Joseph Brant Hospital is a collaborative community
In 2018, when Leah Martuscelli arrived early for her job interview at Burlington-based Joseph Brant Hospital, she headed to the cafeteria. “As I drank my tea, I witnessed lovely interactions among the staff having casual conversations,” she says. After she began her role as chief human resources officer, she experienced first-hand that caring culture of community.
Joseph Brant Hospital is a full-service teaching hospital serving Burlington and the surrounding communities of Halton Region, Hamilton, Waterdown, Flamborough and Stoney Creek. Martuscelli was initially drawn to the organization’s focus on people and culture. “When I joined, I was excited to help shape our culture in collaboration with our people – ‘co-design’ is really big here, and it’s what makes Joseph Brant special,” she says.
Joseph Brant Hospital is the second-largest employer in Burlington, and a focal point of the broader community. “There’s a deep appreciation for this rich resource in the community, and many people who work here know each other outside of work,” says Martuscelli. Across the organization, leaders at all levels foster teamwork and collegiality.
Derek Medeiros feels that community connection too. He joined Joseph Brant Hospital in 2016 as a part-time medical laboratory technologist and is now interim manager of laboratory services. The Burlington resident lives a 12-minute drive from work.
“We’re a tight-knit group within our lab,” says Medeiros. “We sit together in the cafeteria when we have a coffee or lunch break and talk about what’s happening in people’s lives – we actually make a point to not talk about work. That’s cool and unique, in my experience.”
Medeiros was attracted not only by the hospital’s location so close to his home but also to a new patient tower, built in 2017 in the state-of the-art facility. “The brand new lab moved into the tower on the main level, whereas labs are usually in the basement,” he says. “We’re very fortunate that not only do we feel seen but that our lab also has a voice – if you have an idea, people listen.”
Partnerships with post-secondary institutions mean Joseph Brant Hospital is a great place to start a career – and to grow it. When he was a senior technologist focusing on quality, Medeiros networked and made connections outside the lab that served him well. When his supportive manager left, he encouraged Medeiros to try his role on an interim basis.
“At first I didn’t feel ready or confident enough to take it on, but then I thought, maybe I can do it, and my director and whole team were very supportive,” says Medeiros. “We don’t have much of a hierarchy here – you can easily form connections with your VP and director, which at larger hospitals is very difficult to do.”
Of course, it’s no secret that hospital employees face daily stress. To help unwind, both Martuscelli and Medeiros take a short break every Tuesday to pet Tesla the husky or Pete the golden retriever, two Pause for Paws volunteers (both employees have dogs at home). “Well-being and wellness were strategic priorities here even before the pandemic,” says Martuscelli.
Social activities like pumpkin carving in the fall, and mental health resources such as team huddles and counselling, help relieve pressures. Outside of work, Martuscelli goes for walks with friends. “I need to have a little bit of reserve to support others, and my personal mandate is caring for our people – staff, physicians and volunteers – because everyone is equally important,” she says.