Meet one of Unity Health Toronto’s Caring Hearts, Leading Minds: Maria Loureiro

Caring Hearts, Leading Minds: Maria Loureiro, Housekeeper, Environmental Services at St. Joseph’s Health Centre

Each morning, Maria Loureiro diligently removes the garbage from each room on the general internal medicine unit at St. Joseph’s Health Centre where she works as a housekeeper. The unit cares for adult patients with complex medical needs.

“Maria works on 2L-medicine, a floor where compassion and discretion is of utmost importance,” says Judilee King, operations leader, Environmental Services at St. Joseph’s. “She has been praised multiple times by patients and their relatives for her kindness and willingness to help.”

“She is a quiet, positive force.”

After Loureiro finishes removing the garbage she cleans the nursing stations, mops the floors, and disinfects each of her assigned patient rooms, wiping down all surfaces.

Loueiro has worked at St. Joseph’s since 2021 and is also relied upon to perform what’s known as a “terminal clean” whenever a patient is discharged from the unit. 

A terminal clean is the most thorough level of cleaning performed in the hospital, and is done after a patient is discharged, transferred, or when a room needs to be prepared for a new patient. Before each new patient is admitted to the floor, Louriero thoroughly disinfects the room, replaces all linens, bedding and curtains and ensures the room is clean, safe and ready for the next patient.

It’s an important infection-prevention procedure and it’s a critical step in maintaining patient flow so that a patient who needs a bed can be admitted as soon as possible.

“I like to help the people who are sick,” says Loureiro. “And sometimes the patients tell me ‘good job.’”  

Whether it’s noticing the small things that need attention or helping a new staff member learn best practices, Loureiro leads by example.

“Reliable. Competent. Consistent.”

Those are the three words that best describe Loureiro, according to King.

“Team-members respect Maria’s ability and the standard of care she shows and seek to follow her example, often commenting on the cleanliness of her assigned area when they cover her for vacation or time-off.”

A team of 500 cleaning staff work across St. Joseph’s Health Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital and Providence Healthcare. On site seven days a week, they perform a comprehensive 360-degree clean—wall to wall and ceiling to floor—of clinic spaces, patient rooms, public washrooms, lobbies, cafeterias and offices, as well as manage waste removal.

But it’s not only Loureiro’s strong work ethic and standard of care that makes her so special.  According to King, Loureiro’s quiet, compassionate manner also helps bring comfort to those in her unit.

 Having immigrated to Canada from Portugal in 1987, Loureiro can often be heard chatting with patients and their families in her native Portuguese.

“There is a community of Portuguese speaking patients that love to communicate with her on the floor as she maintains her daily routine of cleaning during their hospital stay,” says King. “Patients often ask ‘when is Maria coming back?’”