To Stroke Network of SEO Partners:
As many of you may know Colleen Murphy, RN, BScN, MHS, Regional Stroke Best Practice Coordinator, will be retiring on Dec 8th 2023. Colleen joined our program in January 2010 and has worked tirelessly to build services and enable stroke best practice across our region. Colleen was also seconded part time to OH-CorHealth Ontario where she contributed to stroke prevention initiatives with a focus in vascular health. Colleen effectively built strong relationships amongst the stroke teams and prevention clinics across our region encouraging a collaborative context for care improvement and better patient outcomes in stroke prevention and care. She led and contributed to many provincial initiatives in prevention, hyperacute and acute care. Colleen’s hard work, expertise, insight and incredible humility will be cherished for many years by our teams and by those she has supported. Prior to her work in stroke care Colleen worked at KHSC as a manager, as regional cardiac care coordinator, and in collaborative care plan development, renal care, critical care and neuro critical care. Colleen also provided nursing care in the far north, getting to emergencies by ski-doo. She has seen our program through tremendous growth in services and in care delivery. We are so grateful for all the staff and patients who she supported so effectively. Colleen always demonstrates what it means to be patient centred.
I am also very pleased to announce that Kayla Purdon, RN, BScN, BA, MN, is the successful candidate to take on Colleen’s role in stroke prevention, hyperacute and acute care. Kayla has been working with the SNSEO regional team for over two years in the role of Regional Stroke Community and LTC Coordinator where she has recently completed an important community consultation to hear the voice of persons with stroke and their families. Kayla brings a wealth of experience to this new role having worked as a Clinical Instructor at Queen’s University, a Public Health Nurse with KFL&A Public Health and a Health Link Coordinator at Queen’s Family Health Team. At KHSC Kayla has worked with the Intensive Transitional Treatment Program and as a Clinical Learning Specialist in the Mental Health and Addictions Program. She also worked for many years on Neurosciences and in the stroke unit at KHSC, including work as the Stroke Resource Nurse. Kayla’s broad experience includes work in Internal Medicine at KHSC and experience in LTC during her nursing training. Kayla will bring her incredible mix of skills and experience to her new role and we look forward to her ongoing leadership in stroke best practice implementation within our program. Kayla will begin to transition roles on November 6th. Her contact information will remain unchanged: kayla.purdon@kingstonhsc.ca
A recruitment and selection process is now underway for Kayla’s Community and LTC Coordinator role. We will ensure the good work that Kayla has led in collaboration with stroke survivors, their families and community partners will continue.
Please join us in thanking and congratulating both Colleen and Kayla as they transition.