able to staff upon re-quest. We also offercustomized in-servicetraining geared to speci-fic patient populations.For information abouttraining call (724-3030).

I and members ofmy staff are available toattend staff meetings.

Knowledgeable staff ofPolice & Security cometo units and talk aboutpotential vulnerabilities,how to identify signs ofaggressive behavior, andwhat to do about it. Thisis a great opportunity,not just for staff to learnabout workplace violence,but for us to learn aboutthe unique needs and con-siderations of each unit.

Jeanette: Thank-you,Bonnie, this is very help-ful.Bonnie: My pleasure.Please let staff knowthey can reach me at6-7979; John Daley, themanager of our Investi-gative Unit, at 4-3036; orJohn Driscoll, assistantdirector of Police & Se-curity at 4-3032.

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003Fielding the IssuesFielding the IssuesThe Service Recovery

ProgramThe Fielding the Issues section of Caring Headlines is an adjunct

to Jeanette Ives Erickson’s regular column. This section gives the seniorvice president for Patient Care a forum in which to address current issues,

questions or concerns presented by staff at meetings and venuesthroughout the hospital.

Question: I’ve heardpeople talk about TheService Recovery Pro-gram.” What is that?Jeanette: The ServiceRecovery Program be-gan as a pilot programto be used in certaininstances when custom-er service breaks downdespite our best efforts.In certain circumstanc-es, in addition to apolo-gizing and addressingthe immediate needs ofthe patient, staff canprovide a tangible offer-ing as a demonstration

of our desire to rectifythe situation.

Question: What kind ofservice breakdownsqualify for this kind ofservice-recovery ges-ture?Jeanette: Examples in-clude a patient who haswaited an unusuallylong time to see a clini-cian, or a family mem-ber who was unable tosee a patient prior to aprocedure because of anoversight by staff. We’retalking about occur-

rences that aren’t direct-ly related to a patient’sclinical outcome but arenonetheless importantand dissatisfying to thepatient or family.

Question: What recoursedo staff have in suchcases?Jeanette: As part ofThe Service RecoveryProgram, staff mightsend flowers, or give agift certificate to CoffeeCentral, the Eat StreetCafé, or the parkinggarage to patients or

family members. Thoughthe monetary signifi-cance is small, the ges-ture acknowledges abreakdown in our cus-tomer service effortsand lets patients knowwe care and want torectify the situation.

Question: Where doesfunding for the programcome from?Jeanette: The programis funded through theService ImprovementProgram and is part ofour ongoing effort toimprove the service weprovide to patients andfamilies.

Question: Can any unittake part in this pro-gram?Jeanette: Soon The Ser-vice Recovery Programwill be implementedhospital-wide. Current-

ly, the 12 inpatient unitsthat participated in thepilot have access to theprogram’s funding, andfive more units will beadded this month. Fur-ther expansion of theprogram to inpatientand outpatient areas isplanned for the future.

Question: How can Ifind out if The ServiceRecovery Program hasbeen implemented onmy unit?Jeanette: Check withyour nurse manager ordirector to find out ifthe program has been,or is scheduled to be,implemented in yourarea. If no plans are inplace, let your manageror director know if staffin your area are inter-ested in participating inthe program.

Page 4

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003Humanitarian AidHumanitarian AidMGH clinicians working with

the International Medical-Surgical ResponseTeam deployed to Guam

The following photographs and e-mail correspondences receivedfrom members of the International Medical-Surgical Response Team (IMSuRT) working

in Guam in the days following super-typhoon, Pongsona, provide a glimpse into theconditions they endured and the services they provided in response

to this disaster that virtually crippled the island.

From Sue Briggs, MD,IMSuRT chief com-manding officerDecember 13, 2002

Team has landed andstarted to work. Criti-cal care, emergencyward and respiratoryassets working at bothhospitals.

Few nurses workingat emergency clinics onboth ends of island.

Help appreciated.Military medical teamshave just arrived andwill begin working innext 24 hours. Thanksfor your support.

Susan

From Jacky Nally, teamleader (not deployed)December 14, 2002

Just heard from our folksin Guam.

Pay phones working, noother phones working, e-maildown, no cell-phone service,all are doing well. 15 mem-bers working at Guam Mem-orial Hospital. Local staffvery glad they are there.

Other team members areworking to set up secondclinic to help elevate travelfor locals in need of healthcare. First clinic operationaland going well. Clinic sitesare on north and south sidesof island.

From Mike Bailin, MD,anesthesiologistDecember 14, 2002

It is 5:10pm on Saturdaythe 14th. We are 15 hoursahead of you.

Until today, our grouphad been in two hotels.The food and water werenot approved. No one gotill as far as I know.

Having everyone inone place now is good.

The hospital is in rea-sonable condition. Tele-metry and the Pedi unithave collapsed walls.

We’re seeing a steadystream of people: tele-metry, acute, kids, 18-month-olds with chickenpox, bradydcardia, CVA,MI, chest pain, kidney

Weather warm, mid80s, rainy on and off.Housing in a hotel, san-itary conditions good atthis site.

Jacky

From Sue Briggs, MD,IMSuRT chief command-ing officerDecember 14, 2002

Word from Washington isthey’re “eating our teamup.” They’re so happy tosee nurses and otherswith skills they can use inthe hospital right away.

We can be proud ofMGH once again.

Susan

infections; some troublefilling meds at local phar-macies. They are using theER to manage and care for‘boarders,’ for lack oftelemetry. ER is seeing100 patients a day.

Mike

From Jacky Nally, teamleader (not deployed)December 15, 2002

Just received an updatefrom Guam

Everyone doing well.15 team members workingvaried shifts in GuamMemorial Hospital. ICUhas re-opened. Our teammembers are working notonly their shifts but shar-ing their wealth of know-ledge and clinical skillswith the local nurses.

25-bed military fieldhospital now on-site out-side Guam Memorial.Should be fully operation-al soon. Right now theyhave 4 beds and are re-ceiving patients.

Thanks to all whohave supported our team’sdeployment. Great job.

