Victoria Bathurst
May 2022
Victoria
Bathurst
,
RPN
Child Development Team
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Toronto
,
Ontario
Canada

 

 

 

Tori is an integral link between families, clinic staff, and community services. She supports families in countless ways as they go through the diagnostic journey.
Tori has been supporting the CLB clinic and she has made a dramatic contribution to the efficiency of clinic flow and the care we provide to families affected by NDDs, like ASD. Tori is an integral link between families, clinic staff, and community services. She supports families in countless ways as they go through the diagnostic journey.  After, she helps to collect collateral info to help clarify the diagnosis by connecting with teachers/schools; she answers questions families have about the diagnostic process and puts them at ease so they know they already have an ally in the clinic before the diagnostic process is even complete. She helps families navigate all kinds of support services (funding, OAP, mental health supports, respite, etc); she provides valuable medical guidance (in collaboration with the staff MD) including management of constipation and sleep issues in NDDs; notifies families of some blood test results including negative genetic results and provides counseling on what that means, and helps families connect with their primary care provider in following up on some results that need primary care management. 
Tori is the link our clinic has needed to help families establish partnerships between different clinical and service silos. She has undoubtedly improved the efficiency of the diagnosticians. 
I think this clinical experience exemplifies Tori's invaluable work: 
I recently completed a prolonged diagnostic process on children with a complex situation. I do not think we would have been able to complete the assessments without her help. She connected with the parents at the start to help them navigate the diagnostic process and stay on top of the multiple appointments and she obtained additional developmental/social info from them to help us understand the family's strengths and barriers. In doing so, the parents established a positive rapport with Tori and felt reassured they were being heard. She is such a valuable asset to the team. Thank you, Tori for all you do!