DOCSLIB.ORG

Caring Headlines — July 16, 2015 Jeanette Ives Erickson (Continued)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Caring Headlines — July 16, 2015 Jeanette Ives Erickson (Continued) Headlines CaringJuly 16, 2015 TThehe BBarbaraarbara AA.. DDunderdale,underdale, RRN,N, LLectureecture oonn tthehe FFutureuture ooff NNursingursing Gwen Sherwood, RN, professor and associate dean of Academic Affairs for the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, returns as this year’s Dunderdale visiting scholar See story on page 4 The newsletter for PPatientatient CCareare SServiceservices Massachusetts General Hospital Jeanette Ives Erickson AArere wwee uutilizingtilizing hhomeome hhealthealth ccareare aass mmuchuch aass wwee ccouldould bbe?e? cross the country, hospi- tals are strategizing ways to improve systems, increase There are many effi ciency, and decrease levels of care, costs while ensuring patients receive uninterrupted, high- and matching the quality care. One area of focus that has emerged as part of this effort is a Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, senior vice president patient to the A for Patient Care and chief nurse closer look at patient progression throughout the appropriate level is continuum of care — ensuring that the right care of a hospital room. Being able to sleep in their is delivered at the right time and in the right lo- own beds, eat the foods they’re accustomed to, and key. Many patients cation. The goal is to help patients achieve their be close to family and pets can have a positive im- highest level of health and functionality so they pact on recovery and quality of life. And with ad- are discharged to can resume their lives with equal or greater com- vances in technology and communication, it’s eas- long-term acute- fort than when they were admitted. ier than ever to provide care at home that once There are many levels of care, and matching necessitated hospitalization. care, rehabilitation, or the patient to the appropriate level is key. Many With national forecasts projecting a 17% in- patients are discharged to long-term acute-care, crease in the number of patients who’ll receive skilled nursing facilities. rehabilitation, or skilled nursing facilities. But care at home over the next fi ve years, it’s import- But one option that one option that might be being under-utilized in ant that MGH clinicians be knowledgeable about our efforts to match patients to the correct level the kinds of services available from home health- might be being under- of care is home health care. care agencies, including nursing care, physical and utilized is home More and more, home health care is a viable occupational therapy, nutritionists, social workers, option for patients with a wide range of needs and home health aides. Many home health agen- health care. due to illness or injury. Most patients prefer to be cies provide wound care, IV infusions, maternal- in their own homes versus the unfamiliar setting child healthcare, and population-specifi c care for a continued on next page Page 2 — Caring Headlines — July 16, 2015 Jeanette Ives Erickson (continued) growing number of chronic illnesses. Patients with eCare. That means that once MGH goes live in Alzheimer’s or dementia; brain injury; cancer; dia- April of next year, we’ll all be part of the same betes; heart conditions; neurological disorders; pul- electronic health information system, able to At a time monary disease; and stroke may be candidates for share medical records, billing information, care home health care. notes, and all relevant communication about when more and We’re fortunate to be part of the Partners Health- patients within our system. Care System with access to our own home health Data shows that MGH makes fewer referrals more patients are care program. Partners HealthCare at Home (PHH) to home health care agencies than other aca- seeking care, it’s was recognized as one of the top home-care agencies demic medical centers across the country. And in the country last year by HomeCare Elite (an an- of all MGH patients referred to home-care vital that we utilize nual listing of the most successful home-care pro- agencies in our geographic area, only 39% were viders in the United States, published by the Na- referred to Partners Health Care at Home. all the resources tional Research Corporation and DecisionHealth). At a time when more and more patients are at our disposal to Partners HealthCare at Home is a full-service seeking care, it’s vital that we utilize all the re- agency that offers expert care to patients from birth sources at our disposal to ensure optimal pro- ensure optimal to end of life. It’s the second largest home-care pro- gression and high-quality care throughout the vider in New England with more than 470,000 cer- entire continuum. Home health care is a viable progression and tifi ed visits and 450,000 private-care hours in more option for many patients. And it doesn’t hurt high-quality care than 200 cities throughout eastern Massachusetts. that one of the top home care agencies in the PHH liaisons are available on-site at MGH to help country is in our own back yard. throughout the facilitate referrals and help you decide whether For more information about Partners Health- PHH might be the right choice for your patient. Care at Home or to arrange an in-service for entire continuum. As part of the Partners HealthCare network, your area, call the PHH Referral Service Center Home health care PHH has just gone live with their portion of Partners at 781-290-4200. is a viable option for many patients. In this Issue And it doesn’t hurt The Barbara A. Dunderdale, RN, Lecture on the Carol A. Ghiloni Oncology Nursing that one of the top Future of Nursing .........................................................1 Fellowship .....................................................................11 home care agencies Jeanette Ives Erickson ...............................................2-3 Creating a Welcoming Environment • Utilizing Home Health Care for Patients with Disabilities ...............................12 in the country The Barbara