Post -- Queensway Carleton Hospital

Caralan

In early March I was terrified. I couldn’t sleep. In the morning when I was travelling to QCH, apprehension, fear and anxiety filled my thoughts. Each day I was amazed and empowered watching our Food Service Aides and Dietitians bravely head to their units, each of them battling their own worries, but putting that all aside for our patients and customers! I am in awe of each and every one of them! As we have modified work routines and continue to adapt to this new normal, they have shown tremendous, and unprecedented, strength and resilience. Nothing has seemed to phase them as they shine through every challenge. And challenges, we have had:

Set up Food Services in a Hotel? “No Problem!”
An extra 16 patients in Day Stay? “We’ve got this!”
Remodel our Service Model in the cafeteria? “That will be fun!”
Ensure we have one-month supply on hand of all of our meat? “We’ll just have to get creative with the freezer space we have.”
Tim Horton’s closed!? “We’ll be happy to stay open!”
Goggles and gloves and masks? “Absolutely we will!”
“Feed and Distribute meals to 1000 people every Friday!? Thanks to all the wonderful generous businesses, we are happy to help with that”.
Nourish all the partners of patients in MNB with 3 meals a day? “Helping keep our Mom’s and Babies safe anyway we can” Over 2500 meals have been served by May 31st!

Early on I wondered “how on earth are we were going to make it through this!?” And now I know. We are not only surviving; we are thriving because of all the heroes we have on our team! Together, as a team, supporting each other, we have accomplished so much. I will be forever grateful to have worked through this time with such an incredible group of people!

Angie

When COVID -19 crisis unfolded it was terrifying as new information constantly came through. As I looked around, I could see we were all filled with fear in our eyes, fear of the unknown. What amazed me most was the bravery that showed in each one of my team’s eyes, as we went through the first, second and third week of the crisis. I could see the resilience and how we were all ready to face the challenge ahead. It’s been a journey but when I look back, I am happy to have walked this journey with this amazing Food Service Team and I will continue to do so.

Ellen

The past 2 months have felt as long as 2 years and yet as short as 2 weeks, all at once. Times changed so quickly which lead to mostly quick reactions and little reflection. Taking the chance to look back at what our teams at QCH have accomplished is remarkable. Turning surgery units into overflow space, setting up several new floors, opening a second Intensive Care Unit, managing an outbreak with grace, and even turning a hotel into a hospital (all while working at over full capacity!). It may sound unfathomable, but we did it. My team members in the Food Service department are all my heroes. The times are tough, they challenge and weaken even the strongest, and yet here they are, showing up for their team and their patients each day without hesitation.

Food donation planning for “Feed Me Friday"

Steve

I have been tremendously proud of QCH during this unprecedented time. The personal sacrifices our staff make to be here is nothing short of incredible. As a new father with a 9-month-old, I can’t imagine the new level of emotions and fears that expecting mothers and fathers are experiencing in our new normal. The creativity and compassion QCH has demonstrated to keep new families safe, together and feed in our hospital has been nothing short of remarkable. It further deepens my love and appreciation for this department and the organization.

Kat

I am happy that everyone has pitched in and each one of us has carried their weight to ensure our patients are fed. The wheel is spinning beautifully; this has made everyone’s life so much easier.

Violetta

I have learned to take it a day at a time with lots of prayer. Whatever I do here, I’m always thinking about how it’s going to affect my family and my co-workers. I have come to know that any mistake I make will cost the whole department and I believe we all share the same view.

Catherine

I know how we are all supposed to leave the trays and go, but after working in ACE and seeing how the COVID patient’s faces look when we do that, I had to go back to our regular process. I now take the time to say ‘hi’ pull their table close to let these patients know we are here for them and we care about them. I feel the gratefulness of these patients as they appreciate this a lot. What has been so hard for me now is that I can’t even hug or kiss my son as he is asthmatic, and I work in a COVID Unit. I know it’s a sacrifice I have to make as I have a job to do and on the other hand keep my family safe. I pray every day before coming to work for God to heal my patients and protect us as we come to work. I am always searching on the internet how I can keep myself safe and also tips on how we can keep our COVID patients happy.

Kathryn B.

I have always been family oriented, and my work people are my second family. I care a lot about both my families. I don’t take anything for granted and this COVID crisis has made me appreciate life more. I am grateful that in the department we have pulled together and emerged as a strong team as everyone has been willing to help each other out. During our break times we have been fortunate that people are constantly sharing tips of how we can all stay safe; from how to deliver patient trays safely, to preparing yourself outside of work, to processing of dishes fast, safely and efficiently. This has been great as we all know mental health issues have been weighing on some people and any information you can get helps.

Kim R.

I have been more conscious of hygiene more than ever before. I have noticed that as a team, we are pulling together a lot and there is more caring for one another. I was amazed about how quickly everything changed and how quickly informed we were by our management team. Thank you to our Hospital and our Food Service Management Team for providing us with the proper PPE to keep us safe. Having the facial masks, shield and goggles makes us feel protected and safe. Thank You.

Evelyn

When the COVID crisis started, I was scared for my family’s sake. At one point I had to decide whether I should continue working or stop as I was filled with fear. I finally got to a point where I had to embrace my fear so I can continue coming to work. There are days that I still feel scared to come in but being here with my team helps to change that whole feeling.

