March 5, 2004

MGH employee awarded for her excellent efforts

Every day MGH employees demonstrate that they are hard working and dedicated to the hospital, patients, families and visitors. Because so many employees go above and beyond the call of duty, Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, created the Excellence in Action Award — a program that helps recognize employees who have gone beyond their everyday commitment to the MGH community.

Kristen Eutizzi, RN, of the Bigelow 7 Gynecological Oncology Unit, certainly is one of the MGH's many unsung heroes. Recently she was able to brighten the lives of MGH patient Tracey and her husband John Barker, who had received the devastating news that they had to terminate Tracey's pregnancy because of cervical cancer. On the day the Barkers received this news, they had tickets to attend a Bruce Springsteen concert at Gillette Stadium, but because of Tracey's condition, they were unable to attend. Eutizzi knew of the Barkers exciting plans and the disappointment they experienced, and she did her best to offer them comfort and reassurance.

After a four-day hospital stay, Barker was discharged and left with her discharge papers and instructions for care. Included in the packet were two tickets for the upcoming Bruce Springsteen concert at Fenway Park. Eutizzi had requested and received two tickets, and she even rode her bike to Fenway Park to pick them up before the Barkers left the hospital.

Above, Slavin with Eutizzi, center, and nurse manager Judy Newell, RN, MSN