Orléans trauma nurse to volunteer in Whistler

“God forbid anyone would get injured so severely that they’d need our help, but if they do, I’m glad we’re going to be there,” says St. Pierre, who will set up shop in a transport truck equipped with an operating room and anything else they might need to save a life or a limb before a patient can be transferred to Vancouver.

The Ottawa Hospital Civic campus intensive care nurse feels prepared for whatever may come their way thanks to her 2008 experience in Afghanistan when the reservist did a seven-week tour to give regular nurses a break.

“We saw a lot of trauma – blast injuries, amputations, head injuries,” notes St. Pierre, who found out about the Olympic volunteer opportunity through the reserves. “It’s right up my alley. We take care of those patients all the time.”

The recreational cross-country skier, skater, cyclist and Orléans Little League board member feels “so excited” to be right in the middle of the world’s biggest sporting event, noting her three kids want to wear her uniforms once she comes back home.

St. Pierre traveled to Vancouver in October to meet her 17-member team, running through simulation training, familiarizing themselves with the equipment they’ll be using, and preparing for disaster scenarios.

St. Pierre is really looking forward to working with a multi-disciplinary team from across the country, although she hopes for the athletes’ sake they won’t be called into action.

“We’re in Whistler where all the sliding events are, all the downhill racing and ski jumping, so there’s a huge risk for trauma,” she adds. “I may just be working in this unit and not seeing any of the events, but I’m not stressed about that. I’m not going out there for that reason – I’m there just in case they need our help.”