Vancouver Community celebrates 2015 Nursing Week
May 11 to 15 marked this year’s National Nursing Week with the theme of “Nurses: With you every step of the way”.
The Professional Practice team celebrated the contribution, impact and positive influence that Vancouver Community nurses have on the clients they serve by holding their annual Nursing Week event at VanDusen Botanical Garden on May 13.
The event was opened with a warm welcome from Laura Case, Chief Operating Officer for Vancouver Community, and Lorraine Blackburn, Director of Vancouver Professional Practice. Nurses Cathy Duerksen, Annie Lau, Ingrid Kusnierczyk, Lesley Gallagher, Jill Phillips, Maria Burda and Tamara Staley then shared their innovative and inspirational nursing practice stories to showcase how they, and their programs, partner with clients to improve health outcomes.
“What continues to amaze me, even after so many years of working in community, is the diversity of work done by nurses,” shared event speaker Cathy Duerksen, Clinical Educator for the Vancouver Community IV program. “From mom and newborn wellness to adults who can live better with Hepatitis C – community nurses are the cornerstone of a great variety of programs that are focused on positive action as well as prevention.”
Speaker Annie Lau, Clinical Practice Lead for 0-5 Population, Public Health, also shared a powerful story of how, through a simple lunch date program, care partnership and collaboration brought about positive outcomes for a little 18-month-old client and her family.
“Our 18-month-old client developed oral aversion and slow weight gain after her liver transplant operation. By having simple lunch dates together with our little client along with her mom and sister in their basement suite, the public health nurse and Regional Pediatric Team Occupational Therapist were able to role model healthy eating and feeding behaviours. Mom was empowered with parenting knowledge and resources to support her young children. Our little client is three now, attending preschool and eating independently, reaching all growth milestones.”
The event also celebrated those nurses pursuing education and professional development. Stephanie Forgacs, Associate Director, Major Gifts, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, then had the pleasure of announcing the following Vancouver Community nurse recipients of the 2015 Cordula and Günter Paetzold Nursing Education Bursary:
- Jeanette Asayo
- Eva Perjes
- Lindsay Bendickson
- Amelia Birch
- Jennifer Laing
- Graham John McLean
- Frances Gowe
- Laura Harmse
- Shabin Mere
- Lynda Thorson
- Sallie-Ann McKay
Congratulations to all our Vancouver Community nurse recipients!
Thanks to all the dedicated volunteers, speakers, exhibitors and, most of all, attendees of the event along with their supportive managers and directors for a wonderful afternoon celebrating our Vancouver Community nurses!