5 nurses working in the identical unit at a Boston-area hospital have been identified with non-cancerous mind tumors, prompting them and their labor union to seek for solutions whereas the medical facility contends it has dominated out an environmental danger for employees there.
In keeping with a press release that Mass Basic Brigham’s Newton-Wellesley hospital offered to NBC10 Boston, the 5 nurses both work or have beforehand labored within the facility’s fifth-floor maternity unit.
The hospital mentioned it interviewed 11 workers members who’ve labored sooner or later on that flooring as a part of an investigation into the nurses and the tumors. Of them, 5 had been identified with mind tumors, all of which had been benign growths, whereas the opposite six had been discovered to produce other well being considerations.
The hospital mentioned it labored with inner and authorities occupational security places of work – and that it consulted exterior environmental consultants.
Officers on the Newton-Wellesley hospital mentioned they gave each workers member who got here ahead the chance to be interviewed by the occupational well being and security staff to guage their diagnoses in relation to their particular person medical historical past and danger elements.
Environmental assessments of the world which started in December “discovered no environmental dangers which could possibly be linked to the event of a mind tumor”, the hospital added.
In a memo, the hospital outlined that it examined the ability’s water, measured radiation ranges, assessed air high quality and carried out different related evaluations.
Newton-Wellesley officers mentioned they introduced their findings to “related stakeholder teams, together with the workers within the unit” and the union representing them, the Massachusetts Nurses Affiliation. And it mentioned the hospital had held boards to satisfy with medical and occupational well being leaders to deal with their questions.
Moreover, the hospital mentioned that it was offering the union with the check outcomes from the investigation – together with these of a number of exterior environmental corporations.
Citing its findings, the hospital added: “We will confidently reassure our devoted staff members … and all our sufferers that there isn’t any environmental danger at our facility.
“As at all times, the well being and wellbeing of our workers, clinicians, and sufferers is our absolute prime precedence.”
Nevertheless, the Massachusetts Nurses Affiliation advised NBC10 Boston that it was persevering with to research the problem.
The union has reported receiving greater than 300 survey responses, emails and phone calls from present nurses, different professionals on the hospital, and former staff.
“It would take a number of weeks to kind by means of the data obtained, vet it, and procure follow-up, together with medical data, if respondents are prepared to supply them,” the union mentioned.
The union additionally maintained that “the hospital solely spoke to a small variety of nurses” and that the hospital’s “environmental testing was not complete”.
It added: “The hospital can’t make this difficulty go away by trying to supply a predetermined conclusion.”
In keeping with NBC Boston, officers from Newton-Wellesley hospital are set to debate the matter in an upcoming city corridor assembly.
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