Letter from the BWPO Chairman
Dear Colleagues:
As we welcome a new class of medical residents to BWH, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the importance of our nursing staff, who not only play an integral role in caring for our patients but also in teaching residents about compassionate care and teamwork.
Our nurses are excellent teachers and role models for residents. They are at the bedside around the clock. Nurses spend the most time with patients’ families and loved ones, and their communication with families about a patient’s condition and needs is vital. Nurses’ understanding of patients’ needs, coupled with their expert clinical skill, make them valued members of the care team and an important part of the clinical decision-making process.
The nurse’s role on the patient care team is especially crucial as we continue efforts to decrease length-of-stay. Shorter hospital stays mean that patients and families need comprehensive education prior to discharge in order to maintain their well-being. Nurses take a leadership role in this responsibility, spending time explaining to patients and families the importance of taking their medications at home, how to take the medications and what additional therapies are needed.
Nurses are our partners in the constant drive to improve the quality of care at BWH. In the intensive care units, for example, a collaborative effort last year began among nursing, physicians and other clinical staff to bring evidence-based research into practice. Meetings among these different disciplines are held monthly to discuss journal articles and their applications to BWH ICUs.
If you have ever attended the annual Housestaff Nursing Awards, you have heard many residents thank nurses for imparting their wisdom and skills. Nurses do this because they want to ensure that our patients receive the best care possible, and that future physicians carry on that tradition of excellent patient care. We all can thank our nurses for all they do everyday and night to care for our patients.