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Congratulations to 6 South Nurse Director Allison Bernard who recently earned her PhD! Bernard, a lifelong learner, was inspired to continue her education by her experiences as a nurse of color in the United States.
“I was born in Trinidad and Tobago and studied nursing in Scotland. When I moved to the United States, I saw a lack of diversity in the nursing workforce,” she says. “I discovered that a major contributor to the lack of diversity is the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of minority nurses who were pursing undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing. Hence, my research is titled ‘Predicting Relationships Between HRQOL Conditions and Academic Outcomes for Minority Nursing Students.’ My research is applicable to both academic and clinical settings. I hope that my achievements and journey related to this work inspire others to do the same.”
Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s Nursing Professional Development team recently welcomed two new Nursing Professional Development Managers. Nursing Professional Development Managers assess each learners’ needs, identify opportunities to improve nursing practice, develop programs to address learning needs or practice issues and evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of these programs. Read more.
The Deland Fellowship, based at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, is a one-year administrative experience which prepares professionals to be leaders of healthcare institutions. Throughout the year, Deland Fellows focus on effective ways to bridge the worlds of science, medicine and administration. Deland Fellows pursuing administrative roles gain an in-depth understanding of the clinical aspects of healthcare; and those who have a clinical background explore the principles of management, operations and finance. Meet this year’s Deland Fellows.
Looking for a primary care provider? Andrew Warren, MD, at Brigham and Women’s Primary Physicians at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, is currently accepting new patients! Learn more.
Pharmacy Week acknowledges the invaluable contributions that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians make to patient care in hospitals, ambulatory care clinics and other healthcare settings. It’s also a great time for Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital to say “thank you” to our pharmacy staff for their dedication to ensuring safe and effective medication use within the hospital.
This week is Information Security & Privacy Awareness Week. From the ransomware pipeline attack to the SolarWinds breach, the last year has been hectic in the cybersecurity space. For daily tips on how you can protect your privacy and boost your cyber-knowledge, visit the Pulse.
The Pillars of Excellence Awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding contributions of our talented employees from across the system. This year, nominate your co-workers for their commitment to exceptional patient care, optimizing collaboration, advancing innovation and progress, enhancing efficiency, fostering community or integrating diversity, equity and inclusion. Nominations are due Friday, October 29. To submit your nomination, click here. Questions? Contact Mass General Brigham Human Resources at 857-282-9743 or PillarsAwards@partners.org.
To protect the safety of all patients and staff, Mass General Brigham requires that all employees receive a flu vaccine by Friday, November 12, unless they are approved for a medical or religious exemption. All staff are also required to complete their annual compliance training in HealthStream by Monday, January 3. Please review the key dates and actions items below.
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Date |
Action |
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November 12 |
Flu shots must be received and documented Flu shot clinics will be held at BWFH in the Chapel area on the third floor. To make an appointment, click here. Please be sure to bring your hospital ID badge, wear a shirt with loose-fitting sleeves and observe physical distancing guidelines while waiting in line. |
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November 15 |
Enforcement of unpaid leave and loss of computer access for flu noncompliance |
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December 1 |
Termination of employment for flu noncompliance |
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January 3 |
HealthStream compliance deadline Learn more about your annual required training on The Pulse. |
Do you have questions for BWFH President David O. McCready? Submit them to AskDavid@bwh.harvard.edu to get a response from David.
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Date |
Action |
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October 19 |
Non-compliant staff will be notified via email that they will be placed on unpaid leave and lose computer access; non-compliant staff will be asked NOT to report to work on October 20 |
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October 20 |
Non-compliant staff will be placed on unpaid leave and lose Epic and network access |
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October 21-November 5 |
Staff who have become compliant may return to work by presenting documentation to OHS; computer access will be restored within 48 hours |
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November 5 |
Final day to become compliant via full COVID-19 vaccination — at least one dose of Pfizer/Moderna or single-dose Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and documented at vaccinecheck.massgeneralbrigham.org |
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November 9 |
Non-compliant staff will be notified of their termination of employment if no vaccine received/documented |
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November 10 |
Termination of employment if no vaccine received/documented |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently authorized Pfizer vaccine booster doses for eligible adults who completed their Pfizer vaccination primary series (i.e., the first 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine) at least six months ago. Click here for full details regarding the CDC’s recommendations. COVID-19 booster shots are not yet available for people who received the two-dose Moderna vaccine or the single-shot J&J vaccine.
The following are minor changes to several policies. Click on the policy title for full details. All COVID-19 related policies are available for review on the Pulse.
COVID-19 Exposure Investigations and Contact Tracing Policy
Return to Work Policy for Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Update to clarify that patients who are asymptomatic COVID-Recovered should not be tested prior to AGPs; this does not represent a change in policy.
All are welcome to join the Performance Improvement team and the Emerging Leaders Committee on Tuesday, October 26, from 12 noon to 1 pm in the Mary Ann Tynan Conference Room for “All Treats, No Tricks! An Intro to Performance Improvement.” There will be a Zoom link for those who’d like to join virtually. In person seating will be first come, first serve, so sign up today! Email Katie Plante to register. Be sure to check out the new Performance Improvement pages on BWFHconnect.
The Mass General Brigham Committee for Advancing Diversity & Inclusion (CADI) invites you to a community outreach event on Wednesday, October 27, from 12 noon to 2 pm. This event is open to all Mass General Brigham employees. The virtual event includes a 30-minute viewing of the documentary film This Ain't Normal, a panel discussion, volunteer opportunities and resource sharing. This Ain't Normal was a 2021 Emmy nominee for the Black feature film category of Outstanding Social Issue Documentary. RSVP here.
Attend the Digital Health in Massachusetts IDEA Symposium on Wednesday, October 27, from 1 to 2 pm. where internal and external organizations will examine the digital health ecosystem in Massachusetts. Partner organizations, resources and funding from public resources and engagement opportunities will be explored.
The McLean Institute for Technology in Psychiatry (ITP) is bringing together thought leaders in health care, data science, technology, industry, patient advocacy, academic research and more for this three-day, online event to build on the promise of technology in the diagnosis and delivery of mental health care. This event is targeted at an inclusive group of academics, data scientists, clinicians, technology developers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, patient advocates and health professionals who are interested in shaping the future of mental health care. Register now to join us at the Technology in Psychiatry Summit.
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, please join us on Friday, October 29, from 11 am to 12 noon for “Intimate Partner Violence in the Context of COVID-19: Passageway Services and Resources.” To join via Zoom, click here.
Passageway services and resources are flexible and designed to create safe access for individuals. A person does not need to leave a relationship to use our services. We support a person’s individual choices and rights. Passageway services and resources are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. Contact us at (617)-983-7854 or passageway@partners.org. To page an advocate, call (617) 732-6600, beeper #39342. All services are free, voluntary and confidential.
All employees are invited to attend the “Veterans Day Tribute: Centennial Commemoration for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Honoring All Who Served)” on Wednesday, November 10, from 8:30 to 9:30 am. We recognize the important contributions that our Veterans make to our nation and our community. In honor of Veterans Day, we are hosting our annual Veterans Day event via livestream to thank and recognize our active, reserve, honorably discharged and retired service members. In addition, all members of the community—including employees with family members who are currently serving in active duty—are invited to this special program. To watch the livestream, click here.
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