Post -- Queensway Carleton Hospital

After 32 years at Queensway Carleton Hospital, Roseanne Dean retired in 2010. From her early days in the Medical Gynecology Unit to her time as President of CUPE at QCH, Roseanne was a strong advocate for staff and helped support QCH through many changes over the years.

She shared a few of her favorite memories with us.

Roseanne joined QCH in 1978. When the Grace Hospital closed, Roseanne helped integrate the Childbirth Program into QCH. She later played a role in the successful implementation of pay equity in 1999.

She also remembers what day-to-day work looked like when she first started at QCH. The hospital used the Friesian system, with medications, charts and supplies kept just outside patients’ rooms so nurses could provide care at the bedside.

Celebrating QCH Nurses

Her work also included creating opportunities to celebrate QCH nurses. In the early 1990s, she and Brenda Edwards, former President of the Ontario Nurses’ Association at QCH, started Nursing Week. The week featured coffee breaks, prizes, a golf tournament and a dinner, giving nurses a chance to celebrate their work and connect with each other.

The Golden Girls

After retirement, her connection to QCH continued with the start of the “Golden Girls,” a group of retired QCH nurses that has grown to include retirees from across the hospital. What started as a small gathering has become a regular lunch every two months, giving former colleagues a chance to catch up.

For Roseanne, QCH has always been about the people. The friendships she built during her career continue to keep her connected to the hospital community today.

A Voice for Staff: Roseanne Dean’s 32 Years at QCH