Portrait of Madeleine Fortin

an ally of the Inter-establishment Navigators (IEN)

A neuropsychologist by training, Madeleine Fortin first worked in trauma with adults in acute care and rehabilitation. It was after her last maternity leave that she decided to take the plunge and return to pediatrics. Having had the opportunity to accompany young patients on their journey in the past, Madeleine knew the richness and beauty of the relationships that develop in a longer accompaniment. 

It was with great enthusiasm that she joined the Marie Enfant Rehabilitation Center team as a neuropsychologist and then as a clinical coordinator:

“I’m a super organized girl […] and I’m very curious and I also like action so working on a care unit is perfect for me! We know that hospitalization at the Intensive Functional Rehabilitation Unit (IFRU)I is a difficult time for the youth and their families, so we try to have as much fun as possible and to bring joy to the process, while being as efficient as possible and listening to our families. At work, every day is different. I think I learn something new every week that adds to my knowledge, makes me better and makes me a better worker. I am regularly touched by the resilience, perseverance, strength and courage of all the youth and families I meet. Each one in their own way leaves an imprint on my heart and I feel honored to be able to help them on their journey.”

Madeleine feels fortunate to be able to work daily with families with unique backgrounds, committed rehabilitation professionals, dedicated nurses, physicians from different specialties and many internal and external partners. Among these collaborations is the one with the Inter-establishment Navigators (IENs), whose impact she explains in the following video (in French only):

Madeleine was actually able to collaborate with the IENs from the beginning of the creation of this new position in 2019 . “I see it as a bit of an ambassador for Marie Enfant abroad!” she mentions, “We can better accompany families and youth from the beginning of the process until they return to their home environment.” Madeleine notes that the processes have improved since the creation of the position and that having a person present at all the sites allows for an efficient transmission of information between the different environments. 

She considers the IENs to be valuable allies and was pleased to be able to mention the satisfaction that emerged from this cooperation during Accreditation Canada’s visit to the Marie Enfant rehabilitation Center  in the fall of 2022.

Together we wish them many more opportunities to collaborate for the benefit of patients and their families!