Why wait? Share your stories with us anytime!
The made-in-VCH I Made a Difference contest celebrated its second successful year in 2017. The contest drew dozens of inspiring stories and honoured three more winners with registrations to the 2018 Quality Forum.
Share your stories with us year round!
With great success comes opportunity. We were asked when we would be accepting submissions for 2018. Our answer: “Why wait?” Let’s start now and accept submissions all year round! Tell us about a time you or your team went above and beyond to make a difference for our patients/clients/residents or their families. Your stories may be simple or complex. See the list of examples below!
Win a registration to the annual Quality Forum!
All submissions will be considered for one of three free registrations to BC Patient Safety & Quality Council’s Quality Forum in February 2019. A selection of these submissions will also be featured in VCH News over the coming months.
To submit your story and get in the contest, email lisa.stewart@vch.ca (Quality & Patient Safety) with the subject line: I made a difference.
VIDEO: How the I Made a Difference contest was founded
Here are some examples we’ve received
“I helped to wash a patient’s hair and do her nails before we removed life support (VGH ICU)
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“I work with the birth centre team to be sure every baby is skin to skin with their mom as soon after birth as possible so that little newborn feels safe and secure, close to mom’s beating heart and the warmth of her body’s love.” (Physician, Richmond Birth Centre)
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“I stay at the patient’s side and hold their hands, until they are asleep.” (UBCH OR)
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“Taking a dying patient’s last wish, to go outside and feel the sunshine and fresh air, and making it happen.” (Richmond Medicine)
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“Say kind words during induction –‘We will take care of you. Have a nice dream’ (VGH OR)
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“The nurses have established a ritual of scattering rose petals over the patients quilt when they have passed away. This symbolic gesture enables the family to remember the patient’s death as a beautiful, serene occurrence and also allows the staff to honor that patient.” -North Shore Hospice
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“Sometimes, it is as simple as escorting a lost patient to the proper clinic, family member to the proper unit, smiling and talking to them as you take them to where they need to go, taking 5 minutes out of your day to help put them at ease. I know what I would like and that is what I try to do for others. While I don’t do hands on clinical work I feel that I can make a difference in someone’s day.” (Richmond Hospital, Staffing)
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“On my job to make a difference – to do my work and make it clean and tidy, keeps patients healthy, keeps environment easy to work, pleasing to be in a friendly, positive, uplifting attitude. I am happy to help the people if they need assistance, like giving them the directions, do favours for the people, help patients feel comfortable and cheer them up.” (Marissa, VGH Housekeeper)
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I am learning how to be a working dog like my brother Angus. I am just a puppy so for my training, I go to the units and interact with people and the world around me. One day I went to the ICU and made quite an impact on everyone. The next day a caring nurse asked me to come back to visit a man who’s last wish was to see a puppy. I went with my mom and spent time with this man and his family. I think I gave him some comfort and happiness in the final hours of his life. (Doc – Canine Detection)
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“For an out of town patient who didn’t have a lot of visitors, I made a point of saying hello to him and asking how he was everyday and then going for a walk with him around the unit.” (VGH Anonymous)
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“On one of the medical units our dementia patients sit at the front of the nursing station so that we can keep a close eye on them. To help brighten their day I sometimes will start singing and have them join me…I also sometimes sneak them a chocolate from the nursing station if their nurse agrees…It seems to really brighten their day” (Richmond Nursing Unit Clerk)
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“I tell the families of our NICU babies not to worry when they leave for the night and that I will love their babies like they were my own while they are gone.” (Richmond NICU)
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“I am nominating Tyler for going above and beyond by identifying and communicating that the Neonatal ICU incubators were at risk for contamination based on their storage location. Not only was he the person who identified the problem but he also contributed to solving the issue. Tyler is a great example of how we all have an impact on our patients. He has made an impact on our hospitals youngest patients.” (Nomination by Jill – Tyler)
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“I will make sure our patient has tea and a hot blanket after she has delivered her baby” (Registered Midwife, Richmond Hospital Birth Center)
To enter, email your submission to lisa.stewart@vch.ca (Quality & Patient Safety) with the subject line: I made a difference.
Related
I Made a Difference articles in VCH News