Portering Team | The Heartbeat of our Hospital: Fiona

Porters at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) play a vital role in keeping the Hospital running smoothly and efficiently. With energy and a smile, they transport patients safely and comfortably between wards, diagnostic departments, and operating rooms, ensuring timely care and reducing patient stress.

Always ready to lend a helping hand, porters also support medical staff by moving essential equipment, delivering supplies, and responding quickly to urgent requests. Their positive attitude and dedication create a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that brightens the Hospital environment for patients and staff alike. Fiona, a porter at TBRHSC, truly embodies this spirit, and starts her shift with two goals:

“I always set my intention for my shift and hope that at least one person says that I’m kind. Yesterday it was my first patient and an x-ray tech,” says Fiona. “I also try to smile at everyone I see, and set a goal to find out who has the best smile that day, whether it is a patient or staff. I find that energetically this is a good thing to do – when people see you smile, they smile, and it elevates their mood. It is a small thing that makes a big difference.”

Fiona, a porter at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, let us tag along to show us the ins and outs of portering.
Fiona starts her day picking up her work phone, an essential tool to her job. A role-specific app allows her to accept, reject, or report completion of jobs directly on her phone. This ensures transports are done efficiently and in the right order. Real-time updates prevent delays or bottlenecks, especially in high-pressure areas like the Emergency Department or surgery.

Reliable, compassionate, and dynamic, Hospital porters are essential team players making a real difference every day. Fiona checks in with the patient’s nurse to ensure the patient is prepared to be transported. This includes that they are aware of the move, medically safe to move, paperwork complete, IV lines secured, notes or medications are ready. This step is essential to prevent premature or unsafe transfers, maintain continuity of care, and support effective communication between departments.

Fiona introduces herself to the patient, and reiterates where they are headed. This conversation (which she has with every patient) reflects the porter’s role in patient-centered care, ensuring dignity, comfort, and safety throughout the transport process.
“Patients love to ask me how many steps I get in a day,” smiles Fiona. “The answer is between 25,000 and 35,000 steps per shift. I always make sure to take the stairs to get in a few more!”
“They also ask about navigating the Hospital. It is actually really well laid out, with critical departments close to each other to streamline workflow. It is well-designed,” she adds.
Fiona says the trickiest part of the job is navigating through tight spaces and obstacles. “But that is where the teamwork comes in,” she says. “Other staff are always willing to hold the door or elevator for porters. That is what makes me really feel like part of the team.”
“Being a porter is wonderful,” say Fiona. “You get only one job at a time. You only have to focus on the person you are with. It is a job where you can truly make a difference in a patient’s day.”