About nursing at Massachusetts General Hospital
Nurses and health professionals in the Department of Nursing and Patient Care Services at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) provide competent, compassionate care for patients in ambulatory, inpatient and clinical settings. Our practice environment reflects the values of our hospital, combining knowledge, skill and compassion to create a workforce that is caring, innovative and empowering.
MGH Nursing and Patient Care Services mission statement
- We are committed to delivering state-of-the-art patient- and family-centered care that is innovative, evidence-based, and equitable.
- By creating a supportive, inclusive culture where all staff feel valued and empowered, we attract and retain exceptional people.
- As a nimble, responsive team, we work together to achieve hospital and system-wide goals.
- Guided by strong, visionary leaders, we put the full measure of our efforts to “BE the change we want to see in the world.” (Ghandi)
Hospital and department honors
- Magnet Recognition Program Redesignations: In 2003, Mass General became the first hospital in the state to earn Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). To date, fewer than 9 percent of all hospitals in the United States have received this recognition. The Magnet Recognition Program® was developed by the ANCC to recognize health care organizations that provide nursing excellence. The program also provides a vehicle for disseminating successful nursing practices and strategies. MGH has been redesignated five times – 2003, 2007, 2012, 2018 and 2023.
- PTAP: Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has earned prestigious accreditation for its Transition to Practice Program (TPP) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Practice to Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) twice, once in 2020 and again in 2024. This residency program, designed for newly licensed nurses, provides 12 to 26 weeks of clinical training to support their transition into independent practice.
- Baby Friendly: MGH designated as Baby-Friendly by Baby-Friendly USA. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF program launched in 1991 to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding by recognizing birthing facilities that implement the "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding." It aims to optimize infant health and mother-baby bonding by reducing unnecessary formula supplementation and ensuring best practices, such as skin-to-skin contact, are standard care.
- MGH has been recognized by The Joint Commission for excellence in stroke care with a Comprehensive Stroke Certification. Massachusetts General Hospital is a certified Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, capable of treating the most complex stroke cases. Mass General is the first hospital in Massachusetts with this certification.
- Named an “Age-Friendly Health System” by the Institute for Health Improvement. Becoming an Age-Friendly Health System entails reliably providing a set of four evidence-based elements of high-quality care, known as the “4Ms,” to all older adults in your system: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility.
- Beacon Award: The Blake 7 Medical Intensive Care Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) received a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). This award recognizes unit caregivers for improving patient outcomes, adhering to AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards, and fostering a supportive, evidence-based culture.
Leadership
Senior Vice President for Patient Care,
Chief Nurse
Jeanette Ives and Paul Erickson Endowed Chair in Nursing
Debbie Burke, RN, DNP, MBA, NEA-BC, FAAN, is Senior Vice President for Patient Care and Chief Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, School of Nursing. She has responsibility for advancing clinical practice, research, education, and community service through oversight of over 7000 nurses, health professionals and support personnel.
Dr. Burke leads a five-time Magnet designated hospital and Nurse Journal has identified MGH as one of the top 15 hospitals to work as a nurse.
Through her strategic leadership and extensive philanthropic efforts, she has secured funding for staff education, professional development, wellbeing, research/scholarship initiatives and innovation. She has also secured funding for five endowed, named positions in nursing and other health professions.
At the Mass General Brigham system level, Dr. Burke chairs the Chief Nurse Council comprised of 14 CNOs with a keen focus on advancing nursing practice and quality outcomes, expanding nursing education, expanding diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging, leveraging technology, and promoting efficiency and effectiveness of initiatives and programs. She is currently the Primary Investigator for a joint relationship with the University Hospital Leuven in Belgium through the Magnet4Europe initiative to provide guidance toward achieving Magnet Recognition.
Dr. Burke is vice chair of the Board of Trustees of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Mass General Cancer Center honored her with their “One Hundred” award in recognition of her personal efforts to raise funds for breast cancer research.
Dr. Burke graduated from Malden Hospital School of Nursing, earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Doctorate of Nursing Practice degrees from Northeastern University and her Master of Business Administration from Salem State University.