A. Dunderdale, RN, Lecture on the Hand Hygiene ..................................................................13 is in our own Future of Nursing ..................................................4-5 Professional Achievements .......................................14 back yard. Ramadan at MGH ......................................................6-7 Announcements .............................................................15 Clinical Narrative ........................................................8-9 • Sarah Brooks, RN Fielding the Issues ..........................................................16 • Selecting New Glucometers Still Alice: Understanding Alzheimer’s ...................10 (Cover photo by Michelle Rose) July 16, 2015 — Caring Headlines — Page 3 Nursing The Barbara A. Dunderdale, RN, Lecture on the Future of Nursing — by Jane Keefe, RN, program development manager t was standing room only in O’Keeffe was failing, and over the course of the next 30 hours, Auditorium, June 25, 2015, for the 2nd Blackman bled to death. Sherwood returned again this annual Barbara A. Dunderdale, RN, Lecture year as the Dunderdale visiting scholar, accompanied by on the Future of Nursing. Dunderdale, an Lewis Blackman’s mother, Helen Haskell, founder and alumna of the MGH School of Nursing, is president of the non-profi t organization, Mothers Gwen Sherwood, widely known and highly regarded for her Against Medical Error. Haskell has worked tirelessly to work as a staff nurse, nursing director, mentor, establish and cultivate this coalition of parents whose RN, professor and patient advocate, and most recently, as se- mission it is to promote safety in the healthcare system. nior major gifts offi cer in the Development Offi ce Sherwood and Haskell veered from traditional lecture Iwhere she’s raised millions of dollars to help advance format, sharing an abbreviated version of the Lewis Black- associate dean of the mission of MGH. The Dunderdale Lecture on continued on next page Academic Affairs the Future of Nursing was es- tablished in appreciation of for the School Dunderdale’s years of service and contributions to the of Nursing at MGH community. Gwen Sherwood, RN, pro- the University of fessor and associate dean of Academic Affairs for the North Carolina School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, at Chapel Hill, was the inau- gural Dunderdale visiting returned again scholar last year. Her address this year as the at that time was set against the backdrop of a case study Dunderdale involving the tragic death of Lewis Blackman, a healthy, visiting scholar. 15-year-old boy who died fol- lowing elective surgery at a large teaching hospital. Those caring for Blackman had missed critical signs that he (Photos by Michelle Rose) Page 4 — Caring Headlines — July 16, 2015 Nursing (continued) man video, then delving deeper into the Offi ce of Quality & Safety, facilitated a lunch-time discus- case, interview-style, exploring the vari- sion with Dunderdale, Sherwood, and Haskell on the role of ous failures that led to Blackman’s death. safety narratives in our journey to foster a just culture at They talked about “nurses’ work,” and MGH. Discussion focused on some of the unique challenges Sherwood and the importance of identifying system we face at MGH as a major academic medical center. break-downs; not relying on work- Associate chief nurse, Theresa Gallivan, RN, pointed out Haskell’s take-away arounds; communicating effectively to that in any academic medical center, medical residents rotate coordinate care; engaging patients and in and out of service at regular intervals. Nurses are largely message was that, families in decisions that affect their responsible for ensuring continuity and overseeing the care; and welcoming them into bedside breadth of care. “Safety belongs rounds and hand-overs. Dunderdale noted that fostering a just culture where in- Earlier in the day, Sherwood and quiry and the reporting of adverse events are encouraged en- to all of us, but it Haskell had an opportunity to dialogue ables staff to collaborate with nurses and other clinicians in begins with me. It with staff on the Ellison 18 Pediatrics providing the safest, highest quality care possible. Unit and the Pediatric Intensive Care This year’s Barbara A.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Lisa Genova's Brain Novel, Malady and Romantic Science
    VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.7 Issue 4 An International Peer Reviewed(Refereed) Journal 2020 Impact Factor (SJIF) 4.092 http://www.joell.in RESEARCH ARTICLE LISA GENOVA’S BRAIN NOVEL, MALADY AND ROMANTIC SCIENCE: A CRITICAL REFLECTION Pallavi Koyyana1*, Dr. Y. Somalatha2 1*(Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of English, College of Arts and Commerce, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.) 2(Professor, Department of English, College of Arts and Commerce, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.) doi:10.333329/joell.7.4.30 ABSTRACT The neuroscientist Lisa Genova has recently become famous for her fictional writings in popular setting of America. In her novels, she eloquently tells stories about patients suffering from rare neurological diseases. Since the conceptual framework of Genova’s narratives has been widely unacknowledged in literary studies, this research article pursues a general approach to her work. She is generally acclaimed as a contemporary to British neurologist and novelist Oliver Sacks, hence this research will analysis Genova’s works in association to the features illustrated by Sacks towards the concepts of Neurology of Identity, that is basically concerned with the diseased personality and subjectivity and understanding the disease from fictional perspective. This article also explores Lisa Genova as an author, and her association to the world of Romantic Science defined by Sacks. For the author, her novels maintain balance of the two cultures, not as a mere reduction to scientific fact about the illness, but they constitute aspects of artistic world too. She characteristically uses symbolic, psychological and social standings in her narration.
