“I was afraid. But if somebody had to get COVID, better that it be me than someone else.”
Many employees of our CIUSSS quietly demonstrated courage during the COVID-19 pandemic, stepping up to help even as fear and uncertainty took over. On the Housekeeping team at the Jewish General Hospital, one such employee was Laurence Latendresse Jobin.
Mr. Latendresse Jobin was often first to disinfect the rooms of COVID-19 patients, volunteering for the task when anxieties were running high. He coached less experienced colleagues on cleaning protocols to protect them and to calm their worries. And he took on extra hours, often clocking in at 9:00 a.m. and staying until 11:00 p.m.
In recognition for his dedication during the pandemic and to this day, Mr. Latendresse Jobin has been awarded a prize from the Association hygiène et salubrité en santé, presented to him in September by his managers.
“Laurence has been a role model to the rest of his team, especially during COVID-19,” says Anthony Turi, JGH Chief of Housekeeping. “Our whole team did very well, but he’s an example of someone who went above and beyond. What he did took courage.”
“He showed leadership and reassured people who had less experience. It motivated them to face their fears and move forward.”
Supervisor Michael Boateng
Mr. Latendresse Jobin is praised in his nomination papers for his “passion and determination” in his job and for showing a spirit of collaboration that has earned him the appreciation of his colleagues.
As a member of the “checkout team” in Housekeeping, Mr. Latendresse Jobin cleans the rooms of patients after they’re discharged—a task that became crucial in managing the highly infectious coronavirus during the pandemic. He’s a specialist in the use of the Nocospray system, a device that disperses vaporized hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate surfaces.
Mr. Latendresse Jobin also consulted Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) to learn about proper practices, sharing his knowledge with others and offering informal training to nursing and administrative staff. On his own time, he drew up a colourful, illustrated page of instructions to help simplify complex cleaning protocols for others.
“There was a crisis and I felt I had a moral duty to do something.”
Laurence Latendresse Jobin
His supervisor, Michael Boateng, calls Mr. Latendresse Jobin the quarterback—the person who devises a plan for teammates in the field and helps execute it. “He showed leadership and reassured people who had less experience,” Mr. Boateng says. “It motivated them to face their fears and move forward.”
For his part, Mr. Latendresse Jobin says he was driven by a desire to support his colleagues and to protect patients at a difficult time.
“There was a crisis and I felt I had a moral duty to do something,” he says. “Yes, I was afraid. But I felt that I was younger”—he’s 35— “so if somebody had to get COVID, better that it be me than someone else.”
He says he’s honoured by his prize but insists it belongs to all Housekeeping staff. “The team I work with is amazing, they’re truly like a family.”
