National Nurses Week was held May 8-14. Thank you to all of our caring nurses at Bethany for helping to improve the lives of residents every day.Nancy Hughes
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
How did you start your career?
I did my Bachelor of Nursing degree at the University of Calgary. After I completed my degree, I began my clinical practice at the Foothills Medical Centre. I was fortunate to work in many different areas but most of my clinical work was in Nephrology. I graduated at a time when there was a shortage of nurses so there were lots of opportunities.
How has your career progressed over the years? When did you start at Bethany?
I have been very fortunate to have had a lot of opportunities in my career. As a result, I have done a lot of different things over the years. I started my career working in clinical practice and then decided to do a Graduate program at the University of Alberta. After graduating with my Masters in Health Services Administration, I worked in quality improvement and then moved into a more operational role. I worked in Admitting and Transition Services and then lead an initiative on Outpatient Services and Planning with the Calgary Health Region. In 2007, I was recruited to the planning team for the South Health Campus. I started being part of the concept visioning for the project and then moved through planning, commissioning and operations on the site for a period of seven years. It is a career accomplishment I am particularly proud of. I joined Bethany in September of 2014.
What is your favourite part about being a nurse?
For me, I’ve always had a passion for service. It’s very rewarding to be of service to others, and patients, residents and families are at the core of what I do and think about. Nursing is a versatile profession, there are many things you can do from clinical work, to teaching, research and administration.
What is the best part about working at Bethany?
Bethany is a very caring organization and I really enjoy the people I work with. They are very committed and aligned with our mission, vision and values. In the role I have, I have the opportunity to be involved in many
different things that make the job interesting and exciting. No two days are the same.
What does your role encompass? What’s a typical day for you?
As the VP and Chief Operating Officer, I have responsibility for the care sites, housing sites, clinical education, quality and maintenance. I am also involved in the design and operational planning for Bethany Riverview (our newest care centre). While there really isn’t a “typical” day, I generally start my day by checking in with the team and following up on any outstanding issues. During the course of a day, I attend a lot of meetings. In Operations, there are always issues that need attention – it is the nature of what we do. This requires me to juggle a lot and keep very focused on priorities.
What are your favourite hobbies/interesting facts about yourself?
I am an avid gardener, I find it very relaxing. I live in Cochrane and enjoy walking and bike riding. I’m an animal lover and have done a lot of work with the Cochrane & Area Humane Society.