When it comes to health care, auxiliaries keep hospitals alive

By Nadine Armstrong

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

Laughter may be the best medicine, but education comes in a close second when it comes to health care. The Nova Scotia Association of Health Auxiliaries met in Windsor last week for their annual education seminar.

Eighty members from 15 auxiliaries gathered April 18 to represent hospitals province wide, and came away better informed. The conference touched on subjects such as drug dependency, the importance of a national auxiliary body and even flower arranging -- all necessary components of successful health care.

Because auxiliaries play such a vital role, it is essential members connect and keep up to speed on new advances said educational chair Ann Rauba. Although many members are previous health care workers, there are many more who are new to the hospital setting. “They need this information so they can relate and work with the different departments. There are a lot of health issues presented here that are of interest to our volunteers.”

What is often overlooked is the fact the hospital auxiliaries are much more than volunteer fundraisers; they are an integral part of our National Health Care System, said Judy McLeod, VP of the Canadian Association of Health Auxiliaries. “Auxiliary members are really the heart of any Hospital. They are the general touch that makes hospital vital.”

Local member Joyce Janks said the Auxiliary is what keeps local hospitals alive. “This is basically about trying to keep our hospital here. The auxiliary is a major part of this community. People don’t know the kind of equipment and machinery we need to provide, this kind of education is very important in what we do.”

Share information, ideas

On a national level, McLeod noted, the seminars are an essential opportunity for auxiliaries to share information and ideas. “We need national support and a strong national presence,” she said.

Although she said it is a challenge to reach out to all auxiliaries, the yearly educational sessions provide the necessary forum to bring representatives together.

“Today has been fantastic; I've felt a lot of warmth here, she said. “This is not just about education it about people really wanting to work together and I've seen that here today.”

Hants Community Hospital Auxiliary president Sue McNabb said hosting the event in Windsor gave many of those members the opportunity to take part for the first time. “We see this as very important to our work here. We need to keep relevant as members of this community.”

The final send off for attendees that afternoon was laughter. Hants Community Hospital vice president Barbara Hall busted out of her official role to provide the comic relief volunteers at the HCH are so well known for. “It’s because of the respect that I have for all of you that I can do this to myself,” she laughed. On a more serious note, Hall added that auxiliary members deserve recognition. “What you people give to the Health Care system can’t be duplicated by anyone else.”