International Women’s Day 2023 – Embracing Equity with Project Manager Jean Phan

Role: Project Manager, Strategic Initiative

Department: NRGH ICU and HAU

Who do you primarily work with day to day?
Adults in need of Critical Care support

How long have you been in the health care field?
I have been in Nursing for almost 13 years, with the past 10 years working in ICU. Since last year, I took the opportunity and became the Clinical Project Manager.

What is one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of being a woman in your career?
As a bedside nurse, I find the most challenging thing is to balance a full-time job with two little ones at home. On top of that my husband works full time as a Respiratory Therapist, so we have two hospital shift workers in this household! In my profession, it is predominantly women with a lot of them being mothers. I receive a lot of empathy and support from them. Oh, the stories that us mothers would share!

Since I become the Clinical Project Manager, it has been a great learning curve. I must learn new terminologies and jargons (specifically construction related), to understand the process of construction, and to learn how procurement works in Island Health. Everyone has been so supportive and patient with me since I joined the team.

How do you support other women in your department/ward/field?
Our society still holds a lot of the old perceptions of women are more emotion focus and men are more technical minded. As such, women sometimes feel the need to go above and beyond just to be recognized as equal when the discussions become highly technical. I often encourage fellow women in the field to speak up when needed and provide anyone interested in the opportunity.

Tell us a bit about what you like to do on days off/spare time?
I was born and raised on Vancouver Island. My parents were one of the original refugees during the infamous Vietnam war. They immigrated to Victoria over 40 years ago. I am now married with two young boys (5 and 3). Cooking traditional Vietnamese and Cantonese cuisine are one of my favourite pastimes. It is also a great way for me to cope with stress. My boys say I make the best Chicken Pho, even better than Ong’s (grandpa).