I am writing to nominate my colleague Jackie (Milagros) Marquez as a Nursing Hero for 2025.

Jackie has worked at Trillium Health Partners (THP) as a Registered Nurse for over 20 years, most recently as Clinical Educator at the Moir Family Centre for Complex Continuing Care unit at the Queensway Health Centre.

Jackie is passionate about teaching and mentoring nurses at all stages of their careers — from new hires at THP, to new nurses on our unit, and staff who wish to expand their professional knowledge and acquire new skills. Jackie has taken a particular interest in teaching staff who are new to healthcare, notably through her leadership role with the development and implementation of our Clinical Externship program at THP. This program has allowed THP to train student nurses, and students from other health professions, to support many areas of the hospital when pandemic staffing shortages impacted us severely.

In addition, Jackie has played a pivotal role in supporting internationally educated nurses who are new to Canada and striving to continue their nursing careers here. This critical work has supported the growth of the nursing profession in Ontario during a time when recruitment and retention were particularly difficult.

The role of Clinical Educator is perfect for Jackie, as she has a knack for providing feedback in a sensitive way and teaches complex information so that her audience can confidently incorporate new skills into daily practice.

Jackie is an experienced registered nurse with a true passion for providing the highest-quality patient- and family-centered care. An example that stands out is during the early days of the pandemic, when she volunteered to support neighboring long-term care facilities. At that time, COVID-19 had severely impacted these facilities with outbreaks, staff illness, and visitor restrictions. Jackie provided a wide range of supports including feeding residents at mealtimes, providing personal care, assessing resident well-being, and reinforcing best practices for infection prevention and control.

At great personal toll to herself and her family, Jackie remained committed to helping others at THP and in the broader community. I am confident that Jackie’s generous contributions made a significant difference to the quality of life for many residents in these facilities.

Jackie is also an expert in wound prevention and healing. When teaching new and experienced staff alike, she shares her passion for providing the best possible care to our long-stay patient population.

Jackie exemplifies dedication, passion for nursing, and a commitment to giving of herself to others. I know she would be an outstanding recipient of this year’s Nursing Hero Award.

Jackie continues to bring joy to her team and treats each member like family. She is also a skilled corporate “choreographer” for videos and promotional activities during our celebration weeks. As a founding member of our unit’s “Fun Club,” her mission is always to bring the team together — because at Trillium Health Partners we are truly “better together.”