Today we celebrate the Clinical Genetics Program team at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Each year, they care for about 800 patients across Northwestern Ontario — from the Manitoba border to Wawa, including 69 northern First Nations communities.
Genetic counsellors are health professionals specially trained in medical genetics and counselling. They help individuals and families understand how genetics may affect their health, explore testing options, and provide guidance and support for informed decisions.
The TBRHSC team includes two master’s-trained certified genetic counsellors, a genetic assistant, a genetics coordinator, and a medical advisor, offering care through in-person, phone, and videoconference appointments.
Join us in thanking our Clinical Genetics Program for their dedication and compassion in supporting the health of our region!
This Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week, we are highlighting NPs to highlight the important roles they play at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Meet Nakita Cuglietta, who works in Complex Malignant Hematology.
Why did you decide to become a Nurse Practitioner?
I decided to become a Nurse Practitioner to expand my role and gain greater autonomy within the health care system. As a registered nurse, I loved direct patient care but often wished for more time to build meaningful relationships. In acute care, patients are frequently discharged quickly, and I wanted to follow their journeys more closely. Becoming a Nurse Practitioner has allowed me to have a more significant and lasting impact on patient care and outcomes.
Tell us about your current role.
I am the Nurse Practitioner for Complex Malignant Hematology, a role that combines inpatient and outpatient responsibilities. On the inpatient side, I manage patients with acute leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and other hematologic disorders admitted for systemic therapy or supportive care. I collaborate closely with an internal medicine physician, a physician assistant, and our exceptional hematologists to develop and implement treatment plans.
In the outpatient setting, I work in the Complex Malignant Hematology (CMH) clinic alongside a dedicated group of nurses who provide systemic therapy. I perform assessments, manage treatment-related toxicities, coordinate referrals, and provide counselling and continuity of care. This structure allows for seamless transitions between outpatient and inpatient settings, often reducing emergency department visits and allowing for direct admission to 1A. I also perform both inpatient and outpatient bone marrow biopsies.
What is the most challenging part of your profession?
One of the most challenging aspects of my profession is balancing the increasing demands of patient management within a complex health care system. Every patient brings a unique combination of physical, social, psychological, and spiritual needs, which requires thoughtful, individualized care.
In malignant hematology, many patients are critically ill, and while this adds clinical complexity, it can also be emotionally taxing. However, these challenges reinforce the importance of compassion, teamwork, and the privilege of being part of each patient’s journey.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?
The most rewarding aspect of my role is the deep and lasting relationships I develop with patients and their families. In malignant hematology, we often care for individuals over many years—through treatment, remission, relapse, and sometimes palliation. Sharing in their experiences, supporting them through difficult times, and celebrating milestones together is a privilege.
It’s also deeply fulfilling to work alongside such a committed and collaborative team including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, rehabilitation staff, speech language pathologists, dieticians, social workers, administrative staff, patient flow coordinators, and management. Our shared dedication to providing compassionate, patient-centred care makes even the most challenging days rewarding.
Do you have any advice for those considering a career as a Nurse Practitioner?
If you have the passion and drive to advance your career, becoming a Nurse Practitioner is an incredibly rewarding path. NPs have tremendous potential to transform healthcare by improving access and delivering holistic, patient-focused care across all settings.
My advice is to stay open-minded—your ideal role may not be what you initially envision. I never imagined working in malignant hematology, yet now I can’t picture myself anywhere else.
During Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week, we will be spotlighting NPs to highlight the important roles they play at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Meet Rajesh Talpade, who works in the Internal Medicine Clinic.
Rajesh Talpade, NP, Internal Medicine Clinic
Education/Training
I obtained my Masters of Nursing (NP stream)-distinction from Athabasca University and graduated in 2020.
Why did you decide to become a Nurse Practitioner (NP)?
Having started my journey at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) as a proud Registered Nurse (RN) with the Emergency Department (ED) family for over 10 years, I wanted to continue providing better support to ED patients seen in my previous role as an RN. I have always been one to advance my practice on a regular basis, be it education, skill development, or in my role as an advanced practitioner. As an NP with the IMC (Internal Medicine Clinic), I have great autonomy, and am able to include a more holistic approach into my patient care.
