WHGH recognizes our incredible team of nurses as we celebrate National Nursing Week
West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH) is celebrating its dedicated nursing teams during National Nursing Week, which takes place this year from May 8 to 14.
National Nursing Week is celebrated every May to coincide with the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This year’s theme is Our Nurses, Our Future, which was developed by the Canadian Nurses Association to highlight the critical role of nurses in a patient’s healthcare journey.
At WHGH, we are thankful for our nurse’s commitment to providing the highest standards of care and for working tirelessly to keep our community safe year after year. Our nursing teams dedicate their lives to help and save others.
“We are so grateful for our phenomenal team of nurses who provide extraordinary caring to patients and their families every day,” said Kim Mullins, Vice-President Clinical and Chief Nursing Executive. “Nurses hold many roles in our organizations, with a vast array of expertise and experience. Our nurses demonstrate commitment to continual improvement in order to provide the best-evidenced care possible to our community, and I am inspired by their courage, dedication, compassion, and accomplishments.”
“Every year, our nurses provide care for thousands of people in the Haldimand community and surrounding areas,” said Todd Stepanuik, President and Chief Executive Officer. “They treat patients when ill, give them hope when they are doubtful, and give sound advice and compassionate care that we would want for our friends and family. Our nurses contribute to all aspects of WHGH’s work to provide safe, quality healthcare to our patients and residents, and I am honoured to recognize their contributions.”
WHGH would also like to extend our thanks to nurses who have retired in the past year and express our gratitude to nurses who helped mentor the next generation.
To celebrate National Nursing Week, we will be sharing and highlighting our nurses on our social media as a way to thank them for the countless contributions they have made at WHGH and to our community this past year.
If you have a chance to say thank you to a nurse, this week is a good opportunity.
About National Nursing Week
National Nursing Week draws attention to nurses, increasing the awareness of the public, policy-makers and governments of the many contributions of nursing to the well-being of Canadians. The week is celebrated annually in Canada during the second week of May, which falls over the birthday of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale on May 12.
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Meet Shelley, a nurse practitioner (NP) at West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH).
It’s National Nurses Week, and we’re celebrating our incredible nurses, like Shelley, who provide high-quality, patient-centered primary and acute care to their patients.
Shelley plays a crucial role at the COVID, Cold, and Flu Care Clinic by providing treatment for people with COVID-19 and other cold and flu-like illnesses.
“As a Nurse Practitioner, I am able to greet patients and assess them in a timely manner and provide treatment options,” said Shelley. “This provides primary access to care when family doctors are not available or the services of the Emergency Department are not necessarily needed. This in turns decreases wait times and improves patient satisfaction.”
With their advanced education and training, NPs take a leadership role in health promotion and illness prevention, providing patients with a complete and effective care plan.
For Shelley, she strives to make a positive difference in the lives of every patient she provides care for.
“Providing patient care with a holistic approach is important to me, said Shelley, a proud nurse of over 32-years. Valuing the patient’s perspective of illness and building on that with my assessment and approach is integral. It’s about improving their quality of life.”
Shelley says the best part about working at WHGH is working alongside her talented team.
“The best part is the incredible people I work with. The camaraderie, and team work is second to none. When a patient goes home satisfied, that is a great feeling.”
Thank you, Shelley, for your dedication and care and for helping patients stay healthy over the past 30-years. Happy National Nurses Week! Thanks for all that you do. We are so fortunate to have you on our team.
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Meet Courtney, a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) at West Haldimand General Hospital’s (WHGH) Same Day Surgery Unit.
For the past five years, Courtney has provided patients and families with extraordinary care at WHGH. And we are proud to recognize Courtney during National Nurses Week for her commitment to providing the highest standards of care to patients in the communities we serve.
Courtney assists patients at our Same Day Surgery Unit by helping individuals prepare for their procedure or simply answering their questions or concerns before surgery. Courtney also works closely with surgeons to ensure patients receive the best experience possible.
“Working in the Same Day Surgery Department, we help our patients get through their experience of having a day surgery by supporting them, and helping to calm any fears and anxieties they may have surrounding their procedure,” said Courtney, a proud RPN of eight years. “We want to ensure that they are comfortable throughout their time with us.”
One of Courtney’s favourite aspects of the job is working alongside her talented team at WHGH to assist patients undergoing surgical procedures.
“I chose to work at WHGH because it is a small-town hospital serving a wonderful community of people. Everyone I have encountered since I started working here has been so kind and friendly! I love working alongside the perioperative team at WHGH. We have an incredible group of health professionals who come together to serve this community.”
Courtney was inspired to become a nurse after following in the footsteps of her mom, who was a nurse for many years.
“To me, patient care means supporting people during their most vulnerable times and helping them overcome hardships while in our care. It means treating our patients with compassion, dignity, and respect. Ultimately, it means being able to listen, encourage, and advocate to provide the best quality patient care.”
Thank you, Courtney, for leading by example and for your dedication and care to helping patients at West Haldimand General Hospital. We’re fortunate to have you on the team. Happy National Nursing Week.
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Meet Jacqueline, a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) and a Discharge Planner at West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH).
It’s National Nursing Week, and we’re celebrating our dedicated nurses like Jacqueline, who has been caring for patients for nearly 20 years!
Jacqueline knew at an early age that wanted to be a nurse. Jacqueline spent the first three years of her healthcare career as Personal Support Worker (PSW), before becoming an RPN nearly 15 years ago at WHGH.
“This is my home town, said Jacqueline. “I’m invested in this hospital and community. Our little hospital is faced with so many challenges that larger hospitals would never understand. We do amazing work with incredibly limited resources. I work with an amazing team throughout the organization. It’s an amazing community that supports each other. It’s been a privilege to serve alongside so many truly beautiful people and learn from some of the best colleagues.”
Jacqueline is one of the skilled, caring team members, who work with all members of the healthcare team to help facilitate a patient’s discharge and communicates the patient’s overall needs to ensure they receive the best possible care when they return home.
“Some of the obstacles I face are the realization that patients aren’t safe to return home to their current living situation. We then look at alternatives such as in-home services, retirement home, transitional care home, and long-term care placement. I strive every day to provide the best possible outcome for patients. Patient care focuses on the patient as a whole rather than the diagnosis, treating every patient as an individual.”
Thank you, Jacqueline, for all that you do, every day and Happy National Nursing Week! We are very fortunate to have you on our team!
