Angie Gill: A passion for the OR and its team approach to exceptional patient care

At the age of 10 years old, Angie Gill’s grandmother, who had diabetes, taught her how to administer insulin. That’s when she parked her dream of becoming a vet and set her sights on nursing.

 Angie Gill, RPN, OR

Angie went to Algonquin College in Pembroke and graduated from the RPN Program in 1994. There were not many available nursing positions at the time, so she decided to also train to become a paramedic.

“I was a young, single person and I loved the excitement of working on the ambulance,” explained Angie, who worked as a casual RPN and part-time paramedic for four years. “It just fulfilled everything –It was constant learning every single day. But in the back of my mind I knew I wanted to take an OR nursing program.”

A love for the OR

When Angie was training to become a nurse, she spent a few days in the OR.

“The moment I stepped into the OR theatre, I knew I needed to further my education in the perioperative field but at that time there was no available program which is why I pursued the paramedics course,” said Angie. “I loved how everybody in the OR worked as team to care for the patient and how the flow worked from start to finish – I found it amazing.”

In 1995, Angie began working at Arnprior Regional Health (ARH) on the Inpatient Unit and in the Emergency Department. She ended up taking the OR course shortly after and landed a full-time position working in the Ottawa Civic Hospital’s OR where she stayed for 15 years.

A welcomed return to the community hospital setting

Angie decided she wanted to return ARH, and in 2013 she landed a position as a surgical scrub nurse.

“I was married with two kids, a husband doing shift work so it was partly a lifestyle move and I  also wanted to go back to the community hospital setting where there a more personal touch and a lot more interaction with the patients,” reflected Angie, whose current ARH role focuses on maintaining a sterile field, setting up equipment and advocating for the patient.

Angie was able to bring her experience and knowledge base to contribute to the collaborative OR team.

“We work in a fast-paced surgical environment and we all have to support each other – the bond between our coworkers is really strong,” said Angie. “We work with the same people every day and we get through challenging cases together because of the expertise, knowledge and help of everyone. It gives you an appreciation for each team member’s strengths.”

When Angie first spent time in the OR, she quickly realized that it offered constant learning. That has held true.

“Every day I learn something new. Each patient has individual needs and every case in different.”