Voices from West Bedford Transitional Health

By Emily Tuttle

West Bedford Transitional Health (WBTH) plays a crucial role in Nova Scotia’s healthcare system, supporting patients who no longer need hospital care in their journey to returning home. What makes transitional health stand out is its strong focus on recovery-based care, collaborative teamwork, allied health services, and meaningful personalized supports that shape the agenda of each day. On top of the team dynamic, it’s the steady progress and patient discharges that define transitional health.

In an effort to capture the essence of West Bedford Transitional Health, I sat with three dedicated team members—Erika and Taiba, both Certified Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) which are called Transitional Care Assistants in this new facility, and Erin, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Their perspective offers an honest, up-close perspective on what makes West Bedford Transitional Health a setting where personalized care planning, collaboration, and innovation thrive.

Erika Paz, CCA

Drawn to West Bedford Transitional Health (WBTH) to work in a modern, recovery-focused setting where patient progress is the priority, Erika emphasized the importance of engaging patients in their care while not underestimating the impact of a small gesture. “Asking about a patient’s day and encouraging them to attempt a new task often makes the biggest impact,” she says. “Seeing patients happy, smiling, and achieving progress is the highlight of my work.”

For Erika, teamwork is at the center of everything. She loves collaborating with colleagues who all share the same goal: helping patients get stronger and return home or to a community setting where they can live safely and independently. “I’ve learned so much already because of the strong culture of support and collaboration amongst the team, and we’re all motivated by seeing patients conquer a new challenge.”

Erin Martell, LPN

Erin was inspired to join the team at West Bedford because the transitional healthcare model felt innovative and forward-thinking. Her motivation comes from helping patients reach the point where they can safely manage at home again. Building trust with patients is central to her role, and seeing them achieve their personal goals, whether physical, emotional, or daily-living milestones, brings her the most pride. Erin also appreciates the growth opportunities available to staff. She sees firsthand how Shannex encourages team members to develop new skills and contribute to a culture that is always striving to improve care.

Taiba Amiri, CCA

Taiba describes transitional health as the perfect blend of hospital-style rehabilitation and more direct personal care with wraparound support. For her, using a wide range of skills every day is what she appreciates most about working in an innovative model of care. Her approach focuses on helping patients regain independence, coaching them through tasks and encouraging them to take ownership of their progress. Each day, Taiba says her favorite moments are personal: a heartfelt “thank you” or a genuine conversation with a patient that makes every shift feel worthwhile. She also appreciates the diversity and the organization’s focus on staff development and new learning opportunities.

First Impressions and Takeaways

After speaking with Erika, Taiba, and Erin, three themes stood out to me about Shannex and their role as a partner to Nova Scotia Health and operations lead for West Bedford Transitional Health:

• Teamwork is everything. Every person I spoke with emphasized how much they rely on one another. The collaborative culture ensures patients receive consistent, high-quality support. It’s a big part of why Shannex is a certified Great Place to Work.
• Progress is incremental. A smile, a step forward, reaching a new milestone, regaining strength, making plans, and being discharged are wins that are celebrated daily.
• Growth and big-thinking is encouraged. Shannex is all about innovation and providing team members with opportunities to learn, try new approaches, and build meaningful careers while making a real impact on real people.

Erika, Taiba, and Erin’s stories confirm that West Bedford Transitional Health is an exciting opportunity to be part of innovation that supports the health system for all Nova Scotians. It was also enlightening to learn more about Shannex beyond long term care and retirement living environments, as they are serving patients aged 18+ in West Bedford but also evolving in other areas.

As a student who speaks regularly with my peers about wanting to know our work matters, I can say with certainty that at Shannex, it does. If you’re considering a career in recovery-based care, West Bedford Transitional Health is now hiring as it plans to expand services in early 2026.

Bio:

Originally from Amherst, NS, Emily Tuttle is a Digital Marketing student at NSCC with a strong interest in understanding people and sharing meaningful stories. With a background in psychology and human resources, she enjoys creating content that highlights authentic experiences and human connection.