Associate Chief Nurse, Surgical, Orthopedics and Neurosciences
Suzanne Algeri, DNP, MS, RN, NE-BC, serves as the Associate Chief Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, overseeing and collaborating with nursing directors, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse practice specialists across more than 15 clinical areas, including four ICUs, with responsibility for over 1,300 nurses and clinical staff.
With over 30 years of progressive leadership experience, Suzanne has held various clinical and administrative roles at Mass General. Prior to her current position, she was the Nurse Director of a 32-bed Neurosciences Unit specializing in the care of neurology and neurosurgery patients. Throughout her career, Suzanne has been honored with numerous Mass General Brigham Excellence Awards, and most recently was appointed as the Mass General Endowed Scholar in Nursing Practice.
Suzanne's professional focus encompasses patient- and family-centered care, clinical operations, interdisciplinary planning and coordination, process design and continuous improvement, leadership development, and the enhancement of the professional practice environment.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Science in Management from Emmanuel College, where she was recognized with the Excellence in Academics award for graduating at the top of her class. Suzanne recently completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Northeastern University.
Suzanne is an active member of the Organization of Nurse Leaders and the Boston Chapter of Neuroscience Nurses. Additionally, she is committed to philanthropy, contributing to local fundraising efforts for breast cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease research.
Executive Director of Learning & Development at the Norman Knight Nursing Center for Clinical and Professional Development
Mass General Endowed Heathwood Fellowship in Nursing Education and Simulation at Massachusetts General Hospital
Marie Borgella, DNP, RN, is Executive Director of Learning & Development at the Norman Knight Nursing Center for Clinical and Professional Development at Massachusetts General Hospital. Before this role, Dr. Borgella held various leadership positions at academic medical centers in Boston, including Boston Children’s Hospital and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Medical Center. With her strong leadership background, she leverages her extensive experience as the Massachusetts State Representative for the Organization of Nurse Leaders, a member of the Eastern Nursing Research Society program planning committee, and a board member for The Foundation for Nursing Advancement in Massachusetts (ANA), ensuring she stays at the forefront of nursing developments.
In her current role, Marie oversees the New Graduate Nurse Residency Program, focusing on clinical skills, critical thinking, and professional growth. Her commitment extends to developing and facilitating training for preceptors, managing fellowship programs, and streamlining the onboarding process for new staff. Additionally, she supervises MGH's Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as HealthStream and Relias, designs educational programs, and leads the simulation department to enhance clinical training. Her dedication to patient and family education ensures that resources improve understanding and outcomes.
Through her innovative approaches, Marie continues to shape the future of healthcare, driving excellence in nursing leadership and education. Her vision is to establish new benchmarks in education and continuous learning, emphasizing inclusive education that respects diverse populations. This commitment prepares nurses, therapists, and social workers for excellence in their roles, ensuring the healthcare workforce is well-equipped for the complexities of modern settings.
Throughout her career, Marie has received numerous Mass General Brigham Excellence Awards and was recently appointed to the Mass General Endowed Heathwood Fellowship in Nursing Education and Simulation. She has co-authored a chapter on health inequities and participated in prestigious programs such as the Virtual Chief Nursing Officer Academy by AMN Healthcare, the Johnson & Johnson/CNO Academy, and the Next Generation Leadership Fellowship. Her contributions to leadership development are further enhanced through her involvement in the AHA Leadership Summit and the Nursing Leadership Academy.
As an adjunct professor and DNP Faculty Mentor, Marie is active on the Executive Committee for Women in Leadership and plays a key role in the Breaking the Bias Women’s History Month events. Her leadership is also recognized through her participation in the Clinical Leadership Collaborative for Diversity in Nursing and the Nursing Diversity Fellowship Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Additionally, she is committed to philanthropy, supporting local initiatives for gun violence prevention and improving the lives of older adults and individuals with disabilities in Greater Boston.
Marie earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts, a Master of Science in Business Management and Nursing Leadership from Regis College, and her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the Mass General Institute of Health Professions. Beyond her professional roles, she served as a Nurse Auditor/Monitor at Cambridge Family and Children’s Services, contributing to quality performance and regulatory compliance. Her involvement in community outreach initiatives, such as the MGH Community Messenger, reflects her commitment to health education and community well-being.
