Respect – Sarah Bateman, Social Worker
Sarah exhibits all the qualities on the list, but “respect” is one that truly exemplifies her impact at MSH. Sarah displays respect for others in her work as a social worker, treating her patients as unique individuals with unique needs. She honours them and their families by supporting their needs, whether emotional, situational, financial, educational or practical. Sarah will go the extra mile to assist her patients and is often quietly working late in order to do this. She has shown respect to many families during a very stressful and scary pandemic. This not only shows respect to her patients but also has earned her the respect of her peers.
Sarah exudes quiet, humble strength and her colleagues have chosen to recognize Sarah with the Respect award.
Trust – Solmaz Darvish, Biomedical Technologist
Ventilator – that word has been on the lips of almost everyone since the start of the pandemic. This is one of the several medical devices and pieces of critical equipment cared for by a hard-working and dedicated team of biomedical professionals. As the pandemic continues on, we trust that if we or any of our loved ones need a ventilator in the intensive care unit (ICU) at MSH, that it would be in good working order and properly maintained. Solmaz Darvish is the biomedical technologist that works to ensure this. Solmaz’s skill, meticulous attention to detail and her expertise ensures that the organization can deliver the best possible patient care and is the reason Solmaz was chosen as the winner for the Trust award.
Commitment – Dr. Cristina Popa, Emergency Physician
Dr. Popa has displayed unwavering commitment to her role, not only as emergency physician, but also as the physician lead for the COVID-19 Assessment Centre and the COVID-19 Community Vaccination Centre at Cornell Community Centre. Her and her team’s contributions were instrumental in the development of both centres, where she spent countless hours providing clinical advice on procedures and protocols, and scheduling and training physicians to support both facilities. While Dr. Popa helped to ensure that operations ran smoothly as the pandemic continued to evolve and protocols constantly changed, she also maintained her long and fast-paced shifts in the emergency department. Her efforts, along with her team, have contributed to efficient and effective processes and positive experiences for our community members.
Dr. Popa is steadfast in her dedication to quality patient care within the hospital and beyond our walls, and that is why she is deserving of the Commitment award.
Compassion – Amanda Inglis, Registered Practical Nurse
Amanda is considered by her colleagues to be the model compassionate nurse – she takes the time to provide excellent, science-based, physiological care, but she also excels at integrating the psychosocial components to nursing. Amanda is always calling and FaceTiming patients’ family members, providing personal grooming care for patients, and going above and beyond in her role each and everyday to ensure that the physical and emotional needs of her patients are met. She has often been seen sitting at her patients’ bedsides, conversing and spending time with them. During the pandemic, it has been more challenging to dedicate as much time with patients as workloads have increased, but Amanda has never let this interfere with her excellent and compassionate nursing care. Amanda is often assigned to palliative patients, with the understanding that the patient and family will be well taken care of.
These examples of compassionate care are just a few reasons why Amanda is deserving of the Compassion award.
Courage – Registered Respiratory Therapists Team
Throughout the pandemic, the Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT) have demonstrated immense courage to be at the head of the bed for all patients, while showing compassion and commitment to providing the best care possible. They have been called upon to provide their expertise in a global respiratory pandemic – they were made for this.
Whether encountering a COVID-19 patient with difficulty breathing in the emergency department; intubating a patient and managing the ventilator; assisting in proning patients; providing inhaled nitric oxide in the ICU; or resuscitating a baby born to a COVID-19 positive mom; the RRTs have stood up to the challenge and continue to care for the sickest patients as first responders, continually running towards the flames. They have gone above and beyond in their roles to assist other health care professionals in creating a cohesive environment of team unity while supporting each other through these tough times.
They are an exceptional group of individuals who have supported one another and the organization. They truly exemplify our values and our Honoured to Care mission statement, and are most deserving of the Courage award as they continue to care for those in greatest need.