Shriners Children’s Boston Celebrates Burn Nurses During Nurses Week

National Nurses Week is a yearly opportunity to highlight nurses working across all disciplines and settings. At Shriners Children’s Boston we are honoring burn nurses, who work tirelessly to provide care and quality of life for children around the world. From long days in a 115 degree operating room to celebrations with patients and families as treatment milestones are reached, burn nurses at Shriners Children’s Boston have the privilege of following patients throughout their care journey. While each day is never the same, one thing remains constant: High quality, compassionate care is always their highest priority.

Burn nurses work in a variety of inpatient and outpatient care roles at Shriners Children’s Boston. Maureen “Mo” Hanley, BSN, RN, CNOR, CBRN, is an operating room nurse and an early riser, a trait that perfectly complements her work ethic. “I come in early because I like to think my way through what I’m doing each day,” she said. “This time is like my pre-game. I set up the operating room and write out my whole board for the day’s surgeries.”

One key step Mo takes during her morning routine is to turn up the heat in the operating room. If a patient’s burn injury is greater than 20% of their total body surface area, it is difficult to maintain their core body temperature. The room can reach as much as 115 degrees to help keep a patient’s temperature regulated. Patients with serious burn injuries often have many initial surgeries, sometimes several each week, requiring staff to frequently work in these elevated temperatures.

Mo and her colleague Cheryl Kelley, BSN, RN, another veteran nurse, work together in the OR regularly. One of them serves as a circulating nurse, making sure the patient stays stable while also checking in on the doctors, surgical techs and other OR personnel. “Our job is to advocate for patient safety,” explained Mo. “We have to know everyone’s skill set and limits and be prepared to call in other support if the game plan needs to change.”

Both Cheryl and Mo acknowledge that repeatedly working in elevated temperatures can take a physical and mental toll. “It can really throw off your thermoregulation,” said Cheryl. “It is important to make sure you’re eating right, drinking right and getting enough sleep.” Finding time to practice self-care is also critical. “I meditate every morning and take laps around the building or sit outside when I have a moment to step away,” added Mo.

As challenging as their days can be in the operating room, Mo and Cheryl agree that the reward is watching patients progress in their recovery. “I always check on patients when they are on the inpatient unit,” said Mo. “Once they start to turn a corner and get better, it’s very gratifying.”

Shriners Children’s Boston nurses also enjoy reuniting with patients when they return for reconstructive surgery and follow-up treatment. Bonds are formed that last well beyond the day a patient ages out of care. According to Cheryl, being part of their journey is a profound experience. “I’ve cared for patients and gotten invited to their wedding. It’s amazing to follow that whole timeline with them. They become a part of you.”

The inpatient nurses who administer post-surgical care also play a crucial role in a burn patient’s recovery. Tammy Noble, RN, MSN, CPN, CBRN, worked as a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurse for 20 years at Shriners Children’s Boston before recently being named the hospital’s Nursing Professional Development Specialist. “Burn care is a unique specialty and can be challenging,” said Tammy. “One of the great things about our team is we always have each other’s back.”

Rooms on the inpatient floor also have a higher temperature and humidity level as acute burn patients recover from surgery and their skin heals. “It is a physical and mental challenge to gown fully and think through all of the tasks you need to perform when stepping into the room,” explained Tammy. “The emotional piece can also be hard because you want to be there for the family.”

Like Mo and Cheryl, watching patients progress from their initial arrival in the PICU is incredibly rewarding for Tammy. “To see them come back and eventually come full circle after being so sick is why we do what we do,” she said. “In most PICUs you never get to see that.”

Shriners Children’s Boston supports ongoing education and training for burn care nurses, fostering a culture of excellence. A group of nurses, including Tammy and Mo, recently earned the American Burn Association’s newly established burn nurse certification. Experienced nurses like Mo, Cheryl and Tammy serve on committees throughout the hospital and have the added responsibility of precepting, or orienting, new nurses. Nurses are also encouraged to participate in clinical research projects at Shriners Children’s Boston, a unique opportunity that can greatly enhance their practice.

Day in and day out, Shriners Children’s Boston nurses play a pivotal role in delivering successful outcomes for burn patients. Helping children heal and return to their lives is what fuels them, even on the toughest days. “It is amazing to see the resilience of our patients,” said Mo. “They still have the same dreams their peers do, and they always figure out a way to be a kid and do the things they want to do.”