#IamMGH tells the stories of our people. In honour of Black History Month, we’re centring the voices and lived experiences of our Black staff and physicians throughout February. Meet Sarona Phillip, Staff Scheduling Coordinator, Complex Continuing Care at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH).
“I come from long line of healthcare providers. I have many aunts and cousins in Grenada who have been registered nurses for more than 20, 30 years. Growing up, I was surrounded by their passion to help others which motivated me to study many disciplines in college, including stenography.
I was accepted into a nursing program in Grenada but ended up moving to Canada in 2006. I initially worked in the financial and administrative sectors. However, given my interest in healthcare, I eventually pursued further education and transitioned to that field. I wanted to be able to use my skillset in a way that contributed to the local healthcare system.
This brought me to Michael Garron Hospital in 2017. Here, I’ve had the opportunity to honour the hard work and dedication of our clinicians by ensuring our Complex Continuing Care unit is appropriately staffed to provide safe and exceptional care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we and other healthcare organizations have experienced staff shortages which can affect the operation of departments. I feel grateful to have been able to help ensure our nurses and teams are available to deliver the care that is needed.
Resilience is the word that comes to mind when I think about how our teams have been able to come together over the past two years. Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been able to see the dedication and diligence of every single one of my colleagues. Everyone has consistently shown up, supported each other and gone above and beyond for their patients.”