“There are only two of us in the province actually, myself and Dr, Marshall Wilkinson, and we both work out of HSC, so I would definitely call us a tiny, understaffed team,” laughs Kristine. “Another city hospital has been wanting to use neuromonitoring for certain high-risk cardiac surgeries for over a decade, but we don’t have nearly enough staff to cover two centres.”

Kristine started her post-secondary journey by completing a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology & Pharmacology at the University of Saskatchewan, and then decided to pursue the two-year diploma in Electroneurophysiology at BCIT in Vancouver.

“When you complete this program, you can become an electroencephalography technologist who performs EEGs (brain scans) to assess for seizure disorders like epilepsy; you can specialize in performing sleep studies, or you can work in a nerve conduction clinic to diagnose degenerative and peripheral nerve disorders. Once I found out I could combine all of these different tests together and work in an operating room, I chose that path.”

Kristine has been at HSC for eight years working as part of a multi-disciplinary team supporting neurosurgeons and orthopaedic spine surgeons. She also completed a two-year program in Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring through the Michener Institute concurrent with her on-the-job training.

“While they’re under anaesthesia, patients obviously can’t express things like abnormal sensations or weakness, so it’s our role to monitor the body systems during surgery and sort of act as the patient’s voice while they sleep.”

Kristine consults directly with surgeons in advance to collect information about the patient, their diagnosis and the surgical plan, then places electrodes on the patient’s body to enable her to monitor motor and sensory function. She then reads the ‘squiggly lines’ on the computer screen throughout the surgery. If there is a change in the patient’s function, she alerts the surgeon, who can often reverse the last surgical maneuver before permanent damage occurs.

“It’s amazing how many things are plugged in and connected to a patient during an operation. It’s very crowded in an OR with all the equipment and monitoring going on, from EKG and ventilation to neurophysiological. Any time there is a concern, the entire team – surgical, anesthesia, nursing and neuromonitoring – works together to make sure the patient is stable and safe.”

The IOM team assists in a wide spectrum of surgeries with the majority being spinal, and also including brainstem and cranial nerve surgeries, brain tumor resections and neurovascular procedures.

“The reality is that it can be anywhere from really boring to really stressful, depending on the surgery, but even uneventful operations require continuous monitoring. We can’t bounce back and forth between ORs to accommodate multiple surgeries, because a patient’s situation can change at any moment.”

Example day in the life of a neuromonitorist: Brain tumor resection

6:45 AM – Feed cat
7:15 AM – Arrive at work
7:30 AM – Conversation with surgeon and anesthesiologist regarding patient’s clinical status, tumor location, anatomy at risk, anesthetic considerations, and plans for neuromonitoring.
8:00 AM – Apply electrodes to anesthetized patient.
8:45 AM – Leave OR; inhale a coffee during surgical exposure.
9:15 AM – Back to OR; stare at squiggly lines; try to look relaxed so surgeon doesn’t get worried.
10:00 AM – Assist surgeon in creating a ‘map’ of eloquent brain areas so nothing functional is resected.
10:15 AM to ? – Continue monitoring squiggly lines and updating ‘brain map’ as resection continues. Alert OR team if anything changes and work together to reverse the change.
End of surgery (could be any time) – Remove electrodes and clean equipment.
After work – Go home; eat dinner; relax; feed cat again; bed.

Typically, Kristine and Marshall each have one OR booked per day, with surgeries often scheduled for the entire day.

“Once the surgery begins, we aren’t able to leave for lunch breaks, or even bathroom breaks, unless someone takes over monitoring. With our current staffing shortage, this means we’re often in the OR for many hours without relief, and sometimes, surgeries can go unexpectedly late due to unforeseen circumstances. If we have to stay late into the night to finish a surgery, we still have to be back bright and early the next morning to start another case because there is nobody to cover the scheduled ORs.”

According to Kristine, sometimes a surgery may go ahead without neuromonitoring if the physician feels the risks of delaying it until a neuromonitorist is available outweigh the risks of proceeding without neuromonitoring. Unfortunately, sometimes, surgeries have to be bumped because of a lack of staffing, and that’s disappointing to Kristine.

