Nurse director at Massachusetts General Hospital expects degree to open doors to new opportunities

As she strode across the stage of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, a beaming Naomi Martel looked out across the crowd to her cheering family. A two-year journey of balancing work and education was complete and the reward — a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the MGH Institute of Health Professions — well worth it. 

“I am so proud of myself,” said Martel. “Before I started this program, I wasn't sure I was going to make it, knowing that I had a full-time job and a family, but I’m so proud knowing what I went through. It was a lot of work.” 

After nearly a quarter century in nursing, Martel could have easily said, “I’ve done enough,”but that’s not who she is. While the career at Massachusetts General Hospital has gone well — she has been nurse director for the past eight years — the mother of two wanted more. 

“Definitely career advancement, education, and professional development,” said Martel as she ticked off what the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree represented. 

Today’s moment was more than just a celebratory milestone; it represents the culmination of years of hard work, resilience, and determination for Martel, who is constantly finding new ways to grow in her role as a leader and as a nurse. She wanted to grow, challenge herself, open doors for the future and deepen her leadership, which is why she turned to the MGH Institute. 

“I spoke to a lot of nurse leaders at MGH who had a DNP degree from the MGH Institute and they all loved the program,” said Martel, who oversees a busy unit with a high-volume patient load. “They all seemed very supportive of the program and my enrolling, and that’s why I became interested.”

Although the program is rigorous — Martel found it incredibly flexible. Classes were held once a week in the evenings, regular support from the faculty, meetings with advisors and occasional in-person sessions. The structure made it possible for her to juggle school, work and home life.

Martel’s journey into nursing wasn’t always set in stone. In fact, she once dreamed of becoming a hotel manager. But it wasn’t until she took a nursing assistant job that everything changed. She felt a real connection with her patients and was amazed by all the knowledge the nurses had to help them provide the best care for their patients. She fell in love with the career and hasn’t looked back since.

Martel’s nursing career grew steadily, starting with an associate degree at Massasoit Community College, then a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UMass Boston, and later a master’s from Northeastern University. But it wasn’t until recently, years into her leadership role, that she decided to pursue her DNP.

“It’s something I wanted to do, just to advance my degree in nursing,” noted Martel. “I’m happy about it because I think that it will also give me opportunities to do different things in leadership.” 

Beyond the academics, Naomi found lasting value in the relationships she built during the program. She shared that one of her biggest takeaways is the importance of networking. She has appreciated connecting with people outside of her organization who have helped open her eyes to different ways of doing things and that she can reach out for advice.

“Mass General has been really good. I don’t think I’m going anywhere,” she shares. “I call this my second home.”

A home with more career possibilities than before. 

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