Thoracic Intermediate and Surgical Care, Braunwald Tower 11ABD

What can I do to guide patients and families along their journey while caring for them?”

Maureen Tapper, MSN, RN, PCCN, always asks herself this question when she begins caring for a new patient and family. To answer it, she strives to understand their lives prior to hospitalization, the barriers they are facing and what is most important to them.

For one patient having a difficult time, she found a new way to begin developing a relationship and motivating the patient to engage in the plan of care. Tapper offered to bring the patient a favorite kind of candy, which turned out to be the key to forming a bond and improving the patient’s experience.

“Maureen’s consistent practice of intentional caring consciousness and relationship-based care provides her patients with not only human care essentials, but also with wholeness and the feeling that they are not alone in their fight,” wrote Rebecca LaMay, BSN, RN, who nominated Tapper.

Tapper is known among her colleagues for going above and beyond for her patients and their families.

“She is a comforting presence during a stressful and uncertain time for many families,” wrote Meghan Harrington, BSN, RN, in a letter of support. “She is an educator, taking the extra time to make sure her patients and their family members understand their care. She goes to great lengths to ensure they are prepared with the knowledge to care for themselves when they are discharged.”

Tapper, who serves as a nurse-in-charge, also goes to great lengths to assist nurses on the unit when needed.

“I know that when I work with Maureen, I have great support,” wrote Danielle Tiernan, RN. “She always offers to help, and her colleagues trust her judgment. Her compassion for her patients and their families is truly amazing, and she leaves a lasting impression on those she cares for.”

Tapper joined the Brigham in 2004 and has worked to improve care through the creation of staff education programs, including a lung transplant class for nurses on the unit and a pressure ulcer prevention program for nurses and patient care assistants.

“Maureen guides other nurses to build their practice around outcomes-focused measures by educating them about lesser-known aspects of documentation that enhance patient care,” LaMay wrote.

Tapper earned her master’s degree in nursing education from Framingham State College and her bachelor’s in nursing from Emmanuel College.

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