Krystal Forrest, RN, Emergency Department
Krystal Forrest, Registered Nurse in the IWK Emergency Department for 14 years and Project Manager for the IWK TREKK Parent Video Project. The project is based on input from community parent and health care provider focus groups and IWK expertise on common emergency department visits. Our team worked with a vendor to produce three videos about common clinical conditions impacting children and adolescents in Nova Scotia. Topics selected for the three videos include: Febrile Seizure, Hand Foot Mouth and Procedural Sedation. Each video is available in English, Arabic, Mi'kmaq, and French. The project is nearing completion and the videos will be accessible soon.
From a young age I always enjoyed making other people feel better. I quickly realized that nursing was a great career for me to pursue. As a student nurse I did a placement at the IWK Emergency Department and knew instantly I would end up working there when I graduated. I have always been passionate about emergency care and have recently accepted a new challenge with a second career as a firefighter.
Throughout the pandemic I remember telling myself multiple times that this is what I signed up for as a nurse. I felt proud to be part of the IWK Emergency Department and was ready to provide care to those in need. I never questioned anything except what changes I needed to integrate into my job that day based on new information. Being part of what can be "the worst day of somebody's life" can be difficult so I will continue to do my best to support, educate, empower, and encourage those around me
I do not have one single proudest moment as a nurse but am grateful to have had many moments of feeling like I made a difference in someone's life. Sometimes a simple "thank you" goes a long way.
If I was able to have a nursing superpower it would be the ability to instantly allow children and adolescents to acknowledge their potential and recognize their worth. These years are difficult, and it is seemingly more difficult now that our society is so advanced and technological.
Marge Ancliffe, NP, Hematology/Oncology
My name is Marge Ancliffe, and I am a nurse practitioner with the inpatient pediatric hematology/oncology service on 6-Link. I never dreamt of being a nurse when I was younger; I am a first-generation nurse in my family.I completed a Kinesiology degree at STFX and had thoughts of pursuing physiotherapy afterwards. A good friend of mine asked if I was interested in applying for the accelerated nursing program with her and the rest is history! I went on to complete a Master of Nursing degree at Dalhousie and have been practicing in various NP roles ever since.
In the early days, we were unsure how the Covid-19 virus was going to affect our immunocompromised pediatric oncology population. Our team worked closely with patients, families, and IPAC to implement strategies to lessen the risk of exposure during hospital admissions. Preventing a Covid outbreak in our unit was truly a collaborative effort!
My proudest moment as a nurse so far is having the courage to work in different roles and in different provinces. It has provided me with excellent opportunities to view different healthcare perspectives and meet many great people along the way!
My first choice for a nursing superpower would be the ability to eliminate childhood cancer. It is difficult to understand the many impacts of a pediatric cancer diagnosis on a family until you experience or witness it first-hand. My
Tanya Vandale, Clinical Leader of Development & Perioperative Registered Nurse in Women's Perioperative Services in the Women's and Newborn Health Program
My name is Tanya Vandale and I hold dual roles of clinical leader of development (educator ) & Perioperative Registered Nurse in Women's Perioperative Services in the Women's and Newborn Health Program.
I initially enrolled in university in pursuit of a Science degree and was accepted in the nursing program at Dalhousie after my second year. Once I began clinical, I knew that this was exactly where I needed to be. Providing safe and compassionate care to patients using critical thinking skills was and continues to be my passion!
The pandemic has provided many challenges for our area over the last 2 years. I have felt many strong emotions both personally and professionally since the beginning of the pandemic and even into the present. In my role as a perioperative nurse, caring for covid patients who require surgery, can be challenging. Being part of such an amazing team in the Women's OR & PACU makes the challenge manageable! The team consists of nursing, surgeons, anesthetists, support staff and includes strong management support. We have been together throughout this entire pandemic working together to protect each other while providing safe and compassionate care to our patients!
After 23 years of nursing, I am unable to choose just one proud moment! I had an opportunity to do "travel nursing" early in my nursing career and this had provided me with many opportunities! I returned to my home, here in Nova Scotia with many new skills which included being able to adapt to changing situations. This skill has been crucial in both of my current roles. I have now worked as a perioperative nurse for the past 17 years and working as part of a team is something I really enjoy!
