By the Cardiology Partnership Nurse Clinicians
Most families who live outside the Vancouver area are familiar with the Cardiology Partnership Program. It is an incredibly successful program of travelling pediatric cardiology clinics that was envisioned over 20 years ago by Dr. Derek Human, and developed by the pediatric clinical nurse specialists. For the past 18 years, Stella Cockett has been the primary coordinator and nurse clinician for the program, making up to 23 trips per year around the province with one of the cardiologists and echo techs, to see patients who would have otherwise needed to travel to BC Children’s Hospital for their appointments. It is with great pride in Stella’s commitment to our cardiology families, and in her many accomplishments and contributions to this program, that we announce Stella’s upcoming and well-earned retirement. Her commitment to the Children’s Heart Network, her involvement in creating a pathway to continuing care from adolescence through adulthood, and her enthusiasm in improving and growing the role of the nurse clinician are surpassed only by her passion for the children and families she has cared for over the years. While Stella would wish to say goodbye to each family and co-worker in person over scones and tea, we recognize that the size of program and the province makes this impossible, and instead we are taking this opportunity to reach out to her and say goodbye to our exceptional co-worker, friend, and nurse. And of course, tea and scones (and dark chocolate) will always be a welcome reprieve from retirement in the upcoming months.
But this is not the retirement of the partnership program! Over the past three years, nurse clinician Connie Ens has taken on the Northern Health clinics, and for the past five years, Jan Frew has been coordinating the weekly and biweekly clinics in Surrey. In addition to the Northern Health clinics, Connie will be adding a few of the Interior Health clinics and Surrey clinics to her portfolio. Jan will work primarily in the Interior Health clinics and the Surrey clinics and will also be assuming responsibility for the program as a whole. Connie and Jan both look forward to expanding their roles within the Cardiology Partnership Program and meeting the families and health care professionals across the province. ♥
Jan, Stella, and Connie
“News from the Cardiology Partnership Program” is from our winter 2019 newsletter, Heart Matters. See our Newsletters page for more stories and to subscribe.