Five nurses working on the same Boston area hospital floor have developed different types of brain tumors. In total, 11 employees from the Mass General Brigham Newton-Wellesley Hospital working in the maternity unit have presented health issues.
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According to NBC News, five of the employees, all nurses, were diagnosed with benign brain tumors. Reportedly, two of these five nurses have meningioma, which is the most common type of brain tumor, as per the outlet.
A representative from the hospital shared a statement with several outlets, including PEOPLE.
"After we became aware of reported brain tumors in individuals who currently or previously had worked in the same area of the hospital, we conducted an extensive investigation in collaboration with the Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Newton-Wellesley Safety Officer, radiation and pharmaceutical safety offices, and external environmental consultants," the statement reads.
The statement revealed that the Occupational Health and Safety team interviewed and evaluated each staff member "in the context of their individual medical history and risk factors." Additionally, the hospital began "comprehensive environmental assessments following CDC guidelines" back in December. The results of these assessments found no environmental risk at the hospital.
The hospital also shared a "Fifth Floor Work Environment Q&A" that detailed the aforementioned diagnosed brain tumors. They also addressed concerns regarding portable X-ray machines. They stated that it was not possible that the machine radiation might have harmed their health. The hospital stated that long-term mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic and N95 respirator decontamination did not contribute to health issues. Finally, the hospital is awaiting test results on the water and ice machines.
Concerns Raised
Despite the results of the assessments, the Massachusetts Nursing Association (MNA) questioned the way the assessments were performed.
"The hospital only spoke to a small number of nurses and their environmental testing was not comprehensive," the MNA said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. "The hospital cannot make this issue go away by attempting to provide a predetermined conclusion."
Furthermore, the MNA has received medical concerns from several Newton-Wellesley staff members. According to the associations, they have over "300 survey responses, emails, and telephone calls" from nurses, other staff members, and former employees.
"While we currently cannot release specific numbers or other diagnosis information, we are committed to being transparent about our findings when we have finished verifying the information we collect," the MNA statement concluded. "Completing this step-by-step process is critical to providing the support Newton-Wellesley nurses deserve."
