We Are IH: Practice leader helps guide ethical decision-making

May 9, 2024

Tammy Molina and her husband in Palma, Spain. They rented scooters to explore the area.

Name: Tammy Molina (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Regional Practice Leader, Clinical Ethics
Years of Service: 13
Worksite: Kelowna Community Health & Services Centre
Community: Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Okanagan-Syilx
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “It's hard to choose one, but I think what often stirs up my heart and mind most frequently is ‘be the change you want to see.’”

In her position with Interior Health (IH) as regional practice leader, clinical ethics, Tammy Molina collaborates with employees and medical staff (physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, etc.) as they navigate what she calls “crunchy” situations that would benefit from an ethical decision-making process.

“It’s so important for us to be able to intentionally examine our responsibilities, priorities, choices and impacts, and not only understand but also explain why we have made the decision we did,” Tammy says. “I enjoy being invited to walk through difficult scenarios with teams to pull back the layers and look at what values and priorities are in conflict and provide space to acknowledge the discomfort or uncertainty.”

In this Story…

Learn more about Tammy’s journey with IH

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Learn more about Tammy’s journey with IH

A woman poses for a picture with her small, fluffy dog that has black and white fur. — Tammy with her dog Hudson, who she says is the “littlest love of my life.”

Tammy supports five local clinical ethics committees across the region, chairs the IH Clinical Ethics Committee and is a member of the IH Ethics Council and Provincial Healthcare Ethics Advisory Team. One of Tammy’s most meaningful and impactful moments with IH was co-facilitating the Next Generation Clinical Leadership (NGCL) program with colleagues Lee Crevier and Chelsea Lytton in 2017.

“The learning, growth and friendship that came out of that experience will last a lifetime,” she says. “It was also an incredible honour to be a partner of support for all of the participants of that NGCL cohort.”

Tammy says that her work she did with colleague Janine Carscadden in creating IH's brand new resource, My Advance Care Plan, which guides people through the five steps of advance care planning, has been a major highlight of her time working for IH.

A woman poses for a picture on the streets with an ancient building in the background. — Tammy in Valencia Spain.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work we led,” she says. “This workbook will be transformational for those we serve in health care as well as for the health-care system as a whole.”

Tammy, who graduated with a Masters in social work, has been amazed at the opportunities her degree has presented to her: “I’m so grateful as it has brought me to so many unique career opportunities from health care to education.”

I have enjoyed the diverse exposures to learnings and populations. A common theme from all my previous work is the great enjoyment I have had in building relationships with others and partnering to make positive differences.

-- Tammy Molina

Tammy is a self-described “joyful person who cherishes her faith, loved ones and travelling.”

“My husband and I have really been enjoying our e-bike adventures,” says Tammy, who also has her full motorcycle license, and said there's a fun story about how she met her “amazing husband” while getting her license. “Travelling is a real passion of mine. I've had the blessing of traveling to 41 countries and six continents so far and am hoping to continue adding to the list!

A man and woman in formal evening wear pose for a picture on a cruise ship by a window with the ocean in the background. — Tammy and her husband on a transatlantic cruise on the world’s biggest cruise ship at the time, Wonder of the Seas.

“Our current favourite way to travel is cruising. It's the only way we have found to truly unplug from our to-do lists and responsibilities. It's amazing to go to sleep and wake up to a new country to explore for the day."