“This is obviously never what we want. We want patients scheduled for surgery to undergo their procedure in a timely fashion, and for the procedure to happen in the safest way possible and leading to the best possible outcomes. It’s frustrating for the whole team knowing that surgeries are happening without neuromonitoring because the patient isn’t able to wait for our schedule to have an opening.”

Kristine loves her job but she’s concerned. This year, the Government of Manitoba announced it would increase the number of spinal surgeries by 50 per cent, but that will be difficult without adding to the IOM Technologists team. Ideally, with the planned increase in spine slates, HSC would have six neuromonitorists, which would mean they could support all surgeries and have appropriate back-up coverage.

“There’s no doubt we work hard here in Manitoba. In other jurisdictions, neuromonitorists earn better wages and often have a lesser level of responsibility. At HSC, with our current staffing situation, each neuromonitorist must be an expert, solely responsible and able to run their own OR from beginning to end. Two technologists have been recruited to join our team in the past year and they each only lasted weeks before leaving for other opportunities in other jurisdictions.”

Outside of work, Kristine loves animals and gives of her time to Manitoba Mutts Dog Rescue. She fosters cats, attends adoption fairs, supports those who adopt and raises funds to help the rescue. She loves to cook, finds peace in her garden and spends most of her vacation time visiting family and friends scattered all across Canada.

“I have a lot of really positive things in my life and work is definitely one of them. I would just like to see some investments in our team so we can support the spinal surgery expansion and make sure that all surgical patients get the best care they deserve.”

The post Meet Kristine Pederson: One-half of all Manitoba’s Neuromonitorists appeared first on Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

As a mom to three kids ages 10, 12, and 13, Colleen enjoys spending time with family, including at the family cabin with her parents and grandmother where she water-skis, kayaks and hikes. 

Since 2005, Colleen has applied this same level of enthusiasm and zest for life to her work with patients receiving radiation treatment.

“I am lucky to be able to say that I love the job, and the opportunity to have fun here. I’ve dressed up in several different costumes at work to help our pediatric patients feel more comfortable with treatments, but my favourite costume is a large inflatable purple Dino,” said Colleen, a past board member of the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists – Manitoba division (CAMRT-MB).

“I want the kids who come for treatments to be OK with coming for treatments, and even to enjoy their time here, so we plan themed days for fun, like dance parties, country music day, Taco Tuesday, Dinosaur day…anything the patient is excited about, really.”

And clearly, Colleen’s energy is infectious. She is persuasive, easily convincing her colleagues, and even members of other teams, to get in on the action. The dosimetrist team has decorated the linear accelerator (radiation machine) upon special request, transforming it overnight into a giant cat, complete with ears and a tail, as well as into a rabbit or dino, or any other required animal.

The team has printed out pictures of dinosaurs and decorated the room for a dino-loving kid. They had a patient who loved googley-eyes, so each day, they hid eyes somewhere in the room so the child would be excited to go on a scavenger hunt to search them out. They team has worn cowboy hats and sombreros, and they’ve worked with Child Life Specialists to design themed incentive charts with stickers.

“We have such a great group of staff here. We all want to see patients do well in treatment and be able to relax. We try to find out what patients like and then work with that theme to make it all just a little less painful of an experience.”

“We owned a house together in Winnipeg already, so I would pop in an audio book and hit the road for the six-hour drive. My teammates in Regina were so kind and wonderful, and they would let me work the early shift so I could get the machines warmed up, then end my day early and get behind the wheel. Then Marco finally said, ‘it’s time to come home,’ so I accepted a casual position with CancerCare Manitoba, which turned into a term, and now I’m permanent.”

Colleen has spent a lot of time working with the machine shop at CancerCare to learn how to fabricate the specialized accessories the team needs to conduct safe and effective radiation treatments.

