#PeopleofPCH is a series that highlights the diverse stories of staff, residents, and families across Partners Community Health (PCH).
Say hello to Parminder Kaur, evening charge nurse for the fourth floor at Camilla Care. Parminder shares her story for International Nurses Day:
“Growing up, I watched my father and my uncles work as health care professionals in India, and I felt so grateful hearing stories about them helping people in our community. Seeing my relatives make a difference in people’s lives, alongside my passion for human connection, motivated me to pursue a career as a registered nurse. I completed my bachelor’s degree and worked as a registered nurse for seven years in intensive care units and emergency departments before moving to Canada in 2017.
It was the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when I was looking for a full-time job opportunity and found a posting for a registered nurse position at Camilla Care. Working in the long-term care environment was a new experience for me, but I knew I wanted to work somewhere I could make an impact on people during an extremely difficult situation. I applied and joined the team in 2020. Those early days of the pandemic were challenging, but the experience allowed me to grow both personally and professionally.
Now, I work as the evening charge nurse on the fourth floor where I’m responsible for administering medications and performing routine procedures, as well as supervising my team members and troubleshooting problems to improve the quality of life for our residents.
In my role, I’m able to support residents living with dementia. These residents may sometimes feel like the whole world is unknown to them, but a familiar face and care routine can make a big difference. Interacting with these residents fills me with so much gratitude and this is my favourite part about working at Partners Community Health.
To those studying to become a nurse, if you are compassionate, patient, and loving, then you are already a nurse at heart, and I guarantee that you will love this career.”
