May 5, 2006

A legacy lives on: MGH honors beloved nurse with named unit and award

For more than three decades, Jean M. Nardini, RN, was the face of hemodialysis at the MGH. As the nurse manager of the Hemodialysis Unit on Bigelow 10, she devoted her life to caring and advocating for patients and families, educating others about the field and its practice and serving the staff on her floor as a coach, role model, mentor and most importantly, as a friend. Tragically, Nardini lost a long and hard-fought battle with cancer in May 2005, but now, one year later, her legacy still is alive throughout the MGH. In a standing-room only ceremony held April 28 in the Thier Conference Room, Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, formally dedicated the Bigelow 10 unit as the Jean M. Nardini, RN, Hemodialysis Unit — the first time an MGH patient care unit has been named for a staff nurse.

"This is a momentous day for nursing," said Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nurse. "We are here to honor Jean's legacy of outstanding leadership, clinical excellence, collaborative practice, compassion and advocacy."

During the ceremony, Nardini's family, friends and colleagues reflected on the indelible mark she made both at the MGH and beyond. "Jean was a force of nature," said Nina Tolkoff-Rubin, MD, medical director for the MGH Renal Transplant Program, remembering Nardini's take-charge attitude. "She never lost her love of working in the trenches and getting her hands dirty." Theresa Gallivan, RN, associate chief nurse, echoed those sentiments. "I first knew Jean while I worked as a nurse in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit," she said. "I recall being in awe of her confidence and expertise. No matter the situation, Jean's presence conveyed a sense that all would be well."

Also at the ceremony, Nyla Shellito, RN, of the Hemodialysis Unit and a 34-year veteran of the MGH, was presented with the Jean M. Nardini, RN, Nurse of Distinction Award. The award — established last year and first presented to Nardini shortly before her death — honors a clinical staff nurse who consistently demonstrates excellence in clinical practice, leadership and a strong commitment to the profession of nursing.

"Jean was my nurse manager, mentor, sister and friend," said Shellito. "Our shared values for family, friendship and nursing gave us the foundation to build a relationship that strengthened year after year. As part of her legacy, I hope I will be here for my colleagues, personally and professionally, as Jean was always there for me."

Dedication participants pose with a picture of the Bigelow 10 entrance, which displays Nardini's name over the doors.