Nurse-in-Charge, Hematology/Oncology/BMT

Nominated by Cathleen Rowland, MSN, RN, MPH, OCN, clinical nurse educator on Tower 7ABD; with letters of support from Katie Fillipon, MS, RN, OCN, nurse director on Tower 7ABD; and the sister of a patient.

Maureen Conley-Rogazzo, MPH, BSN, RN, nurse-in-charge of Tower 7A, takes an individualized approach to caring for each patient’s unique needs.

“Maureen assesses the intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual needs of her patients and respects their uniqueness,” wrote Cathleen Rowland, MSN, RN, MPH, OCN, 7ABD clinical nurse educator, in a letter of support. “She has set the standard that the 7A Hematology/Oncology pod at BWH is a warm and welcoming place where excellent care is provided.”

One of Conley-Rogazzo’s patients came to BWH for a bone marrow transplant. The patient’s sister wrote a letter of support for Conley-Rogazzo’s nomination, noting that she was instrumental to his recovery: “The level of care and compassion Maureen showed was exceptional. She always treated my brother with great kindness, respect, dignity and compassion.”

Conley-Rogazzo went above and beyond to make sure this patient was comfortable during his time at BWH. She organized a celebration for his birthday and arranged karaoke sessions for him because she knew he loved to sing.

“Nursing isn’t just about taking care of a patient’s body, it’s also about caring for and nurturing his mind and spirit,” wrote the patient’s sister.

Conley-Rogazzo is a role model to her colleagues in truly getting to know her patients and families. Katie Fillipon, MS, RN, OCN, Tower 7ABD nursing director, recalled being mentored by Conley-Rogazzo 12 years ago.

“I met Maureen when I was a newly licensed nurse and she was already a seasoned expert,” Fillipon said. “We followed many of the same patients. Maureen is the type of nurse who is assigned a patient at 7 a.m. and leaves their room at 9 a.m. knowing where they live, what they do for work, their children’s names, their pets, who they love and who they wish to be. The care that she role-modeled to me impacted the type of nurse that I would become—and still aspire to be.”

A graduate of the Peter Bent Brigham School of Nursing’s last class in 1985, Conley-Rogazzo is active in many committees and initiatives and has received certification in oncology nursing. In 2012, Conley-Rogazzo received her second bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Emmanuel College.

“I admired her 12 years ago and today, I find her even more admirable,” said Fillipon. “Maureen does incredible work and somehow makes it look effortless.”