Take care of each other

I myself forget it too often. I work in the health network. In a hospital. I won’t say it too loudly, but I’m a manager. I hardly dare to say it.

Genevieve St-Onge
Head of social services and multidisciplinary services, hospital component, Pierre-Boucher Hospital

I’m the head of professionals at a hospital. Social workers, social work technicians, physiotherapists, physiotherapy technologists, audiologists, occupational therapists, spiritual care workers, administrative officers… these professionals who have always given themselves body and soul, but in a more significant way since the start of the pandemic.

But we hear so little about them. Of their work. of their contribution. Their aggressiveness at work, their rigour. Work overload. Labor shortage.

These shadow workers have always been there, but so lacking in recognition. Yet they work miracles every day. They make a difference in people’s lives every day.

And what about my fellow managers? Heads of Unit. Bed manager. Head of Access Mechanism. Heads to accommodation. Coordinators. Directors.

And yet, being called names, pushers of pencils.

But we make the difference. Every day. We are at the post. Always.

With so little recognition.

Work in a hospital is like the work of an ant in its anthill. It works hard, in the shadows. Sometimes we do miracles. Sometimes not.

It is, in addition, teamwork and collaboration. And it is much more.

But when everything goes wrong. Human nature seeks a culprit. There are not any. Or rather, there are several. It’s systemic. The entire health network needs to be reviewed. Do not follow the parade, but be in front. It’s difficult. It takes so much courage.

But take care of each other. It’s primordial. We won’t get there otherwise.

Thinking of his colleague, taking care of his colleague. It’s already a start. Because taking care of each other also means taking care of patients and families. We won’t get there otherwise.

Taking care of each other means telling yourself that we will get there. We will work to find solutions. It’s caring about others, showing courage. But it’s also so much to apologize, to recognize that we were wrong. Recognize that we don’t always succeed. That there are more difficult days.

Dear teams, and to all my colleagues. Thanks.

And especially. Let’s take care of each other.