Director, Quality & Safety
Catherine (Kate) Benacchio DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, CPPS is the Director for Quality and Safety for Nursing and Patient Care Services (PCS) for Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear and was appointed in September 2025. Kate joined MGH as a co-op nursing student in 2002. She was a nurse on the Bigelow 11 General Medicine Unit and in the Blake 7 Medical Intensive Care Unit. After earning her Master's degree, Kate served as the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) on the Ellison 10 Cardiac Step-Down Unit before transitioning to a CNS role in PCS Quality, Safety and Practice in 2019.
Kate received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Northeastern University graduating Summa Cum Laude, a master’s degree in nursing as a clinical nurse specialist in adult health at UMass Boston, and a doctorate in nursing practice from Northeastern University. Her scholarly project was titled, “Implementing a Standardized Process for Nursing Patient Safety Morbidity and Mortality Conferences: A Quality Improvement Initiative.” This initiative focused on engaging clinical nurses in reviewing safety events and identifying contributing factors, systems solutions, and targeted improvement recommendations. She also holds a Certification in Professional Patient Safety from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Communication and collaboration are also central to Kate’s professional identity. Kate has served as an influential voice and source of truth for Nursing & Patient Care Services when responding to critical safety events and emergent safety concerns by creating Practice Alerts and Updates and working to quickly implement mitigation strategies or new practices. She also has had significant experience with compliance and regulatory readiness, including leading both the Bullpen communication hub and PCS preparation for The Joint Commission triennial survey.
Associate Chief Nurse, Heart Vascular Institute
Vivian E. Donahue is an accomplished nursing executive and clinical leader, currently serving as the Associate Chief Nurse for the Heart Vascular Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. In this role, she provides strategic and operational leadership across the continuum of heart and vascular care, advancing clinical excellence, patient safety, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Vivian brings more than two decades of progressive leadership experience in critical care and cardiovascular nursing. She has served as Nursing Director of the 18 bed Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit (CSICU) since 2010 and has held a range of clinical and administrative leadership roles since joining Mass General Hospital in 2001. Her experience spans the Ellison 4 Surgical ICU, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies, and the Knight Center for Cardiac Interventions.
A recognized innovator, Vivian was the nursing leader of Mass General Brigham’s inaugural unit to implement High Reliability Organization (HRO) Quality Huddles. Her work established a structured approach to HRO rounds and issue resolution that has since been adopted across multiple units at MGH and throughout the system. As Tri Chair of the Emergency Operations Committee, she played a key role in developing an emergency response team for the Ragon Building and strengthening organizational operational readiness.
Vivian has also led initiatives that directly improved patient outcomes and system efficiency, including advocating for the addition of a unit based CT scanner to reduce patient risk and resource utilization. She collaborated closely with Blake 12 ICU Nursing Leadership and the Physician Lung Transplant Team to support the successful transition of the lung transplant patient population, expanding institutional capacity. In addition, she was instrumental in the integration of the CSICU and CICU into the Heart Center Intensive Care Unit (HCICU), a foundational capacity enhancement initiative supporting the growth and integration of cardiac surgery and cardiology services.
Widely respected for her clinical expertise and principled leadership, Vivian is deeply committed to mentoring nurses and fostering high performing, interdisciplinary teams. She is a steadfast advocate for patient and family centered care and consistently creates opportunities for patient and family voices to inform care delivery. Her leadership style is characterized by thoughtful advocacy, operational insight, and the ability to motivate teams in complex, high acuity environments.
Vivian has been a driving force behind the institution’s vision for the Heart Vascular Institute, working collaboratively across cardiac units and intensive care settings to create seamless transitions of care and extend advanced cardiac surgical services. She is widely regarded by leaders, peers, and colleagues for her integrity, clinical acumen, and unwavering commitment to nursing excellence.
She is a graduate of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital School of Nursing and earned both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Vivian has shared her expertise nationally and internationally through presentations and consultations and has contributed to nursing and interprofessional research published in peer reviewed journals.
Associate Chief Nurse, Center for Nursing Excellence and Chief of Staff
Mass General Trustees Endowed Chair in Nursing and Patient Care Professional Practice
Marianne Ditomassi, DNP, RN, MBA, NEA-BC, FAAN, is Associate Chief Nurse of the Center for Nursing Excellence and Chief of Staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She also functions as the Chief of Staff, supporting the work of the Senior Vice President for Patient Care and Chief Nurse, who oversees the operations of nursing and the health professions.
