BC CRN recently welcomed Gurmit Sandhu to the Board of Directors at the June 2024 AGM. Gurmit brings over 15 years of education and experience in supporting vulnerable adults and their families to navigate their community resources and the healthcare system. She looks forward to using her expertise to be an asset in this new role with BC CRN as a growing referral and educational organization for the prevention of abuse, neglect, and self-neglect.
Calm in the Storm
Gurmit holds a Masters of Social Work in Healthcare and is currently working in a dual front line role as a Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Practice Leader in hospital-based acute care within Fraser Health Authority. Gurmit has a deep passion for emergency prevention which extends to risk mitigation, safety planning, coordinating supportive services and referrals for people in varying crises. In every situation she brings a holistic lens and culturally tailored approach to practice, giving high regard to autonomy, respect, dignity, and compassion. With each trauma she is called to attend, whether it be a Code Blue, Death, or Vulnerable Adult Case, her motto is: “To be the calm in the storm”. She gives great importance to assessing each situation with a fresh pair of eyes to help narrate one’s story to the larger interdisciplinary acute health care teams. This in turn, which aids individuals to get the most effective care and support that one not only needs, but deserves to prevent a similar state of emergency or repeat hospital presentation.
Gurmit’s overarching goal is to support continuity of care. She believes in empowering individuals and their loved ones through meaningful dialogue with their respective care teams, this which will inform safe and effective care planning, with greater collaboration between diverse acute and community partners.
Partnering with BC CRN
Gurmit was introduced to the BC CRN community-based resource referral network last year by a former professional mentor, Elisse Tan, who is a current board member. She was excited to see an organization that was focused on bringing service providers together to collaborate rather than working in silos ineffectively. Gurmit believes in the community-based work that our CRNs are doing and further highlights “with effective system navigation, sustained networks, and a collaborative approach to care, we can help everyone thrive within their respective communities”. When the opening for a Director position came up, Gurmit felt it was a good fit with the work she was currently doing and applied. She is looking forward to learning more about the organization and helping them accomplish their goals by collaborating with the current board members who come from a variety of service sectors, which she notes will ultimately strengthen the organization across the stage.
One of the invaluable community resources Gurmit and her fellow acute care colleagues often refer to is the Social Prescribing Program (Via Kin Village) through the municipality where her work place is located. A Social Prescribing Coordinator helps create a wellness plan to connect older adults (typically 65+) to community resources as a means to enhance ones’ well-being, improve mental and physical health by preventing isolation. This is a referral program that can be initiated through self-referral or as identified by an acute or community professional.
As part of this philosophy, Gurmit is also a proud member of the Delta Opposes Violence Everywhere (DOVE) Committee, a branch of the Delta Police Victim Services.
What’s Next
Gurmit plans to continue learning and evolving to offer her best self whether it be in a leadership role, frontline practitioner, interdisciplinary team member, and or during effective emergency response to the diverse individuals and families that come into her care.
Being born in Canada, yet raised with diverse (cultural & spiritual) values derived from the Sikh Faith; Gurmit highlights an appreciation of the intergenerational family model, its values in fostering culturally tailored safe networks, sustaining healthy connections to reduce isolation, and the ongoing (much needed) recognition & support for caregivers that comprise of ones’ family, friends, and neighbors of all ages.
Ideally, in the hopes to reduce the number of current crises and future emergencies, she looks forward to the possibility of integrating front line acute practice, community work, effective collaboration between service providers at a multi-system level to reduce silos and ultimately promote healthier and safer communities.
Read more about Gurmit Sandhu in her Board Member Bio.
Explore our website to learn more about BC CRN or connect with your local CRN for more information or resources.
