Nurses at The Moncton Hospital earn Advanced Burn Life Support Certification
Teddy Bear Clinic teaches children, health care providers invaluable lessons
WHAT THE KIDS THOUGHT “ There is lots of cool stuff there that the nurses use.” – Shiloh Henderson
“You get to see such a transition as they go through their journey,” said Josee. “They have a lot of resilience.” Sharon agrees, adding, “It’s the most satisfying type of nursing I’ve ever done.” But perhaps their most important role is treating a patient who may not have a hopeful prognosis. As Janet says, “We don’t just care for the patient we know will improve, we also give the same care and comfort to the patient who might not make it.” This team of nurses has helped patients who have experienced heartbreaking trauma, and they rely on each other and the rest of the unit for support, whether it be by getting together as a group to study the 100-page booklet for two weeks before the conference, required for the ABLS course and certification, or by sharing what they learned with their colleagues so they can all provide the best possible care. Teamwork is at the core of this group, something Nathalie is very proud of. “It’s so rewarding to support this team, support their team efforts, and support their continued education,” she said. “It’s such a great privilege.” Congratulations to this caring and dedicated team!
Four of Horizon’s Moncton-area registered nurses (RN) recently earned their certification in Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) while attending the annual Canadian Burn Network Conference in Toronto. The Moncton Hospital’s Nathalie Gould, Nurse Manager, Sharon Brown, Burn Resource Nurse, Josee Nelson, RN, and Janet Hebert, RN, of the 5600 Unit, which specializes in General Surgery, Surgery Specialties, and Burns, attended the two-day conference in October thanks to Burn Unit funds raised through The Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation. Sharon Brown, who is the Burn Unit’s longest serving RN (18 years and counting), jumped at the opportunity and enthusiastically recruited her colleagues. “I knew this certification would give us a better understanding of why we do what do while also giving us the required tools for care efficiency,” Sharon said. These requirements are unique clinical skills involving triage, pain management, fluid balance, critical care, trauma recovery, and rehabilitation, as well as compassion and understanding to extend their care to the emotional well-being of their patients and their loved ones. The Canadian Burn Network Conference is a yearly multidisciplinary education event where
all Canadian Burn Directors and their colleagues (plastic surgeons, trauma surgeons, nurses, researchers, psychologists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and first responders) interact and discuss challenges in the burn community. This year’s conference included 100 participants from across Canada, with 18 taking part in the ABLS course, including our four RNs. “It was a great opportunity to network with other nurses from across the country and the United States,” said Janet. “We are very fortunate to have learned from much esteemed experts and teachers in the field.” ABLS certification affords the ability to assess and stabilize patients with serious burns during the first critical hours following injury, providing valuable lessons in initial burn assessment to stable condition, burn types and the treatment for each type, fluid management, and triaging. “The certification provided us with a systematic way of assessing a burn for prioritization,” said Sharon. “It’s made us better equipped to care for a burn patient in the ER.” Caring for burn victims is a passion this special group shares, and each finds great satisfaction in watching their patients’ progress and improve.
“It was fun seeing all the things nurses do.” – Elizabeth Chute
“I’m not afraid to go to the doctor now.” – Sydney Malloch
“It was fun!” – Avalon Butler
Registered Nurse at the health centre. Under the guidance of Ms. Holly Matthews, these students have been incorporating play- based learning into their curriculum. Their theme during the fall was hospitals and health care, as Ms. Matthews had been out for a surgery. As well, Ms. Matthews is the mother of one of the registered nurses at the health centre and one of the health centre’s nurses had previously worked in a First Nations community where teddy bear clinics were held yearly.
A lucky class of elementary school children in Campobello recently explored their local health centre, learning about the health care field, professions and instruments, and teaching the health care providers much in return. In early December, staff at Horizon’s Campobello Health Centre welcomed the Grade 2/3 class from Campobello Island Consolidated School for a Teddy Bear Clinic. Students, each with one of their teddy bears or “stuffies,” toured the health centre, learning about the work of health care professionals in their community and discovering how health care equipment and technology works. The visit helped children overcome fears of visiting the health centre, and taught health care providers how to better interact with children by observing their language, actions and the way they care for their teddy bears. “It is a great opportunity for the students to meet some people in the care giving field in their community and to make positive connections with their health care providers and facility,” said Meghan Paul, a The Grade 2/3 class at Campobello Island Consolidated School pose for a group photo, holding their healthy teddy bears, after a visit to Horizon’s Campobello Health Centre.
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Meghan Paul, RN, bandages the arm of Elizabeth Chute’s teddy bear.
They’ll take what they’ve learned back to their classroom and create their own health centre, building their own props, such as weight scales and blood pressure machines. The visit will also help them practice and expand their vocabulary and speaking and writing skills. “Involving our clients in activities helps them to become more involved with their health, in turn creating healthier environments and choices for their families,” said Meghan. “School-aged children are a great population to work with, as they go on to teach their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and peers. Their healthier lifestyles will follow them into adulthood.”
The Moncton Hospital’s proud ABLS certified nurses, from left: Burn Resource Nurse Sharon Brown, registered nurses Janet Hebert and Josee Nelson, and Nurse Manager Nathalie Gould.
Wendy Morrison, RN, draws blood fromHayden Chute’s teddy bear, while his classmates watch.
Avalon Butler examines her patient, her stuffed otter, during her class’s trip to the Campobello Health Centre.
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