    [Show full text]
  • Futures of Forgetting: Alzheimer's Disease and the Lively Politics Of
    Futures of Forgetting: Alzheimer’s Disease and the Lively Politics of Anticipation by Jennifer Mei Lum A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Rhetoric and the Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Michael Wintroub, Co-chair Professor Lawrence Cohen, Co-chair Professor Marianne Constable Professor Susan Schweik Spring 2018 !1 Abstract Futures of Forgetting: Alzheimer’s Disease and the Lively Politics of Anticipation by Jennifer Mei Lum Doctor of Philosophy in Rhetoric and the Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality University of California, Berkeley Professors Michael Wintroub and Lawrence Cohen, Co-chairs This dissertation explores how Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been imagined at the turn of the 21st century in American culture. It asks, more specifically, how AD has become an object of forward-looking thinking, feeling, acting, and organizing within narratives told by different kinds of people, including scientists, pharmaceutical drug marketers, policymakers, writers of popular fiction, and disease activists. I take as a point of departure the concept of a ‘health politics of anguish’, which scholars in the social sciences and humanities have deployed in critiquing the social construction of Alzheimer’s disease as an experience of devastation and loss. These arguments have pointed out the mobilization of such affect by myriad stakeholders in the disease, including scientific researchers seeking to build careers, pharmaceutical companies and the (anti)aging industry at large seeking financial profit, and grassroots coalitions of private citizens channeling their own grief over Alzheimer’s to convince researchers and policymakers of the imperative of developing a drug-based cure.
    [Show full text]
  • Book Discussion Guide Still Alice
    Page 1 of 4 Georgetown Township Public Library Book Discussion Guide Still Alice Lisa Genova (2009) About This Book Still Alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50-year-old woman's sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer's disease, written by first-time author Lisa Genova, who holds a Ph. D in neuroscience from Harvard University. Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the Cape, is a celebrated Harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a forgetfulness creeping into her life. As confusion starts to cloud her thinking and her memory begins to fail her, she receives a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer's disease. Fiercely independent, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle and live in the moment, even as her sense of self is being stripped away. In turns heartbreaking, inspiring and terrifying, Still Alice captures in remarkable detail what's it's like to literally lose your mind... Reminiscent of A Beautiful Mind, Ordinary People and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night- time, Still Alice packs a powerful emotional punch and marks the arrival of a strong new voice in fiction. From: http://readinggroupguides.com About the Author Lisa Genova, a first-time novelist, holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University and is an online columnist for the National Alzheimer's Association. She lives with her family in Massachusetts. Genova’s second novel, Left Neglected, was published in 2011. From: http://readinggroupguides.com ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Georgetown Township Public Library | 1525 Baldwin Street | Jenison MI 49428 | 616.457.9620 | www.gtpl.org Page 2 of 4 Discussion Questions 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Still Alice by Lisa Genova
