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Phone: 902-295-0461
Email: vcmhcf@gmail.com
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Office: Victoria County Memorial Hospital, 30 Old Margaree Road, Baddeck.
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UTC open by appointment only. Call 902-295-2983.
Christine Hines, Facilities Manager
Q: What made you want to come to Baddeck, what is your background?
A: I have spent a lot of time in Baddeck throughout the years. As a young girl I traveled often to Ingonish with my husband’s grandparents who were both deaf. My husband’s great grandfather Duncan ran a cannery in Ingonish Beach for many years. We traveled often with our children looking for places to buy in Baddeck and surrounding areas. When a position became available it
was lining up with our want to retire and or work in Baddeck. I was fortunate enough to be awarded the job.
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I have 37 year’s experience in Health care. I began my journey as an LPN in 1985 at the City Hospital in Sydney on their orthopedic unit. I transferred to the CBRH in 1995 to the 4C unit which was the new stroke unit. I quickly returned to the orthopedic department in 1996. In 2003 I returned to school and successfully graduated from the 4 year degree program in 2007. Prior to graduation I was hired to the Clinical trial department in their Research services. I worked there for 5 years and went to LTC as director of Care in a long term care facility for 3 years. I returned to the CBRH orthopedic department in 2014 and then back to Clinical Trials. I then transferred to Baddeck at VCMH in February 2019 and began my journey there.
Q: Three years in, what has surprised you, pleased you?
A: In the past three years what surprised me was the reaction to COVID. Covid has challenged us all in many ways. Being a small community it has been hard enforcing visitor restrictions, masking and distancing. The tremendous chain and volume of information that the staff has had to dissect has been amazing large.
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What has pleased me is the extreme tremendous support from the Warden and Council, 3 auxiliaries and the VCMH foundation. I am very proud of the ease of which support has been given to the Hospital over the years. People are very friendly and supportive for any of the client’s needs and staff needs here. This had never happened in the other areas I had worked. I also feel very well supported by NSH with Angela MacArthur, Madonna MacDonald and Brett MacDougal.
Q: Have their been any disappointments, frustrations?
A: Disappointments mostly in not being able to meet the needs of the different disciplines who are attempting to provide care to the clients in Baddeck. Frustrations mostly around having to provide restricted access to our clients although supporting and understanding the science and decision making behind these restrictions. Frustration of not having enough space for the current requests for the NSH departments.
Q: What do you hope to achieve as facilities manager?
A: I would like to continue to improve working satisfaction for the staff working at VCMH. To continue to work with the community to provide care for our clients. Being a smaller facility when I do interact with the clients they are very proud of the support they receive.
Q: Any advice to your eventual successor?
A: Be open to change, try and ease further changes softly. The rural communities are very supportive of their community hospitals and the staff are very proud of providing services to their communities.