North Shore Awards highlight great efforts of many great staff and physicians

This year’s North Shore Health Care Awards for Outstanding Achievement were a sold-out show once again, as close to 40 North Shore staff and physicians were recognized for their contribution to patient care in the area.

This Lions Gate Hospital Foundation-organized extravaganza was once again hosted by Dr. Allan Burgmann who broke up the audience on numerous occasions.

While all of the nominees are considered winners, the following four people were honoured with awards from the Foundation:

Leadership Award: Carissa Looman, Lean Advisor and Educator in Systems Improvement for LGH – Carissa is a change maker and role model, inspiring others and helping those around her to grow and cultivate the best of their abilities. She’s known for taking difficult projects and making them fun: the recent rollout of the 48/6 model of care for all of Coastal Health being one example of this. Carissa has worked hard to help start up daily huddles on many of the LGH floors, applying LEAN principles to address flow issues and helping clinical staff make great strides in improving patient care at LGH.

Clinical Practice Award: Deborah Senick, Residential Care Coordinator at Evergreen House – Deborah is a leader and a mentor who is a compassionate professional who works hard to ensure that clinical best practices are followed. Her commitment has helped her coach staff to develop and use clear, accurate care plans that acknowledge the person in care.

Her efforts to improve bed flow in acute and the North Shore community are noteworthy and, even beyond her exceptional clinical skills, she’s someone who’s gone above and beyond to ensure resident safety and quality of life. On one occasion, she made a high-care Evergreen House resident’s dream come true to attend his daughter’s wedding on the Sunshine Coast.

Workplace Inspiration Award: Rose Bencito, Acute Care Aide, LGH Chemotherapy Clinic – Rose is a compassionate, humble and gentle personality who consistently models a professional work ethic. She demonstrates an outstanding ability to anticipate what both patients and nurses need and serves as an inspiration to those around her.

Rose listens more than she speaks, gets to know patients by name and even buys them a lunch on occasion. Rose treats patients as individuals worthy of compassionate care and they remember her and her acts of kindness as a result.

Spirit of Philanthropy Award: Bruce Coulter, Supervisor for Medical Diagnostic Imaging Services – Bruce has gone out of his way to volunteer his time at LGH Foundation events, most recently adding a special touch to the HOpe Centre Donor Appreciation event with his bagpipes. He’s generously spent Saturdays on behalf of the Foundation at everything from a community Halibut Festival to the North Shore’s first annual Patient Health Forum.