“If we’re treating a skin cancer like a basal or squamous cell, we use radiation that doesn’t go very deep. And we want it to only treat the affected area, not the surrounding tissue. In consultation with the doctor, we’ll determine the precise area to treat, then we can use materials to protect around that area.”

To fabricate custom accessories, Colleen might draw on a patient’s skin to make a template from which she will fabricate a thin piece of metal outlining the exact area to treat. Or she might use a silicone putty to fill a cavity (like an ear) and create a block.

“We sometimes do full body treatment, but we typically try very hard to lessen the radiation to surrounding structures. I also see it as my role to try to limit the negative emotional aspects of treatment. The calmer our patients are, especially children, the less likely they will move out of position. Sometimes kids will need to be sedated, which is a big process that takes a lot of resources, so we want to try to avoid that if we can.”

Healthcare Hero

In 2023, Colleen’s coworker, Renee Gentes, nominated her for Mark Scheifele’s Healthcare Hero award, and she was the lucky person to be picked. She invited Renee to join her, and together, they enjoyed a pregame meet-and-greet with Mark, a tour of the area and lower level, dinner and tickets to the game, and lounge access during the game. Colleen also received a signed health care hero jersey from Mark.

Colleen’s father also dedicates some of his time to CancerCare.

“My dad has volunteered for a variety of organizations throughout his life, and after retirement, he was looking for another way to give back. Every Monday, he drives back and forth from CancerCare to patients’ homes picking them up for treatment and dropping them off after. He is super social and loves talking to people, so driving the Wheels of Hope shuttle is just perfect for him. The funny part is that he’s so busy all day, I barely see him, even though we are at the same place.”

Colleen says that her work at CancerCare is both professionally and personally rewarding.

“It can be a long journey from the time of testing to a cancer diagnosis, then the person may have to go through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. They’ve likely been scared, struggling and dealing with feelings of a loss of control for quite some time. Anything we can do can to relieve some of those feelings is only going to be a benefit.”

When patients finish a course of treatment, they can choose to ring a bell to honour the milestone and the team will take photos and video with family, if desired.

“Honestly, I guess you could say I get pretty invested in the outcomes, but it’s difficult not to be. We get to know people quite well over the course of their treatment, so we want to help and celebrate them.”

The post Meet Colleen Peluso: CancerCare Manitoba Radiation Therapist (and so much more!) appeared first on Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

“My family knows that if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would still be working in some capacity! I love my job but I also enjoy spending time at our cabin in Grand Marais, taking care of our two dogs and cat now that my two girls are grown. I also love to read and, of course, make or listen to music!”

– Cecilia Bellingham

QUESTION 1: Tell us about music therapy. What are the effects of music therapy?

As trained music therapists, we use music to try to improve the lives of the people we work with. This could include restoring a sense of balance in terms of physical, emotional and mental health. The relationship the person cultivates with the music and the music therapist are imperative to the process. Music therapists have all of the qualities of music at their disposal…melody, rhythm, tempo in order to tailor the experience for the individual. 

In our training, we are taught to assess, set goals and objectives and to determine a plan. Within a hospital setting, we assess affect, body language, communication, ways of coping, ability to move, tolerance to activity and indicators of stress behaviours, for example. 

When patients are hooked up to monitors, we can also observe and note the physiological signs related to illness and to skillfully use music to have a positive impact on the oxygen saturation, heart rate and rate of respiration. In fact there have been a handful of times when I have sung to a patient in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the nurse has noted that the child’s heart rate and rate of respiration decreased during the music. In these instances, it was more than just the music at work, because I also had previously worked with these patients, and therefore I sung the songs that they usually loved and responded to. 

QUESTION 2: Tell us about what it’s like working at Children’s.

At HSC Children’s Hospital, we have the privilege to work with infants, children, teens and their families. We provide music therapy at the bedside on all of the inpatient units and we also provide group experiences in certain areas. 

