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Ever wonder who is behind the staff Entrance screen or contact tracing at CHEO? Meet a special group of CHEO nurses — affectionately nicknamed the COVID Queens by many they work with – who bring an important safety first lens forward to benefit everyone at CHEO.
Meet our COVID Queens: Kylie Campbell, Jo-Anne Green, Stephanie Grimshaw, Katrina Hage and Chantalle Nolet
This work started with a team consisting of Nurse Practitioners Vikas Chhura, Lisa Hicks and Kathleen Banville in spring of 2020. The team went down to a one woman operation but has now grown back up to a small but mighty team of five COVID Queens. Combined this expert team has over 125 years of experience at CHEO! Some joined because of their experience with COVID contact tracing while others have been redeployed to this role. They work together to provide essential and timely contact tracing for staff and medical staff, which is an essential part of our COVID-19 response plan.
Alongside Ottawa Public Health (OPH) they work to assess risk, identify and notify CHEO staff and medical staff who need to isolate and receive a COVID-19 test. While they’re nicknamed the COVID Queens, much of their time is spent doing detective work. Their analysis of the situation provides the basis for up-to-date safety improvements. They connect with individuals to find out where they have been and who they may have had close contact with, to stop the spread of COVID-19 in its tracks.
The nurses on this team are used to taking care of patients, but COVID-19 has meant they’re now taking care of their colleagues. This group has a lot of heart and they don’t take their role lightly. Every decision to recommend someone leaving work and self-isolating is made in consultation with the fellow nurses, managers and physicians on their team and by reviewing the latest guidance from the government and OPH. Our COVID Queens also provide regular support and check-ins to monitor those isolating at home to help them get through a challenging time. They make sure Team CHEO has the support it needs whether that’s knowing who to turn to get groceries delivered or how to access mental health resources.
Across CHEO, teams have been adapting, improving and re-thinking how to work and provide care during the pandemic, and our COVID Queens are no exception. They are always looking for ways to streamline contract tracing and use feedback from staff and medical staff to improve safety and reduce the risk of transmission in the workplace. The entire team, including Sheila Mongeon Occupational Health and Safety Manager, Stephanie Poirier Manager of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk, Jennifer Ellis Director of Quality and Safety, Dr Charles Hui, Infectious Disease and volunteer Dr Karen Watanabe Duffy, Rheumatology meet multiple times a week to plan, and identify improvements which is how the staff Entrance screen gets updated all the time and participate weekly at the regional level for timely input and consistent recommendations. Always read the screen carefully and you’ll see the result of their efforts in real-time.
Thank you, COVID Safety Queens, for helping to keep CHEO safe! Your group nickname is a deserving one.