Consider “variety” when packing food for school lunches. Try to include:
Fruits – fresh or canned, preferably unsweetened or packed in water instead of syrup
Vegetables – carrot sticks, snap peas, bell peppers
Grains – bread, crackers, tortillas, rice
Protein rich foods – meat, dairy, seeds, beans, eggs
Limit highly processed foods such as packaged cookies or fruit gummies as occasional treats, and focus on packing nutrient-dense foods regularly. Include a water bottle to help your child stay hydrated.
Example of a balanced morning snack and lunch for school:
SNACK: homemade banana muffin + mandarin orange
LUNCH: pasta salad with cheese, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes with hummus, apple slices and yogurt
For more resources on healthy living or to learn more about TBRHSC’s Paediatric Healthy Living Program, please visit our website at bit.ly/Paediatric-Healthy-Living-Program
All staff will now be able to access the LIVE production environment as well as download the app to their personal devices. IMPORTANT: Although staff will now be able to see the live environment, please note:
Staffright should still be referenced for current schedules up to March 24, 2024.
Not all schedules have been loaded at this time.
No tasks/actions should be taken by employees in the system other than view schedules, view the contents of tiles etc., until GO-Live on March 25, 2024.
Coming up later this week: Punching In and Out to Capture Your Time.
Shared on behalf of Nicole Moffett, Manager, Emergency Preparedness, Switchboard, and Security
Please note that we are conducting an audit of doors with card readers (and associated door hardware), some styles of panic alarms, and security cameras. Members of our project team (security, IT, facilities, capital planning) will be accompanied by a contractor (Angus Connect), and will be roaming the hospital to document and inspect components of the door and security system. The contractors will always be accompanied by a hospital staff member, and they will be wearing contractor visitor badges.
This audit is being conducted to validate and locate components of the Verex system (which is end of life) and support the approved capital project to replace the system and associated components. We anticipate that some components may be difficult to locate, which may result in multiple visits to select departments.
A significant portion of the audit will be conducted today, March 12, 2024. Remaining components will be assessed over the next two weeks by Daniel Sedano and select project team members.
Please consider making your staff aware of this audit.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me.
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) has been used to screen for colon cancer in Ontario since 2018. It is a test that effectively detects microscopic amounts of blood in the stool.
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. In Ontario, colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer related death. However, if found early through screening and treated in time, there is a 90 per cent chance it can be cured. It’s time to get screened for colon cancer and get back on track with your health.
“In Northwestern Ontario, we are behind the rest of the province in the number of people who are up to date with colon screening,” shares Dr. Jordan Green, Regional Colorectal Screening and GI Endoscopy Lead for Ontario Health – Cancer Care Ontario at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “Only 58.4 per cent of eligible people in our region are participating in colon cancer screening. During Colon Cancer Awareness Month, we are encouraging people to talk to their primary care providers about their colon cancer screening options and take action to get screened.”
Individuals ages 50 to 74 with no first-degree relative (parent, sibling, child) with colon cancer are at average risk for colon cancer and should be screened using a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every two years. If you have a family history, the recommendations for screening will differ. For example, if you have a first-degree relative who had colon cancer, then a colonoscopy may be a better test. Please check with your primary care provider to determine which test is right for you.
Signs and Symptoms
Some of the signs/symptoms of colon cancer can include:
Blood in the stool.
Change in bowel habits.
Anemia (drop in red blood cell count) that is caused by low iron.
Weight loss.
However, many people will not experience any symptoms, especially at the early stages of colon cancer. This is why screening people who have no symptoms is important. If you are experiencing symptoms, talk to your primary care provider.
What is FIT?
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) has been used to screen for colon cancer in Ontario since 2018. It is a test that effectively detects microscopic amounts of blood in the stool.
“It is an easy, painless test that you can do in privacy of your own home,” explains Dr. Green. “The test is delivered by mail to your home and you can either drop the sample off at your local Life Labs or mail the sample back using the envelope provided to you within the test kit.”
Once you get the FIT kit, there are simple instructions that help guide you through the process.
How to get a FIT kit
The easiest way is to speak with your family doctor or nurse practitioner about getting checked for colon cancer with a FIT kit. If you do not have a primary care provider, you can visit the Screen for Life Coach if it visits your community or call Health811 by dialing 811 to get a FIT kit sent to your home.
Shared on behalf of Mike Martin, Administrative Manager – 3A, 3B, 3C and Neurosurgery Units
Please join me in wishing Alison DeGrazia all the best as she enters into retirement. Alison’s last day will be April 19, 2024.
Alison graduated from Confederation College and began her nursing career as a Registered Nurse in 1985 at McKellar Hospital. In 2004, when Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre opened their doors, Alison worked on 3A as a Surgical Nurse until 2017, where she then became a Patient Flow Coordinator. Soon thereafter, Alison took on an acting leadership role as the 3B Inpatient Manager before becoming the permanent 3B Inpatient Manager in April 2019.
Please join us in thanking Alison, and congratulating her on 38 years of service. We wish her a well-deserved retirement where she will have more time to spend with family and enjoy her 1st grandchild, arriving in April 2024.
Shared on behalf of Mike Martin, Administrative Manager – 3A, 3B, 3C and Neurosurgery Units.
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Anne Purves as the Patient Care Manager – 3B Surgical Services effective March 11, 2024.
Anne began her career as a Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre where she stayed for 12 years. Following her time in ICU she became a Patient Flow Coordinator, which set her up for success in her most current position as the Patient Flow Operations Coordinator.
Anne brings to this position extensive knowledge and experience in Critical Care Nursing, Infection Control and Corporate Patient Flow.
Anne will be responsible for the leadership and management of the 3B Surgical Unit. In collaboration with the Administrative Manager, Anne will be responsible for the ongoing development and leadership of a strong interprofessional care team that supports best practices, innovation, teaching and research in an environment that promotes excellence in patient and family centered care. Please join me in congratulating and welcoming Anne to her new role.