In our sessions, we try to give patients choices…choices of songs, instruments, level of participation, changing lyrics, choice of music activities, learning an instrument or writing a song for example. To promote choice-making through a safe outlet within an environment that does not function on personal choice is important for children and teens and their development. They are a child or teen FIRST before they are a patient with a illness or disease.

“In order to do our best work at the hospital, we have to be focused within the moment and what our intention is for the patient and the session. This is the essence of our work. Whether it is to relax an irritable infant who is weaning off narcotics, or to provide comfort and structure while singing and rocking to a child whose little world has been turned upside down due to trauma, disease, illness or separation from family…it is important to the health and well-being of every patient we see!“

Even if I have to sing Twinkle, Old MacDonald or Baby Shark 20 times a day, then that is what I must do to try to get a glimpse of the child’s first smile while being in hospital, or to see them move or rock to the music. Children naturally respond to music without judgment and/or criticism. I have always felt that it is rewarding to witness the resilience of a child. It is a life lesson that we get to observe on a daily basis within the landscape of healthcare.

QUESTION 3: Tell us about your career path.

“Over the years, I have worked extremely hard to gain the trust and respect of members from the health care team. The nursing staff appreciate when we can relax, distract or provide gentle stimulation to patients. We are also extra eyes and ears. We also appreciate when staff delay their ‘task’ because they see how the child is benefitting from the music therapy session. In this way, the child always wins!”    

I have been a music therapist for 26 years! It is easy for me to remember because I started my career by creating the music therapy program here at HSC Children’s. I have a Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba and then I completed my Bachelor of Music Therapy from the Open Learning University in British Columbia. 

My main instrument is actually the violin, but I use guitar, voice and rhythm instruments in my work at the hospital. To my surprise within the last few years, I have even met some teens who have played the fiddle, so I have been able to put my skills to use and of course there are many interested in learning guitar or ukulele, so I am able to support that as well.

I was fortunate to have completed my internship here at HSC Children’s and thereby had the opportunity to demonstrate how music therapy could contribute to the health and wellness of little patients within the existing framework and programming at the hospital. It was my passion to work here and I received positive support and feedback from families, managers and administrators to apply for grants to begin the program. I was able to begin with my dream job as a new grad and I am still as passionate now about the work as I was back then!

QUESTION 4: Tell us about the Music Therapy team.

Currently there are two of us working in pediatrics (including Lacey Friesen, profiled also in time for 2024 Allied Health Week) and there is one music therapist working in mental health at HSC. We are very fortunate to not work in isolation as many other music therapists must do in other settings. There is something to be said when you don’t have to explain or defend what you do because the other music therapists just understands. I think the only other facility in Manitoba that would have more than one music therapist would be St. Amant Centre.

QUESTION 5: I assume you love music – where did that love come from? What instruments do you play; what are your favourite types of music?

I grew up in a musical household with my dad playing fiddle. I chose to switch from taking piano lessons to violin lessons at the age of eight. My twin sister and younger sister were both musical too, but I seemed to gravitate to it as an outlet of expression. I also learned to play the clarinet and bass guitar through my school years. 

“If you were to ask me now what my favourite instrument would be, I would say my voice. Once I learned guitar and became competent enough to accompany myself, it opened up a whole new world for me. It is that connection that I try to inspire and/or share with others, whether it be for the benefit of patients, families and/or staff. Currently, I am trying to teach myself how to play the cello as it is on my bucket list!“

I listen to a variety of music. Pop, rock, hip hop, R &B, country, classical. I will listen to just about anything and everything. It is helpful that I still listen to most of the music that is requested by the teens at the hospital. It is much easier to earn their trust and respect if you can pull off a believable version of “Hotline Bling” by Drake or “Numb” by Linkin Park.

I have always preached to my music therapy students and interns over the years, that you have to try to emulate the style of music, the sound of the vocals/band to convey the essence of the song in order for teens to ‘buy into’ what you are doing, especially when you may only see them once! You have to try to make every minute or ‘note’ count!

