Latest news with #SandyMuse
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Multiple nurses working on the same floor of busy hospital develop brain tumors
At least five nurses working on the same floor of a Boston-area hospital have been diagnosed with brain tumors, and they're looking for answers. The nurse's union at the hospital, the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), told Fox News Digital in a statement that it is actively supporting nurses at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, "who have brought forward serious medical concerns, focused on brain tumor diagnoses on the 5th floor maternity unit." "We recognize that nurses and many other people want immediate information about the situation," the MNA continued. "This urgency comes from a place of concern for the health of nurses, their families, and patients — an urgency that we share." The MNA further said it is working to "complete an independent, scientific investigation" into the diagnoses. Nc State Alumni Report 150+ Cancer Cases Possibly Stemming From Contaminants In Shut-down Campus Building "That effort is underway and may take additional weeks," the MNA said. "The investigation is being conducted by the MNA's division of health and safety, consisting of occupational health nurses, in collaboration with the Newton-Wellesley nurses." Read On The Fox News App In addition, the nurses' union said it has received more than 300 survey responses, emails and phone calls from current and former nurses, as well as other current and former hospital employees, regarding their health concerns. 105 People Diagnosed With Rare Cancers Are Allegedly Linked To A Nj High School, Survivor Seeks Answers Newton-Wellesely reportedly conducted its own exam in December and found that through April, 11 staff members who worked, at some point and to varying degrees, on the fifth floor of the hospital, had been interviewed by the hospital's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), according to a memo obtained by The hospital determined that five cases were benign brain tumors of three different types, and six cases were determined not to be brain tumors at all but other health concerns, according to the memo. New Jersey Township Investigating Mysterious 'Time Cohort' Cancer Cluster That May Be Linked To High School The investigation further "found no environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor," Jonathan Sonis, associate chief medical officer, and Sandy Muse, chief nursing officer, said in a statement to "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 statement continued. "As always, the health and wellbeing of our staff, clinicians, and patients is our absolute top priority." The OHS review did find that there were 668 X-rays performed with portable machines on the fifth floor of Newton-Wellesley between 2020 and 2024, doubling the risk of radiation exposure compared to normal daily radiation exposure for nurses standing approximately one meter from the machine, according to "Even if a staff member had been present for all of these X-rays, however, they would not have absorbed this much exposure (i.e., one meter from the machine) as we utilize appropriate X-ray safety techniques throughout the hospital," the memo obtained by the outlet states. Newton-Wellesley did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital. The MNA said it is working with the hospital, which it says "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," the MNA added. "While we currently cannot release specific numbers or other diagnosis information, we are committed to being transparent about our findings when we have finished verifying the information we collect. "Completing this step-by-step process is critical to providing the support Newton-Wellesley nurses deserve."Original article source: Multiple nurses working on the same floor of busy hospital develop brain tumors
Fox News
10-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Multiple nurses working on the same floor of busy hospital develop brain tumors
At least five nurses working on the same floor of a Boston-area hospital have been diagnosed with brain tumors, and they're looking for answers. The nurse's union at the hospital, the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), told Fox News Digital in a statement that it is actively supporting nurses at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, "who have brought forward serious medical concerns, focused on brain tumor diagnoses on the 5th floor maternity unit." "We recognize that nurses and many other people want immediate information about the situation," the MNA continued. "This urgency comes from a place of concern for the health of nurses, their families, and patients — an urgency that we share." The MNA further said it is working to "complete an independent, scientific investigation" into the diagnoses. "That effort is underway and may take additional weeks," the MNA said. "The investigation is being conducted by the MNA's division of health and safety, consisting of occupational health nurses, in collaboration with the Newton-Wellesley nurses." In addition, the nurses' union said it has received more than 300 survey responses, emails and phone calls from current and former nurses, as well as other current and former hospital employees, regarding their health concerns. Newton-Wellesely reportedly conducted its own exam in December and found that through April, 11 staff members who worked, at some point and to varying degrees, on the fifth floor of the hospital, had been interviewed by the hospital's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), according to a memo obtained by The hospital determined that five cases were benign brain tumors of three different types, and six cases were determined not to be brain tumors at all but other health concerns, according to the memo. The investigation further "found no environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor," Jonathan Sonis, associate chief medical officer, and Sandy Muse, chief nursing officer, said in a statement to "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 statement continued. "As always, the health and wellbeing of our staff, clinicians, and patients is our absolute top priority." The OHS review did find that there were 668 X-rays performed with portable machines on the fifth floor of Newton-Wellesley between 2020 and 2024, doubling the risk of radiation exposure compared to normal daily radiation exposure for nurses standing approximately one meter from the machine, according to "Even if a staff member had been present for all of these X-rays, however, they would not have absorbed this much exposure (i.e., one meter from the machine) as we utilize appropriate X-ray safety techniques throughout the hospital," the memo obtained by the outlet states. Newton-Wellesley did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital. The MNA said it is working with the hospital, which it says "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," the MNA added. "While we currently cannot release specific numbers or other diagnosis information, we are committed to being transparent about our findings when we have finished verifying the information we collect. "Completing this step-by-step process is critical to providing the support Newton-Wellesley nurses deserve."