Paris

Despite of all the negativity around the COVID-19 crisis, this has brought awareness to hygiene which has been remarkable. I have learned to stay positive regardless of what’s going on.

Kim S.

It was scary coming into work as I was constantly thinking about the Health and Safety of myself and my family members. One of my family members is immune compromised and that was my biggest challenge as I was deciding on whether I should continue working or not. Finances came to play as I was forced by the pandemic to choose to work at only one place versus my two jobs. It was stressful. My boyfriend has been a great support and my teammates have been wonderful. Now, I really like coming to work at QCH as I know I am safe, it’s a pleasant and stress-free working environment.

Agnes

Going through this crisis has opened my eyes more to how our day to day life has changed. I have come to appreciate my co-workers now more than ever before. I enjoy seeing my customers come to the café every day, knowing they are safe and healthy makes me feel good. My husband and son have been a great support. They congratulate me daily coming to work and at days end. On Mother’s Day, my husband wrote how much he appreciates all I do at the hospital and around the house. When I hear that it makes all I do worthwhile. I feel comfortable coming to work every day as my Manager Caralan has an open-door policy and for me knowing I can go to her anytime makes me feel good especially with the pandemic going on.

Natasha

I still find it so surreal; it hits home when I come to the hospital everyday. Having a job to come to and knowing I am making a difference, makes me happy. I will continue to do my part here at work and outside to keep myself and those around me safe.

Tham

I am a very optimistic person, but when COVID-19 started to spread, I was very sad and frustrated as I had seen how much damage it had caused in peoples lives in the other countries. The situation we are in has now become our day to day which I have accepted. I am thankful for my job as I still have one, and most people don’t. Honestly, I just want this virus to be gone so we can have our normal lives back. I will continue to take my precautions so we can all stay safe.

Anonymous

Going through this pandemic has brought a different life. I had to isolate myself from my whole family including my baby. I go visit my son every evening practicing physical distancing as he is now staying with my best friend. This is a sacrifice I had to make considering I work at a hospital. It’s been hard, but at least I don’t have to worry about him and know he is safe.

Mahmood

Working during the outbreak, I had experienced a little bit of anxiety as it was taking more time to deliver patient meals. The extra safety measures that have been put in place by the hospital are great as they protect our patients and staff. I pray every day for everyone at QCH. We have gone through so many changes and nothing is normal right now. I am worried about the second wave. My hope is the hospital and healthcare system are taking extra measures. I am happy with the current safety measures the hospital and our Food and Clinical Management Team have put into place. I am so proud to be part of the Food and Clinical Nutrition Team.

Isolyn

I remember how scared I was when we started to get the changes due to the pandemic. There were so many questions going through my head. How are we going to keep the patients, my coworkers and my family safe from this virus? Also how was I going to deal with it when I go home after work? I am so glad the hospital has done well in keeping our patients, staff and our families safe as I worried about taking this virus home. The daily meetings our Manager Caralan has helped to prepare me and everyone else on our team to understand what’s ahead of us. Thank You Caralan!

Per

I have always cared about our patients, and people in general. Having gone through this pandemic has definitely taken my caring of people to the next level. I started working with ALC patients when I joined QCH which I am grateful for because it helped to prepare me to always be in the caring mode. COVID-19 has been a mental thing, and I have taken it as it is. I have learnt to be more alert as the processes changed constantly. Given that challenge, we have all learnt to adapt on the fly.

Heather

Anxiety came to play when the virus started to spread. What has helped me a lot and still does is the positive work environment I work in. I am able to trust my coworkers, and our Management Team as we all have the same goal to keep each other safe.

Marcel

Coming to work has been extremely stressful. When I look at what I used to do on a daily basis. I have noticed the volume of work is larger than normal. From purchasing food for the West End COVID Care Centre, the Fairfield Hotel, and the regular hospital, the pressure has been on. I have managed to pull through as I always have to stay on top of all the different requests coming through. Our numbers might seem lower some days, but the food quantities we have purchased are still higher. When I look at how full the freezer is, it amazes me, but we had to be prepared to have enough food to feed our patients.

Kelly

COVID-19 crisis has brought a different kind of stress, not physical, but mental for me. Having to be always aware of the procedures and making sure to do all the processes correctly. To make it easier for myself, I have had to change my routine from when I first come on shift. I go into my galley and sanitize all handles. Doing this gives me a peace of mind that I am safe. I know I can control my galley, and everything will be ok. But once I leave the galley, it’s been stressful as I have to be constantly looking out for physical distancing which can be frustrating sometimes as some people do not seem to take it seriously. Patient safety is our priority and it helps when we have communication posted prior to meal delivering or pick up of dishes.

Joanne

I recall when the virus started to spread, I panicked a lot. It was very stressful as there was a lot of talk about COVID-19 everywhere. The other thing I found did not help me deal with the crisis well was us having to talk about it all the time which ended up putting extra stress on me. With more understanding of the virus and use of PPE, it has helped a lot to calm myself down. I have learnt to keep calm and taking it one day at a time.

Food Service: Through Their Eyes