Join us in celebrating Medical Laboratory Week (April 14-20).

Medical Laboratory pros at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) work tirelessly to support our Hospital’s programs and services by providing quality results for timely diagnosis and treatment. Caring for patients and families of Northwestern Ontario is their number one priority.

𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬?

✔️ Diagnosis and treatment decisions are based on laboratory results.

✔️ TBRHSC’s Lab performs 7,300 tests per day.

✔️ One type of lab test is the COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

✔️ Since March 2020, TBRHSC’s Laboratory has performed 60,000 COVID-19 tests.

✔️ TBRHSC has approximately 170 laboratory staff.

✔️ TBRHSC’s Lab has over 3,000 individual document-controlled policies and procedures.

✔️ TBRHSC’s Lab has 10 major department specializations:

𝟭. 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 (𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆)

Large array of tests involving the measurement of chemical constituents in blood and body fluids to evaluate organ function, toxicology, therapeutic drug monitoring, and to detect chemicals, endocrinology and other special tests.

𝟮. 𝗛𝗮𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

Study of cells e.g. red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets as well as bleeding disorders/coagulation.

𝟯. 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆

The study of bone marrows, lymph node/tissue specimens for lymphoma and leukemia.

𝟰. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀

The testing for blood types, antibody detection, and compatibility testing (perinatal/neonatal and blood components). Also called Immunohaematology or Blood Banking.

𝟱. 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

The study of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.

𝟲. 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

The preparation and study of tissue specimens.

𝟳. 𝗖𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

The study of ‘free’ cells, their origin, structure, function, and pathology.

𝟴. 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗣𝗢𝗖𝗧)

Oversight of bedside testing i.e., glucometer, etc.

𝟵. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵

Blood collection and reference testing.

𝟭𝟬. 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆

Licensing, accreditation, Biosecurity Containment Level II (Biosafety) classification, etc.

National Volunteer Week (April 14-20) is an opportunity to celebrate volunteers! Please remember to thank our volunteers (wearing the lime green lanyards).

Please join us for a staff lunch and learn on Friday, April 19 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. where you can hear from a volunteer, a Patient and Family Advisor and a Health Sciences Foundation volunteer about why they love volunteering and how staff can continue to support the volunteer role. Pizza will be provided.

Thank you Hospital volunteers, Patient Family Advisors, and Health Sciences Foundation volunteers! Our most sincere thanks for sharing your time, energy, and skills in service to your community. Your dedication and contributions make a significant difference to improve the patient experience. A heartfelt THANK YOU for the service you provide patients, their families, staff, and the community.

Having a baby can be both an exciting and anxious time in your life. To help you prepare for this important milestone, the Women and Children Program at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre has developed a combined model of care where babies room in with their parent.

Our team of specialized nurses and other healthcare providers work together with your own obstetrician, midwife, and/or family physician to provide a safe and nurturing environment to have your baby. Our goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment for the best possible health outcomes.

Check out this tour of the Labour and Delivery Unit to see what you can expect during your time with us. You can rest assured that you and your baby will receive the highest quality care from our team!

(Via TBNewswatch.com)

The goal for this year’s campaign is for 800 pap tests to be completed among 30 health-care organizations across Northwestern Ontario.

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The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and 30 health care organizations in the region are teaming up to have more people get cervical screenings.

Their Pap-A-Palooza campaign, which is in its seventh year, is looking to complete 800 pap tests across Northwestern Ontario over the next month.

A pap test can detect cell changes in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer before people feel any symptoms.

“In Northwestern Ontario, our pap screening rate is around 50 percent and we should be a lot higher than that,” said Dr. Naana Jumah, the Ontario Health – Cancer Care Ontario regional colposcopy and cervical screening lead for the North West region.

“One of the goals of Pap-A-Palooza is to raise awareness about cervical screening and the importance of cervical screening, even amongst those who do get screened. This gives them an opportunity to talk with their mothers, sisters and aunties about screening and maybe get those people to come out who wouldn’t otherwise go.”

The Ontario Cervical Screening Program recommends that anyone with a cervix between the ages of 25 to 69 and anyone who is or has ever been sexually active get a pap test every three years.

“What we do in a pap test is we detect changes on the cervix that can lead to cervical cancer,” said Jumah, who is also an obstetrician gynecologist at TBRHSC.

“By catching those changes before they become cancer, we’re able to treat them and get rid of them and prevent cancer altogether.”

Jumah added that it’s important for everyone to get screened, but especially for those who are older in age.

“We find that younger women get screened more often, but as we get older and approach menopause, the screening rates begin to decline,” Jumah said.

