Latoya Maighan, a Licensed Practical Nurse at the heart of the action

On October 10, 2024, the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du Québec (OIIAQ) organized “Profession infirmière auxiliaire - Au cœur de l'action”, a series of conferences on cardiovascular health, mental health, social pediatrics in the community and pain in geriatrics, presented to nearly 340 participants from across the province. 

Latoya Maighan, Licensed Practical Nurse at the Neurological Hospital (The Neuro) and member of the Comité des infirmières et infirmiers auxiliaires du CUSM (CIIA), was invited to attend the conference thanks to funding from the Human Resources Development Plan (HRDP) committee.   

She gained a valuable insight into the wellbeing and health of all age groups, including nutrition, screen addiction, habits that improve healthy life expectancy, as well as advice on mental health and suicide prevention, which she can use to support her patients and manage her own emotions. 

Working as a nurse on the fourth floor of the Neuro, Latoya is in daily contact with patients coping with strokes, degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, or recovering from brain surgery. Patients who are sometimes at the end of their lives, or who have opted for medical aid in dying. “We must respect their choice, but also support them and their families, and support ourselves at the same time,” she explains.   

Having easy-to-apply guidelines on hand, such as a checklist distributed to participants to help them identify suicidal thoughts, helps her learn what questions to ask and how to phrase them to cultivate cherished “moments of humanity” with her patients: “I give them their medication, we do the little blood sugar check, we chat a bit and I feel like we're both doing well, and that I'm making a difference.”