While this is the month we celebrate love and affection with paper hearts for Valentine’s Day, February is also American Heart Month, and provides us with an opportunity to think about the importance of cardiovascular health to our overall wellbeing. In this issue, BWH’s director of the Department of Nutrition, Kathy McManus, MS, LD, RDN, shares some healthy eating tips to help us protect our heart health. February is also Black History Month and when National Black Nurses’ Day is celebrated with the Excellence in Nursing Awards sponsored by the New England Regional Black Nurses Association (NERBNA).  With this issue, we recognize Chantale Scutt, MSN, RN, who is the recipient of the 2018 NERBNA Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award. As you’ll read, Chantale beautifully exemplifies the qualities of a transformative leader.

This month also gives us a chance to celebrate V-Day, a movement aimed at raising awareness about violence against women and girls.  On Feb. 9, BWH honored V-Day with an event that helped shine a light on the exceptional services at the Brigham, featured in a story in this issue, and which help promote healing among those who are victims of intimate partner abuse.

February also brings us closer to the four-day site visit the Magnet appraisers will conduct March 26-29 as the next step in BWH’s pursuit of Magnet designation, a trusted symbol of excellence in patient care nationally and internationally. With the approach of this milestone, we continue preparing to showcase your remarkable body of work.  These preparations included a huge undertaking – our mock Magnet site visit from Feb. 20-22.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone for embracing this mock Magnet site visit as a chance to come together and experience firsthand how we can highlight the work you do every day at BWH, sharing how it reflects all the hallmarks of a Magnet institution. Magnet designation honors an entire institution for high-quality patient care, clinical excellence, innovations in professional practice and interprofessional collaboration.

Read what Magnet and our preparations have meant to many of your colleagues in “Magnet: Best Professional Practice, Best Patient Outcomes”. I hope you will take some time to reflect on pursuing Magnet and what it has meant to you.

My wish is that this journey has given you a very visible and tangible sense of the incredible importance of your work and how you contribute to an amazing legacy of patient-centered care. The high-quality care you provide is why thousands of patients seek their medical care at the Brigham. Your efforts are why this institution is world-renowned. Your work exemplifies Magnet.

I am beyond proud to make this journey with you and I look forward to the Magnet appraisers learning what I know: how BWH is a Magnet hospital because of your dedication to keeping our patients at the center of all you do.

With warm regards,

Madelyn Pearson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services