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VCH named one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People
Sally Breen recently saw that a colleague who had started at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) as a student nurse took on a manager role.
“I led the Employed Student Nurse program when he was in it and to now see him as a manager, it’s such a swell of pride. I am so happy to see people like him succeed and to know I was a part of their journey,” says Breen, executive director, talent management and strategy deployment.
Breen, who started as a nurse at VCH in 1983, credits the support she received from the organization and her mentors for her successful career. After working in various clinical areas, she became an educator and eventually director of clinical education before moving to her current role.
VCH provides the support needed to help employees find their career paths. For new employees, it offers considerable supports. “From the start, we’re curious about your trajectory and where you want to work. What is your area of passion? It is more than just filling a vacancy – we want people to be fulfilled and stay with us throughout their career,” Breen says.
To support new team members, VCH assigns an individual onboarding associate to help guide new staff and medical staff during their first 60 days. The associates provide direct support, answer questions and seek further information on anything related to the employee experience. The onboarding team works in multiple languages to support the diverse workforce. A relocation specialist helps new employees with anything from housing to finding childcare or a new bank.
The organization has also increased its number of clinical mentor roles to help the transition into the organization and clinical practice. Other programs include career coaching and sponsored education opportunities, such as operating room or home health nursing programs, which provides full tuition and full salary and benefits while trainees pursue education for specialized clinical roles.
Doris Wu, pictured below, is a registered nurse with Richmond’s Home Health team, completed the Regional Home Health Education Program to help her transition from nursing school to home health nursing. She became interested in home health nursing after doing a rotation on the Richmond team prior to graduation.
“I was so drawn in by the culture. My mentors are very approachable and I always feel comfortable asking questions,” she says.
“My colleagues are the best and are always willing to help me. As a new grad, having these role models makes me realize this is how I want to show up as a nurse as I grow in my career.”
Doris Wu
Wu also appreciates that VCH offers benefits and programs to promote wellness, such as yoga classes and coverage for massage therapy. The organization also offers a robust employee and family assistance program, injury rehabilitation program, an on-site gym and up to a 75-per-cent transit subsidy. “Nurses emphasize taking care of our own bodies and our own mental health so we can provide the best and safest care possible to our patients. I really appreciate having these programs at VCH to help us do that,” Wu says.
Breen says another area of focus for VCH is employee recognition programs which celebrate exceptional staff, medical staff, volunteers and teams that go above and beyond to make a meaningful impact. “It goes a long way when someone appreciates your contributions and says, ‘You’re doing a great job,’” she says. “Recognition is something we work hard on. We like to share stories about our health care workers and the impact they are making. It creates pride in the organization and helps people feel a part of something special.”
Vancouver Coastal Health has been named one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People by Mediacorp, as announced on Jan. 21, 2025 in the Globe and Mail. Learn more about this accolade.
VCH is a world-class medical, research and teaching innovator, delivering care to more than one million B.C. residents living in Vancouver, the North Shore, Richmond, the Sea-to-Sky corridor, Sunshine Coast and the Central Coast. VCH believes in equal opportunities for all staff members to grow and succeed.