MGH Institute Clinical Professor Mertie Potter Wins Book of the Year Award

Online, February 11, 2012 (Newswire.com) - A book co-authored by Mertie L. Potter, DNP, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, a Clinical Professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions School of Nursing, has been chosen as one of the 2011 American Journal of Nursing Books of the Year.

"Palliative Care Nursing: Caring for Suffering Patients," was one of just three books listed in the Hospice and Palliative Care category by the nursing publication.

Rich in case studies, pictures, and reflections on nursing practice and life experiences, the book delves into key topics such as how to identify when a patient is suffering, whether they are coping, sources of coping facades, what to do to ease suffering, and how to convey the extent of suffering to members of the health care team.

"The book was written from our observations that nurses bear witness to a great deal of suffering across the lifespan and across all settings," said Dr. Potter, who wrote the book with three former colleagues at St. Anselm College.

Dr. Potter, who has taught at the MGH Institute since 2009, says the book can be used by both students and nurse professionals.

"It can be used in a course to help nursing students get a feeling for what patients and their families endure," explained Dr. Potter, "but nurses also can use it to help patients express their suffering so they can receive better care."

MGH Institute of Health Professions, founded by Massachusetts General Hospital in 1977, is an innovative and independent graduate school in Boston that operates within the frame¬work of Partners HealthCare. A progressive leader in developing compre¬hensive models of health care education, the MGH Institute prepares advanced practice professionals in the fields of nursing, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and medical imaging through a distinctive combination of academic study, clinical practice, and research. More than 1,100 students are enrolled in graduate level and certificate programs, with an increasing number of courses available online. The Institute is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
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[Editors: Our style preference is to not spell out 'MGH' on a first reference to our name, as it incorrectly implies the Institute is a department within the hospital. Alternately, we recommend, "MGH Institute of Health Professions, a graduate school founded by Massachusetts General Hospital ..."]