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THE FREE PRESS ●
SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2023
NATIONAL NURSING WEEK
MAY 8-14, 2023
OUR NURSES. OUR FUTURE.
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Kubic and Turon both acknowledge the challenges of working in an environment with a high degree of stress, particularly during periods of high activity within the NICU. That stress, they agree, is offset by the joy of working with their tiny patients, as well as the pride they take in knowing that their efforts are making such a positive impact in their patients’ lives. “When it comes to our babies, we are not just helping them for a shift; we are helping them for a lifetime,” Turon said. “It’s amazing how far we’ve come in the care we offer since I started working here 26 years ago. I’m excited for the future as we incorporate more developmental supportive care techniques and trauma-informed care into our practice. I feel really proud to be part of something great.” The NICU care team, made up of nurses like Kubic and Turon as well as a diverse array of other health-care professionals, develops close relationships with patients and their families, many of whom come to HSC’s NICU from communities outside Winnipeg, including across Manitoba, Nunavut and northwestern Ontario. “When families can’t be there, we become their little baby’s cheerleader. In those cases, we get to watch them become little people and we celebrate every achievement they have,” said Destiny Wing, a registered nurse who has worked in the NICU for eight years. “I cared for a patient who came from another province for 39 shifts in a row. That baby was very young, with all odds stacked against her, but while she was in our care she met every milestone and eventually was able to leave us at full term. Caring for her was an amazing experience and I am so grateful I could be there for her when she needed me.” While the NICU regularly see patients from out of province, it’s not often that the unit supports care for patients older than six months. Between October 2022 and January 2023, however, the NICU team took on additional responsibilities, providing care and support as an overflow unit for children in HSC’s pediatric intensive care
LEFT TO RIGHT: Registered nurses Destiny Wing,TracyTuron and Ashley Kubic. (Photo by Natasha Woloschuk)
“It was truly incredible to see first-hand that we are not just one individual unit. While we care for the smallest patients, we are part of a much bigger system and we will each do whatever we need to help anyone who needs us, even if it’s not our regular patient population,” Kubic said. “To me, that commitment to caring for others is what working as a nurse is all about.”
supporting each other to provide our patients with the highest level of care.” As HSC managed high patient numbers and surging admissions, the NICU team worked together to support patients and their families, demonstrating care and compassion in the midst of significant chaos.
unit (PICU) as Manitoba experienced a surge in respiratory viruses. “This past winter was a really challenging time as our hospital saw so many sick kids coming in. All of us worked extra hours and extra shifts and did more in our day to support these patients and our colleagues in the PICU,” Turon said. “Our team was really good at
Thank you nurses for leading the way. From managing complex treatments to providing emotional support, nurses wear many hats. They are educators, advocates and leaders who are at the forefront of providing the care our community needs. From managing complex treatments to providing emotional support, nurses wear many hats. They are educators, advocates and leaders who are at the forefront of providing the care our community needs. We thank our nurses for their unwavering commitment, leadership and professionalism, and we recognize and appreciate the significant contributions they make every day. We thank our nurses for their unwavering commitment, leadership and professionalism, and we recognize and appreciate the significant contributions they make every day. From managing complex treatments to providing emotional support, nurses wear many hats. They are educators, advocates and leaders who are at the forefront of providing the care our community needs. We thank our nurses for their unwavering commitment, leadership and professionalism, and we recognize and appreciate the significant contributions they make every day. Thank you nurses for leading the way. Thank you nurses for leading the way.
#OurNursesOurFuture #OurNursesOurFuture #OurNursesOurFuture
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