Jumah noted oftentimes people are afraid to get a cervical screening because they think they are checking for cervical cancer, when in fact all they are looking for is pre-cancer changes.

She also said some people find the whole process to be uncomfortable, which prevents them from getting screened.

“You can get screened in a very safe, dignified, and comfortable way,” Jumah said. “It’s important to have that conversation with your health-care provider about your fears about screening to make it a better experience for yourself.

“Just tell them that you’re scared, hesitant or reluctant to get a pAP test because you’re worried that it might hurt. You can ask to see some of the equipment and you can ask for them to explain what’s happening before they do it. All of these things can be really helpful.”

To learn more about Pap-A-Palooza and participating clinics, visit the TBRHSC’s website or call 807-684-7787.

Shared on behalf of Wayne Taylor, Director, Cardiovascular, Medicine & Renal Program Regional Director, Northwest Regional Renal Program

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I am pleased to announce that Jill Kuzmich has accepted the permanent position of Manager – Stroke & Neurology, Cardiac Diagnostics & Cardiac Rehabilitation. Jill has been in the position as interim leader since January 2024 and effective Monday, April 15th, will officially take on the role in a permanent capacity.

Jill brings 15 years of experience to the role and has worked at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in the capacity of an RN in Cardiology and the Regional Stroke Unit. Additionally, Jill has provided support to the Stroke & Neurology service as a Clinical Stroke Nurse supporting the acute-hyperacute stroke pathway while advancing best practice for care providers. As a Coordinator, Jill has provided consistent leadership to both the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) and more recently, as Coordinator, Cardiovascular Services whereby Jill directly supported Wound & Limb Preservation activities, the RAVE clinic, the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Cardiac Diagnostics and Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Over the years Jill has successfully collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure positive results that have improved staff satisfaction and ensured high quality care and experiences of our patients and their families. In this new position Jill’s continued focus on accountability and commitment to quality care will be a valuable asset to the teams she supports while staying true to our vision, mission and values.

Please join us in welcoming Jill in her new role.

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Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is capturing the interest of staff across the Hospital by bringing the learning to them using an attention grabbing and innovative approach. Brittney McLaughlin, Interprofessional Educator (IPE), and Kristina Visser, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), have been working together for years, providing education to staff. In November 2023, the education team came together to review their current teaching techniques and outcomes. The goal was to identify how they can make improvements in the delivery of education and training. 

After a generous discussion, the concept was right there in black and white. “It started as an idea between our Clinical Nurse Specialists, Interprofessional Educators and Professional Practice Leads,” explains McLaughlin. “We felt that we could do more for staff in terms of bringing learning opportunities to them.”

“We thought, ‘Let’s do some additional roaming education’,” adds Visser. “Not just for the urgent updates, like when there is a new drug protocol, but more of an overarching education plan for the year. The idea eventually blossomed into Roaming Education for Staff (REFS).”

REFS is a three-pronged education and training initiative. The first prong is Roaming Education, where a small group of content experts travel throughout the Hospital to different departments with attention grabbing snacks, followed by a spontaneous education session on the month’s topic of choice.

McLaughlin explains, “Roaming Education is more of a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’, with a few lessons ready to go and based off staff’s needs and interests, we would proceed. Our first month’s topic was Cardiovascular Education. Staff were so engaged and the sessions were very interactive. We ended up covering multiple lessons.”

The second prong is through Lunch and Learns. These were set up with three opportunities throughout the month to join in on this brief but energized quick learn.

The third prong is through on the spot travel to different departments where the REFS team provides simulations by running mock codes.

The early success of the REFS team became known to many and required some overtime. “We had heard from staff that it was important to offer sessions outside of regular office hours,” says Visser. “So we partnered up with our Medical Emergency Team (MET). The MET team helps support the education initiative 24/7 and the REFS team also has come in to provide sessions on evenings, nights and weekends. These are very well attended.”

Additionally, to further support the work, a monthly newsletter containing all the resources and policies referred to for the month’s topic is distributed. “At the end of the day, if we missed somebody, they can refer to that newsletter in their email and get all the information that we have been sharing,” concludes McLaughlin.

Another aspect that is unique about REFS is the content is intended to be inclusive to as many professions as possible. Attendees throughout the month included pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, medical radiation technologists (MRTs), registered respiratory therapists (RRTs), nurses, students, residents, housekeeping and staff from health records.

Throughout the first month of the REFS launch, a total of 426 staff attended education sessions, a number that pleasantly surprised both Visser and McLaughlin.