HOW TO TRAIN TO BE A MUSIC THERAPIST

In Canada, there are undergraduate and graduate music therapy training programs, including in Manitoba at the Canadian Mennonite University. The four-year undergraduate degree consists of music history, music theory, psychology and clinical music therapy courses. In addition to the academic courses, four practicum placements and a 1000-hour internship are part of the degree. 

Upon completion of the degree, candidates are eligible to take the board exam and become a certified music therapist. The national organization, the Canadian Association for Music Therapists (CAMT), supports music therapists to maintain professional standards of practice, abide by a Code of Ethics and to fulfill continuing education credits to maintain certification.

The post Meet Music Therapist Cecilia Bellingham: Q & A with the HSC Program’s founder appeared first on Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

“Every day in the hospital I am reminded of the healing power of music and the way it is able to break down barriers with kids and families. I love that singing the theme song to a child’s favourite TV show can create an instant bond; that entering into a child’s imaginary play with their beloved stuffy or favourite toy can open a door to their world; and that singing a silly song gives them permission to let their guard down in an unfamiliar and often scary place.”

– Lacey Friesen, Music Therapist

I guess you could say that music runs in Lacey Friesen’s blood. Her role as a Music Therapist at HSC Children’s Hospital could not be better suited to her interests, personality or way of life.

“I grew up in a very musical family, with a mother who taught private music lessons, a father who plays drums and sings, and two musical sisters. We grew up singing in church together,” said Lacey. “There was just so much music around me.”

Lacey hails from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, a town of 8,000 residents with the slogan, “Where adventure begins”, and located roughly 80 kilometres west of Red Deer at the confluence of the Clearwater and North Saskatchewan Rivers.

Growing up, Lacey’s love for music was strong. She started with piano and singing, joined band in elementary school playing clarinet and saxophone, and eventually learned guitar. But healthcare was calling out to her.

“As a child, I had it in my head that I was going to work in the Calgary Children’s Hospital one day, and after high school I began looking at my options. I was considering physiotherapy or occupational therapy when I stumbled upon ‘music therapy.’ I had no idea this thing even existed.”

Right then, Lacey started researching what it would take to become a Music Therapist and she applied to Winnipeg’s Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) in 2015.

“As part of a degree in Music Therapy, students need to do a 1,000-hour internship. I was so lucky to end up with music therapist, Cecilia Bellingham, as my supervisor at HSC. And then it all just unfolded for me as a position opened up. I jumped at the opportunity and I am still here today. This is such a great career and I am so lucky to be able to do what I love.”

Lacey and Cecilia are still a dynamic duo, with just the two of them working in the Children’s Hospital. Their work includes individual sessions on each of the units, and some groups both in CancerCare, PsycHealth and in the patient playroom.

“We work very closely with HSC’s child life specialists, so I come in to work and together we identify the priority patients and confer on how best to approach the week. We discuss who would benefit most from music therapy – who could use some calming tunes leading up to or after a painful or uncomfortable procedure or treatment; who’s feeling good and needs a safe outlet for their energy and could benefit from a positive, fun-filled interaction. Some days I come in prepared with ideas and end up throwing them out the window because a child I planned to visit is just too sick for a high-energy session, or vice versa: I planned a quiet relaxing session and they are up for a party! We are constantly improvising and adapting.”

According to Lacey, one of the beauties of music therapy is that children have a say, a sense of control and some autonomy.

“These kids are in hospital, sometimes for a very long time, and they rarely have the option to say no. Most have to face blood work pokes, IVs, dressing changes, meds, etc. With me, they can direct the session, choosing whether they want relaxation or some laughs and silliness, depending on how they feel. It’s also something they can say ‘no’ to.”

Lacey says that what has amazed her most is just how much kids open up with music. As soon as she walks into a child’s hospital room, she begins looking around for clues that point her to something they love, like a Paw Patrol lunch kit, a dinosaur stuffy, a movie or a book.

