Embodying the qualities of leadership
John Wright values being available and listening to his health-care centre staff
Each and every day, John Wright takes pride in providing his team the best leadership he can.
Wright, as the interim health services director and site lead at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre (CRHCC) in Amherst, believes that means being personable and doing what he can to be available and listen to his staff.
He tries to be there to talk about their challenges and find ways to support them through difficult times, such as pandemic.
“I want to walk the walk with my staff and ensure they feel supported and resourced adequately to do the best they can to help care for the patients in Cumberland County,” Wright told The Cumberland Wire. “That means being present and visible out on the units, recognizing this has been a very challenging 14-15 months now and that our staff are experiencing these challenges, not only at a professional level at work, responding to COVID, but also on a personal level.”
Previously, Wright trained in medical imaging and worked in northern Ontario for four years before he and his family moved to Amherst in February 2018.
In Amherst, he accepted the position of diagnostic imaging and cardiorespiratory manager at the CRHCC. He held that position until December 2020, when he took over as interim health services director and site lead.
Wright says he knew early on he loved patient care and doing medical imaging with patients directly. However, he always felt a leadership position was his calling. When he took on the extra piece of cardiorespiratory at the CRHCC, he felt that provided the impetus to oversee the entire facility.
“I thought I had something to offer in leading the teams regardless of what discipline I trained in,” he added.
Wright says there are many responsibilities in this position, with several units at the centre reporting to him directly. He has direct oversight of the CRHCC’s inpatient units, and over rehabilitation and outpatient ambulatory care.
He and his physician colead do the rounds with staff on a weekly basis to get a sense of the issues they’re facing and to determine solutions.
Wright feels the best ideas come from the staff, from the front line who face the challenges directly, in real time.
“They’re the ones who have the ideas and what comes through my office is how to operationalize it,” he explained. “How to integrate it with the rest of the building’s operations.”
COVID-19 CHALLENGES
In more recent months, there have been challenges around COVID-19.
The third wave of the pandemic hit Nova Scotia hard, but Wright adds they were fortunate to climb out of it quite quickly.
“Nova Scotians, as a whole, are quite civic-minded and always looking out to do the best they can, for the greater good of their communities, so we’re fortunate in that sense,” said Wright.
Ultimately, he feels his responsibility is to ensure the whole operation is working well together.
“Positioning everyone to respond to COVID and that everyone’s operations are streamlined and we’re all following the same protocols,” he commented.
Wright says the team did interact with COVID-19 in a safe manner and with a patient-centered approach.
They spent 14 months preparing for the possibility of COVID-19 cases in Cumberland County to ensure the team was safe and capable of providing the best care they could. The CRHCC also had extra nurses trained and ready in the event they were needed.
Wright credits the team at the CRHCC for the great work they have done.
“All disciplines, every single unit, department and employee brings something special to this building,” he said. “It’s what has resulted in keeping everyone safe and providing the care we’re able to provide here.”
STAYING IN AMHERST
Wright, who was born and raised in Timmins, Ont., took what he calls “a leap of faith” when he and his family moved to Amherst.
He was unfamiliar with this part of the country and, in fact, says he had never been east of Quebec at that point in time. However, over three years living in his new home, he says he and his family have no plans to leave any time soon.
“I have a young family and I like to spend my time connecting and being present with them as well,” he said. “Our weekends and off hours are spent exploring the places of Cumberland County.”
Wright calls Cumberland County one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
“You’re never far from a beach and all of our good weather days are spent at the beach,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to live in this part of the world, coinciding with how well Nova Scotia has responded to the pandemic.”
Wright credits Nova Scotians as the most friendly and welcoming group of people, concluding “it was very easy to feel at home here.”