July 24, 2025
Social worker assists patients and their families during challenging moments
Lori Ray is a registered social worker based in the Cardiovascular Surgery Unit (Unit 91) at Foothills Medical Centre. While no two days are exactly the same, her motivation for coming to work never wavers.
鈥淭he best part of my job is working with patients and their families and knowing that I have had a positive impact during a difficult time,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 feel very privileged to meet patients and families at a time of high stress and provide some light and a non-anxious presence.鈥
With compassion at the heart of everything she does, Ray plays a vital role in supporting patients and families through some of their most challenging moments.
She has spent most of her career in hospital settings, working across a range of specialties鈥攊ncluding kidney care, the neonatal intensive care unit and the in-patient bone marrow transplant unit鈥攂efore joining Unit 91 two years ago.
Ray鈥檚 days are spent building relationships with patients and their families while providing pre-operative teaching, psycho-social assessments and checking in to see how they are coping. She also provides resources and assistance that touch many aspects of patients鈥 lives, from their financial and housing situations to their support system and transportation.
鈥淭he goal of what I do is to reduce patients鈥 stress,鈥 says Ray, adding it plays an important role in their recovery.
Ray鈥檚 interest in social work was sparked while volunteering at a school for special needs children shortly after completing her bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology.
鈥淚 worked closely with both a teacher and a social worker, and that inspired me to pursue my career,鈥 she says.
It was while working on her master鈥檚 degree at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo that Ray completed a practicum in a hospital specializing in women鈥檚 health that she realized her calling was to work with patients and their families.
Now years into her career, Ray is still excited about what she does.
鈥淢y colleagues in cardiac surgery are highly skilled, incredibly knowledgeable and compassionate and they get to know patients, which is inspiring,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 rewarding to help people.鈥
Ray says a degree in social work is a great stepping stone to a variety of careers.
鈥淪ocial work teaches communications skills, critical thinking skills, ethical practice鈥 and you learn how to deal with people in distress and in crisis situations,鈥 she says.
Ray hopes to clear up some potential misconceptions about her chosen career.
鈥淧eople may think that social workers are in the hospital to share bad news, but we are a part of the health care team,鈥 she says. 鈥淪ocial work is a helping profession. We are here for everyone.鈥