In a manicured garden tucked away off main street, half a dozen volunteers from Palliative & Supportive Care of Nantucket (PASCON) came together to share the colors of spring with those most in need, by preparing bouquets of daffodils for over 40 patients living with serious illnesses throughout Nantucket.

While far from the bedside of patients, the gathering was a moment for these dedicated volunteers to support patients on Nantucket with the level of personal connection and charm that Nantucketers have come to recognize as a key feature of PASCON and the Palliative and Supportive Care Department at Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

“Palliative care is specialized medical care for people impacted by serious illness with the goal of improving quality of life for both the patient and the family,” said Debbie Dolan, Nurse Practitioner and Manager of the Palliative and Supportive Care Department at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. “These volunteers are truly the backbone of the program and are the members providing much of the support to the patients, families caregivers and community, this gesture is just another example of that support.”

The special occasion marked the first time in over two years that the PASCON volunteers had come together, after being limited to video calls and emails since the early days of the pandemic.

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At Nantucket Cottage Hospital, over 100 nurses provide high-quality, compassionate care to keep our island healthy. Their skills and expertise are here for you and your family when you need them.

It wasn’t long after the pandemic began when it became clear Boston-area hospitals couldn’t handle the daily overload of COVID-19 patients – something had to be done. That’s when Jeanette Ives Erickson received a call.

“I received a phone call from Peter Slavin, who was the president of Mass General Hospital at the time,” said Ives Erickson, “and he began to share with me the vision for Boston Hope.”

Dr. Ives Erickson had recently retired from the hospital after more than two decades as its vice president for patient care and chief nurse. But with the country’s largest public health crisis in a century looming, she was being asked by the Mass General Brigham healthcare system to become co-medical and operations director of the new 1,000-bed Boston Hope field hospital to treat overflow patients that area hospitals could not accommodate.

“I knew immediately I need to get into the fight. I think we all felt as if we needed to do something,” said Ives Erickson, Interim President and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital. “I said, ‘I’m in. What do I do now?’”

Ives Erickson and her team quickly hired the people to staff Boston Hope, which was set up at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in the Seaport.

“We hired 1,000 employees – people in our community that could have stayed home because their clinics were closed, their businesses were closed,” said Ives Erickson. “They came to the Convention Center each and every day.”

Over the course of several months, Ives Erickson regularly put in 12-hour days, working with nurses, checking in with patients, and lending her expertise as needed. More than 700 recovering patients and unsheltered homeless individuals were treated at the Boston Hope field hospital.

Then in 2021, Ives Erickson was tapped again, this time to help lead the COVID-19 vaccination site at Mass General Brigham’s Assembly Row headquarters.

“At the time, I didn’t think I did anything special,” said Ives Erickson. “I simply answered the call because that’s what we nurses do.”

For her efforts at the field hospital, as well as for leading the COVID-19 vaccination site, Ives Erickson was recognized as a Nursing Hero by the Massachusetts chapter of the American Red Cross. The second annual Boston Heroes Breakfast was held virtually on March 23.

“I’m not a hero. Let’s start there. I’m not a hero,” said Ives Erickson. “Those providing direct care and the patients themselves are the heroes. I was the facilitator.”

“As I look back on it, being called upon to help the region get through the pandemic with the Boston Hope field hospital and the COVID-19 vaccination site were among the high

lights of my career,” she said. “It is an absolute honor to be recognized this way by such an esteemed organizations as the American Red Cross.”

This is the latest recognition of Ives Erickson’s work during the pandemic. In 2020, she was named to the Boston Business Journal’s Power 50 list of influential leaders “who have met the extraordinary challenges of [the] year head on.”

Last year, she was the only nurse recognized among several physicians and CEOs in a Boston Globe article about female trailblazers in health care during the pandemic.

(February 16, 2022) – Nantucket Cottage Hospital has recently been recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals by the Charis Center for Rural Health.

“This designation is another affirmation that the work our staff is undertaking here at Nantucket Cottage Hospital is paying off and yielding real results for our patients and the entire island community,” said Gary Shaw, President and CEO of Nantucket Cottage Hospital. “Our community can look at this recognition and know that when they step through the doors of NCH, they are receiving the highest quality of care by our team of remarkable clinicians and support staff.”

The recognition marks the first time in NCH’s history it has been recognized as a Top 100 Rural and Community Hospital. The designation is based on eight metrics, ranging from patient outcomes and quality, to cost and financial efficiency.

“Despite unprecedented adversity rural providers continue to display resiliency and a steadfast commitment to their communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Particularly in light of the extraordinary challenges facing America’s rural health safety net.”

The U.S. Census Bureau notes that about 60 million, or one in five, Americans live in rural settings, and are served by rural hospitals. Since 2010, over 130 of these rural hospitals have closed due to challenges such as low patient volume and financial efficiency, issues that have led other rural hospitals to reduce service and limit patient care.

“It’s been a hard few years for rural hospitals,” said Shaw. “Despite the nationwide trend of rural hospitals limiting services, our staff has been able to increase the number of the life changing services offered, here on island, by leveraging our Mass General Brigham affiliation, and attracting a diverse set of new providers and clinicians to Nantucket.”

(February 11, 2022) – Nantucket Cottage Hospital is pleased to announce “ACKs of LOVE,” a two-week community initiative, starting Monday, February 14th, to recognize the immense sacrifice and dedication of hospital staff throughout the pandemic by local businesses and grateful members of our community.

The initiative, fully funded by a small group of anonymous donors, will feature 18 local businesses offering special deals to hospital staff, ranging from free yoga classes and coffee to steep discounts on clothing and massages.

“There has been an overwhelming sense of support for Nantucket Cottage Hospital from the local community”, said Jeanine Borthwick, longtime hospital volunteer and the driving force behind ACKs of LOVE. “We regularly hear and share stories about how well patients and families are treated at Nantucket Cottage Hospital and how grateful everyone is to have this incredible facility filled with top notch professionals. We want to make sure that this gratitude makes its way back to the team at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. This initiative is meant to show our thanks in a tangible way and boost morale for a group of people who have sacrificed so much for our island’s health.”

Throughout the pandemic, the staff at Nantucket Cottage Hospital has been credited with preforming over 51,000 COVID-19 tests, administering over 21,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, and caring for over 400 COVID-19 patients.

“Nantucketers take care of each other, and this is just another example of the unique generous spirit of our island. We are grateful for our dedicated hospital workers as well as the big-hearted local business partners who are supporting ACKs of LOVE,” said Borthwick. “A special thank you to the business owners who are such vital and generous community members – this is Nantucket unity and care at its best,” said Cara McCaffrey, a dedicated volunteer who helped to coordinate ACKs of LOVE.

Thank you to the following businesses for participating in ACKs of LOVE.
Staff: please check your work email for details of each offer. 

• 1111 Nantucket
• The Beet
• Corner Table Cafe
• Dharma Yoga Nantucket
• Erica Wilson
• Erin Hielle
• The Hub
• Flowers on Chestnut
• Fusaro’s Homemade Italian
• Island Kitchen
• Lavender Farm Wellness
• Marine Home Center
• Mitchell’s Book Corner
• The Nantucket Bake Shop
• Nantucket Tap Room
• Nantucket Looms
• Roastd General Store
• Supta Yoga Nantucket