Her plaque is coming in the mail due to the pandemic, but Deanna Clatworthy will soon have a new award recognizing her efforts as an HIV/AIDS care nurse.
The HIV/AIDS Resources and Community Health (ARCH) clinic manager was announced Saturday as this year’s recipient of the Jill Sullivan Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice from the Canadian Association of Nurses in HIV/AIDS Care (CANAC).
“Deanna is passionate about delivering competent and caring healthcare to the patients who access ARCH,” CANAC president Vera Caine said during the virtual award ceremony, reading from the nominator’s comments.
Caine praised Clatworthy for launching an email newsletter, and later a video newsletter, when the pandemic struck to ensure ARCH patients had accurate and up-to-date information.
“Deanna is passionate about teaching and presenting topics regarding HIV/AIDS and is committed to reducing stigma in healthcare and removing barriers to enhance and better support persons living with HIV and AIDS,” continued Caine. “She freely volunteers her time to educate others.”
Clatworthy has worked at ARCH for about nine years, providing support and health care to people in the community living with HIV and AIDS. Her efforts have been credited for expanding the slate of services.
“Thank you everyone for this incredible honour,” Clatworthy said, expressing gratitude to her ARCH co-workers who nominated her. “They make work so wonderful to go in every day and I’m very touched by their nomination for this lovely award.”
The Jill Sullivan Award of Excellence in Clinical Practice, named in honour of a pioneer in the delivery of HIV/AIDS nursing care in Canada, is handed out annually to a nurse who “consistently demonstrates excellence in the application of skills and knowledge” with patients, explains the CANAC website.
“Thank you to all the nurses in Canada and around the globe who are working so hard during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Clatworthy. “Our work with HIV is already heavy some days, so this has added to our shoulders. … I just want to thank everyone for staying strong every day and continuing to do all their good work.”
