I
t's a Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. Roxanne McKendry is
in an executive leadership committee meeting discussing
the results of the last Partnerships in Injury Reduction audit
and making plans for the organizational priorities for the
Health and Safety Action Plan for the coming year. On her
way out of the boardroom, she walks by a care unit and sees
a front-line employee repositioning a client bending over a
wheelchair. She stops and reminds her about the importance
of using proper body mechanics in her day-to-day work tasks.
Once she is back at the offi ce, McKendry gets a call regarding
an employee's concern about being fi t-tested for a respirator
with the bitter solution, so she sends the safety data sheet and
the sweet solution in the interoffi ce mail. Next, someone stops
by her desk and asks if she can have her infl uenza shot early
because she is going on vacation. McKendry's off to the clinic
room to set up for her co-worker's immunization.
As the manager of employee health and safety and infection
care and control at Carewest, a continuing care provider in
Calgary, McKendry is responsible for the health, safety,
disability management and wellness of all employees. She
frequently has to change hats throughout the day to meet the
demands of the job.
A NURSE'S A NURSE'S
TOUCH
Roxanne McKendry
is the winner of the
2015 Safety Leader
of the Year award
By Amanda Silliker
