Skip to contents
In This Issue:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital mourns the loss of Marion Metcalf, MSN, RN, the first vice president of Nursing at BWH. She died June 13.
“Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing or working with Marion always will recall her intelligence, practical nature and quick wit,” said Mairead Hickey, PhD, RN, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of Patient Care Services.
Ms. Metcalf, a native of Bridgewater who most recently lived in Brookline, was the leader of Nursing at BWH for 23 years. After beginning her career at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in 1963, she became the director of Nursing and the PBBH School of Nursing in 1967. She led the hospital through the merger of three distinguished institutions that form the current Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“Marion was steadfast in her devotion to the profession of nursing and to the nurses themselves, whom she felt truly made the difference in the care of patients,” said Joanne Salines, corporate manager of Labor Relations at Partners, who worked with Ms. Metcalf at PBBH and BWH.
Ms. Metcalf retired in 1987 as the vice president of Nursing and remained an active and generous supporter of the Department of Nursing. Recently, she had been working with Phyllis Jen, MD, to plan an educational conference for ambulatory nurses. “She was excited about this,” Jen said. “Marion was a very independent, straight-forward woman who knew exactly what she wanted to do and did it.”
“Marion has truly left her mark on the hospital and the Department of Nursing,” Hickey said. “She always will be remembered and respected.”
Ms. Metcalf received her master’s degree in nursing administration from the University of Washington in Seattle, her bachelor’s from the University of California at Berkeley and her diploma from the New England Deaconess School of Nursing.
A memorial service will be held July 13, at 2 p.m., at the Congregational Church of Bridgewater. Remembrances may be made in Ms. Metcalf’s name to the donor’s favorite charity, the Carrie Hall Fund or the Nursing Research fund at BWH.