Building a legacy through nurse education
For 43 years, Claudette Westerbeek has dedicated herself to nursing and still looks forward to going to work every day. She works as a Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) on Unit 64, Postpartum and Surgery at Rockyview General Hospital. Her passion for women’s health and teaching are evident in the enthusiasm she has for her work while always providing guidance and positivity. That’s what makes Claudette our Hero in Health!
The Heroes in Health initiative encourages patients and their families to give back in thanks for the extraordinary care they’ve received. To donate and nominate your health hero, visit our website.
From the tender age of six, Claudette remembers always wanting to be a nurse. She showed a genuine interest in caring for people and wanting to help them.
“I think I was born to be a nurse, it’s the only career I’ve ever wanted,” Claudette recalls.
When she was in high school, she volunteered at Rockyview General Hospital which solidified her decision on wanting to become a nurse. After she graduated from university, she coincidentally ended up working on the exact same unit as a staff nurse.
“I still feel as passionate about nursing today, as I did when I started.”
Her entire career has been with Alberta Health Services and for 25 years she’s worked as a CNE. She found this role to be the perfect balance for her because she can still be hands on with patient care but also be able to teach.
“Claudette inspires everyone she meets to be a better nurse and is always there to support and guide us. I never want her to retire, but I know she has done her job because she has prepared us and given us what we need to be successful when she is not there,” said Emily Clark, a registered nurse.
Part of her role involves seeking out information and disseminating it to staff through orientations, one on one work and educational newsletters, so all nurses are kept up to date on any changes. While she doesn’t work at the bedside on a day-to-day basis, she makes it a point to step out of her educator role and interact with patients.
“I’ve always been very inquisitive and fascinated with physiology. I love to pass on knowledge and skills. Empowering nurses excites me.”
When Claudette found out she was nominated to be a Heroes in Health, she was shocked and humbled. While her gregarious personality suits her role, she isn’t one to want the spotlight. She’s most satisfied when she gets to see others thrive and be able to boost others up while remaining in the background.
The most rewarding part of her role is when she sees nurses having an “Aha” moment, where everything clicks. Seeing the skills they’ve been taught and putting them to practice is very fulfilling for her.
Reflecting on her varied career, one of the most impactful patient experiences she had was while working on a surgical unit where patients would often return for further treatment. One of her patients had bowel cancer and the philosophy of the unit was every time a patient came back, the nurse who cared for them previously, would take care of them.
She looked after this patient on and off for four years and saw her through the different stages of her cancer journey. Seeing her through both the hopeful stages of her journey all the way to caring for her in the last months of her life was an impactful experience for Claudette.
She was one of the pioneer nurses who introduced the skin-to-skin program on the postpartum unit, something that was mostly only done in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
“It was profound because staff were able to learn about all the benefits for both mom and baby. It’s now just part of the philosophy of care that we give and is engrained in our practice now.”
With retirement on the horizon, she knows it will be a challenge to discover who she is outside of being a nurse. What is certain is the legacy she leaves in the nurses she’s taught along the way, ultimately leading to better patient care, which has always been her goal.
Claudette, we’re proud to call you a Hero in Health, and to have you as part of our extended family.
Heroes in Health is part of our Grateful Patient initiative. Patients and their families can make a gift to Calgary Health Foundation and recognize their healthcare heroes. To donate and nominate your hero in health, visit our website.
