We are the MUHC: Celebrating our emergency nurses

This week, from October 5 to 11, we celebrate Emergency Nurses Week. At the MUHC, more than 330 emergency nurses provide care, comfort, and expertise in some of the most intense and critical situations. 

Whether it’s at the Glen site’s Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, Lachine Hospital, The Neuro, or the Montreal Children’s Hospital, their dedication to patients and their families unite our emergency nurses. They bring skill, compassion, and calm when every second counts. 

To mark this occasion, we’re proud to highlight Laurence Chatelain, Nurse Clinician at the Royal Victoria Hospital Emergency Department. Laurence began her career at the MGH as a CEPI (Clinical Education Preceptorship Internship) in psychiatry, a program that gave her supervised, hands-on experience while completing her nursing studies. She later transitioned to the ED at the RVH while finishing her Bachelor of Nursing, where she continues to grow her skills in a fast-paced, specialized environment. 

“We are the MUHC means being part of a truly collaborative, multidisciplinary team where every role matters in delivering the highest quality patient care.” – Laurence Chatelain 

Every emergency nurse has a unique story, and like Laurence, they share a dedication to caring for patients with expertise, commitment, and focus.  

“The ED is such a high-paced environment. We see so many unique and complex cases daily,” says Laurence. “No matter how intense the situation, there’s always a sense of trust, communication, and mutual support.” 

For additional insight on our emergency room nurses, we spoke with Benoit Cousineau, Associate Director, Emergency and Mental Health Professional Services, and Simon Roy, Nurse Manager at the MGH. 

“Emergency nurses work in their dedicated ED,” says Simon. “However, they could work in other departments if needed.” 

“Emergency nurses have a wide variety of tasks, from attending patients on stretchers, ambulatory care, triage, and the resuscitation room,” adds Benoit. 

Just as each of our hospitals has its own areas of expertise, each emergency department has a unique focus: trauma at the MGH (a Level 1 trauma centre, one of only three in Quebec), neurology at The Neuro (also supported by the MGH ED), cardiology, oncology and transplant care at the RVH, community-centered care at Lachine Hospital, and pediatric emergencies at the Children’s Hospital – a provincially-designated trauma centre. 

This week, and every week, we thank our emergency nurses for their passion, courage, and dedication — for being there when it matters most, across every department and every site.