Throughout the past year, Boston Globe Health/Science reporter Scott Allen spent countless hours in the MGH's Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) shadowing two nurses, Michelle "MJ" Pender, RN, and Julia Zelixon, RN.

The two were participating in the MGH New Graduate Critical Care Nursing Program - MJ as a preceptor, and Julia as her new graduate preceptee. As MJ mentored Julia throughout the six-month program, Scott was able to observe, listen and learn about their practice firsthand.

The result is a four-part series of articles based upon Scott's observations at the frontlines of critical care nursing.

Scott Allen and Michele McDonald discuss their experiences at Mass. General. (7 mins. 20 secs.)
Left click the link above to listen, right click to download it.

Links to the articles
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Part One - A crash course in saving lives
Photo Gallery One

Part Two - As a patient's needs multiply, the lessons become intense
Photo Gallery Two

Part Three - Trauma case puts her capacity for clear-headedness to the test
Photo Gallery Three

Part Four - Time comes to perform on her own