The sounds of IV pumps, whispers of ventilators, and beeping monitors make up the melody of Health Sciences Centre’s intensive care units (ICU) – highly specialized care environments that can both look and sound intimidating. For Rachel Litz, a registered nurse in HSC’s medical intensive care unit (MICU), she intimately knows what it is like to have a loved one needing extra care.
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A Life-Saving Experience Leads to a Fulfilling Career as Paramedic – Paramedic Services Week with Michael Audette
When I was 19-years-old one of my family members went into cardiac arrest in front of me. I immediately called 9-1-1 and was coached on how to perform CPR. I ended up doing CPR on them for quite a while and they ended up surviving. That moment changed the course of my life forever. When the EMS crew arrived on the scene, that did it for me. I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life.
In 2014 I become a paramedic and in 2016 I started working in St Pierre Jolys. I really like the job because you go to work and each day is a new day. I don’t carry paperwork home from yesterday, each day is a new day. It keeps it exciting.
Saying who I am, out loud – Shared Pride with Daniel Bedard
Knowing and accepting are two different things. I think I always knew I was gay but it took time for me to accept who I am and be comfortable with actually saying it out loud.
I am a gay cisgender man and came out when I was 18, almost 20 years ago now. It was scary and I was cautious to tell people at first. I would only open up and share that side of myself to those I knew well and trusted. Now, it is a lot easier, not keeping that piece of me a secret, and for me to introduce myself confidently and say “this is me, this is who I am”.
‘Kapwa’ in health care – Asian Heritage Month with Dr. Alysa Almojuela
My parents left their world behind and took a huge risk when they immigrated to Canada from the Philippines. Growing up in Winnipeg, I saw how hard they worked to give their family the opportunities they never had. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their sacrifices and feel very privileged to have the opportunity to become a neurosurgeon and spine surgeon, with their support.
Meaningful Movement – Physiotherapy month with Carla Peters
A floor made of gym mats, some hoops, cones and a crawling tunnel combine to make the perfect obstacle course for Carla Peters’ pediatric physiotherapy session. With a few play-based materials, children complete the course, all while working on basic skills like balance, mobility and strength.
“Following a child’s lead means we have to be creative and spontaneous in finding ways that we can somehow fit a little bit of our agenda into the child’s needs while they lead us through play,” described Carla Peters, Pediatric Physiotherapist at Boundary Trails Health Centre.
Celebrating my Culture and Community – Asian Heritage Month with Sukhvir Brar
My grandma immigrated to Canada from Northwestern India not knowing a word of English.
When she was older, she broke her shoulder and became very sick. She ended up being hospitalized at Grace Hospital where I would visit her regularly. I was moved by the amazing care she received from amazing people. Even though she wasn’t able to communicate with the health care team verbally, they found a way to care for her with so much compassion. Witnessing the way she was treated inspired me to become a nurse.
Leading by Example
Treena Slate lights up as she recalls the moments that first sparked her interest in caring for others.
“Growing up on a farm, I was often referred to as ‘Mother Hen’ because I was so attentive to the animals,” she laughed. “I can remember always wanting to help, even from when I was a small child. I think the caring aspect of my personality was really nurtured from a young age.”
Limitless Goals in the Acute Stroke Unit – National Physiotherapy Month with Diana Frailick
I have always been so intrigued by the holistic approach to healing and the teamwork within public health care. My mother was an incredible nurse and also inspired me to follow in her footsteps towards a career in caring for others. For a long time, I knew I wanted to work in the health system but I had no idea where or how. I switched between four different faculties during my undergrad before I discovered physiotherapy. After that, it felt like an easy decision – this was the right career for me.
Outside the box and proud of it – Shared Pride with Michelle Huot
“I stumbled across the term non-binary and instantly had this ‘ah-ha’ moment, that was me. I was overcome with emotion that I finally felt validated. I felt like I belonged.” – Michelle Huot (they/them), Social Worker, Child Health Program, HSC Winnipeg
As a young person, I struggled with my identity. I didn’t fit in with society’s construct of being a ‘woman’ and its version of being ‘feminine’. I gave it my all to try and fit within that box.