JackyDMAT team member and physicianassistant, Deb Doherty (from another

Boston hospital), ministers to young childat the DMAT clinic in Agat.

Page 5

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

From Robert Goulet, RRT,respiratory therapist(written upon his return)

Once at Guam Memorial,we could see how poorlystaffed and overworkedtheir Respiratory Depart-ment was. Their Respira-tory Therapy Departmentconsisted of approximate-ly 18 staff with a core ofregistered therapists andothers who had learned onthe job. They had beenworking long shifts sincethe storm, then goinghome to damaged houseswith no water or electri-city.

Three respiratory ther-apists, Dave Kissin (fromMaine Medical Center inPortland), Mel Honda(from the Hawaii DMATteam), and I, immediatelybegan working night shifts.

Staff at Guam Memor-ial were incredibly gra-cious. I was amazed at thehospitality they extended

considering the difficultcircumstances they wereenduring. Whenever Istarted to feel tired, I justthought of what theywere going through, andthat put things in per-spective.

All the respiratorytherapists helped care forpatients in the ICU, theNeonatal ICU and pediat-ric areas, on units, and inthe Emergency Roomwhere we saw patientswith a wide variety ofmedical problems.

Though the typhoondevastated much of theisland, fortunately, therewere not a lot of seriousinjuries to the islandersthemselves. Patients wereso grateful for our ser-vices, and our host co-workers were so appre-ciative, we actually man-aged to have some funwhile we were there.

Robert

From Barbara McGee,RN, staff nurse(written upon her return)

I worked as a supervisoryclinical nurse specialistwith the Ohio DMATteam. We worked to or-ganize and operate a clinicin the southern town ofAgat. At first, the team,along with approximately50 tons of equipment,was deployed to a school-bus parking lot. But ourlocation was changed to asenior citizen center nearthe local police station inthe thought that peoplewould be more likely tofind their way to this lo-cation. This turned out tobe a good idea as localtransportation was se-verely limited due to ashortage of gasoline andimpassable roads due tothe storm.

We cleaned thebuilding and set uptreatment, suturing,and pharmacy sta-tions. We saw ap-proximately 70-90patients per day, manywho had sustainedminor injuries whilecleaning up after thestorm and neededwound care and teta-nus vaccines.

We saw manycases of upper respi-ratory infection in theelderly and pediatricpopulations, and hadtwo critical transportsto GMH for chestpain. Our pharmacyfilled more than 1,000prescriptions for med-ications that had beenlost, destroyed, orimproperly stored.

Barbaracontinued on next page

Clinicans deployedto Guam

Michael Bailin, MDGeoff Bartlett,

communicationsRobert Boomhower,

securityAllen Bouchard, RNKathryn Brush, RNLin-Ti Chang, RNJoseph Conlon,

communicationsDeb Doherty, physician

assistantCatherine Drake, RNRobert Droste, RNRobert Goulet, RRTRobert Holst, paramedicPatrick Kadilak, RNDavid Kissin, RRTBarbara McGee, RNJacquelyn Riley, RNJoseph Roche, RNMaryalyce Romano, RNMichael Spiro, RNJohn Twomey, RNBrenda Whalen, RN

Maryalyce Romano, RN, of Ellison 7,and Mike Spiro, RN, of White 7, in the

ED at Guam Memorial Hospital

Katie Brush, RN, cares for Mr. S (see entryon next page) in the ICU at Guam Memorial

as Mr. S’s daughter sits by his side.

Page 6

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

stories about him and theChamorro culture (thenative culture of Guam)and we helped his familyaccept Mr. S’s impendingdeath. I can honestly saythat our guidance and sup-

Guamcontinued from page 5

From Katie Brush, RN,clinical nurse specialist(written upon her return)

Our mission was to pro-vide much-needed relief tothe staff of Guam Memo-rial. Injuries had been sus-tained not only during thestorm, but also duringclean-up and survival ef-forts after the storm. Peo-ple were living in make-shift homes without wa-ter, fresh food, electricity,or gasoline. Many pa-tients were admitted withlacerations, infections,bug bites, and exacerba-tions of chronic condi-tions (such as hyperten-sive crisis, myocardialinfarctions, dialysis crisis,and untreated diabetesmellitus).

Our arrival enabled thestaff of Guam Memorialto take their first days offsince the typhoon hit.With the loss of their Tel-emetry Unit, patientsrequiring monitoring werein the ICU and ED, asthey were the only re-maining units that hadmonitoring capability.During our stay, the GMHICU achieved its highestcensus ever.

We were challenged bya critical lack of supplies,equipment, and medica-tions. But perhaps themost challenging issuewas the continuous lossof power and communica-tion, impeding contactwith physicians for much-needed orders.

Our presence duringthis crisis had significantimpact on staff and pa-tients alike. The unfortu-

nate story ofMr. S is oneexample ofthe differencewe made.Mr. S was a41-year-oldman whoawoke at5:00am withchest andabdominalpain. He cameto GMH,was evaluat-ed, diagnos-ed, and treat-ed in the ED.It was deter-mined that hehad a thora-coabdominal aortic aneu-rysm dissection. We wereable to stabilize Mr. S forthe next two days, duringwhich time his daughterarrived from England. Wegot to know his family,

port contributed to Mr. Sbeing able to survive longenough to see his daughterbefore he died.

There were many chal-lenges and opportunitiesfor the staff who workedin the ED. Under theseseriously strained condi-tions, it was necessary torestructure the triage sys-tem to identify patientswho really needed tele-metry and oxygen. Al-though we were in a tra-ditional healthcare setting,the rules of disaster triageapplied. Our limited re-sources had to be allocat-ed to patients who hadthe best chance of survi-val, and supportive caregiven to those whosechances were limited.This was a moral and eth-ical mind-shift for ourstaff who are accustomedto unlimited resources andsolutions to patient-caredilemmas.

Some of our team mem-bers were used to aug-ment other DMAT teamswho were deployed from

Patrick Kadilak, RN, of ShrinersBurn Hospital, cares for patient in

GMH Emergency Department.

continued on next page

Respiratory therapists, Robert Goulet, RRT(back right), Mel Honda, RRT (front left), andDave Kissin, RRT (center), with members ofGuam Memorial’s Respiratory Therapy staff.