“It’s so important to build a level of trust and make a connection. On top of that, it is vital that we are aware of the medical environment that we’re walking into. We have the benefit of observing the positive physiological changes when a child is connected to a monitor. We see that during our sessions, oxygen saturation increases, and respiration rate and heart rate decrease. But once we get going, it’s also so wonderful to see their little faces light up, and to know they might be feeling some joy and a sense of normalcy, even just for a brief time that day.”

Lacey and her husband, Jason, have one son, aged 15 months, who had a recent visit to children’s emergency after he suffered a fall down the stairs that broke his little leg.

“I had the ‘unfortunate privilege’ of seeing my coworkers in action while my son was on the receiving end of care. Honestly, it was incredible to see the impact the music and play had on him during the painful experience. After having been on ‘the other side’ of treatment, I see even more how parents with sick and injured children are suffering for them. It is a terrible thing to see your child in pain and I am so grateful to be part of a team that aims to brighten the lives of patients and families during challenging times.”

In addition to HSC’s Children’s Hospital, CancerCare and PsycHealth, Music Therapists work in private practice and in personal care homes with older adults.

THINKING ABOUT A CAREER AS A MUSIC THERAPIST?

The post Meet Music Therapist Lacey Friesen: She doesn’t sing ALL day—oh wait, yes she does! appeared first on Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

Maddy worked in the ER, ICU and COVID wards, helping out wherever needed, then in Fall 2021, she took a position in the Rehabilitation unit, working mostly with patients adjusting to life-changing physical injuries.

“The majority of the clients I worked with in the rehab unit had suffered a spinal cord injury, which obviously results in severe physical trauma because it can cause paralysis, but this type of injury also has significant mental and emotional impacts. A spinal cord injury, an amputation or other type of serious injury can change everything about your previous life, and that means adapting to a whole new reality.”

According to Maddy, the Rehab unit’s social workers help clients consider all aspects of their new way of living and access resources and services.

“I supported clients in assessing their current housing and whether it could continue to meet their needs. I helped them navigate the home care program, apply for disability benefits, figure out transportation, develop coping skills, connect with counsellors, and more. Then there are the caregivers, including partners and family members. This type of severe injury changes everything for everyone in the circle.”

In 2023, Maddy accepted a position in the Central Dialysis unit, working mostly with outpatients.

“There are five renal social workers on the team, and I follow roughly 80 clients at any given time. My typical clients are very complex, as they’re mostly lower-income folks with advanced to end-stage renal disease. They’re coming here for dialysis, but they often have many chronic diseases and co-morbidities, as well as social issues and barriers to deal with. We really try to meet folks wherever they’re at, which means doing everything we can just to get them here for treatment. Once they’re here, we can offer additional types of support and resources to try to meet their other needs.”

Maddy says roughly one-quarter of her clients are from Northern Manitoba, which often means relocating to Winnipeg for dialysis and separating from family and community. They can’t work, which means they don’t have an income, and that means they may not have a safe, clean and comfortable place to stay while they’re here either.

“I have even booked taxis for clients because they don’t have a phone or vehicle or any money for a cab…I want to try to do anything I can to support them and reduce the harm that would come from missing dialysis. What’s most important to our team is a dignified quality of life for our clients, and of course, we are concerned about their overall well-being. I spend a lot of time chatting privately on the phone or texting with people, because it can be tough to talk confidentially about difficult things while dialysis is happening. This unit is big and busy and there’s a lot of activity here all the time.”

Maddy says that social work plays a vital role across the health-care system and that career opportunities exist in a variety of units.

“Social workers provide incredible value to the system because we remove barriers to treatment and we work preventatively to reduce hospital admissions. Hospital stays are intensive and extremely expensive, so we work hard to try to keep people out of hospital and reduce pressure on the system. We are problem-solvers working in a very fast-paced environment, and we try to learn and share information with clients about everything that may be available to support them.”

Maddy met her husband, Brent Moyer, a Rehabilitation Clinician at HSC, and says that working together in health care has its benefits.

“We definitely help each other out dealing with the stress and emotional baggage that comes with a health care career. We talk a lot, but we set boundaries. We also travel a lot and we live an outdoorsy life, cycling, hiking and swimming.”

