Chartwell Retirement Residences: Employer Of Choice For Nurses

MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 10, 2021 /CNW/ - The best of people choose lives of purpose, helping others and rising to every challenge.

"The theme of this year's Canadian Nursing Week is #WeAnswerTheCall. There could not be a better way to describe the dedication and excellence of the nurses of Chartwell -  always - and especially in this past year," said Vlad Volodarski, CEO of Chartwell Retirement Residences.

Chartwell employs nearly 1,400 Registered Nurses, Registered Practical Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses in active nursing roles in our retirement and long term care residences. Nearly 300 of them were hired since March 2020 as Chartwell expanded the number of nursing roles available and promoted from within into new roles, such as Director Infection Prevention and Control, Senior Director of Resident Care and Vice-President Care and Service in response to the pandemic.

"We are proud to be an employer of choice for nurses seeking the fulfillment of making a difference in the lives of seniors every day," said Volodarski. "Our care teams are incredible. To all of our nurses, thank you."

Leigh-Anne Mitchell, Health & Wellness Manager at Chartwell Carrington House in Mission, BC, was six days into orientation when an outbreak was declared.

"I was supported at every moment," said Mitchell, an LPN with 18 years of experience. "The staff from every department moved into swift and cohesive action. They knew what to do and they did it with precision. They were calm, coordinated, and highly skilled in their abilities to provide safe, high-quality care."

Recent nursing graduate Camille Gauthier joined Chartwell Cité-Jardin in Gatineau, QC in October as a backup nurse and has been promoted to Health & Wellness Manager at Chartwell Le St-Gabriel in St-Hubert.

"At Chartwell, I have every opportunity to surpass myself while making a difference with the residents. This stimulating environment, far from routine, suits me perfectly," Gauthier said.

Required by public health restrictions to choose between her jobs at North York General Hospital and Chartwell Gibson Long Term Care residence, award-winning RPN Paula Bisram devoted herself completely to the LTC residents. Erika Armstrong also left a longtime hospital job and is now Health & Wellness Manager at Chartwell Willowdale in Smiths Falls, ON.

Chartwell's student placement, mentorship and leadership programs support nurses at every career stage.

Nurses hold leadership roles across Chartwell, including as residence Directors of Care, Health and Wellness Managers, General Managers and Administrators. While Patricia Ramstead, Director of Care at Chartwell  Eau Claire in Calgary, went to Edmonton to support their sister residence Chartwell St. Albert through an outbreak, Chartwell Eau Claire General Manager Lorelei Paul, also an RN, assumed nursing leadership.

Supporting career development and promoting from within means there is no ceiling on how high a nursing career can grow at Chartwell.

As Senior Vice President Customer Experience Strategy at Chartwell, Karen James oversees the care services of all retirement residences. She began her career as an LPN. James understands both the challenge as well as  the sense of purpose and fulfillment that comes from working during  an unprecedented time ? because she lived it as a young nurse working on the AIDS Palliative Care unit of Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton.

Kevin Cundari, Chartwell Vice President, Operations and Sales for BC and Alberta, graduated from Edmonton's Norquest College LPN program and nursed in Acute Care, Long Term Care and Retirement.

"Nursing can be a stressful profession," said Cundari. "If you work with an organization committed to making sure that you are equipped to take care of others and yourself, then stress becomes not manageable but enjoyable. Chartwell is committed to making people's lives better and that includes both our hardworking nurses and the residents they serve."

About Chartwell Retirement Residences
Chartwell Retirement Residences is Canada's largest operator in the senior living sector with over 200 quality retirement communities in four provinces offering a complete range of services from independent supportive living through assisted living to long term care. Chartwell is committed to its vision of Making People's Lives BETTER and to providing a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life experience for its residents. For more information, visit www.chartwell.com.

SOURCE Chartwell Retirement Residences