Etobicoke nurse manager realizes goal to help residents and families Granddaughter's words reveal impact on lives   Monday April 12, 2010 -- Lisa Bailey Valentyna Kurylo was new to the nursing profession when she joined Leisureworld Caregiving Centre Etobicoke in 2005. But the registered practical nurse graduate knew she liked working with people and wanted to "find a role helping residents and families." She's found fulfillment in both respects at the long-term care home, where she’s now a nurse manager of the dementia unit. "I feel good about what I'm doing, and I feel supported," Kurylo says. She recalls one encounter earlier this year that illustrates the difference made by long-term care team members. A family had come to Etobicoke following their loved one's death. The resident had been at the home when Kurylo first arrived there and both his daughter and granddaughter were nurses and very involved in his care. "They were a very warm family who were here all the time," Kurylo says. During their visit to Etobicoke, Kurylo says she "offered my condolences to the family and they all hugged me and they expressed how thankful they were for the care he was provided and how confident they were in our care." The granddaughter said to her, "Valentyna, I'm sorry for your loss, too." It was a moment she's not likely to forget. "I felt really special. She understood the level of the interaction of the nurse and resident, and I felt really touched by those couple of words." Interaction forms a big part of Kurylo's work. Primarily responsible for the smooth operation of the dementia-care unit and caring for its 32 residents, she meets with families, interacts with residents and works with personal support workers, physiotherapists, dietitians, doctors, nurses and others. Among her tasks are administering medication, helping to create a plan of care for residents, addressing issues that arise, and ensuring documentation is timely, correct and reflects the current situation. Kurylo describes her role as a "connection point" between a “wonderful team” of front-line and management staff. "From one side, I work with residents every day, I know their needs, I know the changes with them. From the other side, I (consult) MDs and management on a daily basis . . . so all changes are communicated, and whatever has to be changed, the needs are addressed," she says. Everyone, she says, works together to provide the best possible care. Challenges can arise when residents exhibit behaviours associated with the various forms of dementia. Kurylo appreciates staff whom, she says, utilize various resources and can be very creative with interventions. She also notes that Preferred Health Care Services provided extensive, multi-departmental training on dementia last year for its Hush No Rush program. "It opened eyes and empowered us with lots of tools and strategies that we can implement in day-to-day work," she says, citing the benefits of ongoing education. "It helps everyone to understand more what the disease is and to understand more the behaviours because there are often reasons behind it and once you understand and know what it is, you know strategies, how to manage it, it makes it easier for staff to interact with residents and provide better care for them," she says. "It also makes families more confident and feel better when they see our confidence . . . and lots of families appreciate it and they compliment it, and it makes us feel good, too.” Kurylo praises the ongoing in-service training provided by Leisureworld, saying sessions are very well organized and inclusive so “everybody has the opportunity to go and participate and gain knowledge.” Recently, she became responsible for training team members in infection control for Etobicoke. It’s another valuable educational opportunity for staff to continue to do their best to keep residents healthy. If you have feedback on this article, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051, ext. 25, or e-mail lisa(at)axiomnews.ca.