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William Osler Health committed to staff training
obert Bouchard is a registered nurse with William Osler Health System’s Brampton Civic Hospital and works in a very busy emergency department--one that treats 350 to 400 patients in a typical day. But he manages to keep current on new treatments, medications and other health care innovations thanks to Osler’s commitment to staff training and education. “The hospital invests in us in many ways to make us better professionals so we can deliver quality care and give back to the community,” says Bouchard.
“Keeping our staff trained and supported is a big part of how we ensure that Osler continues to attract and retain the best and brightest.” – Christine Nuernberger, Joint VP of HR & Organizational Development
Osler is one of Ontario’s largest community hospitals and serves a rapidly growing and diverse population of 1.3 million people through its three facilities – Brampton Civic Hospital, Etobicoke General Hospital and the Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness (currently under construction and slated for completion in fall 2016). “A huge part of being attracted to health care is accepting a vocation and a career that is constantly changing, ever-evolving and fast-paced,” says Christine Nuernberger, Joint Vice-President of Human Resources
and Organizational Development. “Keeping our staff trained and supported is a big part of how we ensure that Osler continues to attract and retain the best and brightest.”
Osler was Shameeza Kassamali’s first choice as a place to work after she graduated with a nursing degree three years ago. She had done a preceptorship or clinical rotation in the emergency department at an Osler hospital during her final year of university and decided it would be an ideal place to launch her career. She started as a ward nurse, but moved to emergency at Brampton Civic as soon as the opportunity arose. “I got to see what emergency was like before I graduated and liked the experience you get and how much support we get,” says Kassamali. “We’re constantly learning new things. We have two registered nurse educators who provide us with a lot of training.” Osler employs in-house educators and trainers to ensure that all its professionals--not just nurses--stay current on new treatments, medications and best practices, says Nuernberger. Some of it takes place in a classroom setting in Osler’s Centre of Clinical Excellence, but a good deal of it occurs on the units. “We’re a busy community hospital and we have to be creative to ensure that our clinical educators bring their experience and knowledge to staff,” she adds. “It can’t just happen in a classroom. Educators are frequently out on the floor doing daily performance huddles or hosting lunch and learns. They offer the type of interactive learning that is very applicable and practical.” Osler also has an online learning
IN-HOUSE TRAINING STAFF KEEP WILLIAM OSLER HEALTH SYSTEM AT FOREFRONT OF MEDICAL TREATMENT
2,921
87%
43.3
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of employees are women
years, average employee age
years, longestserving employee
management system that allows staff to keep current on new developments in their fields at their discretion. This tool also allows Osler to administer and track the delivery of important information for staff, including patient safety and privacy issues. Osler also invests in developing its leaders at all levels. “We offer
educational support both in-house and for staff who are pursuing opportunities outside the organization and can bring new skills back into the workplace,” says Nuernberger. “It’s important that the team is continually building upon their competencies, ready to lead and apply those skills to innovate, problem solve, collaborate and provide patient-inspired care.”