They’ve shown bravery in protecting a co-worker under threat, compassion in accompanying a woman at the end of life, quick judgment in saving a patient in mental distress. These staff members at the Jewish General Hospital have each displayed outstanding qualities in their own way. Their dedication and commitment have earned them a Caring Beyond award, an initiative of the JGH Humanization of Care (HOC) Committee that recognizes those who have gone “above and beyond the call of duty.”
Each of the winners was nominated by a co-worker, caregiver, patient or family member. This year, to the delight of recipients, awards were presented in person after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
“The recipients were totally surprised when the award was handed out at a meeting, amongst their peers,” says Arlene Greenberg, Chairperson of the HOC’s Caring Beyond sub-committee. “The gratitude and humility at being recognized and appreciated by their peers is beautiful to witness.”
Carly Berlin
Carly Berlin is a social worker on the Internal Medicine/Hematology-Oncology unit. She recently demonstrated extreme kindness and support to a patient with no family or friends who had requested medical aid in dying.
Carly not only sat with the patient throughout the procedure to provide comfort and support; she also went the extra mile. “She helped the patient call grocery workers and other people who had provided support to her in the community, to thank them for their help and the difference they had made in her life,” her nominator said. Thanks to Carly, this patient was provided with peaceful and well supported end-of-life care.
Thank you, Carly, for going above and beyond to provide the best possible support to patients!
Emanuel Paquette
Emanuel, a nurse in the Emergency Department, displayed great bravery while working in the mental health area. When an orderly was being assaulted by an aggressive patient, Emanuel didn’t hesitate to help his colleague. Thanks to him, the crisis was brought under control.
Emanuel sustained an injury to his eye, but fortunately, everyone is doing better. According to Emanuel’s team, the orderly “would probably have suffered much more serious injuries, had [Emanuel] not bravely rushed to his defense, as he was being struck in the head multiple times.”
Thank you, Emanuel, for your courage and for being an incredibly supportive team member!
Mélanie Lessard
Mélanie Lessard has received a Caring Beyond award for her exceptional skills and clinical acumen in saving the life of a suicidal patient. She intervened in identifying the patient during a busy week in the Emergency Department, when individuals with acute mental disorders had been admitted.
Mélanie has Emergency nursing expertise in both physical and mental health. According to her nominator: “While working in Flex (the mental health care unit), Mélanie saved a young woman with a serious intent of suicide. Her quick actions and clinical expertise saved her life. She decided to start a committee of staff to find ways to improve the safety and quality of mental health patients.”
We thank and congratulate Mélanie for her dedication and commitment to patient care. As stated by the nominator: “Her commitment and expertise help save lives every day and make us proud to be part of the emergency team!”
Jessica Pinto
Jessica Pinto is a nurse at the Medical Day Hospital. She was nominated three times in three months by patients who praised her professionalism, her ability to listen and her empathy.
Thanks to her observational skills and the attention she gives to patients, Jessica detected that something was wrong with a patient who came in for a blood test. She was able to put everything into place so that the patient could quickly undergo additional testing and receive the appropriate treatment. “I thank her, as I owe her my life,” the patient said.
Congratulations to Jessica for her dedicated work and the exceptional care she provides to patients.
Mary Kanbalian
Mary Kanbalian is Clinic Coordinator for the Cancer Nutrition-Rehabilitation Program at the JGH. In her role, she contacts patients and their families to coordinate visits to the clinic. She goes above and beyond on a daily basis to make life easier for patients and the clinical team.
More than a facilitator, Mary is a central and crucial element of the program. She’s described by her nominator as someone who guides patients through the telehealth set-up, contacts family members and rearranges appointments and blood tests.
“She will often go and find patients on the Chemotherapy Unit or elsewhere in the hospital to explain things and check that they’ve received all the information,” her nominator says.
She also works tirelessly to help the clinical team collect information and has been a key contributor to several clinical studies over the last several years, the nominator adds.
Thank you, Mary, for your hard work and for ensuring that things run smoothly for patients and your colleagues!
Do you know a JGH staff member who has demonstrated extraordinary acts of kindness and compassion towards patients and their families? Someone who has gone that extra mile? JGH staff members, patients and their relatives, as well as other members of the public, are invited to nominate any JGH staff member who went above and beyond the call of duty. You can find a nomination form on the JGH website.
