Vicky Sharma is one of Trillium’s newest faces but she’s already one of its most widely-known.

The 23-year-old nurse was names the national 2008 Graduate of the Year by Health Careers magazine.  Nominated by Orthopaedics Clinical Educator Marcella Honour, Vicky Sharma was applauded for her “unwavering commitment to patient-centred care”.  She provides interpretation for Punjabi-speaking patients, sings happy birthday and gives back rubs during down-time on the unit.

“For those of us who may have become slightly jaded at times through the ups and downs of the profession, Vicky is a daily reminder of what it means to be compassionate, supportive and patient-centred,”  Marcella wrote.

Before graduating, Vicky Sharma did her last clinical rotation at Trillium in 2007 and, when she was offered a job, decided to stay.   She’d done rotations at a number of other hospitals and other health care institutions but decided Trillium was her employer of choice.  She says she loves her job in the orthopaedic surgery unit because the work and the patients are interesting and there’s “a lot of support and resources”.

“I found a family environment among the staff.  There’s always someone willing to help you.  Doctors and nurses communicate very well with each other.  Even as a student here, I came to know the doctors.  That didn’t happen in the other hospitals.  Here, they’re around and they like to educate. I was even invited to watch a knee replacement surgery.”