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FRAMINGHAM – The Chief Nursing Officer at MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham is leaving.

Multiple staff members inside the hospital informed SOURCE, that Chief Nursing Officer Daniel Wright told the hospital’s leadership and managers of his resignation today, January 13.

Wright was hired in May of 2022. He joined MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham from Arnot Health where he served as sChief Nursing Officer. Prior to that he was Chief Nursing Officer at HCA Healthcare’s Oak Hill Hospital in Brooksville, Florida. In that role, he led a significant improvement in patient experience scores and a reduction of turnover among nursing.

Unfortunately, Framingham Union Hospital has had a huge turnover of staff. Both the Labor & Delivery and the ICU/CCU/CVU each have lost more than a dozen nurses in the last 12 months.

Wright was the third Chief Nursing Officer at MetroWest Medical Center/Framingha, Union Hospital since 2018.

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He replaced Susan A. Mangini, who had the role since February 2019.

Prior to Mangini, former CEO of MetroWest Medical Center Drew Harding was Chief Nursing Officer.

MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham has diverted ambulances for the past three consecutive weekends, due to a shortage of nurses and staff in their labor & delivery unit. The chair of the department recently submitted his resignation, too.

Last month, the Tenet Healthcare-owned hospital combined the ICU/CCU & CVU united due to a shortage of nurses and staff.

MetroWest Medical Center closed the pediatrics unit at Framingham Union during the pandemic in 2020.

Last year, the hospital tried to close it Cancer Care Center, until Senate President Karen Spilka, and local leaders pushed for an alternative solution.

Next week, Tufts Medical Center will take over the Cancer Center in Framingham from Tenet Healthcare.

Staff have told the digital news outlet they are worried that Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare wants to close the labor & delivery unit at Framingham Union Hospital.

Staff also are worried that the current staffing levels are dangerously low that patient safety is at risk.

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Every time labor & delivery is closed maternity patients either have to give birth in the emergency room and then be transferred to another hospital or the ambulance has to take them to another hospital to give birth.

Tenet is advertising for nurses. It is offering a $20,000 bonus and $100 an hour shifts.

For three weeks Tenet Healthcare has been quiet, not answering requests for a statement about the ambulance diversions, but yesterday afternoon, it did issue a statement.

“Over the holidays, MetroWest Medical Center experienced unanticipated staffing challenges that impacted the labor and delivery service. We took immediate action for the safety of our patients including adding resources and support. The labor and delivery service is fully staffed and able to welcome families choosing our hospital for the birth of their babies,” said the entire statement.

That same statement was sent to all MetroWest Medical Center staff by Center CEO David Elgarico.

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This month, Leonard Morse Hospital, part of MetroWest Medical Center, began advertising for a Chief Operating Officer. The Natick behavioral healthcare facility is also short staffed, which means some units are not open.

Last week, the 11-member Framingham City Council and Mayor Charlie Sisitsky spent more than 30 minutes discussing the crisis at MetroWest Medical Center.

“It’s a serious problem and I’m not convinced that the hospital is doing everything they can to correct the problem. And it’s something that I’m going to be bringing it up at our next meeting with our legislative delegation that they should know about what’s going on because they would have more authority to look into it than us. But it is a serious problem and I think we need to pay attention to it,” said Mayor Sisitsky to the 11-member Framingham City Council earlier this month.

“We need our (state) delegation to come forward and understand that this is critical,” said District 8 Framingham City Councilor John Stefanini. “To me it amounts to constructive closure, which is in violation of the state statute. It’s in violation of their order from the Department of Public Health.”

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“I got a couple anonymous calls. I got a couple emails, and my wife has friends that work there because that’s where she started her career. And whatever you heard, it’s worse is all I’m going to tell you. It’s worse than what we’re hearing,” said City Council Chair Phil Ottaviani Jr. “Tenet just doesn’t seem to care. They really just don’t seem to care. We found that out with the Cancer Center. … It is a big problem.”

SOURCE asked Gov. Maura Healey and Senate President Karen Spilka about the staffing problems at MetroWest Medical Center whne they came to the City of Framingham on Thursday. They both said addressing the shortage of healthcare workers is a priority.

By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.