Our Health-Care Team

The staff of 11 North

Our Nurses

11 North is composed of experienced, friendly, and compassionate nurses. They will work closely with you, your family, and the interprofessional team to help you meet your goals. They pride themselves in delivering the best care to our patients through ongoing monitoring, assistance and presence. The nursing team can be reached easily by your call bell at the bedside or at the main nursing station.
 

Social Workers

For all ENT patients, social workers aim to help reduce the stress that can be caused by last-minute and planned hospitalization providing emotional and practical support as well as advocating and connecting you with services in your community. 

Your inpatient social worker can connect you with the Community Care Access Centre, financial help, transportation assistance, counselling, finding permanent or temporary housing and family support of any kind. S/he will work with you, your family and your medical team to find a timely and safe discharge option which can range from going home with home care to rehabilitation to a nursing/retirement home.

It is important to us that you and/or your family receive respectful treatment that puts mind and body at ease for a full recovery, and we do our best to ensure that you are discharged from our hospital into the best care setting possible.

We would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have, either as a prospective, current or past patient.  Please call 416-586-4800 ext. 8511 or 5201 to reach our Social Work Department.  
 

Speech-Language Pathologists

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) will be involved in your care if you have difficulties swallowing and/or communicating as a result of your surgery.  S/he will assess your swallow and make recommendations for changes of texture and/or implement swallow strategies to improve your swallowing function. If you are experiencing difficulties swallowing, please notify your nurse who will contact a SLP. 

Some people experience difficulties with communicating - it may take some time for your mouth and/or throat to heal after surgery. The SLP can assess your communication and refer you for further speech therapy after you leave the hospital, if necessary.

Dietitians

Registered dietitians (RDs) have expertise in food and nutrition science. They provide consultation, evaluation, and diet instruction in a variety of settings including health care, industry, and government. RDs are professionals qualified to:

• Assess nutritional needs for individuals and groups of people 
• Provide nutrition advice to prevent and treat disease
• Educate health professionals and the community 
• Conduct research in food and nutrition science 
• Manage food delivery systems

In order to practice as a registered dietitian in Ontario, membership in the College of Dietitians of Ontario is mandatory. At Mount Sinai Hospital, membership in the Dietitians of Canada (DC) is strongly encouraged. Membership in other Canadian or American professional groups (e.g. Canadian Diabetes Association) is voluntary. 
 

Pharmacy

The pharmacist will assist the team in monitoring your drug therapy and progress while you are in hospital, answer any medication questions you have, and provide instructions for any new medications you take home. Please do not hesitate to ask to speak to your pharmacist at any time during your stay.

It is always a good idea to either bring your medications with you to the hospital or to have an up-to-date list of any medications you might be taking. This will help our pharmacy and your care team ensure you are getting the right medication while in hospital.

You will be provided with your medications when you are admitted to the hospital. Occasionally you may be asked to take your own supply of a medication if it is something that the hospital does not carry.
 

Ward Clerks / Clerical Coordinators

As Ward Clerks are stationed at the nursing station, they are often the first line of contact for patients, family members and visitors. They answer phones, maintain charts and provide clerical support to our nurses, physicians and allied health team members. Ward Clerks also liaise with other departments such as Admitting, Dietary and Medical Imaging to ensure a smooth running unit and to address patient or staff requests.  Our Clerical Coordinators offer administrative support to our Management team and are responsible for functions such as staff scheduling and payroll. 
 

Service Assistants/Porters

Our Service Assistants maintain the cleanliness of the unit and provide daily housekeeping services. Our Porters are responsible for the transportation of our inpatients to tests and procedures. Our Porters are also available to assist with discharges.
 

Volunteers

Mount Sinai Hospital depends on hundreds of volunteers to support our patients, their families and our staff. More than 600 volunteers contribute over 105,000 hours annually. They can be found in more than 125 areas of the hospital. Volunteers provide comfort and care to patients, support professional staff to enhance their ability to care, bring the caring of the community into the hospital, and encourage future health care practitioners.

Learn more about volunteering at Mount Sinai.