Patricia Branowicki

1959 - 2014

Patricia A. (Guilbeault) Branowicki

Upton - Patricia Branowicki, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, age 55, passed away on Friday, August 29, 2014, following a long illness. Patti is survived by her husband, Michael F. Branowicki of Upton, Ma, her parents, Aldor (Moe) and Carol Guilbeault, brothers Joseph Guilbeault and his fiance Nancie Langlais, nephew Steven Langlais; James Guilbeault, his wife Brenda and nieces Jessica and Jennifer, sister-in-law Karen and her husband Alan Legere and nephew, Zachary all of Northbridge, Ma; brother Michael Guilbeault, his wife G.Uma and nephew Jake of Great Barrington, RI; and her sister Karen Shugrue, nephew Nicholas, wife Jennifer and niece Ellery, all of Providence, RI.

Branowicki served as Vice President and Associate Chief Nurse for Medicine, Patient Care Services for Boston Children's Hospital, and Associate Chief Nurse for Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She was a beloved and respected member of both hospital communities.

A graduate of Northbridge High School and Saint Vincent Hospital School for Nursing in Worcester, Mass., Branowicki began her career at Beaumont Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center in Northbridge, MA. She also worked as a pediatric staff nurse at Milford-Whitinsville Regional Hospital, in Milford, Mass. She served in progressive clinical leadership roles to follow, including Director of Inpatient Services, before joining Boston Children's in 1997 as an Education & Quality Improvement Specialist. Within her first year at Boston Children's, she was promoted to Director of Nursing/Patient Services for Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation. In 2000, she was appointed Vice President for Medicine Patient Services and Associate Chief Nurse at Boston Children's and Senior Director of Nursing/Patient Services for Pediatric Oncology at Dana-Farber.

Branowicki's career was dedicated to her two great passions: the advancement of Nursing practice and leadership, and the improvement of care for children with chronic illnesses such as cancer and their families. In a high-stress environment, working with some of the most emotionally demanding patient care situations imaginable, she was known for her warmth, humor and confidence. Branowicki's leadership was transformative and inspirational, and her legacy can be seen across Boston Children's, Dana-Farber and well beyond.

Whether she was helping to build a world-class collaborative care practice between Boston Children's and Dana-Farber, or serving as nursing lead in a partnership to build a pediatric cancer hospital in Mexico; whether she was overseeing the pediatric oncology training of more than 500 nurses in developing countries, or the creation of a nurse-led home visit program for the families of children newly diagnosed with cancer, Branowicki was committed to improving the delivery of care, and to sharing those best practices across the country and around the world. She provided consultations in nursing and patient care assessment as well as scientific and clinical reviews to institutions ranging from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Johns Hopkins Hospital, to hospitals and health systems in Iraq, Egypt, Rwanda and the Dominican Republic.

In her constant efforts to improve care, Branowicki always found a way to get to the heart of the issues challenging front line nursing staff-even if that way was through their stomachs. Her "Pizza with Patti" sessions set the standard at Boston Children's for an open, safe forum for staff to candidly discuss what was working well, what wasn't and to develop strategies to transform problems into challenges overcome. She valued new ideas and suggestions and was constantly inspired by the small things Boston Children's and Dana-Farber staff do every day to advance practice and provide quality care to patients and families.

Branowicki received many awards noting the significant impact of her work, including a Partners in Health award for her work with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, and being named a "Champion in Healthcare" by the Boston Business Journal. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Ronald McDonald House, and was a founding member of Boston's Pediatric Oncology Patient Family Advisory Council.

In October 2013, Branowicki was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, one of the most prestigious honors in Nursing, recognizing her as one the nation's top nurse leaders for her significant impact to improve Nursing and health care.

In addition to her work within Boston Children's and Dana Farber, Branowicki was a PhD candidate in Nursing in the Boston College Connell School of Nursing. She passed her candidacy and successfully defended her dissertation proposal this spring while working and navigating her own health challenges. "Patti's impact will be seen and felt far into the future. While her influence as a nurse leader is broad, and her loss is felt deeply by us all, she will be remembered for her commitment to improve the quality of life and outcomes for children and their families living with cancer and chronic illness," says Laura J. Wood, DNP, MS, RN, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Boston Children's. "Patti lived a life of grace, integrity and commitment to others that will long inspire our work within nursing and throughout Boston Children's going forward."

"We will miss Patti terribly. The world of pediatric oncology nurses and the patients and families they serve have lost an extraordinary clinician and leader," adds Pat Reid Ponte, DNSc, RN, FAAN, Chief Nursing Officer at Dana-Farber. "While we are overwhelmed by her loss, we will honor Patti's strength, courage and commitment by carrying her legacy forward and building upon her work to constantly strive to be the best we can be for our patients and families."

Calling hours will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 4 at Carr Funeral Home, 24 Hill Street, Whitinsville, Mass. 01588. Her Funeral Mass is at 11 a.m. Friday, September 5, at St. Peter's Parrish, 39 Church Avenue, Northbridge. Please meet the family at church. Burial will follow in St. Patrick's Cemetery.

In honor of her lifelong dedication to Nursing and the collaborative patient and family care provided by Boston Children's and Dana Farber, her family has asked that donations be made to either hospital: Boston Children's Hospital Trust Institute, 201 Park Dr., Suite 602, Boston, MA 02215 or to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215.

In addition donations to the Patti Branowicki Scholarship Fund at Northbridge Highschool can be made at: Unibank for Savings, 49 Church Street, Whitinsville, MA 01588.

www.carrfuneralhome.com