Nursing Clinical Specialties

Ambulatory practices encompass close to 70 locations, representing more than 35 medical-surgical specialties employing over 2,300 staff.

In addition to the main BIDMC hospital campus in Boston, multi-specialty ambulatory care centers are located in Dorchester (Bowdoin Street), Chelsea, Chestnut Hill, Lexington and Needham.

Our CardioVascular Institute has a legacy of leadership and innovation, with commitment to engaging front-line staff in continuous improvement initiatives. We have over 100 inpatient beds devoted to advanced cardiovascular care including intermediate level of care beds.

We specialize in the care of the patient requiring advanced therapies including:

• Complex cardiac surgery, including heart transplant
• Transcatheter valve repair
• Endovascular and open repair of aneurysms and other aortic conditions
• Lower extremity bypass
• Advanced heart failure management including LVAD and ECMO
• Complex arrhythmia management
• Post-procedure care following stents, devices and ablations

The Cardiac Direct Access Unit (CDAc) offers same day/urgent evaluation of ambulatory patients presenting with cardiac symptoms that are not life-threatening, with access to diagnostic testing, a six bed observation area and diuretic infusion capability.

The Care Transitions team includes nurses specializing in case management and others focusing on utilization review. Working closely with social work colleagues, the team works collaboratively with the patient, family and primary care team to promote effective, fiscally responsible, high-quality care from pre-admission and the emergency department to post-acute care in the community.

The team strives to match the most clinically appropriate plan of care to the patient’s and family’s identified needs and resources, ensuring that all patients get the right care in the right place at the right time.

Nurses in the Clinical Research Center (CRC) at BIDMC practice within the collaborative practice model used by all nurses at BIDMC.

CRC nurses manage the nursing care of research subjects while implementing research study protocols and coordinating services throughout each patient's hospitalization. The CRC nurses offer expertise in a wide variety of clinical disciplines.

BIDMC’s Critical Care Unit features 7 adult intensive care units (ICUs), with 77 beds in total:

• Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
• Combined Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MICU/SICU)
• Trauma Surgical Intensive Care Unit (TSICU)
• Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and Coronary Care Unit (CCU)
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (Neuro ICU)

Our critical care teams have received national recognition for quality and safety.

The Berenson Emergency Department at BIDMC is designed to meet the needs of a high volume of acutely ill or injured patients. It provides comprehensive care for patients having acute cardiovascular events and is a Level I Trauma Center. Our staff treat nearly 55,000 patients annually in a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet the needs of a high-volume of acutely ill or injured patients.

Emergency nurses are part of a multidisciplinary team consisting of physicians, technologists, social workers, case managers and ancillary personnel who work collaboratively to achieve optimal outcomes and patient-centered care.

The Hemodialysis Unit provides care for inpatients with acute and chronic renal failure. The HD unit provides daily and on-call services as needed for the hospitalized patient. All treatments are provided by specially trained hemodialysis RNs.

The Venous Access Team consists of skilled professional nurses, including five vascular access board-certified nurses, who provide 24-hr assistance to the nursing staff for their patients requiring IV therapy.

Our team also includes two PEVA RNs who consult with nursing and hospital staff to ensure appropriate vascular access. We place peripheral IVs, midline catheters and PICCs and consult with the medical and surgical teams regarding all vascular access devices. We also provide support for IV care in all diagnostic areas across two campuses.

All members of the team are available for continuing education, vascular access assessments and troubleshooting.

BIDMC's neuroscience services features the following:

• High-acuity unit with neurology and neurosurgery patients
• Neuroscience Intermediate Care Unit
• Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit
• Epilepsy monitoring unit
• Inpatient care for patients from the Brain Tumor Program
• Care for patients with brain aneurysms, stroke and neurovascular disorders
• Care for patients with multiple sclerosis and demyelinating disorders

Nursing Informatics at BIDMC is a team of nurses who participate in the strategy, design and implementation of clinical systems, advanced technology and innovation at BIDMC to facilitate the integration of technology that supports patient outcomes and clinical decision-making.

Nursing Informatics collaborates with key stakeholders to ensure that cohesive interoperable systems and standards support the Medical Center's safety, quality and regulatory goals and improve communication.

BIDMC's obstetrics service features the following:

• Antepartum, Labor and Delivery and Postpartum Units
• Support by a full-time obstetrical anesthesia service, dedicated ultrasound, central electronic fetal monitoring, blood gas laboratory and full blood bank services
• Tertiary maternal, fetal and newborn care

BIDMC’s oncology service features the following:

• Expert, compassionate patient- and family-centered care
• A global, nationally recognized clinical leader in biological and immunotherapy research
• Providing excellence in evidence-based clinical care
• Fifth largest independent hospital in NIH funding
• Providing the full spectrum of multidisciplinary oncology care for patients in all phases of treatment
• Support for professional development through involvement with ONS (Oncology Nursing Society)

The scope of nursing practice in the perioperative area includes preoperative assessment and planning, intraoperative intervention, post-operative assessment and intervention, discharge planning and documentation to ensure the delivery of safe, outcome-oriented care.

Our practice is developed, implemented and reviewed by the Perioperative Practice and Performance Improvement Committee. Membership includes perioperative leaders and staff.

Staff development opportunities include the Perioperative Program for clinical nurses both with and without perioperative experience. Through this program, perioperative clinical experts provide didactic and clinical orientation and ongoing education. Continuing education programs are designed to reflect and meet the developmental needs of staff.

The Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Unit utilizes a multidisciplinary model to care for patients with a range of psychiatric conditions, including those with:

• A first onset of symptoms
• A recent exacerbation of symptoms
• Medical comorbidity who are in need of intensive psychiatric treatment but not in need of medical admission

We work with our patients to help them achieve a healthier and more stable future using individual, milieu and group treatments, as well as intensive family intervention and comprehensive discharge planning.

BIDMC’s organ transplant teams specialize in the care of heart, kidney, liver and pancreas transplantations.

Our patient population is highly acute and often chronically ill as common diagnoses include end-stage liver and end-stage renal disease.

The Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses (WOCN) at BIDMC are certified through a nationally accredited board to provide evidence-based, state-of-the-art care for inpatients and outpatients with complex wounds, ostomies or continence concerns.

They provide in-depth, pre-operative education and stoma marking for patients planning ostomy surgery, and they continue to support and teach these patients post-operatively and upon discharge. They also educate staff and patients in pressure injury prevention and participate in quarterly pressure injury surveys.