ESTEVAN — They have different experiences and have worked in different wards, but Hannah Pilon and Jen Stopanski share a common bond to provide great care for patients.
Pilon, who is a registered nurse, and Stopanski, who is a licensed practical nurse, are among the dedicated nurses who work at St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan. In honour of National Nursing Week from May 12-18, they shared their love for the profession during interviews with 蘑菇视频短视频.
Hannah Pilon
Pilon said she has always enjoyed helping people. Prior to obtaining her nursing degree, she was a medical lab technologist, so she worked behind the scenes and loved the science behind the medicine.
"But I always missed being able to interact with patients. So, I decided to go back to school and take my nursing degree, and I feel like being there for people at their bedside, and supporting them through some of their happiest or potentially most difficult days, is something that's really challenging as a nurse, but it can also be really rewarding.
"I love being there to be able to help people and I see them work through or find improvements with medicine."
Pilon graduated from the nursing program at the University of Regina 2 1/2 years ago. She has worked in the medical unit and the emergency department at St. Joseph's Hospital, but she also works for Estevan Area Home Care and she has a temporary and sometimes part-time job at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.
She has found there is always something to learn in nursing.
"With nursing and being a registered nurse, there's so many different areas and specialties, within the nursing career, that I always get to grow. Especially working rural at St. Joe's, I feel like we see so many different people and there's so many different health conditions within our community that we serve, that I get to practise so many different skills every day and I get to apply my knowledge in so many areas."
In a larger centre like Regina or Saskatoon, she might not get to have as many different experiences. Working on the medical floor was a great learning experience, she said. Pilon has been in the ER for about six months, and has learned so much from her co-workers and the doctors.
"I wasn't sure about it at first, but I'm really starting to enjoy it," said Pilon.
She will also be orientating in the operating room soon.
Pilon views St. Joe's as a great place to work. She had never been to Estevan prior to moving here three years ago. The staff has been so welcoming.
"Both inside and outside the hospital, I think I've really made some lifelong friendships and connections that I think will last me a lifetime. Those nurses and the whole team at St. Joe's, they come to work everyday and they just are so passionate to help people. They're so willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that everybody gets what they need, and the environment and all the staff is just [great]."
Working in home care allows her to get out into the community and meet people.
Pilon said the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses did a great job of making the local nurses feel appreciated during Nursing Week. They had activities for nurses to enjoy, including resin making at the Estevan Art Galley and Museum, along with a pottery class and other activities. Pilon met nurses from smaller centres she wouldn't have encountered otherwise.
"It's been really nice to just celebrate the team that we are as nurses," said Pilon.
Jen Stopanski
Stopanski said she started as a licensed practical nurse at the Estevan Regional Nursing Home in 2011. She worked there for a year and then shifted over to St. Joe's. Also in 2012, she went back to school and enrolled in the perioperative nursing program at Grant McEwen University in Edmonton. Since then, she has been back at the hospital.
"I enjoy that each day is a different day," she said. "The day-to-day activities and duties might be the same, but I love how each day comes with new patients and new challenges."
She has worked in a variety of different departments at the hospital, including long-term care, the medical unit, obstetrics and Unit B, and she is currently working in the operating room, endoscopy, emergency room and the addictions treatment centre.
Stopanski said she chose nursing because she wanted a career that was challenging and interesting, and makes a difference in people's lives.
"I thought nursing was the perfect fit. And I was right," Stopanski said.
St. Joseph's has the best co-workers, she said. She believes they support each other and work well as a team, which makes it an enjoyable place to work.
Stopanski noted nursing can be a very demanding career. It's a fast-paced environment in which you're on your feet a lot of the day. She's had to deal with tough situations, and she's constantly learning.
"It can also be very emotional, emotionally taxing, but I feel that the rewards all outweigh the challenges."
She would recommend a nursing career and working at St. Joseph's Hospital to others. Despite the challenges, it's a great career path for those who are passionate about helping others, because she knows she's making a difference in someone's life and building relationships with patients and families.