Page 7

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

Ohio and California. Thoseteams were charged withsetting up clinics on thenorth and south ends ofthe island. The clinicswere set up near busroutes to allow patientswith no gas to access care.This also helped decom-press the overwhelmedGMH as the clinics couldassess, diagnose, and treatpatients who didn’t re-quire acute care.

One DMAT team setup a clinic in a more re-mote area, in the village ofAgat. Agat, a less popu-lated and more economi-cally challenged area, had

need for care closer tohome. Many of the pa-tients seen at the Agatclinic had never been seenby a physician before andused the clinic as theirfirst opportunity to ac-cess much-needed care.

Super-typhoon, Pong-sona, hit just before theholidays. IMSuRT teammembers left their friendsand families to respond tothis disaster in our globalcommunity. This couldnot have happened with-out the unfaltering sup-port of so many people,including our employersand co-workers who took

on additional burdens,which allowed us to re-spond to this crisis.

Thank-you all, Katie

From Aurelio Solidum,RN, nurse manager of theICU at Guam MemorialHospitalJanuary 10, 2003

Things have started tosettle down a little bithere on our quaint littleisland of Guam. Many ofus still don’t have powerand/or water, but progressis slowly being made.Now that we’ve all hadsome time to breathe andrelax somewhat, we find

that our thoughts go outto the wonderful group ofpeople who helped usduring our crisis, duringour time of need. Katie,Lin-Ti, Bob, Pat, Joe,Bob, Dave, and all theothers known fondly tous as ‘the DMATS.’

Words cannot begin todescribe how grateful weare for the helping handyou provided during ourhectic post-typhoon re-covery period. You alldemonstrated such pro-fessionalism and wonder-ful, endearing persona-lities, which none of uswill ever forget. Althoughyour time here was brief,

we all felt like you werepart of our GMH family.We embrace you as suchand memories of yourpresence will not fade inour hearts and minds.

One of our patientstook some pictures ofsome of us together and assoon as I can figure outhow to use this computer,I will send them to you!

Once again, thank-youfor assisting us when youdid. You were God-sentand truly a blessing for theemployees of GMH andour little island commu-nity.

Hope to hear from yousoon! Solidum

This was the only time the IMSuRT team was able to betogether as a group. On their last night in Guam, with 85o+

temperatures and 100% humidity, the team donned theirtropical attire for an impromptu holiday celebration.

Page 8

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003ExemplarExemplar

Julie Conlin, RNstaff nurse, Blake 2 Infusion Unit

continued on next page

M I was introducedto Dr. R, a 34-year-old man,

while in orien-tation as a nurse on theBlake 2 Infusion Unit.Dr. R had recently beendiagnosed with coloncancer and at the timeof presentation, it hadalready metastasized tohis liver. I didn’t knowit at the time, but I wasto learn so much fromthis patient.

Dr. R was new to theUnited States. He hadrecently arrived withhis wife from Belgiumvia his native Haiti tostart a fellowship at alocal hospital. His wife,who was three monthspregnant with their firstchild, also worked inhealth care. Dr. R wasvery tall and graceful.He had a smile you

could see a mile away.It was hard not to likehim straight-away. Butthose were his outward,more obvious attributes.It was the other stuffthat taught me so much;made me question somuch; and still has mequestioning, reading,and wondering.

Dr. R, in both person-al and professional ways,was a challenge to me.When I first met him,he had already failed hisfirst line of treatment,and been approved forOxaliplatin, a phase 11clinical trial for meta-static colon cancer. Oxa-liplatin has many chal-lenging side effects, butDr. R said little abouthis symptoms and ap-peared to sail easilythrough his treatments.During his every-other-

week appointments, wediscussed his lab work,his symptoms, futureplans for treatment, andhis appointment sched-ule. But it was an effortto get him to discuss hisdisease. He was usuallyvery matter-of-fact whendiscussing things relatedto his colon cancer. Heoften said, “It’s not oneof my favorite subjects.”But he humored me forthe first minutes of ourmeetings and answeredmy many questions so Icould document them inhis medical record. Thenwe would spend therest of the time talkingabout everything buthis disease.

I learned where hewas from, what his lifein Haiti had been like. Ilearned the occupationsof his parents and sib-lings. He told me whyhe had chosen Medi-cine. Eventually, I learn-ed where he and hiswife first met. I wasprivy to know the gen-der of his yet-to-be-born son. And he askedmany questions of me.“What are you doingthis weekend Miss Ju-lie? Where will youspend Christmas? Howis your family?”

At first, I was un-comfortable with ourconversations. I wouldcontinuously try tosteer the conversationback to him, to how hewas living with his dis-ease. But he would cut

me off every time. Hewas never rude or ob-vious about it. But sec-onds later I invariablyfound myself tellinghim my weekend plans.In his gracious and deli-cate way, he swayed theconversation so that wewere not talking abouthim.

But I was determin-ed to talk about him. Ithought it was my jobto get him to open upabout his fears and con-cerns. But every effortof mine was met with asmile, a ‘Thank-you,’and a statement of itbeing, ‘God’s will.’ AsDr. R’s health declined, Itried even harder to gethim to talk. I met withother members of hishealthcare team to dis-cuss what I thought wasDr. R’s ‘denial’ about hishealth. I consulted col-leagues. And I continu-ously tried to get him totalk about his impend-ing death. And he calm-ly, almost serenely, toldme it was God’s will forhim to be “right wherehe was.”