    Still Alice by Lisa Genova At fifty years old, Alice Howland is a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world- renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life – and her family's – forever. Why you'll like it: Alzheimer's. Moving. Clinical information. About the Author: Lisa Genova (born November 11, 1970) has a degree in Biopsychology, from Bates College, and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. Genova is the author of the New York Times Bestselling novel STILL ALICE, which is now a major feature film with Julianne Moore. She is also the author of the novel LEFT NEGLECTED and LOVE ANTHONY. She also made the New York Times Best Seller List with her title Inside the O'Briens. (Bowker Author Biography) Questions for Discussion 1. When Alice becomes disoriented in Harvard Square, a place she's visited daily for twenty-five years, why doesn't she tell John? Is she too afraid to face a possible illness, worried about his possible reaction, or some other reason? 2. After first learning she has Alzheimer's disease, "the sound of her name penetrated her every cell and seemed to scatter her molecules beyond the boundaries of her own skin. She watched herself from the far corner of the room" (pg. 70). What do you think of Alice's reaction to the diagnosis? Why does she disassociate herself to the extent that she feels she's having an out-of-body experience? 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Driving Genes to Therapies™
    QUARTERLY REPORT: 4TH QUARTER 2014 Q4 2014 INSIDE THIS REPORT ‘Still Alice,’ Still in Search of a Cure 2 Mini Film Festival Raises Driving Genes Funds to Fight Alzheimer’s to Therapies™ 3 Financial and Research Building on its enormously successful “Whole Genome Sequencing” Project, which Update identified nearly 1,000 new genetic mutations in more than 50 different genes, Cure 4 Alzheimer’s Fund has announced a new, even more ambitious multiyear, $50 million plus program titled “Genes to Therapies” (G2T). Simply put, the new project’s goal Cure Alzheimer’s Fund is to use the most promising recent genetic discoveries to develop drugs that would Heroes stop the disease at three separate stages: 5 ••For healthy people who don’t yet have Alzheimer’s: to stop Alzheimer’s before Global Family Reunion it starts by inhibiting the production of the Abeta protein and/or clearing it from the brain after it forms. 6 ••For those exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer’s: to stop the process early on by Sherry Sharp Joins inhibiting the formation of tau tangles and protecting neurons from undue stress. Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Board ••For those whose disease has progressed significantly: to reduce the Abeta and 6 tau-provoked inflammation, slowing down or even stopping the disease process. “This is indeed a major challenge,” said Research Consortium Chair Dr. Rudy Tanzi, “but I believe we now have the data, the technology and the funding to take it on.” The first step, he explained, will be to prioritize approximately 15 genes that fit several key criteria: ••they must have a clear impact on Alzheimer’s pathology; Don’t Miss Our ••they must be “druggable”—connected to known biological systems, producing proteins similar to those already targeted by other drugs; and Upcoming Webinar ••they must impact one of the clear intervention points—Abeta/plaque Feb.
    [Show full text]
  • Left Neglected: a Book Review by Tracy Levett-Jones
    LEFT NEGLECTED: A BOOK REVIEW BY TRACY LEVETT-JONES 1 Left Neglected is the second novel (after Still Alice) of neuroscientist and award-winning writer, Lisa Genova. It tells the story of Sarah Nickerson who, when she regains consciousness after eight days of being in a coma, is diagnosed with ‘left neglect’, also known as hemispatial neglect, caused by damage to the right hemisphere of the brain. This results in Sarah being unable to recognise the left side of the body and the space around it. Prior to the accident Sarah was a 37-year-old Harvard graduate and mother of three who worked more than 60 hours a week as the vice president of human resources at Berkley Consulting. She considered herself to be the ultimate multitasker and a ‘competitive, Type A perfectionist’. Twice a month she allowed herself to cry, just for five minutes while sitting at her desk, in order to ‘reset.’ One fateful day when driving to work Sarah looked away from the road for a split second and was involved in a major car accident. While undergoing rehabilitation, Sarah struggles to come to terms with the limitations of her condition. Although she vows to ‘recover faster than anyone here would predict’ her progress is slow and frustrating. She is dependent on other people to help her dress, she cannot walk without a cane, and needs help to even floss her teeth. Sarah lives with the nagging fear: ‘What happens if I don’t get better?’’ Adding to complexity of the unfolding story, Sarah’s estranged mother comes to help take care of her and the children.
