“On-Call” Magazine Nurses

Two BWH nurses were featured in On- Call Magazine for their emphasis on patient advocacy and their approach to delivering holistic healthcare. Megan O’Day and Siobhan Raftery share their expertise with the Newly Licensed Nurses (NLN) offering them guidance and encouraging them to expand their critical thinking skills. O’Day and Raftery serve as mentors to the NLN and they provide a calm, welcoming atmosphere for new nurses.

Atrial Fibrillation Conference

Julie Shea, MS, RNCS, coordinated the fourth annual “Living with Atrial Fibrillation” program that was held on Oct. 25, at the Westin Copley Place Hotel. The half-day workshop provided patients with the opportunity to learn more about their condition from experts in the field. Over 700 patients and family members attended this year’s event. Attending physicians from the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service, a pharmacist from the BWH anticoagulation clinic and a psychologist spoke at the conference.

The event was a community service offering and there was no fee for participants.

McDermott Scholarship Award Presentation

Deirdre Anne Greene, BSN, RN, is this year's winner of the third annual Nancy King McDermott Scholarship Award. Deirdre has been a nurse at BWH for the past 15 years and is currently a nurse-in-charge on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She is also a student at Northeastern University where she is working towards obtaining her MSN, specializing as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

Nancy Hickey, MS, RN, director of Personnel Resource Applications in Nursing Administration, is long-time friend of Greene. “Deirdre is very dear to my heart,” she said. “She helped facilitate my career and her current nurse-in-charge role is an essential component of her career.”

The Nancy King McDermott Scholarship Award was established to provide a scholarship to a member of the BWH Nursing community who has been recognized as a future leader within the Nursing profession. The scholarship is awarded annually to an employee who demonstrates the greatest potential for nursing leadership, future study or research. Donations to support this award may be addressed to The Center for Excellence in Nursing Practice, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115.

Miriam Walsh Diversity Mentor Award

Sharman Johnson RN, ADN is this year’s winner of the third annual Miriam Walsh Diversity Mentor Award. Johnson has been a nurse with BWH for 32 years. She is currently a staff nurse on 16AB Orthopedics. Selected from a pool of nominees, Johnson was described by her colleagues as always being “calm under pressure,” “a patient advocate,” and “a mentor who brings out the best in her colleagues.” “One of the most understanding nurses at BWH,” Johnson has demonstrated her dedication to the program by her consistent participation in the program since its inception in 1996.

“I like mentoring because I realize its value to less experienced colleagues. When I started out, a group of nurses took me under their wings, and it helped my career tremendously,” said Johnson.

The Miriam Walsh Diversity Mentorship Award was established in honor of Miriam Walsh’s passion and commitment to making BWH’s nursing community a team-oriented and diverse one. The Award recognizes a registered nurse who demonstrates a commitment to mentoring minority nurses. Donations to support this award may be addressed to The Center for Excellence in Nursing Practice, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115.

“Chili-Kings”

An estimated 120 staff attended the “Best of the Boys” chili cook-off during Perioperative Nurse Week at BWH. Marc Richards was crowned “Chili-King” by the taste-testers at the event. The other participating chili cooks were Scott Vaughn, Mike Quinn, Jeff Chmielewski, Norman Simms and Dan Bush.

The theme of this year’s honorable event was “Perioperative Nurses; Providing Safe Patient Care …In the OR and Beyond.”

Three perioperative nursing students received the 2003 Barbara Arbeene Scholarship award during Perioperative Nurse week. The recipients are Tim Fox RN, Curry College; Natasha Santiago, ST, Brockton Hospital; and Jay Powers, Mass Bay Community College.