It was during hisfinal hospitalizationthat I finally stoppedforcing my own expec-tations on him. He toldme he would “be okayno matter what happen-ed.” And I finally realiz-ed that he really wouldbe okay. It was at thispoint that I knew I wasgetting far more frommy relationship withDr. R than he was get-ting from me. It is onlynow that I fully realizeDr. R was not in denialat all. He was living outhis faith in God. Hewas accepting his fu-ture, his place in God’soften mysterious will. Ido not try to fool my-self and think he didn’thave fears. He worriedabout his wife. He wasso sad for his son, whowas then one year old.He wanted to see hisparents one last time.And those are only thefears he voiced. I ima-gine there were manymore. But Dr. R had astrength and sense ofcalm that came directlyfrom his faith in God

Call today!The MGH Blood Donor Center is located

in the lobby of theGray-Jackson Building

The MGH Blood Donor Center is openMonday through Friday

8:30am–4:30pm

Appointments are available forblood or platelet donations

Platelet Donations:Monday, Tuesday, Friday

8:30am–3:00pmWednesday and Thursday

8:30am–5:00pm

Call the MGH Blood Donor Centerto schedule an appointment

6-8177

Blake 2 nurse learns lifelessons from dying patient

Page 9

and His ultimate good-ness.

It was while takingcare of Dr. R that I be-gan to question my own‘faith.’ Would I derivethe same courage andcalmness from my God?And who was my God?Where did I fit in withHis plan? I was raisedCatholic. I was baptiz-ed. I made first commu-nion and confirmation. Iwent to church everySunday. The typicalstuff. That was the reli-

gion and faith of myyouth. I don’t know yetif it is the religion andfaith of my adulthood. Iam on a journey of dis-covery, and I have Dr. Rto thank for putting meon that journey.

May my journeylast a lifetime.

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

What a wonderful nar-rative. We can all learnsomething from Dr. Rand his journey. Cer-

tainly, this is a storyabout the power offaith and spirituality.But it’s also a storyabout the importance oflistening to our patients,understanding theirneeds, and letting theirvalues and beliefs guidethe care we provide.

Julie deserves somuch credit for recog-nizing the depth of Dr.R’s faith and not tryingto replace or overridehis beliefs with her own.This is culturally com-petent care at its mostpoignant.

Thank-you, Julie.

Exemplarcontinued from page 8 The MGH Nursing

Alumnae Associationpresents

Nursing Update 2003

The Operating Room of The FutureFramingham Heart Study

MGH and DisasterChildhood Cancer

Gerontology/Psychiatry

March 28, 20038:00am–4:30pm

O’Keeffe Auditorium

7.2 contact hours.Cost: $40

For information or to register, call the MGH AlumnaeOffice at: 617-726-3144

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

Celebrating the legacy ofDr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

(Pho

tos

by P

aul B

atis

ta)

ObservancesObservances

Above:Above:Above:Above:Above: Congressman John

Lewis with Pat Beckles, RN,

at reception following event;

At left:At left:At left:At left:At left: members of the Paul

Robeson Institute for Positive

Self-Development recite poem;

Below:Below:Below:Below:Below: MGH president, Peter

Slavin, MD, presents Lewis with

gift (“The Faces of MGH”).

eorgia Congressman and civilrights activist, John Lewis, wasthe featured speaker at this year’sPartner’s event honoring the

memory Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., onJanuary 24, 2003, in O’Keeffe Auditori-um. Lewis’ remarks recalled his turbulentyoung adulthood when he rode with theFreedom Riders, participated in the Selmacivil rights march now known as Bloody

G

Sunday, and was shepherded by Dr. King in his de-velopment as an activist and humanitarian.

The event included a poetry reading by four mem-bers of the Paul Robeson Institute for Positive Self-Development, and a piano offering by Yegue Badigue,a student from the Perkins School for the Blind.

It was a day of sobering recollections, joyous cele-bration, and hope for a peaceful, united future. At atime when the world is facing great uncertainty, itwas a day that brought people together in a spirit ofbrotherhood. Congressman Lewis’ friend, Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr., would have been proud.

Page 10

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003Magnet Hospital UpdateMagnet Hospital Update

his is a new,short-termcolumn in Car-

ing Headlinesthat will run throughoutphase II of our Magnethospital preparations.Future columns willkeep you apprised ofour progress and includea series of questionsand answers to helpinform staff about anumber of topics inpreparation for theMagnet site visit in thespring.

As many of youknow, we have enlistedthe aid of 174 nurses toact as Magnet champ-ions to help prepareunit-based staff for theupcoming visit. Nowthat our written evi-dence has been submit-ted, the role of Magnetchampions becomes allimportant. Magnetchampions attended aspecial half-day trainingprogram to learn how toeffectively share anddisseminate information

to unit co-workers andother members of thehealthcare team. Whenthe Magnet appraisersmake their site visit,they’ll speak with em-ployees from all set-tings and disciplines toget a sense of our inter-disciplinary profes-sional practice modeland clinical work envi-ronment. Staff’s under-standing of the processand appreciation of theimportance of Magnetcertification is key.

As a first step, wehave summarized the 14Magnet Standards intoone brief overview forquick reference. (Seeshaded box titled “AMagnetic Personality.”)Copies of these stand-ards are available onevery unit.

Every week the Mag-net Steering Committeewill provide Magnetchampions with infor-mation relevant to ourpreparations. This in-formation will be sharedwith staff in a numberof ways, including staffmeetings, informal con-versations, and in writ-ing. Please take the timeto listen, learn and inter-act with the Magnetchampion on your unit.Your feedback, ques-tions, and input are im-portant as we moveforward in the applica-tion process.

Copies of the writ-ten evidence we submit-ted to the AmericanNurses CredentialingCenter are available in anumber of locationsthroughout the hospital.We encourage you toreview these materialsat your convenience.They contain a wealthof information aboutour work, our profes-sional practice model,the environment inwhich we provide care,and much more. Binderscontaining our writtenevidence can be foundin the following loca-tions:

The Center for Clin-ical & ProfessionalDevelopmentBigelow 10 Manage-ment Support Office

Staff nurses ‘champion’Magnet preparation

—submitted by the Magnet Steering Committee

T

continued on next page

A Magnetic Personality

Following are the 14 Magnet Standards used to determinewhat hospitals meet Magnet-hospital eligibility requirements.

How prepared do you think we are?

Quality of nursing leadership: are they strong, knowledgeable advo-cates for staff?Organizational Structure: is it decentralized, with strong representa-tion for nurses?

