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Support aides provide a multitude of support to our staff and patients. They are a hand to hold on to. They are a conversation or an ear to listen. They fill the gaps for busy caregivers. It is a crucial role—and one that, in many instances, is a steppingstone to other opportunities.
Just ask Jasmine, Keith and Ricardo.
Passionate about helping others and guided by their mentors at The Ottawa Hospital, they are growing their careers and looking forward to their futures in nursing and caregiving.
They invite you to read their stories, discover how far they’ve come, and consider a future that looks like theirs.
A love of helping patients led Jasmine to chart a new career path
Over the past three years, many high school graduates have had their post-secondary education delayed by the pandemic. Jasmine Camel-Toueg had plans to become a dental assistant, but her program’s start date kept getting pushed back.
With her plans on pause, Jasmine joined our long-term care homes during the third wave of the pandemic. As a resident support aide at St. Patrick’s Home of Ottawa, she provided companionship to an elderly patient with advanced dementia, a challenging role that required extraordinary patience and communication skills. She then transitioned to the acute care hospital support aide team at the Civic Campus.
Jasmine’s love of working with older residents inspired her to change her career plans from dentistry to nursing. She is currently attending Algonquin College and loves her new role at the West End Villa transitional care unit, where she learns from and works alongside registered nurses.
A veteran of The Ottawa Hospital, Keith continues to grow his career
Keith Maheux is a member of our hospital support aide team in the Civic Campus Emergency Department, providing invaluable assistance to our care teams and warm companionship to our patients. Keith has been recognized on several occasions for exemplifying the hospital’s core values of compassion and teamwork.
Keith knows these values well, having worn many hats at The Ottawa Hospital over the past 20 years. He was previously a COVID-19 screener, greeting the public and supporting families during the most difficult days of the pandemic. No matter his role, Keith always brings with him a strong sense of dedication—after all, he does have a background in competitive skating!
Inspired by the time he has spent with patients over the years, Keith has decided to become a practical nurse and is looking forward to beginning his studies in the fall.
In less than two years, Ricardo has celebrated many milestones
A newcomer to Canada, Ricardo Benon began his career with The Ottawa Hospital in 2021, joining the long-term care team at Marochel Manor as a resident support aide.
Known for his musical talents, Ricardo frequently made time after work to sing and play the guitar and piano for residents. He then transitioned to the role of hospital support aide on the Acute Medicine Unit. With his background in long-term care, he often volunteered to provide companionship to our older patients.
While working at The Ottawa Hospital, Ricardo went back to school and graduated as a personal support worker. Our geriatric medicine team at the Civic Campus has since welcomed him as an orderly.
Feeling inspired?
If you’re looking to kickstart your career in health care and make a difference in our patients’ lives, we invite you to apply to become a hospital support aide. Please visit our Career Opportunities page for open positions in this role and many more.
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