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Each month, we will introduce you to two members of the Family Centred Care Council and NICU Family Advisory Care Team. This month we feature FCC Council Members Poonam Madan and Dr. Karen Forbes.
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MEMBERSHIP CORNER -
POONAM MADAN
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FCC Council Family Member Poonam Madan with her family, daughter, Priya (being held), sons Mathan (left) & Mehul (right) and husband, Mike.
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This special photo was taken by Lynette Johnson of Soulumination from Seattle. She was brought in by Dr. McGonigle & Dr. Chatur to provide these important memories for the Madan family and other Stollery families.
"In the picture she was recovering from a respiratory infection, however Lynette was able to capture the love we had together as a family and is one of the charities that we support and donate to in honor of Priya."
- Poonam Madan
What brought you to the Council?
I was nominated by another family member to sit on the council. We went through a long and emotional journey with our daughter Priya and required to be in the Stollery for almost half her life. We used an extensive amount of services from outpatient clinics, NICU, PICU and being on the ward during her life. We recieved an extensive amount of support from the Stollery. We also gained an extensive amount of experience from our time at the Stollery. I joined the family council to help share our experiences in hopes of helping other families, physicians and staff who may be on a similar journey.
What is the one thing you would like network members to know about you?
I am a full-time mother doing after school activities almost every night of the week, full- time employee and volunteer in the community. I have 3 children, two boys and a girl: Mathan (9), Mehul (6), and Priya (who would have been 4). I have an adoring husband named Mike who supports all of my endeavors. I have been a part of the council for almost a year now and enjoy the work and results of my efforts. Last year I received a "Fierce" Award after being nominated in the resilient category. We keep Priya's spirit close to us and believe that one person can inspire others and make a difference (as our Priya did in our lives) and that the council work makes a difference to other families who may face similar challenges in their lives.
What is something that Council has done (past or present) that you are excited about?
I loved participating by providing a family perspective on some of the Stollery Policies as I got to share our family's journey and hopefully provided some meaningful input to enable these policies to be more family centered. I have been able to share our story in the new nurse orientations (SNELPs) to offer them our perspective on things. I also have enjoyed working with other hard working parents, physicans and staff and learn about the hospital from a completely different perspective which has offered me support and healing. We have added new council members this year and I am really excited about their feedback and input to make the Stollery a more supportive caring place for all who are there. I am excited to be on the Capital Planning working group to help with developing more projects and designing family centered care into the planning phase.
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MEMBERSHIP CORNER -
DR. KAREN FORBES
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 | | Dr. Karen Forbes |
What brought you to the FCC Council?
I believe in the importance of the family in terms of the clinical work that I do in the pediatric inpatient setting, and would like to work to find ways to "spread the message" about family centred care. I want to be involved in making this part of the culture at the Stollery.
What is the one thing you would like Network members to know about you?
I keep busy in my spare time with my 4 kids and my quilting projects.
What is something that Council has done (past or present) that you are excited about?
I am excited to use the expertise and passion of the Council and its members to develop educational programs that teach our learners (students, residents, fellows) about family centred care - we all have so much to learn from our families and their unique experiences.
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NEW! ONLINE FCC NETWORK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
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Do you know anyone who would be interested in being part of the FCC Network? We've made it easier than ever to join!
Forward this primer by clicking:
Interested members can apply online or on their Smartphones or tablets by clicking on the following link:
Or by scanning the bar code above!
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OUR NEWEST PEER SUPPORTERS!
