Clinical Director Women’s Health and Newborn Care, Nursing Resource Team and Patient Flow

What barriers have you faced as a woman in your career? I have experienced many inequities, but as I work through my career I see that changing. I have experienced the expectation that I didn’t have an opinion or say, but I do see that is changing.

What advice would you give to a young woman who wants to be in a leadership role? Be strong and clear in your goals, and set your expectations. Let them be known, be respectful we have earned that, but be clear.

What does gender equity mean to you? Gender equity means that women and men, and girls and boys, enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and protections. It does not require that girls and boys, or women and men, be the same, or that they be treated exactly alike, but it does call for equity.

How can we build more inclusive work cultures where women thrive? Women have a voice in healthcare, in fact it is one area that if you look around there are many influential women leaders. This is incredibly empowering. Women have the ability to bring the emotional intelligence required to thrive. This is incredibly impactful for our frontline staff and incurs respect and trust. This is so important with the current climate and how healthcare is so fragile, we want staff to feel supported and heard.

DID YOU KNOW?

Right now, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation is working with the community to raise funds to support the renewal of our Labour and Delivery Rooms at the Hospital and to expand our Special Care Nursery, too, so we can give babies and families the very best start possible. Catherine says, “We are appreciative of the donations we receive from our generous community to support our tiniest patients.”

Manager, Brant Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT)

Why do gender equity and eliminating gender bias in healthcare matter?

Because the number of women in the workforce has been increasing and will continue to increase, promoting a safe, equitable, and bias-free workplace is not only the right thing to do but is required for the survival of the healthcare industry.

What barriers have you faced as a woman in your career? 

Historically, gender bias started as a way of separating gender roles. In many countries, this is still the case where a woman’s visibility in the workforce is frowned upon. As one can imagine, many of us come to Canada with dreams and aspirations. However, as a new immigrant mother in an unknown environment, restarting life in a new country came with many challenges. The challenges that I faced stemmed from believing that being a woman should not impede your ability to reach your full potential. I recall attending school full-time and working several part-time jobs while raising a young family. I would often arrive late to classes, as some classes started before my children's school opened its doors. Before every midterm evaluation, I would have to explain the rationale behind my routine late class arrivals and provide a plan to my teacher of how I can meet the course objectives. In terms of my workplace, I must acknowledge that I was fortunate as I had very supportive colleagues and flexible managers. Otherwise, I would not be where I am today. Nonetheless, having several part-time jobs meant working many odd and scattered shifts leading to self-neglect, impactful mental distress, and physical exhaustion resulting in poor work/life balance. 

How can we build better/inclusive work cultures where women thrive in healthcare?

They say it takes a village to raise a child and I believe it would take progressive, innovative, and sustainable SMART systematic policy revisions to promote a women-friendly workforce.

Knowing that building professional women starts with having accessible educational opportunities, both academic institutions and healthcare organizations need to implement strategies that reduce barriers for women. This would include, adult-oriented educational programs, flexible work schedules, a bit more forgiving attendance programs, accessible childcare, equitable pay, and opportunities for continued professional development.  

How can we ensure women are represented in leadership positions?

Creating a transparent partnership with women as stakeholders, by allowing them to be part of the decisions that impact their work life, is a great way to start the dialogue. Although women’s representation at the executive leadership level has improved in recent years, we are still lacking diversity representation at all leadership levels. In order to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, healthcare organizations must develop pathways to leadership and mentorship programs to encourage more women to dream big and take chances in a supportive environment.

DID YOU KNOW?

You can join women like Hoodo working in mental health care at St. Joe’s. Find available positions at joinstjoes.ca.

Manager, Telecommunications Department & Information Desk

Why does gender equity and eliminating bias matter in healthcare?

Patients and families often come to hospitals in a vulnerable state. They need to feel comfortable sharing intimate personal details with whoever is available to assist them. Our staff need to be sensitive to this, and the best place for us to start cultivating that sensitivity is right here at home, in our internal training and work culture. St. Joe's has really led the way in putting women in leadership roles, and this itself sends a powerful message to our staff and the community.

What barriers have you faced as a woman in your career?

Historically, the passion professional women bring to their work has been characterized as coming from an “emotional” place or has been disregarded or depreciated, resulting in discouragement and a barrier for women in the workplace. This includes healthcare, with its long association with the figure of the “male doctor in the white coat” as the face of competence and authority. Having worked in our own field for over 20 years, I have seen a lot of change in the way we acknowledge and demonstrate respect for the ideas of women in the workplace. Again, nothing reflects this better than the exponential growth of women at the executive level of leadership here at St. Joe’s, exceptional women who demonstrated exceptional leadership during exceptionally challenging times. There is always room for improvement, but I have to say I am grateful that my career has spanned enough time for me to appreciate how far we have come and look forward to the future for the generation of women to come.

What advice would you give to a young woman who wants to be in a leadership role?

My advice to young women is to learn from example and lead by example. Find the women who are either in leadership roles or whose teams look up to them as leaders and build your network of mentors and cheerleaders. The greatest gift for women in leadership roles is also their greatest obligation, and that is to lift up young women in the workplace and to make clear to their teams that they need to do that for each other. 

How can we ensure women are represented in leadership positions?

We ensure women are represented in leadership positions by making it clear that we value the voices and perspectives that women bring. Women have been lifted up here at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, and we have a unique understanding of what it feels like to be marginalized, so we are uniquely positioned to help expand our hearts and our understanding to support all women.

DID YOU KNOW?

You can join Carla and the incredible Digital Solutions team at St. Joe’s. Find available positions at joinstjoes.ca.