Dr. Ditomassi’s key areas of accountability include oversight of elements advancing professional practice development and evaluation including hardwiring the newly-reimagined shared decision-making model, promoting recruitment and retention initiatives, expanding our interprofessional awards & recognition opportunities, aligning quality and safety and informatics with MGB’s commitment to high-reliability principles, contributing knowledge to the profession through research and evidence-based practice, sharing our expertise through global outreach engagements and securing funding through philanthropy to fuel a strong, professional practice environment. In addition, the Center houses several important programs that advance care of people with disabilities, autism, and geriatrics.
In addition, she is the Magnet Program Director for Mass General and successfully coordinated Mass General’s initial Magnet designation journey in 2003 and subsequent Magnet re-designations in 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2023.
She has co-authored three books published by Sigma Theta Tau titled, Fostering Nurse-Led Care at the Bedside, Fostering Clinical Success Using Clinical Narratives for Interprofessional Team Partnerships and Fostering a Research-Intensive Organization.
Dr. Ditomassi’s program of research has focused on evaluating the effectiveness of the professional practice model and environment at Mass General and other healthcare organizations around the world using the Professional Practice Work Environment Inventory Scale (PPWEI) and the Power as Influencing Professional Practice Change Scale (PIPPCS).
Dr. Ditomassi received her BSN from Georgetown University, her MSN from Loyola University in Chicago, her MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the Mass General Institute of Health Professions. In 2017, she was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
Associate Chief Nurse, Perioperative and Procedural Services
Michael “Mike” Farrell serves as the Associate Chief Nurse for Perioperative and Procedural Services at Massachusetts General Hospital. In this role, he provides strategic and operational oversight for a broad and complex portfolio that includes the Center for Perioperative Care, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Operating Room, Endoscopy, Waltham and Danvers Outpatient Surgery Centers, Interventional Radiology, Interventional Pulmonary, and the Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Laboratories.
Mike brings more than 20 years of experience within the Mass General operating room, having progressed through roles from staff nurse to clinical nurse manager and, most recently, senior nurse director. Over the past eight years in senior leadership, he has focused on building strong, resilient teams; fostering a culture of safety; and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the patient care experience across perioperative and procedural settings.
Throughout his career, Mike has demonstrated a deep commitment to quality, process improvement, and leadership development. He has been instrumental in advancing innovation and strengthening the nursing workforce to ensure long-term sustainability in high-acuity procedural environments. His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic exemplified adaptability, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to patient care, as he guided teams through rapidly evolving clinical and operational challenges.
Mike is particularly proud of the culture he has cultivated within the Operating Room—one grounded in flexibility, mutual respect, and strong nursing leadership. His teams are recognized for their ability to rise to complex challenges, including the introduction of new surgical procedures, supply chain disruptions, and disaster preparedness, consistently delivering care that exceeds expectations.
As Associate Chief Nurse, Mike partners closely with perioperative and procedural nursing leaders to advance Mass General Brigham’s shared system goals of integration, people, quality, research, and sustainability. He is widely respected for his collaborative leadership style, operational expertise, and dedication to advancing excellence in perioperative nursing practice.
Associate Chief Nurse for Medicine, Women and Children’s Services
Colleen Gonzalez, DNP, RN, NE-BC, serves as Associate Chief Nurse for Medicine, Women and Children’s Services at Massachusetts General Hospital. She brings more than 30 years of progressive clinical and leadership experience at MGH, with a professional background spanning neurology, cardiology, and medical nursing. Throughout her career, she has held key leadership roles, including Clinical Nurse Specialist across multiple specialties and Nurse Director for White 8 Medicine and, most recently, the Lunder 7 Neuroscience Unit.
Colleen is widely recognized for her strategic, collaborative leadership and her steadfast commitment to patient- and family-centered care. She has partnered extensively with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to advance quality, safety, and clinical excellence, and has played a significant role in hospital- and system-wide initiatives focused on delirium prevention, workplace safety, and mobility. She is known for fostering resilient, empowered nursing teams and for advancing standards that support high-quality, compassionate care.