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 Standing at back: Erin Cripps-Woods
Left to right middle row: Karen Gartner, Shelley Wywal, Karen Calhoun, Heather Mattson McCrady, Dianne Tuterra, Lyndsay Lord, Jennifer Hanrahan, Stephen Hanrahan, Melanie Carter
Front Row Standing: Lynett Kane, Kristy Wolfe
Front Row Crouching: Amanda Proctor, Amanda Moon, Nicole Lyste, Cari Mutch
Missing from photo: Ali Martens (Attended remotely from Grand Prairie)
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13 family members spent eight hours together over two evenings exploring and learning about being a Family Mentor to provide Peer Support to families. Dianne Tuterra (Child Life) and Lynett Kane (Social Work) lent their exceptional skills to facilitate much of the education on communication, sharing and listening to stories, setting boundaries and roles, and how to engage in conversations with other families who are in the midst of their own journeys. A special thanks to Karen Calhoun and the Stollery Family Centered Care Council Peer Support Working Group for their efforts over the years to bring Peer Support to this important moment.
We look forward to engaging these families in the various Peer Support initiatives!
If you are interested in becoming a Family Mentor, please contact:
marni.panas@albertahealthservices.ca
to be placed on a waiting list for our next training event!
 | | Lynett Kane (Social Work) & Dianne Tuterra (Child Life) lend their expertise to training Peer Supporters! |
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March was another busy month for families sharing their stories!
New Nurse's Orientation (SNELP)
Amanda Proctor and daughter, Kaia, played the role of ... well ... mother and child! and teamed up with Social Work in the second session of the new nurse orientation and role playing. The response from new staff and families continues to be overwhelmingly positive with the newly designed orientation program!
MacEwan University - 4th Year Nurses
Karen Klak lead an engaging and poignant discussion on bereavement and loss to 4th year nursing students. We were joined by family member, Amanda Moon, who we will soon welcome to be part of these important presentations.
University of Alberta Nutrition Students
Family members, Dee-Anne Schwanke and Tara Hergott teamed up once again to share their experiences with raising a child with a g-tube to U of A Nutrition Students. The students' comments from the evaluation truly capture the value of families sharing their stories with them. Overwhelmingly they realize how important it is to listen to the families!
If you are interested in sharing your experiences in the education of staff, physicians and students, please contact:
marni.panas@albertahealthservices.ca
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INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITY: NEW NURSE'S ORIENTATION RE-DEVELOPMENT
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"I really REALLY liked it and wished it was a whole day! ... watching others was very beneficial, I learned a lot from observing ... having actual family members play the roles was helpful and the scenarios were very realistic. I could relate to them from my own past experiences."
- New Stollery Nurse
We are always looking for more family members (parents, siblings, patients, grandparents, etc.) to participate in new staff orientations & role playing! If you are interested in taking part in one of these sessions (they occur on Monday mornings), please contact marni.panas@albertahealthservices.ca
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INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITY: PICU FELLOWS COMMUNICATION & ROLE PLAYING
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We are looking for one family member to join another family member to take part in a role playing / communication training session with PICU Residents during their Academic Half Day. The session will be facilitated by Dr. Dan Garros who will lead with a presentation on communication skills then guide the Residents in practicing these skills with families.
Thursday, April 17
(Time to be determined)
University Site
If you are interested in participating in this or any other presentation, please email:
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INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITY: REVIEWING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, SURVEYS, AND FAMILY EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
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Frequently we receive documents that staff are requesting families to review or have input on the development. In this past month families participated in the development of:
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Family Satisfaction Survey
- Pediatric Cardiology Intensive Care Unit Quality Dashboard
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Body Cooling Policy and Procedure
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INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITY: TRANSITIONING YOUTH TO ADULT CARE
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 | | Marni with her son, Alex! |
Not only was March 21 the first full day of spring, but this date was also a significant moment of transition for me and my family. I am blessed to work in an environment where everyone is committed to creating the best possible environment for patients, families ... and staff.
My email address has now been changed to marni.panas@albertahealthservices.ca to reflect the change in my legal name to Marni Marcelle Panas.
After a brief vacation with my family, I look forward to returning to my role as the Coordinator, Family Centred Care on April 8th and collaborating with each of you to continue this great work!
All the best!
Respectfully,
Marni Panas
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