National Nursing Week

8 WINNIPEg FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2015 NURSES WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY Formoreinformation,visit umanitoba.ca/nursing TheCollegeofNursingattheUniversityofManitoba wouldliketoacknowledgeandcelebrateNational NursingWeekwiththenursingcommunity.Asleaders innursingeducation,we arecommittedtoworking withyoutopromoteexcellenceinnursingeducation, research,andpractice. Wearehonouredtogrowtheprofessionbyeducating futurenurses. Flying with STARS Critical care nurse thrives on challenge By Todd Lewys - For the Free Press BachelorofSciencein PsychiatricNursing(BScPN) BachelorofNursing(BN) MasterofPsychiatricNursing(MPN) CaretoMake aDifference? www.brandonu.ca/Academic/HealthStudies/ FacultyofHealthStudies 270-18thStreet,Brandon,ManitobaR7A6A9 Forinformationcall: 204-727-7403 or204-571-8567 JoinUsin HealthStudies Critical care nurse Margeaux Baunemann, (left) and STARS vice- president of operations Betty Lou Rock, who is also a nurse, are passionate about their work. Photo by Darcy Finley Ask Margeaux Baunemann what it's like to be a critical care nurse for STARS Air Ambulance service, and her response is succinct. "I t's controlled, but at the same time, completely uncontrolled," says Baunemann, who is also an ER nurse at St. Boniface general Hospital. "When we're dispatched to answer a call, we have no idea what we're going to land on. We could be told we're going to a one-car accident, and then end up landing at the scene of a three-car accident where there are several patients to deal with, not just one or two. It's a job that requires you to be adaptable." A typical day sees Baunemann and her three team mates — a paramedic and two pilots — on call at STARS headquarters in Winnipeg. Once a call is received, they jump into action. "When we get dispatched during the day, we're up in the air within eight minutes; if we're dispatched at night, we're up in the air within 10," she says. "Some days we might get one call. The most I've ever answered in one day is three. That was a very busy shift." The STARS team keeps critically ill patients stable while transporting them to hospital. Teamwork and communication are essential, Baunemann says. "We do a lot of talking right from the moment we leave the base, and it continues right through the call. We're very focused on our tasks, but at the same time, we're always watching out for each other," she says. "We're fortunate that we've received amazing training. It really helps us prepare for the types of patients we fly, and the different situations we're involved in." Treating a critically-ill patient in the cramped confines of a helicopter isn't easy. "Basically, we can reach every piece of equipment without moving. That's great, because you can get whatever you need quickly. At the same time, there's not a whole lot of room to work. When a patient is unstable, it's a lot of work." With all it's challenges, Baunemann says she absolutely loves the job. "When I applied, due to my ER background, I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into. I have a pretty adventurous spirit, so I was pretty sure I'd be up to the challenge. I was hooked the first day with all the excitement," she says. "Every day is different — that's one of the biggest draws for me. It's also refreshing to be able to be in a job where I can really focus in and give the best care I can give, putting the patient first. I feel like we're making a real difference." Betty Lou Rock, vice-president of operations for STARS Manitoba, says everyone on the STARS team is passionate about their work. And although the organization has endured some intense public scrutiny in the recent past, they've learned from it, and have gotten better at what they do as a result. "We're now working very well with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and are becoming increasingly integrated into the emergency response system," she says. "We're working very positively with everyone to make the system as efficient as possible. STARS is something that's needed in the province to serve people in rural Manitoba. It's a service that benefits all of us." Rock, who was the program director of critical care for the WRHA until 2011, says STARS will expand its scope in the near future. "A helipad is being built at the Health Sciences Centre, and we hope to have it in use by the end of the year. Having that in place will, for example, allow us to bring a critically ill patient from an accident on the Perimeter," she says. "We're becoming increasingly more efficient, and are happy to be here. Things are moving forward in a positive manner, and our goal is to get even better at what we do in the coming years." For more information, visit www.stars.ca ● MAY 11 - 17, 2015 MAY 11 - 17, 2015 NURSING WEEK NATIONAL

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