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Meet Allison Helmer, passionate Nurse Practitioner, at CHEO.
Growing up, Allison’s mother and both grandmothers were proud nurses. So, it was no surprise when she decided to follow in their footsteps.
Inspired by the experience of witnessing the birth of her godchildren, Allison applied to CHEO after graduating from Nipissing University and secured a nursing position on the surgical team. Shortly thereafter, she was presented with another opportunity at a different hospital. However, Allison chose to stay at CHEO due to her supportive manager, collaborative team, and the dynamic, fast-paced environment she thrived in.
Allison went on to work in mental health with the nursing resource team for a few years before deciding to explore her love of technology and its application in nursing practice. She got a diploma from McMaster University in health informatics, while on maternity leave. Upon graduation, Allison wondered how she could put her new knowledge to work, so she sought the mentorship of a senior nursing leader at CHEO, Charlie, in the informatics field.
Charlie introduced Allison to health informatics at CHEO and inspired her by sharing how the Epic system was an integral part of exciting new changes to clinical practice. When an opportunity to work for the Epic training team came up, Allison took a big leap and left bedside nursing to work as a business systems analyst. While she trained staff to use Epic, she recognized that it was hard for people to adjust to the new tool and recalls one staff who felt overwhelmed.
“I was able to sit down and speak to them through their profession. By understanding their role, I was able to show them how to use Epic and the benefits.”
It was a genuinely rewarding experience and one of her many proud moments working at CHEO.
Allison eventually worked as the Team Lead, which she loved but missed direct patient care. That’s when she decided to go back to school and pursue her Masters – Nurse Practitioner in 2019.
She celebrated her graduation this past June and now works as a Nurse Practitioner on CHEO’s Mental Health unit. This year marked her 15th year with CHEO!
For Allison, what makes CHEO different from other hospitals is the staff.
“The type of person that works here is the kind of person that has dedicated their career to working with children and families and commits to being a team player. They work together in a way that makes you excited to come to work and collaborate with them every day.”
CHEO is filled with driven and caring people like Allison. Join us.