Let's continue our series of meeting people who work with Yukon's Department of Health and Social Services. Today's entry brings us to Whistle Bend Place in Whitehorse. The continuing care facility features therapy spaces, a gym, large walking paths, a community garden and more.
Treena has 11 years of experience in the Yukon. She spoke about her work and how she feels proud of the team delivering excellent person-centered care.
What makes for a good day at work?
The staff here are phenomenal. They have this energy and it makes for a really great environment. Which is really helpful. The residents feel it, the families feel it. It makes for a much better day when staff and residents are happy.
What advice might you have for someone considering work in Yukon healthcare?
The Yukon has a lot of really great opportunities. Some you wouldn't necessarily have elsewhere. Elsewhere in Canada, you know, for a position you might be competing against possibly hundreds of people. Whereas here it might be just a handful of people that you're competing against. The result is more opportunity and advancement.
In the Yukon we also have more opportunities for temporary roles. Here you can often try out different positions, temporarily, to get a feel for what works and to see if you enjoy it. It's great to be able to work for the organization and try different roles, to get to know what your strengths and weaknesses are. Here, there are just so many more opportunities for working at different levels of healthcare and that includes training for management positions. I feel like people would not always get those same chances somewhere else.
What’s unique about working in the Yukon?
The scenic landscapes with mountains and beautiful, untouched wilderness right outside your door. What's really great about Whistle Bend Place and Kusawa Lake House, specifically, is that it gives a really good sense of family. The care that we provide here is remarkable. I've worked elsewhere in Canada and the level of care here exceeds anywhere else. I'm very proud of what we're able to do here. The staff-to-resident ratios are better here in the Yukon, which allows for excellent person-centered care.
It's also great for work life balance. I think that there's a lot of appreciation for that. You know the majority of the health care providers are female. We may have children at home or other commitments and those things pull at us sometimes, but we're able to come together and support each other. I really appreciate that because it is like a family here and that makes for a nice work environment.