Jennifer Mills Tamasi
May 2026
Jennifer
Mills Tamasi
,
DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Yawkey 8E
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston
,
MA
United States
She listens carefully when issues are raised, takes concerns seriously, and follows through with thoughtful action.
Jenn has had a meaningful impact on our ability to provide excellent, compassionate care at the bedside. She is a strong advocate for our team and consistently encourages nurses to pursue certifications and continue their education. By supporting our professional growth and believing in our potential, she helps us build the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to provide the highest level of care to our patients.

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Jenn is a highly valued and deeply respected Nurse Director of a busy infusion unit operating at full patient capacity, supported by a large team of nurses and staff, and preparing for a major transition into a new building next year. Despite the scale and complexity of her responsibilities, Jenn consistently upholds the highest standards of patient care while remaining approachable, supportive, and grounded. Her sense of humor is disarming and creates an environment in which staff feel comfortable approaching her with questions, concerns, and ideas. Jenn leads with fairness and integrity. She treats every team member with equal respect, never showing favoritism or offering special treatment. She listens carefully when issues are raised, takes concerns seriously, and follows through with thoughtful action. She is deeply committed to what matters most to her staff-primary nursing, safe patient assignments, and maintaining high standards of care-and works tirelessly to preserve and strengthen these priorities.

In my 20 years at MGH, Jenn's approachability and trustworthiness are unmatched. She is a tireless advocate for her staff, not only asking about our professional goals but actively supporting us in achieving them. She successfully balances the operational demands of the cancer center with a genuine understanding of the individual strengths, skills, and personalities of her team.

Jenn has cultivated a unit culture that strikes the perfect balance between clinical excellence and a strong sense of support, respect, and compassion. She fosters a "we're all in this together" mindset that resonates across the team. She is highly visible and engaged, leading daily huddles, hosting weekly staff meetings, and making a point to connect with staff across all areas of the unit to understand both successes and challenges.

She sets clear expectations for professionalism, communication, and behavior across all roles, and holds everyone to those standards with fairness and consistency. Jenn is sincere, honest, and transparent in her communication. Whether speaking with frontline staff or senior leadership, she maintains the same level of respect and integrity. She is willing to deliver difficult truths when necessary, always with thoughtfulness and fairness, and you can trust that what she says to staff is exactly what she communicates behind the scenes.
Even while managing long hours and countless competing priorities, Jenn remains calm, steady, and present. She never makes you feel that your concerns are less important, no matter how busy she may be. Her leadership exemplifies approachability, advocacy, honesty, and an unwavering commitment to both staff and patient care.

Jenn leads by example, inspiring those around her to strive for excellence in their own roles. Her leadership qualities have a lasting impact on the unit's culture, encouraging all of us to meet shared goals and uphold the highest standards. The future of nursing is in exceptionally capable and trustworthy hands with Jenn at the helm.

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I am writing to nominate Jenn for the DAISY Leader Award. Jenn leads 2 units, both undergoing significant changes not only in MGB integration workflows but also in their locations of practice. She has been leading the staff through this process with sensitivity, aware of the stress that change can trigger. Jenn is open and honest with the staff about the future. She has kept them up to date with information when she has it and welcomes questions or feedback.

She has encouraged staff to participate in planning and forming workgroups to talk through the details around patient arrival, movement, and discharge. Jenn makes herself available to her staff despite her busy schedule. She is kind but firm when the situation requires it, always balancing the needs of the unit or patient with those of the staff. When there is a dispute, she listens to both sides and mediates objectively, not inserting her own opinion but rather helping to work towards a resolution. I have witnessed her having some very difficult conversations, and she leads them with kindness, professionalism, and consideration.

Jenn advocates for her staff, whether it be regarding budget and staffing or rethinking vacation requests so that staff can get their well-deserved time off throughout the year. Jenn encourages professional development. She supports conference attendance and special projects in the unit. She coordinated a workshop for our staff to build their portfolios for the clinical recognition program. Additionally, she worked with our NPS team to facilitate a homegrown oncology nursing review course to help staff study and successfully earn their OCN (Oncology Certified Nurse).

Jenn is thoughtful in her approach to our patients, staff, and fellow leaders. Some leaders quickly say no to clinical or personal requests. Rarely does Jenn say no; rather, she says, 'let's think about how we can make that work.' The vast majority of the time, she figures it out. I have personally learned from watching her in her leadership role. Jenn truly exemplifies a DAISY Nursing Leader. I am proud to nominate Jenn and would encourage you to strongly consider her for this recognition.