The nursing power I would choose would be "listening". Patients, families, and colleagues appreciate your attention. Being present for them to express their concerns is extremely important. Being heard and acknowledged provides a sense of being cared for- I know this first hand as I've experienced (and continue to experience) this both as both a patient and a colleague!
April, Connolly, Family Care Coordinator in the Hematology/Oncology
Hi! My name is April Connolly. I am a Family Care Coordinator in the Hematology/Oncology program at the IWK. I have the pleasure of working with the sweetest children diagnosed with cancer and their families. When I was a teenager, I was diagnosed with lymphoma and was a patient at the IWK. The nurses, physicians, and allied health made such a positive impact on my family's life. They inspired me to become a Pediatric Oncology Nurse.
I feel very fortunate to work at the IWK. Our team are so supportive of one another, especially over these past 2 years. The most challenging part of working through this pandemic has been watching our families deal with the stress of diagnosis, while separated from their other children and loved ones at home due to our necessary visitor restrictions.
As a Family Care Coordinator, we work closely with children and families from the start of their oncology journey to the end of therapy and beyond. We help children and their families celebrate the joyful event of completing therapy by organizing a bell ringing ceremony. Needless to say, there are many happy tears shed by family and staff. I am so proud of these children and families, for their bravery and for the unwavering care they provide to their children throughout long, challenging journeys.
If I could choose a nursing superpower, it would be to spread hope even on the darkest days
Jill Murphy, Registered Nurse, Birth Unit
My name is Jill Murphy, and I am a Registered Nurse on the Birth Unit. Both of my parents worked in healthcare, so I was surrounded by the topic growing up. This encouraged me to explore options in the healthcare field. Being able to create empathetic relationships while working with families and helping them through difficult times was something I wanted to be a part of!
The past 2 years have been difficult for everyone. Working in healthcare during this time and getting to be involved in birth experiences has truly felt like a privilege. I am so grateful for my co-workers and support system for always being there to encourage me.
If I could choose a nursing superpower it would be to see the future!
Joanne Gallant, Clinical Leader of Development, Children's Health Ambulatory Surgical Care
My name is Joanne Gallant and I'm currently the Clinical Leader of Development for Children's Health Ambulatory Surgical Care. It's a lengthy title that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue! My role is similar to that of a nurse educator, and I support all surgical clinics in the Children's Health Program with any educational projects they have like the orientation of new staff, policy development, research, nursing student placement, patient/family education, and many other things!
I've always been drawn to caregiving roles, especially those involving children, ever since I took my first babysitting job as a pre-teen. As a young adult, I worked as a nanny, a camp counselor, and volunteered with Best Buddies. After I completed a degree in Biology, I was looking for a professional program that could combine my love of being around people with the joy of learning science. Nursing was a natural fit since it allowed me to use the foundations of what I learned in my biology degree, and I could also establish meaningful connections with my patients and families.
My roles during the pandemic have been quite varied. I worked some of the first shifts in the Pandemic Assessment Centre at the IWK and then I moved into the Clinical Leader role in the Pandemic Response Unit (PRU). Those early weeks were stressful for our entire team because there was still a lot we didn't
know about how the pandemic was going to go. Through my work in the PRU, I helped care for patients and families at the IWK and I helped lead the team that went to support our colleagues at Northwood. After my time in PRU, I was one of the Clinical Leaders of the Primary Assessment Centre at the IWK until the summer of 2021. I've been fortunate to be able to participate in so many different ways to the pandemic response in our province and although it was an incredibly challenging time as a nurse, it was extremely rewarding to be a part of many teams that were so dedicated to doing their part.
I don't know if I have a single proudest moment, but many of my proudest memories are from my time working in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). I'm so proud of the time I spent working there, of the resiliency and hope I saw in my patients and families, and the strength and abilities of the whole PICU team. I learned so much about nursing and life in general in the several years I worked there. I carry those memories and lessons with me in whatever role I take on because they remind me just how important it is to be a nurse.
If I could choose a nursing superpower it would be to have superspeed! Since I cover so many different clinical areas that are spread out across the health centre, I'd love to be able to go from one clinic to the next instantly. It would not only make for a fun way to travel through the hospital, but it would make my days much more efficient!
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