Dr. Gonzalez holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Salem State University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Northeastern University. She is a board-certified Nurse Executive and an active member of Sigma Theta Tau and the Organization of Nurse Leaders.
Director, Nursing & Patient Care Services Finance and Analytics
Antigone Grasso, MBA, is Nursing & Patient Care Services Director of Finance and Analytics for Massachusetts General Hospital. She oversees preparation of the Patient Care Services (PCS) operational budget, development of the PCS Data Warehouse, advancement of workforce planning and data analytic tools, and management of the patient acuity and staff scheduling systems.
Antigone has over 27 years of experience, the last 19 years within the healthcare field. Prior to joining Massachusetts General Hospital in 2013, she worked at NewYork-Presbyterian serving first as Strategic Sourcing Manager for the institution and then as Director of Business Operations and Finance for Perioperative Services for NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. Prior to entering the healthcare field, she held Strategic Planning and Financial Analysis positions in the financial services and telecom industries.
Antigone graduated cum laude from the Stern School of Business at New York University and earned her MBA from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.
Director of Respiratory Care Services
Carolyn La Vita, MHA, RRT has been Director of Respiratory Care Services at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) since 2021. Carolyn joined Mass General as a student respiratory therapy intern in 2003. As a registered respiratory therapist, Carolyn later specialized in the care of pediatric and neonatal patients and became certified as a Specialist in ECMO (Extracorporeal Life Support). She has earned advanced credentials as an Adult Critical Care Specialist (ACCS) and Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist (NPS) through the National Board of Respiratory Care.
Carolyn earned her BS in Cardiopulmonary Care Sciences from Georgia State University in 2003 and her master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Colorado State University in 2019.
Throughout her career, Carolyn has been committed to cultivating the next generation of respiratory therapists. To ensure MGH respiratory therapists remain as leaders in the profession, Carolyn has created many educational programs, team-oriented opportunities for learning, and initiatives for personalized staff development. She brings innovative approaches and ideas to practice and management.
Some of Carolyn’s current clinical interests are acute respiratory distress syndrome, extracorporeal life support, electrical impedance tomography, and mechanical ventilation for low-birth-weight neonates. She supports departmental research efforts and collaborations around these topics, among others, through publication, presentation, and participation in professional societies.
Director, The Center for Innovations in Care Delivery
Hiyam M. Nadel, MBA, RN, CCG, FIEL, is the Director of the Center for Innovations in Care Delivery at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). She has over 26 years of progressive clinical and leadership experience in healthcare, innovation, and operational transformation. Hiyam has an expertise in strategic planning, clinical process improvement, and fostering innovation in patient-care delivery as well as a proven record of spearheading cutting-edge initiatives and cross-disciplinary collaborations that drive growth, efficiency, and excellence. Skilled in innovation management, including ideation, R&D oversight, and rapid prototyping, Hiyam focuses on aligning corporate strategy with organizational transformation. She is experienced in leveraging emerging technologies, leading digital transformation, and driving data-driven decision-making. She is an exceptional communicator with a history of engaging stakeholders, leading cross-functional teams, and delivering thought leadership to advance healthcare innovation.
Before accepting this position, Hiyam played an essential role in re-opening the MGH Obstetrics Department after a 40-year hiatus. Along with re-opening the Obstetrics division came the opportunity to implement a different nurse-care model and a “Medical Home” for Obstetrics. In addition, she has been instrumental in designing IT programs such as the “Ambulatory Patient Tracking System” and co-authored the design of the “OB EMR,” an electronic medical record subsequently sold to Hewitt-Packard.
She is a 2025 Inaugural Francesco Pompei, PhD, and Marybeth Pompei, DNS, RN, Endowed Chair in Nursing Innovation, and believed to be the first specifically in nurse innovation, inaugural Johnson and Johnson Innovation Fellow. Hiyam was selected as an Innovation Learning Network Changemaker, a distinction recognizing leaders who are trying to bring impactful change to their organization. In 2020, Hiyam received the Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare Award from the Commonwealth Institute, an award that recognizes ten remarkable women in Massachusetts who are emerging and inspiring leaders pioneering advances across health care demonstrating collaboration, mentoring others, and encouraging diversity. Hiyam has co-authored The Rebel Nurse Handbook: Inspirational Stories by Shift Disrupters and has spoken on several podcasts, wrote two chapters on innovation and technology within health systems, and multiple articles on Open Innovation.