Management style: do leaders invite participation and feedback?

Personnel policies and programs: are salaries competitive? Is staffoffered flexible schedules?

Professional models of care: are nurses given responsibility andauthority?

Quality of care: is it an organizational priority?

Quality of improvement: are nurses involved?

Consultation and resources: are there adequate human resources?

Autonomy: are nurses allowed independent judgement?

Community and the hospital: is there a strong presence in the commu-nity?

Nurses as teachers: are nurses permitted, and expected, to incor-porate teaching in all aspects of practice?

Image of nursing: is the work of nurses characterized as essential byother members of the healthcare team?

Interdisciplinary relationships: is a sense of mutual respect exhibitedamong all disciplines?

Professional development: is significant emphasis placed on inserviceeducation, continuing education and career development?

Adapted from Modern Healthcare, December 16, 2002

The Gray-Bigelow015 Conference RoomFounders 134 (KimChelf’s office)Founders 108 (Ther-esa Gallivan andJackie Sommerville’soffice)Gray-Bigelow 424(Dawn Tenney’soffice)Bulfinch 230 (Jean-ette Ives Erickson’soffice)With the help of our

Magnet champions andthe support and enthu-siasm of all cliniciansand support staff, Mag-net hospital certifica-tion is only a few shortmonths away.

Frequently askedMagnet questions

Question: What is aMagnet hospital?Answer: In the early80s, there was a seriousnursing shortage in theUnited States. Somehospitals were betterable to attract and retainnurses during the shor-tage than others. TheAmerican Nurses Asso-ciation commissioned aqualitative national re-search study to betterunderstand the charac-teristics of hospitalsthat thrived despite theshortage. They identi-fied a consistent set ofcharacteristics in thehospitals that thrived.

The term ‘Magnet’hospital was chosen todescribe those hospitalsbecause they were ableto ‘attract’ and retain astaff of qualified nursesto provide quality care.

In 1993, the Ameri-can Nurse Credentialing

Page 11

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

‘Twas just another good ideathat Jeanette Ives Erickson had,

To pursue Magnet Recogni-tion—it’s not just a passingfad,

It’s the American Nurse Creden-tialling Center’s most covetedprize,

And MGH Nursing wants totry it on for size.

We conducted a lit search andbenchmarked with those whoare Magnet already,

Through the Staff PerceptionSurvey, our staff told us we’reready.

We hired a consultant to helpus chart our course,

She told us the Magnet pro-cess is transforming—a pow-erful force.

A Steering Committee was con-vened and led by Dito and Lori,

Their job was to work withothers to tell MGH Nursing’sstory.

The Committee was impeccablystaffed by Ed and Lauren,

Who found the work anythingbut boring.

Four workgroups were formedand the real work began,

Day in and day out did themeetings span,

The Professional Practice groupchaired by Jackie and Marie,

Focused on practice, docu-mentation, and nursing’s phi-losophy.

Trish and Keith led the Profes-sional Development team,

Capturing cultural compet-ence, research, and thelatest educational routines.

The Knowledge Managementgroup chaired by Sally andDawn Tenney,

Measured nurse-sensitiveindicators and cost-analysescorrect to the penny.

Theresa and Judy led the Interdis-ciplinary Team,

And didn’t miss a collaborativeeffort, it would seem.

Eight weeks later, the groups hand-ed in the fruits of their labor,

Created through collecting infor-mation from their MGH neighbors.

Now onto the Writer’s Group, the evi-dence went,

Ninety-five criteria, not quite readyto be sent.

Here’s where Chris, Ellen, Nancy, Julieand Mel,

Put into one voice, what we dowell.

Then it was time for formatting, to num-ber the pages,

There were moments, it seemed toNegui, it took ages.

Then Jess saved the files on care-fully-prepared disks,

And off to the printer they werewhisked.

On January 9th, the evidence wasmailed,

But, our Magnet status has yet tobe sealed.

Onto phase two—the site visit —weneed to prepare,

But our 174 Magnet Championswill surely get us there.

Debra and Brian have worked withstaff with the aim,

To create a program filled withpresentations, talking papers,and even a game.

Nurse Managers and Clinical NurseSpecialists are also keys to success,

As leaders, coaches, and sharingwith staff what we do best.

Well that is as far as the story nowgoes,

It’s time to cross our fingers andour toes,

In addition to a well-deserved rest,We’re looking forward to hearingwe’re a Magnet Hospital—’Simplythe Best.’

Ode to a Magnet HospitalOde to a Magnet HospitalOde to a Magnet HospitalOde to a Magnet HospitalOde to a Magnet Hospital—by Marianne Ditomassi, RN,

co-chair of the Magnet Steering Committee

(Individuals referenced in the poem include: Marianne Ditomassi, Lori Carson,Ed Coakley, Lauren Holm, Jackie Somerville, Marie LeBlanc, Trish Gibbons,Keith Perleberg, Sally Millar, Dawn Tenney, Theresa Gallivan, Judy Newell,Chris Graf, Ellen Fitzgerald, Nancy McCarthy, Julie Goldman, Mel Heike,

Negui Gomez, Jess Beaham, Debra Burke, and Brian French.)

Magnet Updatecontinued from page 10

Center, (ANCC) a sub-sidiary of the AmericanNurses Association,introduced a certifica-tion process for hospi-tals to become recogniz-ed as Magnet hospitals.The Magnet NursingServices Recognition isthe highest level of rec-ognition awarded by theANCC.

Question: Why would ahospital want to applyfor this recognition?

Answer: Research hasshown that Magnethospitals create andpromote a practice en-vironment that positive-ly affects morale andthe quality of care. Thishelps retain experiencednurses, and is an effec-tive way to recruit newnurses. We are on theverge of a nursing shor-tage that is predicted tobe worse than any inrecent years. Being ableto attract and retainqualified nurses is a keyelement in supportingthe mission of the hos-pital to provide out-standing patient care.

Question: Why doesMGH want to applyfor this recognition?

