January 19, 2007

Macaluso Award recognizes clinical excellence

The annual presentation of the Stephanie M. Macaluso, RN, Excellence in Clinical Practice Award took place at a ceremony Jan. 11 in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. Corrina Lee, RN, BSN, of the Gynecology/Oncology Unit; Jane Loureiro, PT, MS, CLT, of Physical Therapy Services; Paula Nelson, RN, BSN, of the Labor and Delivery Unit; and Angela Sorge-McColgan, RN, BSN, of the Cardiac Access Unit, were the guests of honor at the hour-long event hosted by Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nurse.

From left, Ives Erickson, Loureiro, Sorge-McColgan, Lee and Nelson




The award, named for the late Macaluso, is given to "direct care providers whose practice exemplifies the expert application of the values in our vision. … Practice that is caring, innovative, guided by knowledge, built on a spirit of inquiry and based on a foundation of leadership and entrepreneurial teamwork," in the words of Ives Erickson. Macaluso, who died in 1998, was a clinical nurse specialist for the MGH Thoracic Surgical Nursing Service. To those who knew her, however, she was a mentor and a caregiver with the special ability to be with a patient "in a way that acknowledged their shared humanity." Macaluso was the award's first recipient, and after her death the award was renamed to honor her.

Ives Erickson spoke of the spirit of the award and emphasized that each of the winners, as well as the six other nominees, had made "incredible contributions to our patients and this institution," and that furthermore these individuals strove "to not only provide excellent care but also to teach others about how to provide excellent care."

Numerous colleagues, friends and family members of the recipients gathered to hear remarks by Ives Erickson and Dawn Tenney, RN, MSN, associate chief nurse for MGH Perioperative Nursing. Ives Erickson then presented the awards to the
recipients, reading from stirring testimonials written by those who had nominated them. Lee, Loureiro, Nelson and Sorge-McColgan each gave short speeches as they received their awards, thanking family, colleagues and the MGH, and were applauded as exemplars of clinical excellence of whom Macaluso would have been proud.