Hiyam earned a nursing degree from Northeastern University, a clinical genetics certificate from Brandeis University, and an MBA from Babson College focused on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She is a founder and Immediate Past President of the Society of Nurse Scientists, Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Leaders (SONSIEL).
Director of PCS Clinical Support Services
George Reardon, MBA, has been Director of N & PCS Clinical Support Services since 2009. George provides leadership and direction for our inpatient care environment and our Volunteer & Information Desk staff. George joined Mass General in 1988 as the Purchasing Department Operations Manager, and then led various Purchasing and Materials Management functions at Mass General, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Spaulding Rehab prior to joining Patient Care Services in 1997.
Currently George’s current interests involve staff development and service improvement, operational efficiency and process improvement.
George earned his BA in economics from Brandeis University and his MBA in health care administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Chief Advanced Practice Providers Officer for Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear
David Richards Endowed Nursing Scholar in ALS
Darlene Sawicki, MSN, NP-BC, is Chief Advanced Practice Providers Officer for Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, David Richards Endowed Nursing Scholar in ALS. In this role, she is accountable for advancing APP clinical practice, policy and community at Mass General. In addition, Darlene continues to practice in the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) clinic.
Since joining Mass General in 2005, Darlene has assumed various leadership, clinical and research roles, most recently serving as Co-Director of the ALS clinic and Nurse Director for Ambulatory Neurology. As the inaugural Nurse Director for Ambulatory Neurology, Darlene built the neurology nursing community and worked with registered nurses and providers to work at top of scope and be empowered to engage in advocacy.
Her professional interests include: addressing caregiver fatigue, multidisciplinary practice/approach, advocacy, and staff empowerment. She recently completed Harvard’s Palliative Care Education Series and Practice and is currently teaching serious illness discussions to her colleagues. Darlene has presented and lectured locally, nationally and internationally on various research and clinical topics. She has been presented several awards and is currently a member of Organization of Nurse Leaders, American College of Nurse Practitioners. She founded and previously chaired the Research Nurse Committee for the North East ALS Consortium.
Darlene earned her Bachelor of Arts from Seattle Pacific University, Nursing degree through Lawrence Memorial/Regis College, and Masters of Nursing Science in Adult Health at Boston College.
Associate Chief Nurse, Case Management, Capacity Coordination Center, Emergency Services and Psychiatry
Christina Stone, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC, is the associate chief nurse for Case Management, Capacity Coordination Center (CCC), Emergency Services and Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Tina oversees and collaborates with the MGH nurse directors, physician advisors and MGB Care Management leaders, and with the nursing and administrative leadership within the MGH Capacity Center, Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry Department.
Tina’s nursing career spans more than 33 years, all of which have been at various roles within Mass general. Her career began in direct care nursing, working as a clinical nurse on a cardiac/medical step-down ICU and later inpatient psychiatry, and as a psychiatric case manager, before assuming the role of psychiatric clinical nurse specialist for inpatient psychiatry. Most recently Tina served as the nurse director for Inpatient Psychiatry, a 24-bed inpatient psychiatric unit that specializes in caring for patients with co-morbid medical and substance use disorders.
Her area of expertise is in reducing health care violence and managing conflict in the workplace, and she has presented on the topic nationally and locally.
Tina earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.
Director, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, MGH Institute of Health Professionals
MGH Trustees Endowed Chair in Physical and Occupational Therapy
Michael Sullivan, PT, DPT, MBA, has been Director of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Service at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) since 1997. Dr. Sullivan joined Mass General as the Assistant Director for ambulatory physical therapy practices in 1990 following a 12-year career at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
Dr. Sullivan earned his BS in Physical Therapy from Boston University, his MBA from Suffolk University and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the Mass General Institute of Health Professions. He was awarded the inaugural MGH Trustees Endowed Chair in Physical and Occupational Therapy in 2020.
As director, Dr. Sullivan provides leadership and direction for all physical therapy and occupational therapy services at MGH.
