About nursing at McLean Hospital
McLean Nursing is grounded in the McLean Hospital mission to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness through compassionate care, innovative research, and education. Guided by core values such as integrity, respect, and commitment to excellence, McLean nurses strive to create a therapeutic and inclusive environment where each patient is treated with dignity and understanding.
To provide nursing care for patients and their families/significant others that extends and supports the benefits derived from psychiatric treatment and participation in the therapeutic milieu, the nursing team uses a Recovery-oriented Practice Model to empower individuals in their unique recovery journeys. Through collaboration, continuous learning, and evidence based practice, McLean Nursing supports healing and recovery while advancing mental health care and fostering hope within the communities they serve.
Leadership
Chief Nursing Officer at McLean, and Vice President of Nursing for Mass General Brigham Behavioral and Mental Health
Christine Tebaldi, DNP, MPH, is chief nursing officer at McLean, and vice president of Nursing for Mass General Brigham Behavioral and Mental Health. As an active member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Dr. Tebaldi has served in several volunteer leadership roles including co-chair of the Institute for Mental Health Advocacy and as a board member at large. She presents on such topics as patient-centered care, emergency preparedness and disaster response, crisis stabilization, and addressing stigma. She is also the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Disaster Mental Health Regional Lead and State Advisor.
Dr. Tebaldi has been named a community leader by Sigma Theta Tau, awarded the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Chandler Blackington Community Impact Award for her extensive service following the Boston Marathon explosions, has received the Excellence in Leadership Award from APNA, and was honored with the Distinguished Alumna Award from the University of Rochester School of Nursing.
Education & Training
Degrees:
- BA in Psychology; BS in Nursing, University of Rochester
- MS in Nursing, University of Rochester
- DNP, MPH Johns Hopkins University
- MPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Board Certifications:
- Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Registered Nurse, Office of the Professions, State of New York
- Certified Nurse Practitioner, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Certified Nurse Practitioner, Office of the Professions, State of New York
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- MCSR Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Associate Chief Nursing Officer for McLean Hospital, Director of the Appleton Residential program
Jeanne McElhinney, MS, RN, BC, is the associate chief nursing officer for McLean Hospital. She is also program director of the Appleton Residential program. Ms. McElhinney began her career at McLean Hospital in 1986 as a mental health worker, in 1989 she began as a registered nurse working in the psychotic disorder program. Ms. McElhinney has held various nursing positions, including as nurse program director of the schizophrenia and bipolar disorders inpatient program, where she was involved in expanding the number of beds. Her leadership and professionalism have garnered her numerous awards and recognition.
Ms. McElhinney has co-authored 3 research articles in journal publication, she has presented her research at the APNA conference. Ms. McElhinney co-chairs and is a member of McLean committees.
Ms. McElhinney is dedicated to providing quality patient centered care and to ensuring a supportive work environment for the staff.
Education & Training -Degrees:
- 1989 AD in Nursing , Middlesex Community College, Bedford, MA
- 2008 BSN, Regis College, Weston, MA
- 2009 MS, Nursing Leadership and Business Management, Regis College, Weston, MA
Board Certifications:
- Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- American Nurses Credentialing Center
Senior Program Director, Nursing Administration
Paula Bolton, MS, CNP, ANP-BC, is a senior program director for nursing administration, overseeing medical and procedural nursing services. In addition, she works within nursing administration to strategize and plan for quality initiatives within nursing. Ms Bolton also serves as the program director for the Psychiatric Neurotherapeutics Program including the Electroconvulsive Treatment (ECT), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and Ketamine Services. She was instrumental in both the expansion of the inpatient and outpatient ECT Service and the development of both the TMS and Ketamine Services which serve patients with treatment resistant mental illness.
Ms. Bolton has been a nurse practitioner at McLean Hospital for over 35 years. Her clinical practice has focused on health promotion and disease prevention for psychiatric patients, with a special interest in providing medical care for patients at risk for metabolic syndrome. Ms. Bolton has been involved in nursing research projects in Neurotherapeutics and presents nationally on nursing’s role in the care of patients receiving these treatments.
