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| June 19, 2006 | Back to List | Print this Page  | | Success and Rewards for Rural Health Professionals | | |
In rural health care, professionals like Shannon Armstrong, Occupational Therapist for both Valleyview and Fox Creek, are required to wear many different hats, and work on many different teams. Although, on a daily basis this might equate to a bit of a juggling act, their presence and service to rural communities is a huge benefit to our clients in need, and very rewarding for our health care professionals.
Shannon Armstrong began working as the Occupational Therapist for both the Valleyview and Fox Creek areas in February 2004. "There is never a dull moment, exclaims Shannon, and I thoroughly enjoy working with a large variety of professions and different people." Having a full time occupational therapist dedicated to serving both communities means that unlike before, where clients had to travel up to two hours one way to access services in Grande Prairie, clients now have access to services close to home and can access these services more frequently. It reduces costs, makes it much easier for the client and ensures that they get the best health care service possible.
Although Shannon's home office is out of the Public Health Centre in Valleyview, she also travels regularly to Fox Creek to provide her occupational expertise. She has several roles in her position. She works in Home Care in both communities, as an Occupational Therapist at the Valleyview Hospital and with the student health program. The Student Health Initiative Program involves Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech Language Pathologists and Mental Health Therapists working in a team-based assessment capacity in area schools. The group of professionals provides school-based services to children with mild to moderate delays in development.
If this is not enough to keep Shannon busy she works as a member on the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic team. The Team, which is jointly based out of High Prairie and Peace River, assesses and diagnoses children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder. The team members meet individually with preschool and school aged children to make health assessments. In Shannon's case, she will review the child's productivity, self-care and leisure skills and make a recommendation to the team on the type of treatment needed. Then the entire Team meets with the clients' physician and holds a case conference to collaboratively determine their assessment and treatment.
The manner in which the FASD Team works is a great example of how staff in our region implement Peace Country Health's Strategic Principles of teamwork and meeting community needs to improve the delivery of health services.Despite her busy work week and demands in two separate health care sites, Shannon says that it is "very rewarding to work in rural health care, and make a difference in someone's life and in the community that you live in."
Peace Country Health recognizes the dedication and service of all rural health care professionals who wear many different hats to bring success and rewards to our communities, their professions and our organization.
We are pleased to have dedicated staff like Shannon Armstrong on board.
| | For more information, please contact: | | Deb Guerette | | Director Communications | | Peace Country Health | | 780.538.6180 | | deb.guerette@pchr.ca | | http://www.pchr.ca |
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