LONNIE BALDWIN, RN
Renal Health Clinic, Health Sciences Centre

Lonnie was nominated as part of the HSC Renal Health Clinic team. Read the nomination here.

Lonnie has been working in the renal clinic for about 13 years. She says, in some cases, she follows patients through their kidney journey for years.

“Some people have long journeys you know 10, 15 years. It’s a lot of time and effort that goes into those patients and lots of connections and lots of bonds.”

She enjoys working with patients to make the experience of facing kidney disease more manageable.

“You can sort of see some fear settle in patients. They realize that kidney disease, kidney failure doesn’t mean life has to stop.”

She says the number of patients coming through the clinic continues to grow and admits that an expanded space would be ideal. “It’s an old ward that’s been converted,” she said noting the needs of the program seem to be outgrowing the space.

Before working in the renal clinic, she was in hemodialysis and also at Health Sciences Centre’s emergency room.

“I started off in Teulon hospital where you are kind of jack of all trades, master of none.” That where she became interested in ER nursing which led her to HSC and eventually the renal program.