Meet Claudia, an RN at Winterberry.

Each month we catch up to one of our busy Winterberry team members and interview them for our Team Showcase. This month we were happy to speak to Claudia about her role at Winterberry and to get to know her better.

Claudia, tell us about your work at Winterberry. What’s your role?

I am currently working as Registered Nurse with Winterberry Family Medicine. My job includes providing both in-person and virtual care to patients at our clinic.

What is your educational and work background?

I began my educational journey by completing the Advanced Pre-Health Sciences Program at Mohawk College to obtain entry into the Practical Nursing Program. I became a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in 2020 which inspired me to continue advancing my nursing career to obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) through McMaster University. I have had the opportunity to explore many different sectors of healthcare including Labour and Delivery, Public Health, Complex Care and Acute Medicine. I have successfully completed the BScN program in 2023 and have transitioned into my role as a Registered Nurse (RN) with Winterberry Family Medicine.

What made you want to be an RN?

Working as an RN has fulfilled my dream of having a rewarding career that can positively impact and support individuals in our community. It is an honour to be a part of a profession that has the power to improve people’s lives daily.  

What made you want to be part of the Winterberry team compared to other clinics?

Winterberry’s team-based approach to care separates itself from most healthcare clinics. Our clinic is compiled of physicians, physicians’ assistants, nurse practitioners, administration, dietitians, and mental health counsellors. Each team member is equally valued in their work as we must all collaborate to provide the best quality patient care.

What type of work do you do in your daily work with patients?

Nurses at Winterberry have the autonomy to complete a variety of patient appointments such as:

Preventative Health Exams: including arranging routine screening tests (i.e., colon/breast/prostate/cervical cancer screening). Women’s Health: including prenatal follow ups, pap tests, STI screening, reviewing birth control options including IUD insertions/removals. Children’s Health: such as routine Well-Baby/Child check ups and immunizations. Administering a variety of different injections i.e., TB tests, allergy injections, etc. Closely monitoring our high-risk population to ensure all medications are reviewed, arranging follow up testing and appointments as necessary. As well as blood pressure checks, ear flushes, cryotherapy and smoking cessation

Is there an average day? If yes, what does it look like?

Each day offers something different. Two days of the week I work virtually to complete preventative health appointments and follow up on our high risk/vulnerable patient population. The other three days of the week I work in office to complete physical appointments (i.e., pap tests, immunizations, etc.). Additionally, while in office, I work as the “Phone/Float” nurse who triages patient calls and manages urgent matters within the same day.

What is your favourite part of being an RN?

My favourite part about being an RN is having the opportunity to connect with individuals that I likely would not have crossed paths with otherwise. As much as nurses educate their patients, we also gain a lot of knowledge and perspective from them as well. It is a privilege to be able to provide comfort and support to an individual throughout their health journey.

When you’re not improving patient lives at Winterberry what will we find you doing?

You will likely find me with me outside with my dog Misha, who loves to come into the office once a week. I also enjoy exploring new cafes, and going for bike rides and hikes on my days off.