First place winner –
Donna Pilon, University Health Network
It is with immense honor, pride and enthusiasm that I write this letter to recommend Donna Pilon for The Hospital News 2023 Nursing Hero Award.
Donna is an outstanding and highly creative leader with a rich background in patient care. She started working at the University Health Network as a Registered Nurse in 1985 and has gone above and beyond the call of duty on each unit that she has touched, including, cardiovascular, vascular, cardiovascular ICU, PACU/POCU and the amazing Medical Day Unit at Toronto General Hospital where she is currently employed.
While working on these units, Donna creates healthy environments for the patients, family members, and her coworkers. She motivates and inspires her team members and patients alike. She has been and continues to be a “Wellness Champion” and a “Caring Safely Coach” for her team UHN coworkers encouraging us to participate in monthly wellness challenges and ensuring our mental and physical health are looked after. She values being in a position where she can have a strong voice for the nurses. She is a strong advocate for process improvement projects that promote self care for the nursing team while increasing satisfaction with the work they do.
By seeking feedback from frontline staff, she advocates for changes that would benefit the unit and she is able to determine what would work realistically in the nursing care provided on our unit. She has contributed to not only helping keep patients safe, but has helped keep our staff safe. Donna continuously demonstrates her extraordinary commitment to the team UHN community as well as the patients that come to Medical Day unit for their treatment.
Some examples of how Donna has gone and continues to go beyond the call of duty include;
- Being a “Brite Lights” champion and creating banners on the unit and around the hospital to promote awareness.
- Promoting and providing music therapy for patients and staff on the Medical Day Unit.
- Participating in UHN ‘s Holiday Decorating contest, making all of our decorations by hand, using recyclable materials, and staying late to ensure they are hung up which has gotten the MDU 1st place in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
- Made the “Happy Can” and the “Staff Recognition Board” creating a domino effect of joy, happiness, and smiles for the nurses on the unit by allowing us to share our strengths and positive feedback with one another.
- Donated hundreds of cloth masks, N95 masks, ear savers, bibs and shields to UHN staff during Covid when there was PPE shortage.
Donna’s attitude is contagious, she is highly regarded by her peers as an exceptional role model. She has an incredible ability to inspire others through her passion, ability to motivate others, and commitment to high quality patient care. She has an attitude that is flexible, open to diversity, and optimal for fostering a healthy work environment.
She is a committed advocate for patients, always leading by example. Donna demonstrates the highest regard for patient safety and care in all environments, both inside and outside the hospital.
I asked Donna’s Team UHN coworkers and patients who visit the Medical Day Unit to write some words of recognition to submit with this nomination for the 2023 Nursing Hero Award.
This is what they wrote;
It is my honor to write about Donna Pilon, a truly deserving recipient of the Nursing Hero Award. Donna is a nurse who exemplifies dedication, kindness, and generosity, making her an outstanding member of any healthcare team.
Donna’s commitment to her patients is unparalleled. She goes above and beyond to ensure that they are comfortable, happy, and receiving the best possible care. Her patients consistently praise her for her compassionate nature and her ability to put them at ease during difficult times.
But Donna’s contributions go beyond just patient care. She is a team player who keeps everyone together and makes the workplace a more enjoyable and cohesive environment. Her infectious positive attitude and sense of humor are a breath of fresh air during busy and stressful shifts, and she is always willing to lend an ear or a helping hand to her colleagues.
One of Donna’s many talents is her ability to transform our unit into a festive and cheerful environments. Her efforts have won the team three Christmas decorating contests, and patients and staff alike look forward to seeing the new themes and decorations she creates each year.
Donna is also an advocate for her colleagues, always standing up for their rights and ensuring that they have the support they need. Her leadership and dedication have earned her the respect and admiration of her colleagues, who are grateful to have her on their team.
In summary, Donna Pilon is an exceptional nurse and an asset to any healthcare team. Her dedication, kindness, and generosity make her a true hero in the nursing profession, and she is more than deserving of the Nursing Hero Award. – Ina Cherepaha-Kantorovich, RN
Donna has shown exemplary leadership skills in the MDU, in sustaining a culture of professionalism centred on patients. There have been several patients in my practice, who have been treated in other hospital MDUs in the past, who have provided the highest praise for the competent and compassionate care they’ve received at TGH MDU. Some are travelling long distances outside of the city so they remain part of the practice here only because of the quality of care in MDU. In interacting with staff physicians, Donna is always patient and proactive in solving problems with infusion orders, troubleshooting with other nurses around technically difficult infusions as well as managing infusion reactions. – Dr. Helena Dhamko
I resoundingly support this nomination of Donna Pilon as our nursing hero for the Nursing Hero Award! Donna is pure sunshine and energy. She brings authenticity, purpose, kindness, respect, attention, dedication, and positivity to every individual and group interaction. When I visit the Toronto General Medical Day Unit to see my patients, I know that something special is always happening when Donna is there – be it in the tangible morale writ large in her seasonal decorating prowess (and creative genius!), or in a heart-to-heart reflection on the less-than-ideal ways-of-the-world, or in her conscientious caring as an amazing clinician. It’s one of the great highlights of my work life to know that she is a professional sister to me. She is an amazing role model, colleague, and person. And a brilliant story-teller. She exudes love for everyone with a zest and curiosity for the flavors and traditions of every heritage and perspective. She is a true patient advocate and also a Wellness Ambassador to her colleagues. Donna is hugely deserving of hero award-level recognition! – Dr. Christine Cserti
