Mahler,Bohan Honored at Thomson Award CeremonyBWH Nurse - For and about the Nursing Staff of Brigham and Women's HospitalMahler,Bohan Honored at Thomson Award CeremonyBWH Nurse - For and about the Nursing Staff of Brigham and Women's Hospital

Skip to contents

Mahler,Bohan Honored at Thomson Award Ceremony


From left, Carrie Braverman, Miriam Mahler, Yvonne Michaud, Charlene Palmer and J. Stephen Bohan were honored at the Thomson Compassionate Care Celebration.

BWH recognized and honored Miriam Mahler, CNM, MPH, director of Midwifery, and J. Stephen Bohan, MD, MSc, vice chair of Emergency Medicine, in June for their compassionate leadership and care during the tenth annual Dennis Thomson Leadership Award and Compassionate Care Scholar Ceremony.

Mahler, the recipient of the Thomson Leadership Award, is a strong patient advocate. Since joining BWH as a staff midwife in 1989, she has served as a care giver for underserved patients at 10 community health centers and a dedicated leader and colleague for the hospital’s 20 nurse midwives.

“Miriam is a known leader who is courageous and always willing to challenge injustice, commit to excellence in patient care for herself and other team members and role-model professional behavior,” said Angelleen Peters-Lewis, PhD, RN, director of Women and Newborn Nursing and Clinical Services.

Mahler recently took on an initiative to translate patient consent forms into Vietnamese, Haitian Creole and other languages reflective of the patients at the health centers. The diversity of her patients enthralls Mahler, who loves learning about the different cultures and personal stories that shape each of her patient’s lives.

Patrick Egan, medical director of Dorchester House Multi-Service Center, said that the number of patients at the health center who select BWH for their prenatal care has more than doubled since Mahler began working there three years ago.

“I think this is a reflection of both the excellent care she provides and the lovely way she interacts with her patients,” Egan said. “She is warm and supportive of young women nervous in their first pregnancy, as well as women who have a wide variety of questions and concerns that arise despite their previous experiences.”

Bohan, who received the Long-Term Achievement Award, has served as a trusted mentor invested in developing the talent of new physicians and physician assistants, an exemplary leader guiding the department through change, a compassionate care provider and, above all, someone who will listen.

“Steve has an amazing capacity for people, for really listening to their problems and helping them,” said Ron Walls, MD, chair of Emergency Medicine.

Prior to joining BWH in 1993, Bohan honed his leadership skills as executive officer of the Naval Hospital in Newport.

During the awards ceremony in June, scholarship funds were awarded to three BWHers who will sow the seeds of compassionate care with new projects. Yvonne Michaud, MSN, RN, Trauma Program manager, and Charlene Palmer, MA, Trauma Program administrative assistant, will use the funds to develop a handbook for trauma patients and their families. Carrie Braverman, LICSW, will use her scholarship to develop a peer support program for HIV-positive patients.