What is your role with the Internal Medicine Clinic (IMC)?
Under the broad umbrella of the IMC, my role since 2020 as the CHF/COPD NP Patient Navigator, is to assist patients with their chronic disease management namely (CHF and COPD), to better navigate the nuances of our complex health care system. This is particularly true for patients who are leaving the hospital with a new diagnosis, or exacerbating with these conditions, often resulting in frequent visits to the ED. Additionally, I support COPD and CHF in-patients throughout their hospital stay working collaboratively to reduce Hospital length of stay.
Finding innovative ways to support admission avoidance and transition planning by developing a post-discharge plan of care, are always front and center with my care plan. Using an evidence based approach I work with the patient and their families to set goals, provide education/advocacy, and support the coordination of out-patient medical management and social supports.
What is the most challenging part of your profession?
I have come to appreciate how difficult it can be for patients, who have no community family health care providers, and only have walk-in clinics to rely on. An extension of my role as NP Navigator, is to hopefully connect patients seen by myself, with clinics accepting new patients in the community and following up with these patients a little more closely upon discharge.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?
It is rewarding to see patients getting better/being more empowered with their chronic health conditions after I have intervened in their care while in Hospital. This is more a team effort, and I happy to be part of this dynamic team of professionals and allied health members. I’m very fortunate to work with a fantastic group of people, such as attending hospitalist physicians/NP’s/PA’s, ED MD’s/RN’s/RPN’s/management and all allied health professionals, who are accepting of my role as an NP, and consider me a valuable addition to the team.
Across generations, Canadians have dedicated their lives to preserve peace. On Remembrance Day we thank all veterans, members of the armed forces, and those that made the ultimate sacrifice.
For those wishing to show their support, poppies are available in the Hospital’s Cafeteria and Season’s Gift Shop.
During Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week, we will be spotlighting NPs to highlight the important roles they play at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Meet Kristin Kovac, who works on our Nurse-Led Outreach Team.
Kristen Kovac, NP, Nurse-Led Outreach Team
What is your education and training?
Before completing my education as a Nurse Practitioner (NP), I worked as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department (ED). I graduated from Lakehead University in 2011 with my Masters in Public Health and Nurse Practitioner certificate. I have had the opportunity to work at a few primary care clinics and am now working at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre with the Nurse-Led Outreach Team.
Tell us about your current role.
As one of the NPs on this outreach team we provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment to patients living in long term care, retirement homes or assisted living homes with the overall goal to help prevent avoidable ED visits. We also provide follow-up in the home once they have had an ED visit or hospital admission.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?
Being able to work autonomously as a Nurse Practitioner and having the ability to assess and treat the geriatric population within their own home environments.
During Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week, we will be spotlighting NPs to highlight the important roles they play at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Meet Jillian Runke, who works on our Regional Stroke Unit.
Jillian Runke, NP, Regional Stroke Unit
Tell us about your current role.
I currently work as the Nurse Practitioner on the Regional Stroke Unit at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). My role involves managing the inpatients admitted to the Regional Stroke Unit, collaborating with the attending neurologists, the interprofessional stroke team and organizing transfers and discharges from our Hospital.
What is the most challenging part of your profession?
The most challenging part of my profession is assisting patients in their stroke journey who are transferred to our unit from throughout Northwestern Ontario. Our large geographical region has limited resources in regards to stroke rehabilitation and many patients are far from their family and communities for a lengthy period of time.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?
The most rewarding aspect is appreciating the immediate improvement with urgent interventions stroke care offers at TBRHSC, as well as observing the improvements patients can make in such a short time during their admission.
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week is celebrated annually during the second week of November to recognize the exceptional care that these health care professionals provide to communities across Ontario.
At Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, NPs offer a comprehensive range of services, including ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic tests; diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions; prescribing medications and treatments; and managing overall patient care. They play a crucial role in various Hospital services, including but not limited to Cancer Management, Surgical Services, Cardiology, the Regional Stroke Program, the Hospitalist Program, and the Nurse-Led Outreach Team, which supports long-term care facilities in the community.
We invite you to join us in expressing gratitude to our past and present NPs for their commitment to our patients and their essential contributions to patient care.
