• Christine Brundage, Hamilton Health Sciences Hamilton, ON
“Being a CVAD change champion in the PICU. Chris has helped implement many changes to the Pediatric CVAD bundle in order to decrease CLABSI rates in the PICU. She has helped develop caravans to increase staff comfort and skill when managing central lines.”
• Will Richardson, Hamilton Health Sciences Hamilton, ON
“Being a CVAD change champion in the ED. Will has been encouraging best practices and safe line care in the ED and continues to ask thought-provoking questions to improve patient care/outcomes.”
• Valorie Shaddick, Nova Scotia Health Authority Truro, NS
“Valorie has been an educator at NS Health and her recent accomplishments has been updating policies relating to Vascular Access and Infusion Therapy. She is a huge support to have the CVAA guidelines 2024 as a primary reference. Thank you Val for making sure Best Practice is always at the forefront for Nova Scotia clinicians.”
• Caroline Marchionni, McGill University Montréal, QC
“Caroline Marchionni, professor of nursing at McGill University, is distinguished by her exceptional commitment to the training and influence of nursing practice in vascular access. She contributed to the creation of McGill's ISON Vascular Access Student Club, an innovative initiative that allows students to acquire solid clinical knowledge and develop their passion for safety and the preservation of venous capital. Year after year, Caroline continues her work with dedication, rigor and kindness, inspiring young nurses to strive for excellence and adopt the best practices in vascular access. She is also directly involved in the organization of the events of the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Vascular Access Association (CVAA), where her leadership and creativity contribute to the success and influence of the chapter's activities. In addition to her role as an educator and mentor, Caroline has participated in the development of the CVAA's national guidelines and has published several scientific articles, demonstrating her concrete contribution to the advancement of knowledge and the quality of vascular access care in Canada. Thank you, Caroline, for your expertise, your inspiring influence and your remarkable contribution to the nursing community! 💉💙”
• Les Porter, St. Michael's Hospital Toronto, ON
“Recognizing Les for his exemplary commitment to advancing policy development and maintaining best practices. He demonstrates exceptional initiative in creating innovative and engaging educational opportunities for the nursing team, ensuring their clinical competencies remain current. Most recently, Les led a comprehensive update of the arterial line policy in the TNICU, strengthening adherence to best practices and promoting the highest standards of patient safety. Great job Les!”
• Haley Tucker, Hamilton Health Sciences Hamilton, ON
“Being a VAT change champion in the ED. Haley has been encouraging best practices and safe line care in the ED. She teaches with enthusiasm and evidence based research to improve patient care and outcomes.”
• Laurie Kudoba, Waterloo Region Health Network Kitchener, ON
“Laurie always staying positive and bring a great attitude to work . She has done an amazing job learning new skills since joining our Vascular Access Team this year.”
• Sarah Vander Meer, Hamilton Health Sciences Hamilton, ON
“Being a CVAD change champion at McMaster Children’s Hospital. As a CVAD instructor, Sarah is always using enthusiasm and evidence based research to make change that improves patient care.”
• Michelle Muller, Waterloo Region Health Network Kitchener, ON
“Michelle is known for handling tough situations with grace and ease. She works hard everyday and is an incredible mentor to her colleagues.”
• Predrag Todoric, Hamilton Health Sciences Stoney Creek, ON
“His love and passion for vascular access is so clearly evident and he is always the first to put up his hand to teach others. He is constantly involved with staff education, as well as with students. His desire to improve vascular access knowledge and distill information down in tangible ways is really admirable. / He recently joined CVAA, he teaches high school students on his days off about vascular access and what it means to be a specialists. He also organizes with the schools to have students shadow him for a day.”
• Katherine Gilbert, Brantford General Hospital Brantford, ON
“A huge shout out to our unofficial charge nurse, who keeps our IV/PICC team running smoothly while also leading the way in teaching, mentoring, and vascular-access improvement initiatives across the hospital. She’s the person we all turn to for answers, support, and guidance — and somehow she always delivers with calm, clarity, and a sense of humour that makes even the busiest days manageable.”
• Trisha Colleen Rimando, Prairie Mountain Health Brandon, MB
“Trisha’s guidance, wisdom and constant encouragement brings a meaningful impact to our team. In her role as Clinical Resource Nurse and also a PICC Nurse, she’s always willing to share her knowledge and experience especially to our new nurses. As the unit’s Clinical Nurse Educator, I can always depend on her clinical knowledge and expertise. Grateful for you and your contribution to the team.”
• Isha Prasad, IWK Halifax, NS
“Isha has identified an interest in vascular access, specifically CVAD’s, and is a champion in her department. She has committed to ongoing education and is now the lead in her area for CVAD education to new staff and ongoing skills sessions for all nursing staff.”
• Urszula Paul, Waterloo Region Health Network Kitchener, ON
“Urszula will always pick up extra shifts to make sure our vascular access team is staffed properly. Her hard work and reliability are admirable.”
• Catherine Hunt, Hamilton Health Sciences Lynden, ON
“I would also be remiss if I failed to acknowledge how special Catherine Hunt is. Her leadership in this area on national, provincial, and local levels has been inspiring to watch and bear witness to. Catherine's work ethic to advance this speciality has been unparalleled and second to none. I don't know how she finds the time to complete her work as a charge nurse for the HHS VAT team, as well as provide such dedicated time and focus for her CVAA duties. She has always been (and continues to be) a tireless advocate for best practices. Her kindness and thoughtful approaches make her an outstanding leader, who always makes time to provide support to frontline providers, coworkers, prescribers, and teams across our huge organization.”
Thank you for all this incredible work!