Each year, National Nursing Week celebrates the contributions nurses make to support health and wellness across communities. This year’s Nursing Week runs from May 10-16 and the theme is “We Answer the Call”. BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) nurses have done more than answer the call; they have gone beyond the call of duty, providing the best possible care through a global pandemic – while volunteering to support adult ICUs across the province during the third wave. Nurses work with dedicated colleagues from many disciplines who are also recognized with gratitude.
When B.C. entered the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and the Fraser Health Authority (FHA) put out a call for support to care for adult critical care patients – and BC Children’s Hospital PICU nurses as well as RTs responded.
Jonathan To, RT, BC Children’s Hospital, answered the call to support hospitals in need.
Clinical leaders worked together with VCH and FHA colleagues to support these RNs and RTs while ensuring high-quality care continued for patients at BC Children’s Hospital.
For Sarah Bell, Chief Operating Officer, BC Children’s Hospital, the willingness to support another hospital is just one of many examples of how BC Children’s nurses have demonstrated their commitment this past year. “I would like to recognize the amazing teamwork of nurses across BC Children’s, your leadership and commitment to patient care is inspiring. The work you have done and continue to do has gone beyond answering the call and you have done it together. From supporting adult ICUs, to moving to virtual services, to managing daily COVID-19 challenges, thank you for all that you do.”
RNs from left to right: Jeremy Wee, Sherrymae Villasenor, Kaija Gnazdowsky and Bree Abrahamse
Ever since the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the inpatient medical team on T7 in the Teck Acute Care Centre has been doing everything that they can to support families and patients, preventing the transmission of COVID-19 while caring for COVID-positive patients. In addition to supporting COVID-19 efforts, this team, along with other areas at BC Children’s Hospital, has seen an increase in the volume and severity of mental health patients. The nurses on T7 show compassion and resilience every day when caring for these patients during continued challenging times.
If you would like to submit a message of thanks to a nurse or health care provider, you can submit it here.
