Anne Bialachowski, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton

Third Place Nursing Hero Winner

Since joining St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) 12 years ago, Anne has consistently and relentlessly championed excellence in evidence informed care and practices in the area of Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) within SJHH, St. Joseph’s Health System and in our community.

Anne’s leadership in quality patient care is evident in all of her actions and that which she models for her team, nurses and healthcare workers across SJHH and in our community. She is always readily available to provide an “IPAC Consult” and gives sound IPAC best practice advice. This advice is grounded in her continued certification in Infection Control, and past and present membership and leadership on local and national networks and committees (e.g., Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee, Community and Hospital Infection Control – Canada, Hamilton COVID Response Table – IPAC Subject Matter Experts).

Anne strives for, and consistently adopts and shares best/leading practices within SJHH in a variety of forums, educational resources and through consultations. Of specific note are her leadership and contributions to the IPAC website that is regularly updated and provides invaluable resources to healthcare leaders and workers within SJHH; this has been the “go to site” during the COVID 19 Pandemic), and the current and practical information available during Virtual Management Forums and Townhalls. Also, Anne respects and values the contributions of, and collaborative endeavours with all members of the interprofessional team and many departments, and respectfully integrates and promotes IPAC practices to achieve optimal quality care and a safe work environment. Examples of the former include collaboration with: Environmental Services and Clinical Teams about the appropriate cleaning and tagging practices for equipment; Occupational Health Services on the opportunities for modification of contact tracing processes;  Nursing Education for the implementation of new practices regarding the management of c diff;  Building Services prior to and following renovation, remediation and construction projects; Respiratory Services for implementation of new equipment that minimizes/eliminates risk for infection.

Anne’s leadership and contributions to the work of the Congregate Settings COVID 19 Crisis Response Team has been significant. She provides invaluable advice to, and is present in person or through virtual consultation with the team as the former partner with long term care homes, retirement homes and residential care facilities. Of specific note was her leadership and partnership during the time that SJHH was in a management services agreement with a Long Term Care Home- she was the IPAC Manager Lead who partnered with representatives of that organization to ensure the review, updates and implementation of appropriate IPAC policies and procedures. Anne’s advocacy has resulted in additional IPAC resources being made available to SJHH for its Congregate Settings work as part of the provincial IPAC HUB model of care.

Anne consistently identifies the need for partnerships with healthcare workers in order for them to promote and embrace infection prevention and control practices in a fast paced, changing clinical environment. Contributing to the quality of work life for nurses (and all members of the interprofessional team) is knowing that all work in, and that their organization values a “safe work environment”. Throughout the COVID 19 Pandemic, Anne has championed and contributed to a number of initiatives and practices that are aligned here inclusive of but not limited to: screening practices for patients and those individuals entering St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton locations, modifications to outbreak management protocols as provincial guidelines changed, identification of, and advocacy to access the necessary personal protective equipment and hand hygiene products.

Under Anne’s leadership, hand hygiene practices, reports, and improvement initiatives have become well understood and the importance of such acknowledged across SJHH. She and members of the IPAC Team have engaged in various strategies to foster increased uptake of appropriate practices (e.g., Hand Hygiene Ambassadors, Hand Hygiene Coordinator audits and immediate feedback/teaching moments, caravans).

Anne embraces precepting and teaching in all that she does. Specific examples of such include: consistent support of new learners with personalized IPAC education; welcome to nursing preceptors and medical residents and provision of a great learning opportunity; with the help of the IPAC team, nursing students are paired up with individual IPAC staff to fully grasp the concepts of surveillance and IPAC protocols.

Anne always looks for opportunities to enrich the onsite education through in person real life experience(s), or through creative scenarios. She is acknowledged as a terrific mentor and is passionate about all things IPAC.

Anne provided subject matter expertise on an ongoing basis, and has ensured available educational opportunities related to Personal Protective Equipment practices for all learners.

Anne has been involved in research with some examples as follows: “COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment in the Home: Navigating the Complexity of Donning and Doffing”; 2021; Hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices among hospital inpatients: A descriptive study”, 2020; “An Outbreak of Influenza A in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit”; January 2015. These research studies have provided guidance/findings for applicable clinical practices within SJHH. With her extensive knowledge, ongoing commitment to learning, and her connectedness to IPAC networks and committees, Anne brings to all appropriate tables up-to-date evidence that informs decision-making in our organization.

Anne is a “go to leader” who is exceedingly proud of, and contributes to her nursing profession each and every day. She makes a difference in the lives of our patients, their families and her colleagues. Anne has been and continues to be a NURSING HERO within St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton!

Nominated by Jane Loncke and Amanda Weatherston.