Title: Registered Nurse

Company: Massachusetts General Hospital

Location: Boston, MA

Boston, Massachusetts | November 17, 2010 | Donna M. Furlong, RN, BSN, Registered Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, has been recognized by Elite American Nurses for her dedication, devotion and leadership in all aspects of nursing.

An expert in postoperative cardiac surgery nursing, Ms. Furlong cares for heart-transplant patients. At Massachusetts General Hospital Ms. Furlong also builds relationships with patients and their families and she mentors and guides critical care nurses and new graduates. The greatest reward of her position is having the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of patients and their families. She enjoys watching the relationships between patients and families thrive through struggling circumstances. With over 38 years of experience in nursing, Ms. Furlong attributes her success to her strong will and determination. A person who has always handled crises well, Ms. Furlong chose a career in critical care nursing because of the fast pace.

Ms. Furlong is guided by the belief in a shared humanity, and embraces the essence of nursing not as something you do, but rather a translation of something you are. She is fueled by the enthusiasm brought in by each new generation of nurses and adheres to the mantra; “New nurses are our future, and we need to be committed to their success.” With her perseverance, Ms. Furlong has been able to succeed in nursing and she advises others who are looking to enter the nursing field to always ask questions. When you ask questions it shows that you are paying attention and you value the expertise of your teacher.

Ms. Furlong earned a registered nurse designation at Cooley Dickinson Hospital School of Nursing in 1973 and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Salem State College (now Salem State University) in 1984. She is certified as a new graduate critical care nurse preceptor from Massachusetts General Hospital, certified in project team electronic medication administration program and patient safety, and a certified training team for the cardiac surgery unit at North Shore Medical Center. She has retained affiliations with the Cardiac Nursing Practice Committee from 2006-2010, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi in 1984, Sigma Theta Tau International in 1984, and the Nursing Honor Society at Salem State College in 1983. Always dedicated to the care and treatment of her patients, Ms. Furlong has been honored with various awards and recognitions for her devotion to nursing, including Nurse of the Year and Distinguished Nurse of the Year in 2010 from Cambridge Who’s Who® publishing, Clinical Scholar from the Clinical Recognition Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2008, Two-Time Recipient of the Award for Excellence in Action from the cardiac surgery intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2004 and 2007, Individual Partners in Excellence Award in 2003, and Partners in Excellence Award in 2001 from the cardiac surgery intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital.

In addition to her nursing career, Ms. Furlong raised her two children on her own after her husband passed when they were young and she devoted any free time she had to volunteering to help others. Throughout her career she has lent her skills to help others including volunteering with the Center for Cancer Risk Analysis at Massachusetts General Hospital since 1995, the Greater River Valley Medical Reserve Corps from 2006 to the present, hurricane Katrina recovery work at Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc. in New Orleans in 2008, Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network, and Friends Fighting Breast Cancer.

Contact Donna M. Furlong RN BSN