Leading with curiosity and compassion – Harm Reduction Day with Karmen Bridges
“Harm reduction is really about meeting people where they are at with compassion and curiosity instead of judgement, helping them be as safe as possible,” – Karmen Bridges, Clinical Nurse Educator for Labour and Delivery at Health Science Centre.
Riding a bike comes with the inherent risk of falling and people still cycle. To reduce the potential for harm we wear a helmet. The exact same concept applies to providing harm reduction supplies to those who need them.
A Passion for the Unexpected – Paramedic Services Week with Helena Zacarias
“Being a paramedic, when we arrive on scene we’re meeting people for the first time and right away they trust me to do what is right and what is best for them. I’m very honoured to do what I do,”
– Helena Zacarias, Primary Care Paramedic, Flin Flon
New to Canada, Helena Zacarias practiced her English working at a fast-food restaurant, greeting and taking orders from her customers. One day a conversation with a customer in uniform had a lasting impact on the trajectory of her life.
In Pursuit of Excellence
Nurse practitioner strives to provide exemplary oncology care
No matter their diagnosis, stage of illness, or goals of care, there is always one question Christine Eisma asks herself before meeting a new patient: “How can I help them through their treatments as safely, comfortably, and seamlessly as possible?”
This question helps guide her work as an oncology nurse practitioner, and is one she is well equipped to answer.
Eisma started her career as a bedside nurse at Health Sciences Centre, but she discovered her niche in nursing when she began working at CancerCare Manitoba in 2011.
“It was the people I worked with who fueled my passion for nursing,” said Eisma. “I saw them strive for excellence, and it made me want to do the same.”
Exploring the Province in the Float Pool
Travel nurse finds adventure and opportunity
Chao-Yu Hu has seen and experienced a lot in her relatively new nursing career. Nearly two years after her graduation from the University of Manitoba, Hu is building her skillset working in facilities located across the province, finding both adventure and opportunities to grow.
“Just a couple of years ago, a patient was telling me about their hometown and I must have looked puzzled because they told me I should travel more,” said Hu.“I remember saying, ‘you’re right’.”
That patient interaction, and some follow-up conversations with HSC colleagues, had a memorable and lasting impact on the young Manitoba nurse, inspiring Hu to pursue a role in Manitoba’s new Provincial Nursing Float Pool.
“The communities, the cultures, the critical thinking skills I would have the privilege to experience and attain in these roles, all appealed to me,” said Hu, who had worked as a health care aide and an Undergraduate Nurse Employee (UNE) at a Winnipeg hospital before transitioning to a nurse at Health Sciences Centre after graduation.
Leading with humility
Celebrating Nursing Week with Amanda Mann
Amanda Mann’s childhood was punctuated by interactions with the health system. Frequently in and out of hospital, she had a front-row view of the fast-paced – and often hectic – moments within health care.
“As a kid, seeing the doctors, nurses and health care workers in very busy and chaotic situations, act in such a calm and confident way really interested me,” said Mann. “They just knew what to do. I would watch them and think ‘I want to do that one day’.”
As her personal experiences turned into a calling, Mann began to pursue opportunities in health care, volunteering during her high school years in the local candy striper program at Percy E. Moore Hospital in Hodgson, Manitoba. The facility has played a central role in Mann’s decade of nursing.
In their shoes
Caring for patients and the community
Working in a role that involved caring for others was always what Danita Lechelt pictured when she thought about her future career. Growing up, Lechelt was inspired both by watching her mother (also a nurse) and from the experience of having someone close to her, a cousin, receiving health care throughout her childhood.
“Ever since I was in elementary school, I have known without a doubt that this was the career I wanted to pursue,” said Lechelt, a Clinical Resource Nurse at St. Anthony’s General Hospital in the northern community of The Pas. “It felt very natural for me to move into a role where I’m able to take care of others, and see people not just as patients but as people, with families who love them.”
Lechelt worked in a number of locations across Manitoba, including Dauphin and Winnipeg, before finding the perfect fit for her career – and her family – in The Pas.