The state Division of Public Health is “in communication” with Newton-Wellesley Hospital after a reported group of nurses had been identified with mind tumors.
The identified nurses have labored in some unspecified time in the future within the maternal care labor/supply unit on the hospital’s fifth flooring, in line with hospital officers.
As of final week, 11 workers members had been interviewed by the Mass Basic Brigham Occupational Health Service. 5 instances had been decided to be mind tumors of three differing types — all of which had been benign (non-cancerous). The one kind of benign tumor that had multiple case was meningioma.
Six instances had been decided to not be mind tumors, however reasonably different well being issues.
Newton-Wellesley Hospital officers have been assuring workers and sufferers that there’s “no environmental risk” on the facility, whereas the Massachusetts Nurses Affiliation stated it’s nonetheless investigating the scenario.
On Monday, the Herald reached out to the state Division of Public Health in regards to the reported cluster.
“The Department of Public Health is aware of this matter and is in communication with the hospital,” DPH stated in a press release. “The hospital is conducting an internal investigation.”
Newton-Wellesley shared the findings of its investigation with DPH, in line with a hospital spokesperson.
This example on the Mass Basic Brigham facility was first reported by WBZ.
After hospital officers discovered of the reported mind tumors, they carried out an investigation with the Division of Occupational Health and Security, Newton-Wellesley Security Officer, radiation and pharmaceutical security places of work, and exterior environmental consultants.
“The investigation found no environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor,” hospital officers stated in a press release.
“Based on these results, we can confidently reassure our dedicated team members at Mass General Brigham/Newton-Wellesley Hospital and all our patients that there is no environmental risk at our facility,” the officers added. “As always, the health and wellbeing of our staff, clinicians, and patients is our absolute top priority.”
Employees members have raised a number of issues about this cluster of instances. The hospital addressed questions on whether or not mind tumor instances could be associated to: carrying masks in the course of the pandemic, the consuming water, use of x-rays, the pharmacy on the ground under, cleansing merchandise, previous renovations, or mould.
The Massachusetts Nurses Affiliation’s division of well being and security, consisting of occupational well being nurses, is investigating the scenario.
“We do not have a specific number (of nurses) we are releasing now because we are still verifying diagnoses via medical records. We do not have a specific cause as we are still investigating,” a spokesperson for the union stated in a press release.
“We brought this to the hospital in December to urge an investigation by MGB,” the union spokesperson added. “We have been in communication with NWH nurses about this regularly and specifically with nurses who are self-reporting.”
The union spokesperson stated the investigation is targeted on the maternity unit, although they’ve stories from different areas as properly.
“We are engaging with the hospital about their inquiry,” the union spokesperson stated. “They only spoke to a small number of nurses and their environmental testing was not comprehensive. The hospital cannot make this issue go away by attempting to provide a predetermined conclusion.”
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