Nursing at Saint Anne's

Letter from Saint Anne's Hospital's Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer

Dear Colleagues,

Carole Billington, COO/CNO

Welcome to the Saint Anne’s Hospital nursing web page. On behalf of all of our nurses, I am honored to introduce you to our rich tradition of caring and compassion. The Dominican Sisters of the Presentation founded Saint Anne’s Hospital in 1906. Our nurses have served our patients, families and community for over a century.

Nurses at Saint Anne’s Hospital promote a professional practice environment that is empowering, autonomous, supportive and respectful. Through shared governance, interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence-based practice and professional development, we are committed to quality care that is efficient, safe, and patient and family centered.

Thank you for visiting our web page and your interest in nursing at Saint Anne’s Hospital. If you would like more information about our services or career opportunities, please contact us, or visit our Careers page.

Sincerely,
Carole Billington, MSN, RN, NEA-BC 

Hear from Our Nurses

Four Saint Anne's Hospital nurses shared their thoughts on our nurturing culture that fosters learning, support, and career growth.

 

Nursing Philosophy

Created by the Saint Anne's Hospital Nursing Practice Council

Embracing the mission of charity and compassion of the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation, we the nurses, as part of the Saint Anne's Hospital family, are committed to providing accessible, individualized, quality care to all within our culturally diverse community. As a profession, we the nurses, wholeheartedly embrace and integrate Jean Watson’s Caring Science Theory in our practice.

Utilizing Caring Science, we recognize the patient as a human being who has dignity, worth and the right to quality and competent nursing care. The nursing process is implemented using a multidisciplinary team approach based on a mutual trust. We provide individualized care, which includes knowing the patient and the patient’s perception of his/her health/illness experience, with the intention to meet the unique needs of each person. We strive to work in collaboration to seek and achieve excellence in holistic nursing care.

Our nursing practice involves engagement with the patient and loved ones to provide teaching, counseling, physical care and comfort. We, as nurses, are compelled to act on our patients’ behalf regarding ethical and moral issues. We are empowered to use our advocacy skills to foster participation of patients and their loved ones in goal setting and the decision making process.

We created a professional recognition program, adopting the Patricia Benner Model, from novice to expert, where each nurse can reach a level of clinical expertise through lifelong learning. We also recognize the caring practices surrounding the use of Caring Science Theory. Our excellence in nursing practice at Saint Anne's Hospital is enhanced by each nurse's commitment to professional growth and educational development. 

Saint Anne’s Hospital Nursing Theory: Watson’s Caring Science

In 1979, Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, developed and published her work on Caring Science, which identified nursing as distinctive from medical science, encompassing a different epistemology. Her theory promotes nursing as rooted in human science with an emphasis on relationships that transcend time and space. Human freedom and choice, holism, and evidence based practice reflecting experience, intuition, ethics, and science are fundamental. Spirituality, deep respect for life and death, and patient centeredness are highly valued.

Nurses at Saint Anne’s Hospital are guided by Watson’s Theory of Caring Science, which begins as a process of openness to self and others that embraces mercy, gentleness, compassion and equanimity. We are committed to sustaining human dignity and wholeness within the scope of suffering through human interactions, patient centeredness and intentional caring actions.

Saint Anne’s Hospital Nursing Practice Council: Purpose and Goals

  1. Promote a positive work environment throughout the organization through teamwork and recognition
  2. Foster a spirit of inquiry regarding clinical practice and promote an evidence-based practice model of care
  3. Identify opportunities for performance improvement, quality and safety initiatives and integrate them into professional practice
  4. Make recommendations regarding resource management
  5. Develop, promote and monitor nursing practice standards throughout the organization
  6. Enhance community relations through education and service
  7. Recommend and promote educational programs including clinical and leadership development and involvement in professional organizations
  8. Promote nursing practice recognition and nursing awards
  9. Develop strategies to achieve and maintain magnet status

Nurse of Distinction Award and Chief Nursing Officer Leadership Award

Saint Anne’s Hospital's Nursing Practice Council sponsors an annual Nurse of Distinction Award. An RN or LPN with a minimum of one year of service at Saint Anne's Hospital in any department or clinical practice area may be nominated. Criteria include specific examples of how the individual exhibits or impacts the Steward standards of behavior of compassion, accountability, respect, excellence, and stewardship, as well as how the individual exhibits or impacts patient-centered nursing care.

