Jean Harsch, Clinical Nurse Educator, Emergency Department

In the emergency department, Jean helps people through the most stressful and intense times of their lives. She is an advocate for respecting people’s beliefs, ensuring ensures families can celebrate religious rites and end of life ceremonies. She shows respect for the LGBTQ2s community and recently advocated for appropriate pronoun use for a transgendered patient. Jean sensitively engages and supports people in abusive or unsafe situations that she encounters in the ED. Jean shows respect, compassion and love in so many ways. It may include a caring foot rub for a patient, a hug or a hand on the shoulder. It could be in the countless service projects that fill her evenings and weekends as she serves those in her family, community or profession as president of the National Emergency Nurses Association of Canada. In this role, Jean is a respected (and respectful) leader of a very diverse group and proactive to address challenges and advocate for inclusion.

Jean’s educator work builds respect in the ED. One example is the implementation of the “red books” a tool for staff and management that ensures open communication and follow-up. Jean’s work has transformed the CNE office with new education, orientation, welcome and buddy support programs. Jean is attentive to the learning needs and concerns staff bring forward and her advocacy comes from a deep believe in the empowerment and respect for our staff.