The Power of Presence

For many individuals throughout the healthcare system, the path isn’t always what they first imagine – it’s what they discover along the way. For Emma Spierenburg, a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) at Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS), that discovery led her to a place where compassion, connection, and purpose come together every day: in palliative care.

“I always thought I would work with children,” Emma shares. “But during my placement, I found palliative care, and I just knew this is where I was meant to be.”

Emma’s journey with BCHS began in 2015 as a nursing student, completing her final preceptorship on the Palliative Care and Medically Complex Unit at Brantford General Hospital (BGH). What started as a learning experience quickly became something more meaningful. After graduating, she joined the team through the New Graduate Guarantee program, a program set up for nurses to help them transition confidently into practice with structured orientation, dedicated preceptorship, and full-time hours as they begin their careers. Ten years later, Emma is continuing to support patients and families through some of life’s most vulnerable moments.

Working in palliative care means walking alongside patients facing life-limiting illnesses. For Emma, the focus goes beyond medical care.

“Our goal is always to provide comfort and the best possible quality of life,” she explains. “But supporting the families who also walk through our doors are just as important – being there for them, listening, and really helping them through the process.”

Over the years, that work has shaped Emma both professionally and personally. “I’m not the same person I was when I started,” she says. “I’ve gained confidence, but more than that, I’ve learned how important it is to truly be present.”

That understanding deepened even further when Emma experienced loss firsthand, losing her mother on the very same unit she works on. “It changed everything for me,” she shares. “I went from being the nurse to the family member sitting at the bedside. It gave me a whole new perspective. This isn’t just a job – these are people’s lives, their loved ones.” It’s that perspective that continues to guide her care today.

Emma credits much of her growth to the people around her, including mentors, colleagues, and physicians who have helped shape her approach to care. “My colleagues are true angels,” she shares. “I wouldn’t be the nurse I am today without all of their support and guidance throughout the past ten years.”

Emma adds, “My preceptor, Courtney Martin, really showed me what it means to be a compassionate nurse. My team, whom I am honoured to work alongside, support one another every single shift. We all share the same goal – to provide the best possible care to patients in end of life.”

After a decade working in her role, it’s the moments with patients and families that stay with Emma the most.

“You can spend days supporting a patient and their family through end of life, fully investing yourself in their care, and then, as nurses, you move on to the next patient,” she explains. “But when families come back later, or send a card to say thank you, that stays with you. It is incredibly humbling and reminds me why I do this work.”

For those considering a career in palliative care, Emma is honest about both the challenges and the rewards.

“It’s not always easy,” she shares. “You’re supporting people through grief and loss, which requires emotional strength. But it’s also one of the most meaningful areas of nursing. You learn to slow down, listen, and connect in a way that really matters.”

At BCHS, Emma found not only a career, but a community.

“I’ve built lifelong friendships here, and there’s a strong support system with many opportunities to grow throughout your career,” she says.

Emma is continuing that growth as she completes her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with the goal of becoming a Registered Nurse. No matter where her career takes her, palliative care will always be part of her.

She passes down a piece of advice to future healthcare professionals, “Never underestimate the impact of simply being present.”

“You don’t always need the perfect words. Just showing up, listening, and caring—that’s what people remember. I have had many patients I will never forget — which room they were in, their name and what they were suffering from — but most of all, I will always remember the impact they made on me during their last days.”

At BCHS, it’s people like Emma who remind us that healthcare is about more than clinical expertise and treatment. It’s about being there when it matters most.

Be a part of the presence that makes an impact. Join TeamBCHS today, www.bchsys.org/careers.