    [Show full text]
  • STILL ALICE Written and Directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland
    STILL ALICE Written and Directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland Based on the novel “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2014 99 Mins Opens 1/16/15 (NY/LA) East Coast Publicity West Coast Publicity Distributor Falco Ink Block Korenbrot Sony Pictures Classics Carmelo Pirrone Annie McDonough 6100 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 170 Maya Anand Betsy Rudnick Los Angeles, CA 90048 550 Madison Ave 250 W. 49th St., Suite 704 323-634-7001 tel 323-634-7030 fax New York, NY 10022 New York, NY 10019 212-833-8833 tel 212-445-7100 212-833-8844 fax 1 SYNOPSIS Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking, and inspiring. 2 CREDITS CAST Alice JULIANNE MOORE Lydia KRISTEN STEWART Anna KATE BOSWORTH John ALEC BALDWIN Tom HUNTER PARRISH FILMMAKERS Directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland Screenplay by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland Based on the book Still Alice by Lisa Genova Executive Producers Marie Savare, Christine Vachon, Maria Shriver, Emilie Georges, Nicholas Shumaker, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler Producers Lex Lutzus, James Brown, Pamela Koffler Cinematographer Denis Lenoir Editor Nicolas Chaudeurge Production Designer Tommaso Ortino Music Ilan Eshkeri 3 Director’s Statement Richard and I received a phone call in December 2011 from the Brit-Australian producing duo, Lex Lutzus and James Brown, asking us to take a look at a novel for adaptation.
    [Show full text]
  • Reader's Guide
    Reader’s Guide Book: Still Alice Author: Lisa Genova Summary (from Litlovers.com) Still Alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50-year-old woman’s sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer’s disease, written by first-time author Lisa Genova, who holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University. Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the Cape, is a celebrated Harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a forgetfulness creeping into her life. As confusion starts to cloud her thinking and her memory begins to fail her, she receives a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Fiercely independent, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle and live in the moment, even as her sense of self is being stripped away. In turns heart-breaking, inspiring and terrifying, Still Alice captures in remarkable detail what’s it’s like to literally lose your mind. (Summary reprinted with permission from Litlovers.com.) Discussion Questons (from Simon & Schuster) 1. When Alice becomes disoriented in Harvard Square, a place she’s visited daily for twenty-five years, why doesn’t she tell John? Is she too afraid to face a possible illness, worried about his possible reaction, or some other reason? 2. After first learning she has Alzheimer’s disease, “the sound of her name penetrated her every cell and seemed to scatter her molecules beyond the boundaries of her own skin. She watched herself from the far corner of the room” (pg. 70). What do you think of Alice’s reaction to the diagnosis? Why does she disassociate herself to the extent that she feels she’s having an out-of-body experience? 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Board-Packet-03242021.Pdf
    The public is welcome at all library board meetings March 24, 2021, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Virtual Library Board Meeting Library Board Agenda 1. Call to order 9. 2021 Policy Review Discussion - 1st read 2. Approval of agenda* A. Fine and Fee 10. Committee Reports 3. Consent* A. Executive Committee A. Approval of Minutes of January 27, 2021 B. Nominating Committee Appointments B. Donations C. FHCL D. Budget Committee 4. Public comment 5. County Commissioner Update 11. Unfinished Business 6. Library Dialogue 12. New Business 7. Presidents report 13. Adjourn* A. Announcements 8. Director’s report, Chad Helton A. Library, Community, and County Updates *Denotes board action item. Library Board Erin Vrieze Daniels, President | Keegan Xavi | Jonathan Gaw | Tim Dolan, Secretary | Lynn Stetler | Adja K. Kaba | Jane Brissett | LaBelle Nambangi | Samuel Neisen | Amal Karim | Gordy Aune, Jr Library Director Chad Helton The public is welcome at all library board meetings Hennepin County Library Board Meeting Meeting Minutes The Hennepin County Library Board met on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, virtually via Microsoft Teams. Attendees Present: Jonathan Gaw, Rahfat Hussain, Samuel Neisen, Tim Dolan, Sheila Letscher, Adja Kaba, Labelle Nambangi, Erin Vrieze Daniels, Gordy Aune Jr, Keegan Xavi and Jane Brissett Hennepin County Staff: Chad Helton, Jeannette Lewis, Janet Mills, Johannah Genett, Alison Waukau, Chuck Salter and Commissioner Goettel Public: Jody Gray Call to Order Chair Erin Vrieze Daniels called the Hennepin County Library Board meeting of January 27, 2021 to order at 5:30 p.m. and welcomed all in attendance. Approval of Agenda Motion: Gordy Aune, Jr Seconded: Adja Kaba Motion passed.
