Liz enrolled in an RPN program immediately. Three decades later, she’s a seasoned operating room nurse who has worked in hospitals across the Greater Toronto Area with some of Ontario’s most respected surgeons. In her current job at Humber River Regional Hospital, Finch Site, she assists with surgeries ranging from elective procedures to emergent injuries. She says her biggest challenge still comes from her orthopaedic cases.
“No two fractures are exactly alike. Every one of them requires a slightly different treatment approach,” says Liz. “Anticipating what a surgeon needs before they ask and having the ability to make a surgery go more smoothly, that’s what makes me feel like I’m doing my job really well.”
Liz’s wide-ranging expertise has recently led her to a role in RPN training – both in her workplace and in the field. She’s now President of the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario Operating Room Specialty Interest Group, a small collection of nursing leaders who provide educational opportunities to RPNs considering a specialized career in surgical nursing.
“For anyone who has even the slightest thought they’d like to work in the operating room, I say ‘go for it’. Try it and see if it’s for you,” says Liz. “It’s true that surgical nursing is high pressure. When you’re in the operating room, you have a life in your hands. But with that challenge also comes a rare opportunity to instantly change someone’s life for the better.”
Like many RPNs, Liz sees her work as her calling.
“Nursing isn’t a job for me, it’s a love,” she says. “I love helping people. Knowing I can play a part in making a surgeon’s job easier and making someone healthier means it’s all worthwhile.”
Want to learn more about SEIU Local 1 Canada RPNs who are making a difference? Visit Nursing Week 2011. |