MUHC in the Media - February 2, 2026

Peter Maklan (left) and Kenny Baptista Da Silva (right) - both SNP/IPS at intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital

Peter Maklan is both a lieutenant in the army and a specialized nurse practitioner (SNP) in adult intensive care at the Royal Victoria Hospital—a profession that recently celebrated its 20th anniversary since Quebec law came into effect in November 2005. "As an SNP, you're really at the patient's bedside. You sit outside the room, assess the patient's condition, monitor their vital signs, keep an eye on everything, administer vital medications, all the IVs and everything that keeps our patients going. It's an extremely rewarding job. It's wonderful. You take care of them. You take care of their families," explains Mr. Maklan in this City News report.

Dr. Ronald Postuma, Director of the MUHC Division of neurology and Scientist at the Neuro and The Institute, speaks about the slow progression of Parkinson’s disease and some symptoms that can appear years before motor changes associated with the disease, like the loss of sense of smell, physically acting out dreams, constipation and dizziness when standing up. The Washington Post, The Toronto Sun

Winter is particularly hard on the voice. Dry air, respiratory infections and excessive heating dry out the vocal cords and weaken the larynx. To protect your voice, Dr. Françoise Chagnon, an ENT specialist at the MUHC, recommends maintaining a humidity level of about 40% at home, using a humidifier at night and staying well hydrated while limiting caffeine. Athletes exposed to cold weather can also benefit from wearing a mask to humidify the air they breathe and prevent bronchial spasms. 98,5 FM

Every year, the Sûreté du Québec sees an increase in calls for domestic violence. Protecting women without addressing men's distress would be a mistake, says Dr. Cécile Rousseau, a psychiatrist at the Montreal Children's Hospital. CTV News