A Stretcher Story
A visit to the Emergency Department (ED) wasn’t on Glen Holmes’ honey-do list on June 5, 2023, but intense pain in his lower abdomen took him to GBGH on that very busy Monday morning. A quick assessment from the triage nurse placed him on a stretcher directly in front of the nurse’s station, where he had a front row seat to the conversations and interactions between the entire ED team.
“It was a typical summer time Monday at GBGH, the place was packed, staff were moving at a terrific pace, patients were coming in constantly, and there were endless calls for help, supplies and beds,” shares Glen. “What amazed me most was the calm way the staff dealt with issues, spoke to each other, reinforced each other, and gave it their best in spite of all the activity and demands.”
In the end, a CT scan determined that the cause of pain was a kidney stone, and he was back on his feet again in no time once it had passed. But, the experience had a profound impact on Glen.
“We are so fortunate to have such a great ED team at GBGH,” continues Glen. “They couldn’t have been more helpful, more kind or more professional if they tried.”
To show his appreciation, Glen made a Heartfelt Thanks donation to honour the ED team for the amazing care he received, including ward clerk Danielle Norton, team leader Jen Graham, triage nurse Cherie Leeming, nurse Jacqueline Junkin and Dr. Dan Lee.
“It was a stressful week for the team, and [Glen] had a front row seat to see our excellent team in action,” says Dr. Lee, Chief of Emergency Medicine. “It means so much to all of us to receive this recognition, especially in the midst of all the challenges we were seeing.”
To learn more about making a gift to honour a GBGH team member, visit gbghf.ca/heartfeltthanks