Answer: Magnet hospi-tal recognition is morethan a plaque on thewall. The process ofapplying for this recog-nition will strengthenour institution, positionus to face the currentshortage, ensure ourreputation as the em-

ployer of choice, andenhance our reputationas a leader in qualitycare.

Question: How manyMagnet Hospitals arethere?

Answer: At the presenttime, there are 65 Mag-net hospitals in theUnited States; none inMassachusetts.

Question: How does ahospital apply for Mag-net hospital recogni-tion?

Answer: The first stepin the application pro-cess is to join the Na-tional Center for Nurs-ing Quality (NCNQ).We did this in April of2002.

Next we began sub-mitting quarterly datato the National Data-base for Nursing Quali-ty Indicators (NDNQI).This data profiles ournursing staff and pro-vides measures of pa-tient care related to qua-lity nursing, such aspressure ulcers and slipsand falls.

In July, 2002, weapplied to the ANCCfor Magnet recognition.On January 9, 2003, wesubmitted 2,305 pagesof written evidence thatdescribe our practiceenvironment. The ANCCis currently reviewingthis information alongwith two appraiserswho will conduct a sitevisit at MGH in a fewmonths.

Only about 70% ofall applicants receiveMagnet hospital certi-fication.

Page 12

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

already on the phonearranging the fastestroute to the hospital.Bonnie, our resourcenurse, quickly reassign-ed her duties and mineas she insisted on ac-companying me to thehospital. Marie, ourpatient care associate,handed me all the changein her wallet. “Take it,”she said, “You’ll need itfor phone calls.”

En route to the hos-pital by train, our clini-cal specialist, Marian,called Bonnie’s cellphone to say that Johnhad called and was alert,orientated, and waitingfor me. I sighed withrelief as it seemed like a

great weight had beenlifted from me.

We arrived at theEmergency Room (ER)in record time consider-ing the storm, the trainride, and the taxi. I hug-ged Bonnie and saidgood-bye, thinking shewould want to leave,but she insisted onstaying until she sawthat John and I wereokay. It was then that Ibecame aware of a ‘codeblue’ in progress in thissmall ER. Maybe it wasour MGH scrubs thatallowed us to walk rightin, but I felt I had to bein there.

I quickly spottedJohn in a cubicle across

the room being closelymonitored. He wavedand looked happy tosee me. Bonnie and Iagain embraced and shereturned to MGH bytrain to finish her shift.

The ER doctor in-formed me that theyhad already evaluatedthe results of an emer-gent CT of John’s headand had ruled out a braintumor. They said it wassafe for him to travel soI transferred him toMGH, where his primarycare physician, Dr. Snow,was waiting for us. Johnwas admitted to Ellison16 and immediately sentoff for an MRI. Tracyand Amy, John’s nurseson Ellison 16, made hisfirst admission to a hos-pital a very positiveexperience. They werecaring and professionaland at the same timecreated a very suppor-

SupportSupportEllison 19 nurse feels true

spirit of Thanksgiving—by Carol Upham, RN,

staff nurse, Ellison 19t was busy, asusual, on Ellison

19. We were pre-paring to discharge

as many patients aspossible to be home forthe holiday. What a beau-tiful Thanksgiving thiswould be, I thought, asI glanced out the win-dow at the snowstormin progress. Six to eightinches would fall beforethe day was over. It wasmy holiday to work somy husband, John, wasin charge of cooking andcleaning. I was excited.

An overhead page tothe phone caught myattention and broughtme back into focus. Itwas a call from John’semployer. “Your hus-band has had a grand-mal seizure, he’s uncon-scious, and en route tothe local hospital.”

It couldn’t be. He’sso healthy. He’s a run-ner. Why hadn’t I beenmore attentive to hisoccasional complaintsof light-headedness?Why had I blamed it onallergies? It must be abrain tumor, I thought. Ifelt paralyzed and alone.

With sudden aware-ness, I realized that Jay,our operations associate,was pushing a chairbeneath me as I des-perately listened to thecaller and tried to writedown directions to thehospital. Within secondsmy colleagues were atmy side. Helina, ournurse practitioner, was

I

tive environment for me.I went home that nightrelieved that John was inthe best of hands.

I will be forever grate-ful to my fellow staff atMGH and I remain soproud to be part of thenursing staff on Ellison19. I have worked atMGH for 35 years, par-ticipated in many emer-gency situations, caredfor thousands of pa-tients and families incrisis. I always thoughtmy experience wouldsomehow prepare me forthis kind of event. Itdidn’t. It did, however,make me realize howoften I have been therefor patients by just “do-ing my job.” It didn’tfeel special doing thosethings for my patients.But now, more thanever, I realize how valu-able good nursing sup-port can be.

Carol Upham, RN (4th from right), with Ellison 19co-workers (l-r): Mireia Grima-Cervantes, RN; Roger Snow, MD;

Bonnie Prall, RN; Halina Slowik, NP; Marian Jeffries, NP;Marie Philiossaint, PCA; and Jay Emmons, OA.

Page 13

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

Next Publication Date:February 20, 2003

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, MBAMary Ellin Smith, RN, MS

Materials ManagementEdward Raeke

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

Office of Patient AdvocacySally Millar, RN, MBA

Orthotics & ProstheticsEileen Mullen

Patient Care Services, DiversityDeborah Washington, RN, MSN

Physical TherapyOccupational Therapy

Michael G. Sullivan, PT, MBA

Police & SecurityJoe Crowley

Reading Language DisordersCarolyn Horn, MEd

Respiratory CareEd Burns, RRT

Social ServicesEllen Forman, LICSW

Speech-Language PathologyCarmen Vega-Barachowitz, MS, SLP

Volunteer, Medical Interpreter, Ambassadorand LVC Retail Services

Pat Rowell

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 should be submittedin writing by fax: 617-726-8594or e-mail: ssabia@partners.org

For more information, call: 617-724-1746.

Please recycle

Professional AchievementsProfessional AchievementsSweezey earns

25th consecutivecertification

Kathleen Sweezey, RN,a member of the float team forEllison 8 and the CSICU, hasearned her 25th consecutive

certification as a CCRN.

