MGHers
go above and beyond for a good cause MGHers from several departments recently dedicated their weekend
to volunteering their expertise and compassion for a good cause at the
Avon Walk for Breast Cancer May 3 and 4. These valiant volunteers were
from MGH Emergency Services, the MGH Cancer Center and other departments
throughout the hospital. In addition, assistance from the MGH Pharmacy,
Biomedical Engineering and Materials Management was key to providing
the necessary equipment and materials for the
event.
MGH
study finds acetaminophen as effective as ibuprofen for high-altitude
headache In a study conducted near the Mt. Everest base camp in Nepal, an
MGH resident and his colleagues have found that acetaminophen is as
effective as ibuprofen in treating high-altitude headaches. Because
it has fewer side effects than medications like ibuprofen, acetaminophen
may be the best choice for those who experience headaches when they
travel to high altitudes. The report appears in the May
Journal of Emergency Medicine.
MGH
Board of Trustees recognizes hospital staff after nightclub tragedy
While time has passed and news reports have waned since the Rhode
Island nightclub fire that brought some of the most severely burned
patients to the MGH, members of the hospital's Board of Trustees wanted
to recognize the outstanding work of hospital staff who care for those
patients and their families. At the March 21 board meeting, the following
resolution was passed by the board to acknowledge MGHers who displayed
exceptional teamwork in the face of such tragedy.
Hospital
leaders discuss patient safety topics Commonly called "disclosure of adverse events," the practice
of telling patients about medical errors or unexpected changes in their
care has long been an ethical obligation of the health care community.
There has been much debate recently, however, about the approach and
timing of disclosure, making the subject a timely one. A group of more
than 100 hospital leaders gathered April 30 to discuss disclosure of
adverse events and other important issues related to patient safety
at a retreat hosted by the Office of Quality and Safety (OQS) and Voluntary
Hospitals of America (VHA), a nationwide network of community-owned
health care systems.
Countdown
to Magnet site visit In a few weeks, appraisers from the American Nurses Credentialing
Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, will
conduct a three-day site visit to the MGH June 10 to 12. The visitors
will determine whether to see first-hand why the hospital should be
awarded the ANCC's highest nursing honor –
Magnet hospital recognition.
Under
the sea Surrounded by whales, fish and dolphins, Alan Ezekowitz, MBChB, DPhil,
chief of Pediatrics for MassGeneral Hospital for Children, unveiled
recently finished murals that are part of the Pediatric Artistic
Renovation Project May 13.
MGH
Reading Disabilities Unit celebrates Alumni from the MGH Reading Disabilities Unit gathered May 1 at in
the Wellman ConferenceRoom for the unit's annual alumni
dinner.
May
23, 2003