Shelley Townsend, RN, makes a difference for someone new every single day.
As acuity triage manager for the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care at Mass General, Shelley prioritizes the sickest patients coming through the clinic doors with quiet, reassuring confidence and an ever-ready smile. In order to provide the most efficient care possible, she works collaboratively with both the outpatient and inpatient multidisciplinary teams. Shelley is responsible for making sure the clinics continue to operate no matter what challenges arise.
A registered nurse at Mass General for more than 29 years, Shelley began her career in Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic Medical Oncology and Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology in the inpatient setting. In the past five years, she has quickly become an expert in the care of acutely ill oncology patients and transitioned her skills to the outpatient setting. Shelley has earned a well-deserved, hospital-wide reputation as a committed patient advocate and a caring clinician.
“Shelley has managed the Yawkey clinics through blizzards, MBTA outages, and shutdowns of the city in uncertain times,” says Theresa McDonnell, DNP, ACNP-BC. “She always remains compassionate and keeps the patients at the center of everything she does. Shelley has made a difference in hundreds of patients lives and also supports the clinicians in the care they provide.”
