b'WORKFORCE TALENTCALLING TO CARE: ONE NURSES FAMILY TRADITIONWhen Sherin Cherian was young, she was touched by the heartwarming stories she heard from her aunt, a nurse in India. These were tales that gave her a glimpse into what would become her lifes work and a profound calling to care for others in need.My aunt always shared how satisfied she was at the end of every shift that she had made a difference in her patients lives. When I went into the profession, I found thats how I have always felt too, says Cherian. Its easy to be with people in their happy moments; its even more important to hold their hand during times of pain, to ease their suffering and make them feel truly cared for.Flash forward 17 years and Cherian is an experienced and skilled nurse who speaks no less than five languages. She is living in Ontario and practising as a personal support worker (PSW) in peopleCares Meaford LTC Homeone of dozens of Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) bringing their expertise and joy in caring for others to the team, while pursuing their nursing credentials in this province.Cherian previously spent 15 years as an ICU cardiac nurse for Kuwaits Ministry of Health. While there, she and her husband Shibin Varghese Davidson, a mechanical engineer, raised their family, including 12-year-old Joshua and 10-year-old Joanna, who wants to be a nurse just like her mom. That drive for a better life is what eventually brought Cherian to Canada, after the family made some tough choices. I dont question this was the right decision, but initially it was hard, she says. This is the first time my family and I have been separated, which is really shattering. I changed professions to work as a PSW; I moved to a new country. Its just a huge transition overall.With her husband still in Kuwait and her children staying with extended family in India, Cherian keeps in touch through regular video chats. She is buoyed by her familys love and support and has complete trust and confidence that her kids are well cared for by her mother-in-law, who worked as a nurse for over 30 years. Cherian also appreciates the supportive atmosphere in the long-term care home and the respect of her new peopleCare colleagues, saying it has made the big move a little easier, as well as how much she enjoys working in long-term care, which is very different than the acute setting. Here you can create long-term relationships with residents and families, who are always appreciative and giving positive feedback, notes Cherian. And I love that everything is so resident-centred. I feel I can go deep into their hearts, with my touch and my words, making them calmer and happier.Earlier this month, Cherian passed her registered nurse exam, the first of peopleCares IENs to do so. With that behind her, she and a fellow IEN are apartment hunting, and she welcomes the chance to relax by doing a little home-cooking. Friends from back home, who now live in the GTA, recently came to visit and brought her the spices to cook biryani and other favourite recipes for her new friends and coworkers.Looking to the future, life-long learner Cherian says she has always wanted to pursue postgraduate studies in nursing. And of course, she looks most forward to being reunited with her family. I think my dreams now are simple, she says. To work as a good RN, get my kids here and settled, and have a nice family life.by familiar, compassionate and well- skilled and experienced health carehelping residents with personal care trained staff who want the very bestprofessionals to join our Meaford and activities of daily living. Many are for them, adds Killing. LTC team.working towards becoming qualified Internationally educated nursesto practise as a nurse, through the Some have long-term careCollege of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).One of our most unique andexperience, while others have successful new initiatives is bringingbackgrounds in psychiatric nursing,Bethany Rupp is the Executive Internationally Educated NursesICU bedside care, radiology and more.Director at peopleCare Meaford LTC (or IENs) to Ontario. To date weveFor the next two years, all will practiseand the point person who led this supported 30 of these highlyas personal support workers (PSWs),initiative. It was Rupp who welcomed www.oltca.com LONG TERM CARE TODAY 9'