National Nursing Week - Spotlight - Cathy

“I was inspired by a student nurse who would spend time reading books to me.  Choosing to be a nurse was as simple and complex as that.”

Cathy is an RN and Professional Practice Educator at Joseph Brant Hospital, whose journey to becoming a nurse began when she was just eight years old. After suffering from an accident that left her with severe burns, Cathy spent two months in a hospital, in insolation, receiving treatment. It was the healthcare professionals who took care of Cathy during her stay in hospital that inspired her to become a nurse.

“Times were different back then and children were allowed very few visitors.  The nurses, doctor, physiotherapist, and dietitian were my consistent companions.  Their caring and compassion left an impression on me that I never forgot.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in long-term care homes, Joseph Brant Hospital was asked to step in and provide support and help. Our hospital put a call out for staff interested in being redeployed to Tyndall Seniors Home and Cathy was one of the nurses who answered the call. Although it was an area of nursing she was unfamiliar with, Cathy rose to the challenge to provide compassionate and exemplary care to those that needed it most.

“I leaned on Joseph Brant Hospital’s values and the team that supported me.  All said and done, it was a highlight of my nursing career.”

After finishing her redeployment at Tyndall, Cathy again answered the call and used her Professional Practice Educator experience and skillset to train and educate non-clinical staff as part of an organization-wide redeployment to lend a much-needed helping hand to our hospitals clinical teams.

“We have all had to recalibrate the way in which we work and provide care and support to patients and to each other, but values remain the same – Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.”

 We asked Cathy what was one thing she learned about herself during the pandemic?

“I learned that I really didn’t need that much toilet paper.”

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JBH Annual Report 21-22: Extraordinary Moments, Exceptional Care

The 2021-2022 Annual Report showcases the extraordinary to the seemingly ordinary moments from the past year that collectively represent the compassion, accountability, respect, excellence and service our teams share with our patients every day, even when faced with the adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stories reflect a moment in time – please view the Annual Report webpage for a more fulsome report on statistics.