Your Stories

Staff Spotlight: Brittany Gagnon

We spoke to GBGH’s Dietitian, Brittany Gagnon, about her role at the hospital and the role nutrition plays in patient health and recovery.

What is your role at GBGH?

I am a registered dietitian. My job is to find the best nutrition care plan for our patients, which can be as many as 120 patients at a time. It can definitely be a challenge because there are many different dietary restrictions to consider – whether it be different textures, allergies or preferences – and we try our best to accommodate each individual patient.

Why is nutrition so important in a patient’s healthcare journey?

We know that almost half the patients admitted to hospital are at a high risk of malnutrition. These patients have infections that are harder to treat, wounds that are harder to heal, and stay longer in hospital. When we can offer a variety of meals that look appealing, and accommodate different diets and preferences, patients eat more and improve their nutritional status, which means faster recovery!

GBGH is an older hospital, and we face challenges with aging equipment in all departments. How does aging or not functional equipment affect the dietary team?

Because of outdated equipment, we have a limited capacity to prepare patient meals in our kitchen and many menu items arrive ready to serve. This makes it challenging to accommodate all of the diet preferences and restrictions, but the entire team works hard to provide excellent service to all of our patients.

What is Freshflex™?

Freshflex™ is an innovative menu system, built on fresh, flavourful, nutritious meals. Within the program, patients choose from a 7 day menu that includes choices for starters, entrees and desserts, with more than 100 restaurant quality dishes to explore. Because these meals have excellent presentation, and variety, patients are more likely to eat them, improving their nutritional status.

The Freshflex™ system includes two specialized ovens, which have the ability to steam, roast, bake and cook. This will provide the team with the equipment and ability to customize meals to accommodate diverse dietary preferences.

Home for the Holidays

I never thought I’d have a heart attack.

I’m only 50 years old. I don’t smoke, I’m active and I take good care of myself.

But when I arrived at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) with extreme chest pains, I couldn’t breathe. I was vomiting. Sweating and shaking profusely. And I couldn’t get enough oxygen to my brain. It was the scariest thing that ever happened to me.

The Emergency Room doctor rushed me in, and I was given nitroglycerin. The team ran a battery of tests including blood work and an ECG while trying to get my breathing under control. I don’t recall a lot of what happened after that. But I do remember being told that I’d had a heart attack. I was cared for in the Emergency Department, admitted to the 2 East inpatient unit, and received care at the regional cardiac care centre.

During my week at the hospital, I received the very best care possible.

All of the doctors, nurses and staff showed me such incredible kindness. I have nothing but love, respect and appreciation for every single person who works at the hospital and the many people who went above and beyond for me.

Including one nurse in particular named Stacy, who looked after me when I was admitted. On the unit, I was hooked up to multiple machines to monitor my heart and most nights around 2:00 a.m. my monitor would go off and everyone would run into the room. It was really scary, but Stacy was always so kind and straight forward, reassuring me that it was going to be okay.

And she was right. After being transferred to the regional cardiac care centre for an angiogram and then back to GBGH for follow up care, I was released a few days later. Today, I’m back home with my family and looking forward to celebrating the upcoming holidays in the new home where we just moved.

This experience has reminded me that having a great hospital in our community is the last thing on your mind, until it’s the only thing on your mind.

I have been there, and I’m grateful that I made it home. Recently, I found out that the heart monitor used for my care on 2E is a telemetry monitor. This essential piece of equipment relays vital information from the patient’s bedside directly to the ICU nursing station, so that critically ill patients can be monitored 24/7. It’s thanks to the support of caring donors that the hospital was able to purchase 10 telemetry monitors last year.

I know first-hand that having the right equipment is essential to providing the highest level of care possible, right here at home.

GBGH definitely saved my life.

Because I received the care I needed, when I needed it most, I have so much to look forward to today – spending time with my wife Julie and our son Hunter, a special family trip that we’re planning and to making memories in our new home for the holidays.