Meet Tanya Rickwood, a registered practical nurse with the acute medical integrated program (MIP) team at Brant Community Healthcare System.
“I knew at the age of four that I wanted to be a nurse,” said Tanya. “I couldn’t be more proud to work at BCHS with a team of passionate professionals in the acute integrated MIP who provide excellent care to our community.”
MIP provides holistic, patient-centred care annually for some 3,000 patients, and plays an important role in making sure patients are safe enough to return home after their hospital stay.
“I have had so many impactful patient experiences as a nurse working in medicine,” Tanya said. “I have celebrated with patients who have made a full recovery and returned home, and have also had the privilege of holding the hand of a patient when they take their final breath.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, when families could not be with their loved ones as they were dying, Tanya made it her mission to make sure no end of life patient passed away alone. “It is an indescribable feeling to comfort someone in their last days, hours or minutes. This type of experience affirms my choice to become a nurse.”
Tanya points out the pandemic experience as a health care worker has been emotionally and physically draining on everyone. To encourage and uplift those around her, Tanya with her friend and colleague, nurse Crista Maes, organized a fundraiser for the BCHS Foundation by selling Brantford/Brant Strong t-shirts to BCHS employees.
“The community may not realize that things like medical equipment are not funded by the ministry of health so the BCHS Foundation works hard to raise funds – that’s why donations are so important.”
In MIP, donations to the Foundation have purchased essential equipment including IV pumps, vital signs monitors, and bedside medication verification scanners – devices that ensure patients receive appropriate medications.
323 t-shirts were sold during the fundraiser and the proceeds donated to the BCHS Foundation Covid-19 Fund that assists with the growing demands of addressing the pandemic on the frontlines.
“We wanted to help raise funds for the Foundation through the Brantford/Brant Strong t-shirt initiative and also raise the spirits of our colleagues across BCHS” said Tanya. “When I walk through the halls of BCHS it’s great to see so many different staff showing a sense of community and pride by wearing their t-shirts.”
Tanya was recently nominated by her colleagues and received a Thumbs Up employee recognition award for her outstanding commitment to patient care and the support she gives to the MIP team. Her nominator shared they “couldn’t ask for a better nurse to work with.” Thank you Tanya for the outstanding care and comfort you provide to patients and families cared for by BCHS.