Professional success for Maddy is about listening and she spends a lot of her time doing exactly that.

“People need to talk and express themselves. I always want to treat my clients as people first; people who deserve kindness. I find myself frequently serving as a mediator between all the elements of a very complex system and acting as an advocate to try to shield my clients from judgment and limit risks to their cultural safety. Their emotional needs often supersede the physical, so I would love to be able to do more counselling, but building strong relationships to help them feel comfortable coming to the unit for treatment is what matters most.”

The post Meet Maddy Goodwin: Supporting Clients in HSC’s Central Dialysis Unit appeared first on Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

Read the media release.

The post HSC, Grace, Children’s Hospital MRI Wait Times Reach 30+ Weeks appeared first on Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

“I was taking an undergraduate science degree at the U of M, and considering a career in pharmacy,” said Lisa. “A friend invited me to sit in on a nutrition class, and the rest, as they say, is history. I applied immediately to the faculty of Human Ecology to become a Dietitian. I absolutely love what I do.”

Wilson graduated in 1999 and did an internship at the Misericordia Health Centre. Since 2003, she has been working at the Children’s Hospital as a Pediatric Dietitian. Her patients are children aged from birth through to 18, and they live with genetic and congenital conditions, or illnesses caused by infection, injury and more.

“The majority of my patients are children with kidney disease (stages 1 through 5), but I also work with patients with diabetes, cancer, metabolic disorders, and those needing special feeding care or menus after surgery, accidents and injuries.”

Dietetics is an evidence-based practice which sees food as medicine. The Children’s Hospital Dietitian team, made up of less than five full-time equivalent positions, advocates for their patients and works closely with families.

“We work strategically with families to optimize their learning about nutrition and their access to healthy food. Nutritious food can be very difficult and costly to obtain, especially if you live up North. I am fortunate to be in a position to form great relationships with families and to get to know them well, often because I work with them for so long.”

Lisa has an outpatient load which can range anywhere from 35 to 80 patients, and she supports in-patient needs as well, navigating through units CK5 (where 80 to 90 per cent are children with cancer) and CK3 (surgery and medicine).

“We take all kinds of factors into account in providing patient care. We want to meet our families where they’re at and help them adopt good habits to reduce risk and promote health. We also keep in mind that there are significant cultural foods, everyone’s living circumstances and financial means differ, and every family has its own lifestyle. I tell people that all foods can fit as long as you’re honest with me, so we can adjust accordingly.”

Lisa says that working with teenagers is a lot of fun and she enjoys the spark and spunkiness many of her adolescent patients bring to the table.

“We all know that teenagers want to go with their friends for a slurpee after a baseball game and they’re going to eat snacks at a movie. If we tell them not to do it, they’re likely going to do it anyway, so we have to work with that. I’d rather be your partner in crime than the food police, so let’s talk it out and figure out how to adjust your menu and medicines to make up for special circumstances. Eating is an extremely social activity and we want to make sure people have connection and enjoyment – especially young people. We don’t want them to feel alienated or isolated.”

In her ‘spare time’, Lisa teaches a youth cooking class at her local community centre.

“The teaching started for me during the pandemic when we all seemed to be dealing with strange feelings. I was questioning where I fit in, if I could keep doing what I had been doing and if I could keep up the pace of working in the health-care system. Sometimes, when we’re forced to stop, only then do we realize just how tired we are. That’s what happened for me, I think. I’m still teaching the cooking class, and I like it, but I’m really quite busy. We’ll see how much longer I can sustain it!”

Lisa is a mom of three and a grandma, and she says working with children has been a gift.

“Of course, there is sadness and loss, and there are extremely difficult days, but there are also many wonderful, positive and rewarding moments. We get to see the amazing things that kids can do and the challenges they can overcome. I have accepted that I can’t do everything, but I can do some things to make a difference, and that makes this job worthwhile.”

The post Meet Lisa Wilson: Manitoba’s one-of-a-kind Registered Dietitian appeared first on Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.