Cecilia Nguyen
Family Medicine Educator, Concordia Hospital
As the Family Medicine Educator at Concordia Hospital, I firmly believe that education that provides the knowledge, attitudes and skills to deliver quality care is the foundation for developing a competent and compassionate health care team. Part of my role at Concordia is to design, implement, monitor, and manage the dissemination of evidence-informed nursing practice. This comes in the form of policy reviews, audits, and staff in-services/information sessions. I believe my background as a researcher has helped to foster a very confident attitude towards knowledge translation for both the patient population that I interact with as well as staff.
Adult education is a very dynamic field at present as we continually adapt to new technologies and formats such as the use of virtual classrooms or Telehealth in a field that has been traditionally very hands-on. Some of the most rewarding education moments that I share with staff occur at the bedside where I help staff troubleshoot complicated procedures and protocols. I have an open door, no judgement policy which then fosters a very comfortable relationship with staff. As an educator, I also value my own time at the bedside as an opportunity to maintain my own nursing skills and interactions with patients as well as an awareness of the day-to-day routines. I apply the same education principles when collaborating with patients in my care as well as their wider support networks. This often fosters a very open and compassionate relationship, which I hope is a good model for other staff to follow.