Kinnealeyreceives Janssen Elder

Care Award

Ellen Kinnealey, RN,received The National

Patient Safety Foundation’sJanssen Elder Care Award for her

paper, “Infusion Pumps with ‘DrugLibraries’ at the Point of Care: a

Solution for Safer Drug Delivery.”Kinnealey will be recognized at the

5th annual NPSF Patient SafetyCongress in March, in

Washington, DC. Her paper, alongwith the other finalists’, is available

on-line at: www.npsf.org

Posters and manuscriptaccepted

Diane Carroll, RN; GlenysHamilton, RN; and BarbaraKenney, RN, published their

article, “Changes in theHealth Status, Psychological

Distress and Quality of Life inImplanted CardioverterDefibrillator Recipients

Between Six Months and One YearAfter Implantation,” in the

European Journal ofCardiovascular Nursing.

Carroll, Hamilton and BrianMcGovern, MD, presented the

poster, “Quality of Life inImplanted Cardioverter

Defibrillator Recipients: theImpact of Device Shock,” at the

American Heart AssociationScientific Session in Chicago, in

November, 2002.

Carroll, Sally Rankin, RN;Patricia Winder, RN; Elizabeth

Hiltunen, RN; Michelle Rait, MA;and Alice Butzlaff, RN, presented

their poster, “RelationshipProvision for Unpartnered Elders:

an Intervention to EnhanceCardiac Recovery,” at the

Gerontology Society of AmericaScientific Session in Boston, in

November, 2002.

Cardiac nursespublish

“The Identificationof Malnutrition in Heart

Failure Patients,” by DianeCarroll, RN; Carol Homeyer,RN; Sandra Nicol, RN; andColleen Zamagni, RN, waspublished in the EuropeanJournal of Cardiovascular

Nursing, in June 2002.

Carroll presentsin 2003

Diane Carroll, RN, willpresent a paper in NewHaven, Connecticut, in

March, at a meeting of theEastern Nursing Research

Society. Carroll willpresent two posters

at the NationalTeaching Institute of the

AACN in May, in SanAntonio, Texas.

Hopcia acceptedto Harvard doctoral

program

Karen Hopcia, RN, hasbeen accepted to the Harvard

School of Public Healthdoctoral program in

Occupational Health. Hopciareceived an award from the

NIOSH to cover tuitionand a stipend.

Nurses receivecertification

The following nursesfrom the Main Operating

Room have receivedcertification as operating

room nurses from theAssociation of Perioperative

Nurses (AORN):Janice Brouillard, RN, CNORMichelle Johnson, RN, CNORDianne McElvery, RN, CNORDebra Tassinari, RN, CNOR

Linda Lundblad, RN, ONC,received her certification as

an orthopaedic nursefrom the Association of

Orthopaedic Nurses.

Capasso presentson wound healing

Ginger Capasso, RN,presented, “Wound Healingin a Prospective PaymentSystem,” at the Society forVascular Nursing in Orlando,

Florida, in April, 2002.

She presented, “NewApproaches to PeripheralVascular Disease,” at the

Nurse PractitionerAssociated for Continuing

Education (NPACE)conference in Falmouth,

in July, 2002.

Capasso also presented,“Current Wound Therapy,”at the Nursing Spectrum’s

Career Expo in Dedham, inSeptember, 2002.

Office of PatientAdvocacy recognized

in Advance forNurses

Staff of the MGHOffice of Patient Advocacy(Sally Millar, RN, director;

Sheryl Katzanek; DiannBurnham, RN; SteveReardon; and Anita

Galloway) were spotlightedin the September 30, 2002,issue of Advance for Nurses,

in an article entitled,“Advocating for Patients:

Nurses are Leading the Wayat Massachusetts General

Hospital.”

Carroll receivesresearch grant

Diane Carroll, RN, hasbeen awarded the 2002

Medtronics Physio-ControlAACN Small Project Grantfor her research proposal,

“Quality of Life in Patientsat Three and Four Years

After Insertion of anImplantable Cardioverter

Defibrillator(co-investigator, Glenys

Hamilton, RN).

Page 14

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

t a small cere-mony on Phil-lips House 20on Tuesday,

January 14, 2003, PeterSlavin, MD, presidentof MGH, presented anExcellence in ActionAward to the staff ofPhillips 20. This recog-nition came about as theresult of a letter writtenby patient advocate,Sheryl Katzanek, ex-pressing the sentimentsof patient, Neil Cronin.The letter eloquentlycaptures the level ofcare and service thatmake the Phillips 20staff deserving recipi-ents of this award. Kat-zanek wrote:

Dr. Slavin:Recently, I had the

pleasure of speakingwith a patient whowished to extol the vir-tues of the staff thathave so aptly cared forhim over the past sev-eral years. I would liketo take the opportunityto share his commentswith you.

Mr. Neil Cronin is a42-year-old gentlemanwho sustained seriousinjury following a div-ing accident at age 18,leaving him quadriple-gic. He has been admit-ted to MGH over theyears for managementof medical problemsrelated to his immobil-ity. By his own account,Mr. Cronin reportedmore than 800 inpatient

days on Phillips 20over the past five years.Quite simply, Mr. Cro-nin credits the staff ofPhillips 20 for savinghis life. When asked ifthere were any individ-uals in particular hewished to single out,Mr. Cronin declined, forfear he would leavesomeone out. He saidthe entire staff—fromnurses, to operationsassociates, to PCAs —has been wonderful. Hefeels that staff havebecome part of his fam-ily and together, theyhave lived through life’strials and tribulations.He commented, “Lovecomes in strange ways.I love these nurses.”

In terms of staff’sclinical expertise, Mr.

Cronin informed methat he has the utmostconfidence in their abi-lity to “do the rightthing.” He describedhow, on two occasions,staff literally saved hislife with their quickrecognition and treat-ment of life-threateningcomplications. He add-ed that staff is so attun-ed to his needs that of-ten, they recognize re-quired treatment, move-ment, or therapy evenbefore he does.

