Colleen MacKay

Clinic Supervisor/Mobile Charge Nurse

Like a breath of fresh air, Colleen MacKay brings new life every time she’s at a clinic. Whether it’s a mobile in PEI or the permanent clinic in Halifax, Colleen’s passion and sincerity for our donors and the work we do is obvious. It’s the way she lives our values and incorporates them in her daily work – openness, integrity, respect, excelling, quality, safety, accountability – that makes her this year’s winner of the National Award of Distinction.

She treats donors and her staff members alike with integrity and respect. Her attention to customer service is second-to-none. Whether it’s putting first-time high school donors at ease, taking the time and effort to explain why someone was deferred from donating with empathy, or giving clinic staff a heads-up to ensure still-grieving parents who come in to donate in memory of their lost child are treated with respect, Colleen has everyone’s best interest in mind.

Colleen is known for leadership and knowledge, as well as her enthusiasm and attention to detail. As one of her nominators noted, “She always greets me by name and shares details that I appreciate about past clinics successes and failures, but always follows (those) with suggestions about what we could do differently. This small detail helps me to be better at my job and makes me feel a part of the team”.

Colleen started at Canadian Blood Services as a nurse in 2009, moving into the role of clinic supervisor in 2012. When Colleen stepped into the new Clinic Supervisor role, she truly embraced the opportunities that came with this change and has been able to make a positive difference to the team. She is a previous nominee and is held in very high-regard amongst her peers and the frequent donors who have been touched by her gentleness and professionalism.