The Heart of Intensive Care

It’s Intensive Care Week in Canada, a time to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary efforts of staff working in intensive care! Here are five facts about our teams. 

Working in intensive care requires a soldier-like readiness. Rita Larotonda, manager of the RVH ICU, likens the solidarity of colleagues to a pack of wolves: “We don’t let anyone feel alone in their work. We work together and help each other for the sake of all our patients,” she asserts. “Working in intensive care is a calling requiring a special mindset, but once you get here, you join a hard-working and dedicated family.”

Respiratory Therapists (RTs), perfusionists, and nurses are all working together to save lives. Each role in the ICU is vital: RTs take care of breathing and all things respiratory, perfusionists ensure continuous blood and oxygen flow, and nurses provide highly complex and critical care to help stabilize the patients. The environment in the ICU is energetic, dynamic and highly collaborative.   

Ground-breaking interventions and therapies are found in the ICU. Staff at the RVH manage the ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) therapy, a last-resort therapy that temporarily takes over heart and lung functions for patients with life-threatening conditions. Additionally, they handle patients with mechanical hearts, otherwise known as Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs). Mastering complex therapies requires highly specialized training, showcasing our team’s exceptional skills. 

 The team has its own social club. When they’re not saving lives, the ICU team is out there having a blast together. From summer picnics to winter ice skating adventures, the ICU social club organizes a variety of activities for team bonding throughout the year. Even family members are invited! 

Working in the ICU gives staff an exceptional sense of gratitude. Their daily encounters with difficult situations cultivate in them a deep appreciation for life’s blessings. This not only fuels their compassion, but also inspires them to cherish each day. “We are unique individuals, yet we share a common goal. Taking care of our patients is a great source of pride and the patients contribute greatly to our sense of gratitude,” says manager Rita. 

Thank an ICU staff member today for the exceptional job that they are doing!