Nurse of Distinction Awards:

2023: Henry Lee, MSN, RN, Sacred Heart Unit

2022: Erin Geary, BSN, RN, St. James Unit

2021: Elizabeth Levesque, BS, RN, CCRN, St. Jude Intensive Care Unit

2020: Jessica Campbell, RN, Emergency Department

2019: India Bowman-Tirado, BSN, RN, St. Catherine Unit, and Julianne Souza, MSN, RN, CAPA, CPAN, Professional Development

2018: Michelle Gifford, BSN, RN, St. Catherine Unit

2017: Laura Eckert, BSN, CCRN, St. Jude Intensive Care Unit

2016: Ashley Silva, BSN, RN, PCCN, Sacred Heart Unit

2015: Kristina Amaral, BSN, RN, CEN, SANE, Emergency Department 

2014: Joyce Cadorette, BSN, RN, CAPA, CPAN, Post Anesthesia Care Unit 

2013: Jocelyn Berube, BSN, RN, St. Dominic Unit

2012: Heather Czaja, BSN, RN, Robert F. Stoico/FIRSTFED Center for Breast Care

2011: Jo-Ann Hawes, CMSRN, Staff Nurse, St. Mary’s Unit

2010: Susan Caron, BA, RN-BC, CAPA, CPAN, Day Surgery/PACU Staff Nurse

2009: Clara Reagan, BSN, RN, OCN, Staff Nurse, St. Dominic Unit

2008: Jane Hoyle, BS, RN, CCRN, Staff Nurse, Intensive Care Unit

The Chief Nursing Officer Leadership Award is presented to a nursing leader who has demonstrated leadership and commitment to Steward standards. 

Chief Nursing Officer Leadership Awards:

2023: Lena Gomes, MSN, RN, CMSRN, St. Mary Unit

2022: Melissa Mayes, MSN, RN, CWCN, Inpatient Wound Ostomy Care

2021: Christine Santos, BSN, RN, CNML, St. James Unit/Transport, and Angela Stanton, BSN, RN, St. Catherine Unit

2020: Susan Ribeiro, BSN, RN, Ambulatory Surgery Center, Dartmouth

2019: Margaret Pfeiffer, MSN, RN, PMHCNS, Geriatric Psychiatry

2018: Jennifer Martin, BSN, RN, Nursing Administration

2017: Maryellen Simmons, BSN, RN-BC, Pain Management

2016: Kathy Finn, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, Professional Practice, Research and Development

2015: Kristine Walker, MS, RN-BC, NE-BC, Ambulatory Services

2014: Lisa DeMello, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, Nursing Administration

2013: Teresa Ferreira, MSN, ANP, Millview Medical Associates

Partners in Care and Excellence in Collaboration

Saint Anne’s Hospital’s Professional Practice Council sponsors additional awards that recognize the contributions of colleagues in other disciplines. Both honor individuals' contributions that reflect the Steward standards of behavior of compassion, accountability, respect, excellence, and stewardship, as well as exceptional patient- and family-centered care.

The Partners in Care Award recognizes the contributions of a person in a support role, such as a certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, technician, housekeeper, or transporter. Those recognized to date include:

2023: Jennica Clohecy, Food and Nutrition

2022: Richard Raposa, Sacred Heart Unit

2021: Kellie Barbosa, Surgical Services

2020: Christie Ebbesen, St. Mary Unit

2019: Alex Ourique, Food and Nutrition

2018: Jeremy Servant, St. Mary Unit

2017: Anabela Corga, St. Nicholas Unit

2016: Madeline Camara, St. Mary Unit

2015: Ana Torres, Environmental Services 

2014: Mary Fournier, St. Jude Intensive Care Unit

2013: Donna Ramos, Environmental Services 

2012: Carl Gray, Patient Transport   

The Excellence in Collaboration award recognizes a person in a clinical professional role, such as rehabilitation specialist, chaplain, dietitian, social worker, interpreter, etc.  Those recognized to date are:

2023: Paul Foster, Financial Counselor, Oncology

2022: Alex Pereira, RRT, Respiratory Therapy

2021: Emily Costa, BS, RT(N), CNMT, Nuclear Medicine

2020: Carol Wilcox, RN, Case Management

2019: Alyssa Arruda, OTR/L, Rehabilitation Services

2018: Rebecca Ober, MSW, LICSW, Case Management and Social Work Services

2017: Donna Gelinas, PT, Rehabilitation Services

2016: Tarra Phelan, OTR/L, Geriatric Psychiatry Program, New England Sinai Hospital

2015: Brittany Lynch, MSW, LICSW, Case Management and Social Work Services

2014: Marika Hull, M.Div., BCC, Spiritual Care