Education & Training
Degrees:
- 1977 Diploma in Nursing, Lawrence General Hospital School of Nursing
- 1982 BSN, Worcester State College
- 1983 MS in Primary Care Nursing, Boston College
Board Certifications:
- Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Virginia
- Certified Nurse Practitioner, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Virginia
- Adult Nurse Practitioner, American Nurses Credentialing Center
- MCSR Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Senior Director of Residential Services, Senior Director of Nursing for Residential and Partial Hospital programs
Previously, Ms. Tester also serves as the program director for the Division of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addiction and was previously the program director of the LEADER Residence, which provides comprehensive psychiatric services designed specifically for those in uniform. She continues in a clinical capacity, providing medication management in the LEADER Residence, and in a research capacity as a site PI and medical clinician studying opioid use disorder.
Ms. Tester is engaged in teaching as a faculty member of the
Mass General Brigham (MGB) addiction psychiatry training program, as well as precepting advanced practice nurse interns. She is actively involved in developing and implementing strategic priorities for advanced practice providers (APP) as an inaugural member of the MGB APP Council
Education & Training
Degrees:
- 2001 BS, Boston University
- 2005 MS, Boston College
Board Certifications:
- Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- MCSR Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Senior Director, Nursing Education, Quality, Research and Innovation
Lenny Gebhard, RN, Senior Director, Nursing Education, Quality, Research and Innovation. Mr. Gebhard recently joined the McLean Nursing Leadership Team. He was formerly the associate chief nursing officer of Behavioral Health and Emergency services at MGB Salem Hospital. In his new role, Mr. Gebhard is a key member of nursing executive team, leveraging his more than 30 years’ experience leading nurses to deliver evidence-based, quality nursing care. He ensures that nursing operational, quality, innovation, and business strategies integrate effectively with hospital and systemwide priorities.
In his leadership roles, Mr. Gebhard has built high-performance teams, driven multiple quality and efficiency transformations, while ensuring regulatory integrity and compliance. He was instrumental in the development of the Epstein Center for Behavioral Health and the consolidation of Salem and Union hospital’s inpatient psychiatry care in 2019. During the COVID pandemic, Mr. Gebhard led the development of MGB’s first COVID sub-unit, followed by the Acute Mental Health Unit (AMU) of the Emergency Department.
Education & Training
Degrees:
- 1990 BA, Psychology, Boston College
- 1994 BSN, Salem State College
- 2026 MSN candidate, Salem State College
Board Certifications:
- Registered Nurse, Board of Registration in Nursing, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Nursing practice and patient care
By combining technical skills and the ability to connect and form therapeutic relationships with patients, Nursing integrates both the art and science of caring. We focus on optimizing health and human functioning, preventing illness and injury, and facilitating healing and recovery.
By engaging with patients in a compassionate and empathic way, nurses build trust and enable meaningful conversations about patient’s goals for treatment. With keen observation and assessment skills nurses are proactive and prioritize patient safety and quality care.
Shared governance
- Nursing Quality and Practice Committee
- Recruitment and Retention Committee
- Patient Engagement and De-escalation Committee
- EPIC and Technology Committee
- Recognition/Awards Committee/Daisy Committee
- Clinical Coordinators Committee
- APP Council
Awards and recognition
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, McLean 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.
Research and innovation
McLean Nursing is committed to evidence-based practice, involvement in clinical research initiatives, promotion of nursing-led research projects and clinical inquiry.
Nursing education and professional development
McLean’s Nursing Department offers training for undergraduate and graduate nursing students focused on psychiatric mental health nursing.
Undergraduate seniors may specialize in psychiatric mental health nursing during their senior synthesis practicum. These placements are for those who have completed an undergraduate psychiatric clinical rotation and are one semester in length. Students may request a particular specialty or diagnostic category, and efforts are made to accommodate these requests.
Graduate level student nurses are matched with an advanced practice nurse at McLean Hospital who supervises clinical care. The student has an individualized educational plan and learns about current psychopharmacological, behavioral, biological, and dynamic approaches in psychiatric nursing. The supervisory advanced practice nurse from McLean works in collaboration with faculty to evaluate the student’s performance.
Additionally:
- Annual education, including de-escalation and patient and staff safety training, are conducted for all nursing staff
- Two nursing conferences per year are held and available for in person or virtual attendance
- On-unit educational programs are also offered