It is evident though,that staff of Phillips 20have delivered more thanexquisite clinical care.Mr. Cronin says he hasnever felt the need toavail himself of anypsychopharmacologicalassistance because “the

RecognitionRecognitionExcellence in Action Awardgoes to staff of Phillips 20

staff of Phillips 20 aremy antidepressants.”From buying birthdaycards for Mr. Cronin’smother to writing cheer-ful, little notes on hiswater pitcher, staffhave truly demonstratedthat good health care ismore than just goodmedical care.

These comments areonly a small portion ofthe sentiments Mr. Cro-nin shared with me, andI’m certainI have notadequatelycapturedthe depthof appre-ciationthat Mr.Croninfeels forthe entirestaff ofPhillips20.

I will,however,conclude

with the same sentencethat Mr. Cronin used toend our conversation.He said, “Whoeverthought of the word‘sweetheart’ was think-ing of Phillips HouseTwenty.”

For all this and more,I am pleased and proudto nominate the staff ofPhillips 20 for an Excel-lence in Action award.

Sheryl Katzanek,patient advocate

A

Phillips 20 nurse manager, KeithPerleberg, RN, with Cronin’s

primary nurse, Nancy Walsh, RN.

Patient, Neil Cronin (center front) and MGH president,Peter Slavin, MD, (center back) surrounded by Phillips House 20

staff at Excellence in Action award ceremony.

2003

Page 15

2003

Educational OfferingsEducational Offerings February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

For detailed information about educational offerings, visit our web calendar at http://pcs.mgh.harvard.edu. To register, call (617)726-3111.For information about Risk Management Foundation programs, check the Internet at http://www.hrm.harvard.edu.

Contact HoursDescriptionWhen/WhereUSA Educational SeriesBigelow 4 Amphitheater

- - -February 191:30–2:30pm

Nursing Grand RoundsO’Keeffe Auditorium

1.2February 201:30–2:30pm

End-of-Life Nursing Education ProgramO’Keeffe Auditorium

TBAFebruary 21 (Day 1)8:00–4:30pm

Social Services Grand Rounds“Children from Families with Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.” Formore information, call 724-9115.

CEUsfor social workers only

February 2010:00–11:30am

Workforce Dynamics: Skills for SuccessTraining Department, Charles River Plaza

TBAFebruary 268:00–4:30pm

New Graduate Nurse Development Seminar IITraining Department, Charles River Plaza

5.4 (for mentors only)February 268:00am–2:30pm

ICU Consortium Critical Care in the New Millennium:Core ProgramBWH

45.1for completing all six days

February 26, 27, March 3, 4, 10,and 117:30am–4:00pm

CPR—Age-Specific Mannequin Demonstration of BLS SkillsVBK 401 (No BLS card given)

- - -February 278:00am–12:00pm (Adult)10:00am–2:00pm (Pediatric)

Pediatric Trauma UpdateWellman Conference Room

- - -February 277:30–11:30am; and 12:30–4:30pm

CVVH Core ProgramVBK 601

6.3February 277:00am–12:00pm

Conflict Management for OAs and PCAsVBK 601

- - -February 271:00–2:30pm

Cancer Nursing Update 2003O’Keeffe Auditorium

TBAFebruary 288:00–4:30pm

Chemotherapy Consortium Core ProgramWolff Auditorium, NEMC

TBAMarch 48:00am–4:30pm

CPR—American Heart Association BLS Re-CertificationVBK 401

- - -March 67:30–11:00am,12:00–3:30pm

Nursing Grand RoundsO’Keeffe Auditorium

1.2March 61:30–2:30pm

Shared Vision–New Pathways: A New Approach to JointCommission AccreditationHaber Conference Room

- - -March 61:30–2:30pm

CCRN Review DayO’Keeffe Auditorium

TBAMarch 7 (Day 1)8:00–4:00pm

New Graduate Nurse Development Seminar ITraining Department, Charles River Plaza

6.0(for mentors only)

March 128:00am–2:30pm

OA/PCA/USA ConnectionsBigelow 4 Amphitheater

- - -March 121:30–2:30pm

Introduction to Culturally Competent Care: Understanding OurPatients, Ourselves and Each OtherTraining Department, Charles River Plaza

7.2March 138:00am–4:30pm

Page 16

February 6, 2003February 6, 2003

CaringCaringH E A D L I N E S

GRB015MGH

55 Fruit StreetBoston, MA 02114-2696

First ClassUS Postage Paid

Permit #57416Boston MA

Run for a Reason!Join the MGH Team Durant 2003

in support of the Thomas S. Durant,MD, Fellowship in Refugee

Medicine

Throughout his life, Dr. Tom Durantexemplified the importance of humanitarianservice to refugees and victims of war and

disasters. The Thomas S. Durant Fellowshipwas established to honor Dr. Durant’s unique

spirit of dedication and service.The Fellowship sponsors healthcare

professionals who wish to serve refugeepopulations and victims of complex

humanitarian disasters.

The 2003 Boston Marathon will be heldon Monday, April 21, 2003. We invite you torun with us or sponsor one of our runners.Our goal is to raise $5,000.00 per runner.

Please indicate your interest in joining TeamDurant (as a runner or donor) by contactingLaurence Ronan, MD, at lronan@partners.org

or calling Stacy Lewis at 617-724-3874.Runners will be accepted on afirst-come first-served basis.

The EmployeeAssistance Program

Work-Life Lunchtime Seminar Series

presents

“Healthy Relationships”Presented by

Carol McSheffrey, LICSW

We all strive for healthy relationships

with our significant others. Butsometimes we lack the tools for

developing and maintaining good

relationships.This seminar will help participants

recognize indicators of healthy and

un-healthy relationships and provideguidance to participants in defining

and meeting their needs

in relationships.

Thursday, February 13, 200312:00–1:00pm

Wellman Conference Room

For more information, please contact theEmployee Assistance Program (EAP)

at 726-6976.

Savethe Date

AfricanAmericanPinning

Ceremony

February 14, 200311:00am–12:00pm

O’KeeffeAuditorium

Presentation:“The African

AmericanCommunity in

Boston”

All arewelcome