Dr. Sullivan highly values and promotes a culture of clinical excellence to meet the increasing acuity and complexity of MGH patients. Under this leadership, currently forty five percent of MGH physical therapists and occupational therapists hold an advanced specialist certification, from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, the American Occupational Therapy Association, or the American Society of Hand Therapists.
Dr. Sullivan is dedicated to developing the next generation of physical therapists and occupational therapists, expanding clinical training programs for professional and post-professional students to include Neurology, Sports and Orthopaedics residencies.
Dr. Sullivan supports the department’s research efforts and collaborations to advance the science of physical therapy and occupational therapy practice through publication, presentation, and participation in professional conferences.
Under Dr. Sullivan’s leadership, the physical and occupational therapy department is strongly committed to address health inequities, increasing diversity and inclusivity of the department, and welcoming all patients, visitors and staff.
Director of Clinical Services
Medical Interpreters, Spiritual Care, Social Work
Speech, Language and Swallowing Disorders & Reading Disabilities
MGH Trustees Endowed Scholar in Speech, Language and Swallowing Disorders
Carmen Vega-Barachowitz, MS, CCC-SLP, FASHA, is Director of Clinical Services. Under her purview she has oversight of the Departments of Speech, Language & Swallowing Disorders and Reading Disabilities Department, Social Work, Spiritual Care, and Medical Interpreters Services. She is an assistant professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.
Carmen’s career started in Miami, Florida, addressing the communication needs of pediatric and adult individuals who were primarily Spanish-speakers. Her career spans over 40 years in various settings across the continuum of care. During the last two decades her focus has been on leadership and administration, which has allowed her to influence the hospital’s mission to increase diversity, equity and inclusion.
Carmen was the recipient of the 2009 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Diversity Champion, 2009 Ernesto Gonzalez Award for Outstanding Service in the Latino Community and 2010 Boston Business Journal Champions in Health Care. In 2015, she was recognized as a Fellow of the Association.
Carmen was the recipient of the 2009 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Diversity Champion, 2009 Ernesto Gonzalez Award for Outstanding Service in the Latino Community and 2010 Boston Business Journal Champions in Health Care. In 2015 was recognized as a Fellow of the Association. Speech, Language and Swallowing Disorders and in 2021 she became the inaugural recipient of the MGH Trustees Endowed Scholar.
Carmen is a member of the Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Foundation, which focuses on raising funds to support students at BHCC, many of who are students of color and/or first-generation college students.
Nursing practice and patient care
Professional practice model
Our interprofessional professional practice model serves as a framework for professional practice. It is our “why.” We are committed to providing a strong, supportive practice environment for our employees, so they are able to do what they do best – care for our patients and families.
View our professional practice model
Shared governance
Shared decision-making has a rich history at MGH, dating back to its formal inception in 1997. Since then, it has evolved into an integral component of our work, reflecting our collective commitment to hearing staff voices in decision-making. Our new shared decision-making model emphasizes the importance of staff involvement in the decision-making process, in partnership with leadership, fostering a culture of teamwork and shared responsibility.
Awards and recognition
Mass General collaborates with the DAISY Foundation to provide recognition of the clinical skill and the compassion nurses provide to patients and families. The international award was established by Bonnie and Mark Barnes in honor of their son, Patrick, who died of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) at age 33.
As the healthcare landscape becomes more complex, with increasing demands on Nurse Leaders, we believe that those who help create a professional practice environment also deserve to be recognized. With recognition, they serve as role models of outstanding nursing leadership. Despite working under tremendous pressure, through their leadership, these Nurse Leaders provide a practice environment that is supportive and empowering to their teams. The work environment that they create inspires teams to do their very best.
The DAISY Nurse Leader Award gives staff and other leaders a way to nominate leaders who they view exemplify the characteristics of nurse leader excellence. Nominations received for these individuals will be reviewed by the DAISY Committee. Nurse leaders eligible for this award are those in front line management roles. They have oversight of nurses and other healthcare providers who deliver care in an inpatient or ambulatory care setting.
