Nurse, Mentor and Team Player
Residents transitioning from medical school are focused on providing precise and comprehensive medical care to patients and saving lives. Suzanne Lieberman, RN, CCU, is among the many dedicated nurses who encourage medical residents to get to know their patients and develop skills reflective of compassionate and competent medical care.
“Medical residents have such energy and enthusiasm,” Lieberman said. “I love working with them to really develop a collaborative environment that better serves our patients.”
Mary Thorndike, MD, Department of Medicine, nominated Lieberman for a Housestaff Nursing Award for her competence, communication and teamwork mentality. “Suzanne is always open and willing to share knowledge,” Thorndike said. “She is completely dedicated to the spirit of teamwork, and this creates a very fruitful environment for staff and patients.”
Residents spend much of their time at the bedside, exposing them to the intricacies of patient care. Thorndike recalls a time in the CCU when Lieberman was trimming a patient’s beard and washing his hair.
“It’s these small details the nurses cater to daily that make a patient’s experience that much better,” Thorndike said. It’s this type of care that inspires residents and makes nurses some of their best mentors.
In addition to Lieberman, Erin Collier, RN, Tower 14; Becky Thomas, BSN, RN, Tower 12; Katrina Harris, MA, BIMA; Vytas Durickas, RN, Oncology; Marji Rogers, BS, RN, CCRN, MICU; Theresa Berry, BSN, RN, Faulkner Hospital; Afi Alfred, RN, VA; and Lynn Rodriguez, BSN, RN, Care Coordination, were selected as Housestaff Nursing Award winners.
Residents recognized nurses for their patience and empathy, and for teaching them compassionate care practices.
“Nurses play such a critical role in the lives of patients and their families,” Thorndike said. “I look forward to applying the lessons I learned from the nurses to my own practice one day.”
Gallagher Nominated for Nursing Spectrum Award for Clinical Practice
Oncology nurse Katie Gallagher, BSN, RN, 4C, was recognized by Nursing Spectrum as a finalist in the magazine’s annual Excellence in Nursing Awards in the clinical practice category. She was nominated by Cynthia M. Jodoin, BSN, RN, nurse manager on Tower 4C, and Ruth Muller, MSN, RN, the unit’s nurse educator.
“Katie exemplifies excellence in nursing through her clinical skills, clinical decision making and constant drive to improve patient care,” Jodoin said. “Her practice is reflective of a more seasoned nurse, making her an excellent preceptor and role model for other staff.”
Gallagher received her BSN from UMass Lowell in 2002 after completing a three month senior practicum at BWH on 5B. She came to BWH that August as a Hematology/Oncology nurse on 5A. In 2004 she transferred to 4C, the new BMT/Hemacology/Oncology unit. She is certified in Oncology nursing and is enrolled in the joint masters/nurse practitioner program at UMass Lowell.
Every year, Nursing Spectrum honors nurses who demonstrate outstanding performance within six distinct practice categories through its nursing excellence recognition program. Among all the nominations received, only five nominees per category are selected as finalists by New England nursing leaders after a rigorous, blinded screening process.
Gallagher was honored as a finalist in the “Excellence in Direct Care Delivery” category May 16 at the Boston Marriott Newton. From this select group, one regional winner in each category is selected based on ratings by a panel of regional nurse leaders. The nominations of these winners are then judged on a national basis to determine the magazine’s “Nurse of the Year” winners in all six categories.