This week, we celebrate Emergency Nurses Week, and recognize the exceptional people who serve on the front lines of our Emergency Department. Every shift, every decision, and every moment matters, and Emergency nurses at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre rise to the challenge with unmatched skill, compassion, and resilience.

This team of health care professionals focus on the immediate care of patients who require medical attention to avoid long-term disability or death. It is a complex role, treating the trigger event for the emergency visit as well as communicating with the patient, the families, and the care team. This frontline role is very patient centered, not only physically but emotionally too. People in emergency situations often feel distraught and upset. So, the emergency nurse must treat the emotions as well as the emergency medical issue. It can be chaotic, especially if the cause of the visit is a violent incident.

Please join us in thanking our Emergency Department nurses for their tremendous contributions to patient care in our community.