Kicking off in 2026, Mass General will be adding to the bouquet of patient care recognition programs, the TULIP Award. The hospital rolled out the DAISY Award for clinical nurses in 2020. Keeping with the flower theme, the TULIP award will celebrate the impact of Medical Assistants, Patient Care Associates, Operating Room Assistants and Equipment Technicians, Case Management and Social Work Resource Specialists, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Aides, Human Milk Specialists, Mental Health Workers, IV Therapy Technicians, Clinical Research Coordinators, and Patient Observers.
Clinicians in Patient Care Services at Massachusetts General Hospital have long valued their role in caring for patients and families. The Clinical Recognition Program provides a way to formally recognize professional Clinical staff for their expertise. Through the program, Clinical staff from six disciplines in Patient Care Services analyze their own practice and can seek recognition for the level of practice they have achieved. These disciplines are Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Social Work, and Speech-Language & Swallowing Disorders.
Each clinician works with his/her director to analyze practice in light of the criteria defined in the program. Together they determine the clinician’s practice level and set goals for the clinician’s future development. Recognition at the first two levels – Entry and Clinician – occurs for all clinicians at the unit or department level. Clinicians who meet criteria for the Advanced Clinician or Clinical Scholar level can choose to seek recognition at one of these levels or can choose to remain at the Clinician level.
A clinician seeking recognition at either the Advanced Clinician or Clinical Scholar level begins the recognition process by obtaining the endorsement of his/her director and initiating an application to be formally recognized as an Advanced Clinician or Clinical Scholar. The clinician then assembles a professional portfolio, including a cover letter, resume, letters of support, and a Clinical narrative that describes his/her practice and illustrates how it meets the criteria for the level of recognition being sought. The portfolio is submitted to an interdisciplinary review board for consideration. Clinicians seeking recognition at these levels also participate in an interview with members of the review board as part of the application process.
Commitment to quality and safety
Our Mass General Brigham goal is to lead the nation in providing the highest quality care For Every Patient. In alignment with this system goal, Massachusetts General Hospital nurses are contributing to delivering the highest quality care by engaging in strategies that improve the patient’s experience, and nursing quality outcomes, while also reducing mortality and hospital acquired infections. Using a High Reliability framework, nursing strategies are transforming care that is equitable, team-oriented, data driven, and rigorously focused on mitigating risk and continually improving care delivery.
ICU staffing ratios
Starting with the first quarter of 2016, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) now requires all Massachusetts ICUs to report quarterly Registered Nurse-to-Patient ratios on their websites.
View Massachusetts General Hospital's ICU ratios
Research and innovation
Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research
The Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital provides an infrastructure that promotes innovation and mobilization of resources, both funding and development, to support research initiatives that advance clinical practice and optimize quality patient-centered outcomes. The Munn Center, housed within the Institute for Patient Care, was inspired by the vision and dedication of Yvonne L. Munn, RN, MSN, a nurse leader at MGH from 1984-1993, and her desire to advance nursing research at MGH. The official dedication of the Munn Center in May 2008 acknowledged the hospital’s commitment to nursing and interdisciplinary research collaborations that foster high quality, cost-effective, patient-family centric care.
Center for Innovations in Care Delivery
The mission at the Center of Innovations in Care Delivery is to provide dedicated resources to elicit ideas from frontline caregivers, to provide mentorship, and partner with outside resources so that ideas create transformative shifts in patient care.
The model draws upon the inter/multi/trans disciplinary nature of the Patient Care Services workforce and expands using our worldwide collaborations with those addressing new ways to address care delivery issues, be it tomorrow, in 5-10 years or off into the distant future to accelerate Innovation. The Center for Innovations in Care Delivery will foster collaboration and identify, prepare and lead us (all of us) to what healthcare will be.
MGH education and professional development
The Norman Knight Nursing Center for Clinical and Professional Development promotes lifelong learning by developing and facilitating educational opportunities that advance excellence in patient care. In addition to Central On-boarding, Continuing Education, and Professional Development, The Norman Knight Nursing Center supports regulatory compliance readiness, provides educational consulting, and provides educational resources.
The Knight Simulation Program at MGH offers nursing and interdisciplinary educational programs to promote patient safety and excellence in clinical care. Each simulation program addresses the overall themes of leadership, communication, teamwork, decision-making, and application of clinical knowledge and skills. A faculty guided debriefing focusing on both the clinical and behavioral aspects of performance is included in each program.