Brian has been a Biomedical Clinical Engineering Tech for 28 years, the last 4 have been in a supervisory capacity. Brian and his coworkers are a team of five in his Acute Care facility. Working together, they fix all sorts of machines when they break down.
Brian explained the dynamics of the team as an analogy to an escape room. His team works really well; each has different ideas and abilities to come up with a solution to get to their end goal – proper functioning equipment. The team spirit of cooperation and common need to meet a challenge makes this work enjoyable. Brian looks forward to going to work every day.
Connie was a Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) in the Philippines for three years before coming to Canada, where she has been a CCA for the past eight years.
For Connie, she ensures that she listens to the needs of the residents and does her best to put a smile on each of their faces. Care plans include Activities of Daily Living (ADL) where she encourages independence as residents are able and appreciates the uniqueness of each resident. For someone with dementia, they may be able to brush their teeth, for example, but they wouldn’t remember to do it by themselves. Others need total care. To be a CCA, Connie says it is crucial to have a compassionate heart. You must go to work with a positive attitude each day.
Melanie works in an urban long term care facility within both the Laundry and Housekeeping departments.
Sayful is a member of SEIU-West, and a founding member of the Multicultural Mentorship Committee (MMC) of the local. MMC works and advocates for all different ethnic backgrounds of members who work within Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and other employers affiliated with SEIU- West.
Nathan works at Canadian Linen in Regina where Nathan lifts over 10,000 pounds a day!
Mary has been a dedicated health care employee for the past 30 years. She works at three urban hospitals in Patient Registration. While it may seem like Mary has 18 arms, she assures me she only has two.
as a Combined Lab & X-Ray Tech (CLXT). She provides both x-rays and lab testing services.
Shannon worked in an Acute Care Lab Facility doing Microbiology Bacteria/Seriology until this week.
Anita is a Senior Medical Lab Assistant (MLA) and has been for the past 15 years. She works in an urban acute care facility.
SEIU-West member Carla works in an urban hospital as a Medical Lab Tech (MLT), specifically in hematology. She manages coagulation therapy and analyzes blood counts for patients with leukemia, gastrointestinal bleeds, heart attacks, and monitors patients during surgeries.
Carla's life and job were busy before COVID-19 hit and both have just gotten busier over the past year. Rural hospitals from across the province send in COVID samples to be processed and analyzed. The pressure of knowing someone is waiting on results as the samples stack up has been draining. Her team is doing their best in these circumstances, but the daily worry of whether they themselves catch COVID, or bring it home to their loved ones only adds anxiety to an already stressed work environment. Like so many health care workers, MLTs patiently await their vaccine and hope the virus numbers go down soon. She’s watched her coworkers exit the system over the past year, likely in part to the anxiety of COVID and the stress it’s added to the field.
One of Carla’s favorite memories this winter was when she left work after a night shift knowing that there were COVID samples that had yet to be processed and when she returned the next day they were caught up. It took a snow storm to assist in getting through the backlog.
Carla would love to send a message to thank everyone that has assisted us to limit transmission by using masks and sanitizer, and limiting themselves to essential travel and needs.
We are proud to send a message back to everyone on Carla’s team during National Medical Laboratory Week thanking all who work in our provincial lab services for their incredible dedication and work to help diagnose and protect everyone across the province.