Every year the Toronto Star presents its Nightingale Award to one Ontario nurse nominated by his or her patients or peers to honour the legacy of Florence Nightingale. To recognize this achievement, this year's 16 nominees have shared their most memorable moments working at UHN.
Name: Deborah Sanfelice
Title: Clinical Research Coordinator
Department: Leukemia Clinic
Site: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Years of service: 25 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I was looking after a young male patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia, who was coming in weekly for chemotherapy injections. When he lifted up his gown for the injection during his last visit, I saw he had drawn a heart on his behind and written "I love Deb" in it. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot to me.
Name: Pamela Harmon
Title: Apheresis Charge Nurse
Department: Apheresis unit
Site: Toronto General Hospital (TGH)
Years of service: 35 years+
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I had a pregnant patient from out of town, a single mother with no immediate family present. She was receiving treatment at TGH for a rare blood disorder when she went into labour and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. I spent the entire night with her while she was in labour before going home to sleep. Five minutes away from my door, I got a frantic phone call from her telling me to come back. I turned around and made it just in time to experience the birth of her son and to offer support, which meant a lot to both of us.
Name: Debbie Klatt
Title: Primary Care RN
Department: Family Health Team
Site: Toronto Western Hospital (TWH)
Years of service: 39 years with UHN (17 years with the Family Health Team)
Most memorable moment at UHN:
My most memorable memory was meeting a patient several years after losing touch with him. He became a patient of mine in the intensive care unit (ICU) after sustaining life threatening injuries in a car accident. I didn't think he had survived and he was on life support the last time I saw him. He stayed in the ICU for over a year, before returning to his family on the east coast. While visiting Toronto a dozen years later, he ended up as my patient again and recognized me!
Name: Rose Leparulo
Title: RN
Department: Cardiology
Site: TGH
Years of service: 29 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I have worked at TGH for 29 years, from the age of 16 when I was hired to work in central supply making dressing trays, powdering gloves and washing latex tubes. I started in the cardiology unit after graduating in 1985. My favourite moment at TGH was being chairperson of the UHN Professional Nursing Practice Council.
Name: Lynne Williams
Title: RN
Department: Endoscopy Unit
Site: TGH
Years of service: 42 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
One moment that has stayed with me is when I was a young scrub nurse helping with a lung transplant for a young man who only survived 12 days or so after the surgery. Before he died we were able to make his wish come true and to get him onto a bicycle. We were outside of the emergency department on Gerrard Street and the look of joy on his face is something I will never forget.
Name: Janet Li
Title: RN
Department: Thoracic and Respirology
Site: TGH
Years of service: 24 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I will never forget attending the wedding of a patient in the atrium, whose life I helped saved by working together with my team during a cardiac arrest.
Name: Sandra Tully
Title: Nurse Practitioner in Geriatrics and Wound Care
Department: Corporate Nursing
Site: TWH
Years of service: 25 years at UHN (43 years in nursing)
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I have had so many memorable moments working at UHN as a manager, nurse practitioner, educator and researcher that I can't choose just one. I love that my work has allowed me to develop expertise in wound management and caring for older people.
Name: Victoria Heymann
Title: RN
Department: Inpatient Cardiology Unit
Site: TGH
Years of service: 24 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I have always found working with cardiology patients very interesting. Being part of a research project involving automatic implantable cardiovertor-defibrillators was an extraordinary experience for me.
Name: Nordia Evans
Title: RN
Department: Geriatrics Rehab
Site: Toronto Rehab (TR)
Years of service: seven years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I work on a unit with patients with varying degrees of dementia and behavioural issues. It's quite a challenging unit and there is minimal down time. Despite all of this, the amazing support from colleagues and the love for this patient population makes me love my work.
Name: Rosalie Magtoto
Title: Advanced Practice Nurse – Clinical Co-ordinator
Department: Spinal Program, Krembil Neuroscience Centre
Site: TWH
Years of service: 26 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
When I get a thank you from a patient for how my team and I helped them, it's memorable because I know we provided the best possible care and made them well.
Name: Juliette Wilson
Title: Clinical Coordinator
Department: Cardiology/Electrophysiology
Site: TGH
Years of service: 20 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
One of my most memorable moments occurred a few years ago when I saw a young patient in the preadmission clinic, who was scheduled for a painful procedure. She told me she was nervous and thinking about not going through with it so I spent some time talking with her about what would happen, and reassuring her that I would be there after the procedure. Afterward, she said she was relieved because she understood what was going to happen.
Name: Stella Kozuszko
Title: Nurse Practitioner
Department: Multi Organ Transplant Program, Cardiac Transplant
Site: TGH
Years of service: 27 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
I cannot think of a most memorable moment in my nursing career. There have been so many years and with those years, so many memorable moments. I am fortunate to be a part of a very dedicated team, all of whom believe patients deserve the best possible care when they walk through our doors.
Name: Bianzheng Zhang
Title: Clinical Trials Nurse
Department: Medical Oncology and Hematology
Site: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Years of service: 6 years
Most memorable moment at UHN:
My most memorable moments are when patients or patients' families tell me how much they appreciate what I have done for them. Even a long time after they leave, patients still occasionally call or email me expressing gratitude for the difference I made in their lives. It is so profoundly rewarding that I cannot think of a better reason for coming to work every day.
Name: Rhonda Litner
Title: RN
Department: Diagnostic Imaging
Site: TGH
Years of service: 27
Name: Mary Neilans
Title: RN
Department: Endoscopy
Site: TWH
To view the Toronto Star's list of nominees,
click here
To learn more about nursing at UHN,
click here