Donna is someone who goes above and beyond for her patients and colleagues everyday. She is the best colleague any one of us could ask for- she focuses on positive work culture, inclusion and team spirit and sets a great example for other colleagues and units to follow. She’s also proactive and “patient first”- patients really look forward to coming to Medical Day Unit because of the energy she brings to the unit, her colleagues and her patients. During the pandemic she really kept us going with her positivity, and I’m very grateful for her leadership and support during these challenging times. – Liz Lee, N.P
Over the years, Donna has been one of the most positive individuals that I have interacted with at UHN. Her attention to patient care is superb and she makes visits to the medical day Unit special. She is absolutely deserving of a nursing hero award. – Dr. Hance Clarke
This is my 3rd year of closely working with Donna and she has consistently epitomized compassion and empathy toward patients. While providing care for our transfusion patients, Donna has always supported me by providing timely and excellent clarifications, suggestions and ideas which I have found very useful in managing our patients. She is an excellent team member! Donna readily takes up any matter related to patient care and welfare, irrespective of where the patient might be located or who the care provider is for the day, such is her passion and dedication! Over the years, I have come to associate working with her with this phrase, “mention it to Donna, consider it done’. She is a delight to work with and an asset to our team. – Dr. John Aneke
It is easy to lose the burning desire to provide holistic care to patients while advocating for nurses’ well-being. However, Donna Pilon has embodied a caring and compassionate nurse that transcends towards her patients in the Medical Day unit and fellow healthcare staff. Her positive energy is infectious and her dedication to provide safe and best care is apparent in all of her interactions in the unit. As a wellness ambassador, Donna actively engages her colleagues to participate in different wellness activities, to achieve a work-life balance. Her maturity, knowledge, and clinical experience is also a beacon of practice standards for all other nurses to rely on. She exudes a thirst for knowledge yet generous to share everything she knows. Our MDU team is truly fortunate to work alongside with Donna. Lest, Donna is indeed deserving of this recognition! – Irene Azurin, Clinical Nurse Educator
Donna is a highly caring, compassionate, competent, and committed nurse She puts us, as her patients, first and is always focussed on providing quality care. Furthermore she is positive, fun and energetic and comforting to have around. – Sula, Patient
“Do you want a heart? Let me pin one on you.” Donna greeted me on Valentine’s Day as she pinned a small heart made of red construction paper on my shirt. So began another good day of mine at “the spa”. I call the days that I spend in the Medical Day Unit to get my blood transfusion my spa days. The MDU is a welcoming ward that feels like a big family where patients’ medical needs are professionally and warmly attended to. The nursing staff show admirable teamwork; they always have each others’ back. They cultivate an easy-going friendly rapport with the patients. I credit Senior Nurse Donna Pilon as the driving force in setting the collaborative and cheerful tone. As busy as everyone else is, Donna always watches out for her younger colleagues and amiably guides them. She channels her artistic joie de vivre personality in resourcefully creating, at her own time, festive decors to celebrate seasonal holidays. The gay and whimsical scenes never fail to elicit chuckles and lift spirits. It’s a tonic, a pleasant medicine and a gift. Donna, we appreciate your talent and the bonus care! –W.Y. Mok, Patient
Donna Pilon is the best. I have been going to the MDU regularly for over 2 years and cannot sing high enough praises about her care, efficiency and kindness. She is an absolute joy activator. This is clear in her personality and great sense of humour but also with her ongoing commitment to decorating the MDU for the seasons which is always heart brightening for all who enter. Coupled with the joy she brings, Donna is on top of things. She means business. She always remembers the big and small details of a patient’s needs, creating an environment that feels safe and loving. I feel extremely fortunate to be treated by Donna and would hand the Hero Award to her myself if I could. She literally goes above and beyond. – Sarah G., Patient
I have been a regular patient on this unit for over five years. I am delighted to support the nomination of Donna by her colleagues. However, it is my opinion that this must also be a nomination of all the nurses on the MDU. It is a testament to exceptionally well-honed colleagueship, mutual respect and teamwork that yields superb patient care. Within this context, Donna shines as a spirit-leader and innovator. Her colleagues clearly recognize this in their nomination of her for Nursing Hero. Donna brings her joy in living to her interactions with colleagues and patients. She engages all in light-hearted banter, while keeping the task at hand paramount, and smoothing work processes. She is a strategic thinker, solving problems that arise during care, as well as issues in work-flow on the unit. Donna has a natural talent for design, whether practical (doggedly seeking a solution to a functional problem with equipment); or aesthetic (leading the innovative and award-winning design for seasonal decoration on the MDU. Often working at home to complete the construction). The Medical Day Unit takes an egalitarian model of shared task management. When Donna takes her leadership turn, she demonstrates a light handed, engagement-style of communication, respectfully ensuring that her colleagues are on board in making the work flow smoothly.
Donna is remarkably strong in her patient education skills. I have noted that she consistently gives detailed and comprehensive information, in a very understandable fashion. But most notably in her care, Donna brings light to the lives of people who live with chronic, debilitating and often, life-threatening illness. Donna is a special person. The fact that her colleagues have nominated her for this award is a testament to this. The nomination of a nurse who consistently works to make good relationships and support team functioning, may not immediately seem earth-shatteringly heroic. However, I strongly contend that effective team work in health care is exceedingly rare, yet completely essential for exemplary outcomes. Committing to always work in the aid of “team” requires tenacity and professionalism. It requires a daily renewal of purpose as one steps out of one’s home life and across the threshold to the workplace. In this capacity, Donna is indeed a HERO. I unreservedly support for this nomination of DONNA PILON as Nursing Hero. – Sarah, Patient
