Florence Mombourquette (Excellence in Clinical Practice)

“In recognition of her caring, dedication, and leadership within her profession and community, it gives me great pleasure to nominate my former co-worker and friend,” said Nancy Mombourquette, RN, in her letter of nomination.

Florence was the first nurse hired in the community clinic in L’Ardoise, which was established by a concerned group of community members who recruited Dr. W.B. Kingston to the area. “The title of nurse was very loose,” said Nancy. “Florence was secretary, office manager, lab technician, maintenance worker and an on-call emergency responder.”

As the small practice grew to 5,000 patient files, serving a 25-mile radius, Florence’s duties grew as well. She established partnerships with other professionals at hospitals in Antigonish and Sydney. She collaborated with local ambulance attendants on their CPR training, and she became a CPR instructor herself, providing training to local groups in the area.

“She was often called at all hours of the night to respond to a motor vehicle accident or house calls as Dr. Kingston would stabilize the patient before transporting them to Sydney or Antigonish,” said Nancy. “Often times, Florence would accompany the patient and return home later to restock the emergency equipment.”

Over the years, Florence took on new tasks and new challenges, often ahead of the latest trends in health and nursing care.

“Florence was a great leader and demonstrated a high level of knowledge in surgical procedures, lab specimen collection…and we even did some chemotherapy treatments so the patient wouldn’t have to travel,” said Nancy. “Florence never overstepped her training, physician direction, and current best practices for her profession. She always tried to improve her knowledge.”

This included taking a medication course, while she was working full-time and raising three young sons. Florence also drew on her family experience with juvenile diabetes, becoming a great resource to families who were living with the disease.

Florence was also an advocate for health promotion and prevention before it was in vogue. She developed a system for recalls at the clinic, where staff would call patients to remind them that they needed a visit for a Pap test or repeat x-ray. The results for the clinic and the patients were clear: a high level of patient satisfaction and one of the highest rates of Pap screening in the province.

“Florence taught me many things,” said Nancy. “The best one was how to screen patients in order to get a clear and honest account of the problem.” This involved a holistic approach, asking about a patient’s lifestyle and the determinants of health.

Florence has been a major supporter of young people in health professions, employing student nurses and providing leadership. She was also very active in the community’s efforts on physician recruitment.
You’d think that after 35 years in the profession, she’d be ready to embark on a well-deserved retirement. Not Florence. In 2003, she began a new chapter in her career, working for Homecare Nova Scotia and is continuing her commitment to the Diabetic Association and various local causes.

“There was no monetary value that can be put on the hundreds of hours Florence put in over the years,” said Nancy. “She donated all that time to her community.”

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