    [Show full text]
  • Discussion Questions Source: Litlovers.Com Source: Alice and the Members of Her Support Group, Mary, Cathy, and Dan, Cathy, Mary, Group, 12
    6. Why is her mother’s butterfly necklace so important to Alice? Is it only because she misses her mother? Does Alice feel a connection tobutterflies beyond the necklace? 7. Alice decides she wants to spend her remaining time with her family and her books. Considering her devotion and passion for her work, why doesn’t her research make the list of priorities? Does Alice most identify herself as a mother, wife, or scholar? 8. Were you surprised at Alice’s plan to overdose on sleeping pills once her disease progressed to an advanced stage? Is this decision in character? Why does she make this difficult choice? If they found out, would her family approve? 9. As the symptoms worsen, Alice begins to feel like she’s living in one of Lydia’s plays: “(Interior of Doctor’s Office. The neurologist left the room. The husband spun his ring. The woman hoped for a cure.)” (pg. 141). Is this thought process a sign of the disease, or does pretending it’s not Discussion Questions happening to her make it easier for Alice to deal with reality? 10. Do Alice’s relationships with her children differ? Why does she read “After I read Still Alice, I Lydia’s diary? And does Lydia decide to attend college only to honor her wanted to stand up and tell mother? a train full of strangers, ‘You have to get this book.” 11. Alice’s mother and sister died when she was only a freshman in college, and yet Alice has to keep reminding herself they’re not about - Beverly Beckham, to walk through the door.
    [Show full text]
  • Book Club Discussion Guide About the Book
    Book Club Discussion Guide About the book Love Anthony by Lisa Genova I’m always hearing about how my brain doesn’t work right.... But it doesn’t feel broken to me. Olivia Donatelli’s dream of a “normal” life shattered when her son, Anthony, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Understanding the world from his perspective felt bewildering, nearly impossible. He didn’t speak. He hated to be touched. He almost never made eye contact. And just as Olivia was starting to realize that happiness and autism could coexist, Anthony died. Now she’s alone in a cottage on Nantucket, separated from her husband, desperate to understand the meaning of her son’s short life, when a chance encounter with another woman facing her own loss brings Anthony alive again for Olivia in a most unexpected way. Beth Ellis’s entire life changed with a simple note: “I’m sleeping with Jimmy.” Fourteen years of marriage. Three beautiful daughters. Yet even before her husband’s affair, she had never felt so alone. Heartbroken, she finds the pieces of the vivacious, creative person she used to be packed away in a box in her attic. For the first time in years, she uncaps her pen, takes a deep breath, and begins to write. The young but exuberant voice that emerges onto the page is a balm to the turmoil within her, a new beginning, and an astonishing bridge back to herself. In a piercing story about motherhood, autism, and love, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova offers us two unforgettable women on the verge of change and the irrepressible young boy whose unique wisdom helps them both find the courage to move on.
    [Show full text]
  • Caring Headlines — May 7, 2015 Jeanette Ives Erickson (Continued)
    Headlines CaringMay 7, 2015 Rolling out the red carpet for the SServiceervice EExcellencexcellence AAwardswards See story on page 6 Staff of the Ambulatory Practice of the Future make their way down the red carpet to accept award for achieving highest rating in provider explain and staff courtesy. The newsletter for PPatientatient CCareare SServiceservices Massachusetts General Hospital Jeanette Ives Erickson TThehe JJointoint CCommissionommission vvisitisit survey characterized by a mutual desire to improve patient care t’s one thing to practice Excellence Every Day. It’s another to be able to articulate your practice in a way that conveys your knowl- edge, skill, and compassion. And it’s some- Staff throughout thing else entirely to describe your practice to Joint Commission surveyors who are here MGH articulated to assess our ability to provide high-quality care in a safe, clean environment. But that’s their practice to exactly what staff throughout MGH did the week of IApril 20th when a team of hospital and lab survey- Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, senior vice president for Patient Care and chief nurse Joint Commission ors arrived for our triennial Joint Commission sur- vey. I was so proud as I witnessed fi rst-hand and one occasion identifying an MGH system or process surveyors... I heard reports of how eagerly and passionately staff as a best practice, suggesting we publish it in the was so proud showcased their practice. Joint Commission’s on-line library for other hospi- Surveyors visited numerous inpatient units on tals to see. as I witnessed the main campus as well as the Cath Lab, operating Perhaps the best way to appreciate the survey- rooms, the Emergency Department, Pediatric Hema- ors’ assessment of the MGH environment is through fi rst-hand and tology/Oncology, Internal Medicine Associates, and their own words.
    [Show full text]