Collaboration Award
Sherri McArthur
Resident Care Manager 10Y, Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre
“I recognize that everyone has a gift and when we pull together, the results are amazing.” - Sherri McArthur
Sherri McArthur treats all people with respect, dignity and compassion, including residents, their families, non-professional and professional staff, volunteers and external partners. At her core is a caring soul that is evident in all she does.
Sherri lives her belief that everyone has intrinsic work and everyone has something valuable to offer. That is what makes Sherri’s collaborative endeavours so successful.
Nominated by her outstanding staff, Sherri has gained the full support of her team by lacing Covenant Health’s mission, vision and values throughout her workday. But working together to deliver the best care throughout this locked-down dementia unit hasn’t always been easy, especially since she was the first healthcare worker who was not a registered nurse to hold such a position.
Previous training and work experience in recreation therapy served Sherri well, but her strength in pulling people together to work for the betterment of the unit is what really makes Sherri excel in all she does.
“Although she may not have had all the answers or clinical training, she is aware of when to ask for help,” said one of her nominators. “Some considered her approach as evidence that she was unable to fulfill her duties. We think otherwise, as no one could possibly know everything and that is why the care of our residents requires a multidisciplinary approach.”
Sherri is a team player, a great communicator and she seeks opinions of all staff. For example, the unit pharmacist has worked closely with Sherri for advice on medications, behaviour management, and reviews. “I am more than happy to be involved on a regular basis as I am not on the unit daily and thus rely heavily on the feedback from the unit to assess medications,” said the pharmacist.
Her staff say it best when they collectively share that “we have never felt so supported or respected by a manager in our time in long-term care at the [EGCCC]. It makes you want to strive for excellence because, with Sherri, it seems like you could achieve it.”
As Sherri has recently moved on to become the Manager of Clinical Therapeutics, she will continue to use her collaborative talents to focus the positive energy of the EGCCC’s social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, recreation therapists and dieticians to improve the quality of life of the residents.
