Meet Meghan, who is part of the new emergency department (ED) diversion team at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital.
Across our regional hospitals, ED diversion teams assess patients who can be safely cared for at home and coordinate the needed community-based supports sooner.
As the patient flow nurse navigator, Meghan works closely with a team of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers, and a rapid geriatric assessment nurse.
“Each of us brings a different perspective based on our background, which allows us to take a more comprehensive approach to patient care,” she said.
Meghan describes the role as both challenging and rewarding, and emphasizes the value of strong community partnerships to support patients outside the hospital.
“Even when diversion isn’t possible, early involvement often helps shorten a patient’s stay by starting the right processes sooner,” she said. “The most rewarding part is helping someone return home safely.”
Learn more about the impact of ED diversion teams here: https://horizonnb.ca/…/new-ed-diversion-teams-reducing…/
Meet Melanie, an NSWOC® ( Nurses Specializing in Wound, Ostomy and Continence) based out of Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital (TMH). At Horizon, NSWOC®s support inpatients and outpatients with ostomy concerns, complex wounds, and continence skin concerns.
Melanie was inspired to pursue this role after meeting colleague Denise, the sole NSWOC® at TMH at the time. As a nurse on the unit, Melanie observed the care and compassion Denise brought to her role and realized there was a nursing pathway that aligned with her interest in wound care.
Outside of inpatient and outpatient wound care, Melanie acts as a clinical support and consultant for nursing staff and other heath care professionals. She provides pre-operative and post-operative counselling to patients and their families requiring ostomy surgery. She also provides ongoing assessment of inpatient needs and evaluation of care management issues as they relate to ostomy, wound and continence care.
Supporting comfort, dignity, and quality of life remains central to every aspect of care planning and clinical decision-making. From working in collaboration with pharmacies for customized compounded treatments, to preserving dignity through thoughtful actions such as providing a toque so a patient feels confident after shaving around a head wound, the Skin and Wound Care team goes above and beyond to provide patient-centred care.
“What I find most rewarding is seeing the impact of our care reflected in a patient’s smile. It’s being able to tell someone their 20-year chronic wound has finally healed. It’s providing the right ostomy pouching system that gives them consistent wear time without leakage, restoring their confidence and independence. It’s offering skin care solutions that bring real relief to patients living with incontinence-associated skin damage,” said Melanie.
Three years ago, Sandi landed in the emergency department with pain in her jaw and her left arm. She was dizzy, sweating, and nauseous.
Sandi, who was an otherwise healthy mom of two, had a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection – a tear in an artery wall of the heart – and it caused a heart attack. Ninety percent of SCAD cases are women, mostly between 30 to 60 years old. SCAD also accounts for 25% of all heart attacks in women under 60 years of age.
Sandi had a second dissection and heart attack last summer. This time she felt like a “hot javelin” was thrown through the centre of her chest. She was drenched in sweat and vomiting, and she was having a hard time taking a breath.
“It’s important to know the risk factors and to not ignore the symptoms,” said Sandi, who is thankful for the care she received at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital (TMH) and the New Brunswick Heart Centre in Saint John.
Sandi, who is also a Licensed Practical Nurse in the cardiac unit at TMH, wants to spotlight SCAD, which disproportionately affects women.
We want to thank Sandi in her effort to raise awareness about SCAD! For more information about SCAD, visit: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/…/spontaneous-coronary…