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
5 nurses on same floor of Boston-area hospital develop brain tumors
Five nurses who worked on the same floor of a Boston-area hospital have all developed brain tumors. In total, 11 members of the fifth-floor maternity unit at Mass General's Newton-Wellesley Hospital have reported suffering from health issues, including the nurses diagnosed with the benign tumors. Two of those have the most common, benign type — meningioma — according to the hospital, which is located about 10 miles west of Boston. The hospital did not provide specifics regarding the conditions of the other six staffers, saying only that they suffered from unspecified health issues, NBC reported. In response to the cluster, the Newton hospital launched an investigation 'in collaboration with the Department of Occupational Health and Safety,' but did not uncover any 'environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor,' Jonathan Sonis, the hospital's associate chief medical officer, and Sandy Muse, chief nursing officer, said in a statement to the network. The probe ruled out the water supply, disposable masks, nearby X-rays and chemotherapy treatment on the floor below as potential triggers, the hospital added. 'Every staff member who came forward was given the opportunity to be interviewed by the Occupational Health and Safety team to evaluate each diagnosis in the context of their individual medical history and risk factors,' the statement continued. 'As always, the health and well-being of our staff, clinicians, and patients is our absolute top priority.' But the Massachusetts Nurses Association has taken issue with the conclusion, claiming the hospital's review of the environmental factors was 'not comprehensive,' NBC Boston reported. The union added that it has begun looking into the matter on its own. 'The hospital cannot make this issue go away by attempting to provide a predetermined conclusion,' MNA said in a statement.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
5 nurses who work on the same floor at Massachusetts hospital have brain tumors
A Boston-area hospital is investigating after five nurses who have worked on the same floor have developed brain tumors. Mass General Brigham Newton-Wellesley Hospital said that in total, 11 employees from the fifth-floor maternity unit identified health concerns. Five had brain tumors, all of which are benign. Two of those have the most common, benign type — meningioma, according to the hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, which is about 10 miles west of Boston. 'The investigation found no environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor,' the hospital's Jonathan Sonis, associate chief medical officer, and Sandy Muse, chief nursing officer, said in a statement. The hospital said its investigation was completed in collaboration with government health and safety officials and it considered multiple possible sources. It ruled out disposable masks, the water supply, nearby x-rays, and chemotherapy treatment on the floor below, the hospital said. 'Based on these results, we can confidently reassure our dedicated team ... and all our patients that there is no environmental risk at our facility," the administrators said. The Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union that bargains for nurses' compensation at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, said it will continue to investigate. "Right now, the best way we can help is to complete an independent, scientific investigation," MNA spokesperson Joe Markman said in a statement Friday. "That effort is underway and may take additional weeks." The union indicated that nurses came forward with workplace health concerns, which led to the discovery of those with tumors. 'The hospital only spoke to a small number of nurses, and their environmental testing was not comprehensive,' he said in his statement. 'The hospital cannot make this issue go away by attempting to provide a predetermined conclusion.' A spokesperson for a state agency was unable to provide conclusive information on the matter by deadline. Federal occupational health and safety officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The American Cancer Society says that in order to meet the definition of a cancer cluster, occurrences must be the same type, in the same area, with the same cause, and affecting a number of people that's "greater than expected" when a baseline for occurrences is established. 'Nearly 4 out of 10 people in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes," the society said on its cancer clusters webpage. "So, it's not uncommon for several people in a relatively small area to develop cancer around the same time." This article was originally published on
NBC News
05-04-2025
- Health
- NBC News
5 nurses who work on the same floor at Massachusetts hospital have brain tumors
A Boston-area hospital is investigating after five nurses who have worked on the same floor have developed brain tumors. Mass General Brigham Newton-Wellesley Hospital said that in total, 11 employees from the fifth-floor maternity unit identified health concerns. Five had brain tumors, all of which are benign. Two of those have the most common, benign type — meningioma, according to the hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, which is about 10 miles west of Boston. 'The investigation found no environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor,' the hospital's Jonathan Sonis, associate chief medical officer, and Sandy Muse, chief nursing officer, said in a statement. The hospital said its investigation was completed in collaboration with government health and safety officials and it considered multiple possible sources. It ruled out disposable masks, the water supply, nearby x-rays, and chemotherapy treatment on the floor below, the hospital said. 'Based on these results, we can confidently reassure our dedicated team ... and all our patients that there is no environmental risk at our facility," the administrators said. The Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union that bargains for nurses' compensation at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, said it will continue to investigate. "Right now, the best way we can help is to complete an independent, scientific investigation," MNA spokesperson Joe Markman said in a statement Friday. "That effort is underway and may take additional weeks." The union indicated that nurses came forward with workplace health concerns, which led to the discovery of those with tumors. 'The hospital only spoke to a small number of nurses, and their environmental testing was not comprehensive,' he said in his statement. 'The hospital cannot make this issue go away by attempting to provide a predetermined conclusion.' A spokesperson for a state agency was unable to provide conclusive information on the matter by deadline. Federal occupational health and safety officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The American Cancer Society says that in order to meet the definition of a cancer cluster, occurrences must be the same type, in the same area, with the same cause, and affecting a number of people that's "greater than expected" when a baseline for occurrences is established. 'Nearly 4 out of 10 people in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes," the society said on its cancer clusters webpage."So, it's not uncommon for several people in a relatively small area to develop cancer around the same time."