“We weren’t sure what the uptake would be, and we are endeavouring to make the next sessions just as successful, if not more!” laughs McLaughlin.

Feedback received from staff has been positive, with many expressing appreciation for the REFS team coming to their department. Both Visser and McLaughlin agree that the initiative is evolving and improving as they go and all topics for education are considered – no one is getting penalties for suggestions.

“We are collecting feedback for every initiative and making changes as we go,” remarks Visser. “If staff do have specific requests, we are accommodating them.

“In the end, our goal is to support our staff, provide them with as many opportunities as possible to expand their knowledge, with topics that are interesting to them. In alignment with our strategic priority Staff Experience, we want staff to know that TBRHSC is a place they can grow, work and thrive.”

When you visit, you may see the REFS team doing on the spot education in traditional referee style uniforms. 

RNAO Mental Health and Substance Use Best Practices Program

Our journey: Mental Health and Substance Use Best Practices Program

Mental health and wellbeing are essential to everyday health. Pre-pandemic data suggested that each year, one in five Canadians experienced a mental health concern, highlighting a crisis in Canada. Since the pandemic began, 50 per cent of Canadians have reported worsening mental health, with increases in stress levels, depression, anxiety and, higher rates of substance use and associated deaths related to opioid toxicity.

The need for increased mental health and substance use supports – in an already fragile health-care system in crisis – has never been clearer. Nurses are at the forefront of the system providing mental health supports to people in need of care and healing.

The Registered Nursesʼ Association of Ontarioʼs (RNAO) Mental Health and Substance Use Best Practices Program, established in 2006, drives change by providing leadership to enhance evidence-based care and services.

For more information such as news articles, strategies, tool kits, staff and patient resources related to substance use and addictions, click here!

(via TBnewswatch.com)

The mobile cancer screening bus will be travelling through Northwestern Ontario until October.

If you are driving around the region over the next few months, you may cross paths with an eye-catching bus.

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Screen for Life coach has started its travels around the area and will be stopping in more than 30 communities through October to deliver breast, cervical and colon cancer screening services.

“It’s very important to detect cancer in those individuals who are otherwise asymptomatic, which means they don’t have any symptoms or don’t seem to have any problems,” said Vanessa Masters, who is the mobile coach coordinator at the TBRHSC.

“Detecting cancer early can help lead to better outcomes for patients, so we encourage people that are of the eligible screening ages to get screened, even if you don’t have any symptoms or don’t think you have anything wrong.”

The coach, which has been around for over three decades, is currently in Dryden until April 25.

The Screen for Life will then travel to various communities before wrapping its tour in Red Rock on Oct. 22. A full list of the tour’s stops can be found here.

“We bring cancer screening to a number of communities that would otherwise have to travel to access these services,” Masters said.

“Each year we try to re-evaluate the schedule and add additional communities so that we can bring those screening services to anyone in the region who may need it.”

The screening guidelines for individuals are as follows:

• Women, Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary people between the ages of 50 and 74 should have a breast screening mammogram every two years.
• People with a cervix between 25 and 69 years who have ever been sexually active should have a Pap test every three years.
• Individuals between the ages of 50 and 74 who have no first-degree family history of colon cancer should complete a take-home colon screening kit every two years.

Anyone who is eligible for a screening can visit the coach. A referral is not required to access the services.

To book a screening appointment, call 807-684-7777.

As part of our commitment to keeping staff engaged and informed on the Strategic Plan 2026, Strategy and Performance is sharing updates in alignment with the identified priorities: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Patient Experience, Staff Experience and Research, Innovation, & Learning.

The April 10th Operational Updates and Strategic Planning Meeting featured a presentation on Seamless Transitions was presented by John Ross, Director of Patient Flow and Partnerships. The strategy is co-led by Laura Lee Barrie, Director of Surgical and Ambulatory Services.

Visit the Strategic Plan 2026 page on the Hospital’s corporate intranet, where these presentations, along with other resources can be found.

A big THANK YOU to Janeen Mann and the congregation of Pastor Steven Loweth, Westminster United Church. Together, they recently donated 56 pairs of socks for the Hospital’s Patient Clothing Cupboard and 53 pairs for Adult Mental Health.

These socks, and other clothing, are provided to patients in need upon discharge from the Hospital. We are always happy to accept donations of gently used adult “comfortable” clothing and brand new socks and underwear to the Volunteer Services office.

The Patient Clothing Cupboard is accessed daily by staff so the need is great. Your generosity is greatly appreciated in helping us serve patients. Thank you for supporting the Patient Clothing Cupboard!

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