Dear Nurse Colleague:BWH Nurse - For and about the Nursing Staff of Brigham and Women's Hospital
Dear Nurse Colleague:BWH Nurse - For and about the Nursing Staff of Brigham and Women's Hospital
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July 18, 2003
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In This Issue:
Continuing to Build the Nursing Diversity Fellowship Program
Dear Nurse Colleague:
Editorial Advisory Board
BWH Nursing Announces New Tagline
Cardiac Surgery RNs Attend Annual Conference
Entering the Mind Zone
BWH Welcomes New Sexual Assault Liaison
PACU Nurse Elected President of Massachusetts Chapter of ASPAN
MDs/RNs Celebrate 3rd Annual Medical Housestaff Nursing Awards
Countdown to 2004 JCAHO Survey
ON MY SHIFT
Welcome
Calendar
MICU Move in Progress
As the summer has arrived, we have received some positive news from the State House on the resolution of the 2004 Massachusetts State budget. Thanks in large measure to strong advocacy on the part of the health care community, significant cuts in vital health care coverage and service were forestalled.
The overall negative impact on the Partners system from cuts proposed by the Governor earlier in the year were reduced from a high of some $84 million to approximately $22 million in the final budget passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor. While it is difficult to celebrate the loss of $22 million in support for Medicaid and the compensated care pool, the alternative would have been devastating. As we consider the continued erosion of government support for the services we provide, we recognize that the financial environment facing the hospital is growing more challenging. Over the course of the last several months, senior leadership at BWH, Faulkner Hospital and the BWPO have been working together to develop a budget that continues our mission of providing exceptional health care, research and teaching opportunities to our staff and our patients. However, our ability to meet this mission continues to be strained by a thinning reservoir of available resources. These issues will continue to challenge us in the year ahead. I will look to each of you to provide continued guidance and leadership as we work diligently to ensure our place as one of the nation’s top health care organizations. We will return with more information and detail about the coming year in our September issue of BWH Nurse. In the meantime, please accept my continued gratitude for your exceptional efforts on behalf of our patients. Sincerely,
Nancy Kruger, DNSc, RN Vice President, Patient Care Services Chief Nursing Officer