WHGH Spotlight: Dedicated nurse honoured to be nominated for nursing excellence award
Some people are just born to be nurses. Nicole Hogeterp, a registered nurse (RN) at West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH), is one of those people.
“When I decided that I wanted to become a nurse, I always knew I wanted to use my career to serve the community that I was born and raised in,” said Nicole. “I love that working at West Haldimand General Hospital has allowed me to fulfill this dream of giving back to the community that has been such a gift to me throughout my life.”
Not long after Nicole was hired at WHGH in 2017, she became a charge nurse on the Inpatient Unit (IPU). In her role, Nicole works with all members of the healthcare team to help facilitate patient admissions and discharges as well as communicate the patient’s overall needs to ensure they receive the best possible care possible.
Nicole’s passion for wanting to help people is what prompted her to choose her career in nursing in the first place. Throughout her five years at WHGH, Nicole has provided comfort for many people in difficult times. She’s also helped countless patients get well, healthy, and their life back on track.
“Patient care to me is about caring for a person as a whole, doing all that I can to meet their dynamic and ever-changing physical, emotional, spiritual & psychosocial needs. As a nurse on the IPU, I help patients meet their goals of physical recovery, navigate the health care system and help connect them with resources in the community to continue meeting their care needs once they leave our hospital. I’ve come to learn throughout my career that being a nurse is not just about the daily tasks we complete, but also the things that are not quite as tangible, being a comforter, a listener, an advocate, and a source of encouragement. Those are the things that make all the difference in the patient experience.”
This past May, WHGH presented its first-ever Kelly Currie Nursing Excellence Award to Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Darlene Kuhn.
The award celebrates a nurse who demonstrates core behaviors and values that include role modeling, inspiring others, creativity, fostering accountability, creating a spirit of community, showing passion and commitment to improving the quality of care, and leading by example.
Unbeknown to Nicole, she was one of seven nurses nominated for the award.
Here is what Nicole’s nominator had to say about her:
“Nicole started at WHGH as soon as she graduated Nursing. Nicole was quickly put into a charge nurse role and she demonstrated great leadership skills and can always be counted on when help is needed. Nicole consistently shows core behaviour and values in her nursing as well as her love for her hospital and the community that she lives in with her family. Nicole was raised in the area and is focused on family experiences and considers each patient and their unique needs and really works hard with all team members and families for strong patient outcomes.
Nicole always faces nursing challenges in a positive and professional way. Nicole always encourages others to learn new skills and would help guide and foster learning experiences supporting good outcomes for staff, patients, and their hospital experiences.
Nicole and Kelly had a strong working relationship. They had like ideas for patients, families, and staff.
I think Nicole is very deserving of the Kelly Currie Award.“
Nicole says just being nominated for the first-ever Kelly Currie Nursing Excellence Award is an incredible honour.
“I was lucky enough to start my career with Kelly as my manager, and I know for a fact that I would not be the nurse that I am today without her guidance and gentle leadership. Kelly was not only an incredible mentor to me, but also a friend. You always hear the saying “saved the best for last”, but in terms of my career I can confidently say that I had the best manager first, and I will continue to look to her as a shining example of a leader and nurse I want to one day be.”
Nurse Kelly Currie from Grand Falls, Newfoundland, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Sunday, July 30, 2020, at the age of 52.
Kelly had been a nurse for 31 years and was very well known and respected. Kelly worked at various hospitals over her career, including the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Center, Dartmouth General Hospital, Norfolk General Hospital, and lastly, West Haldimand General Hospital, where she served as a Director of Inpatient Care and Clinical Educator.
In May, Kelly’s colleagues wanted to do something in her memory and decided on naming the IPU’s palliative care suite – a space designed to provide patients and their families with a serene and comforting space as they navigate their end-of-life journey – in her memory. The room is now known as the Snowy Owl Room.
Kelly was a life-long member of the Girl Guides of Canada, beginning at the age of eight. She was the dedicated leader of Sparks, Brownies where she chose her name of Snowy Owl.
To learn more about Nurse Kelly Currie’s story, please click here.
