Tuition reimbursement is available to all permanent Hospital employees. Please see the poster below and the Human Resources intranet page for more details.

(via Tbnewswatch.com)

A new infant warmer is coming to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s neonatal intensive care unit thanks to Giving Tuesday donations.

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Newborns at the hospital needing extra medical care will have new equipment available to them courtesy of donations made on Giving Tuesday. 

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre will be purchasing a new NICU Giraffe Infant Warmer after a fundraising goal of $50,000 was met last week, thanks to many generous donors. This included the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation providing $10,000 from its Giving Tuesday Goal to help the fundraiser meet its target. 

Marta Nesti, is a registered nurse in the neonatal unit at the regional hospital, said updated equipment is vital in providing care. 

“The infant warmer keeps the baby warm while we’re able to do some procedures like x-rays, examinations, intubations, lumbar punctures. It keeps the baby warm [and is a] really key component of it,” Nesti said.

She indicated that the new warmer will have a resuscitation panel built into it, which will allow staff to easily see and assess a baby’s vital signs as well as provide portability by being attached directly to the machine instead of being mounted on the wall. 

“The technology we have in these newer warmers is critical to saving the lives of preemies and infants, especially during their first hour of life,” said Nesti.

The new machine will also feature clear sides for ease of physical and visual access for medical staff and families. The warmer is height adjustable for when a baby undergoing medical treatments or for when a birth parent is spending time with them at their bedside. 

“It is so important for the NICU to have the right equipment for the short and long-term health of the child,” Nesti added. 

The new infant warmer will be replacing an older version, which will reach its end of life by 2025. The hospital aims to replace critical equipment every 10 years. 

Shared on behalf of Quality and Risk Management

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In order to reduce the risk of inappropriate access to and use of prescription pads within Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), please be advised of the following changes to the format, storage, and ordering of prescription pads, which will take effect on November 27, 2023.

Please note, these changes are interim measures to help mitigate the risk until we move toward full electronic prescribing with Meditech Expanse.

1. Actions Required in Advance

Managers/Designates:

• Distribute this memo to all applicable staff to ensure they are aware of the upcoming changes;
• As of today, please ensure all current prescription pads are stored in one designated location in your department (with the exception of larger departments and specialized areas who may require more than one location);
• November 27, 2023 – Please bring all old prescription pads (white, single copy) to the Print Shop to be destroyed securely. During this time, you will be issued the new prescription pads (yellow, single copy, each prescription sheet numbered);
• November 28, 2023 – All old prescription pads (white, single copy) will no longer be valid for use at TBRHSC;
• Please see below under “New Format” for exceptions.*

Medical Affairs:

• Distribute this memo to all applicable staff. Please note, TBRHSC prescription pads are for hospital-use only and are not to be used in private clinics.

TBRHSC Pharmacy Leadership:

• Distribute this memo to all applicable staff. Issue separate memo to Community Pharmacy Partners, to ensure they are aware of the upcoming changes in process and format for TBRHSC prescription pads.

2. Key Changes in Process

New Format (see page 3):

• Prescription pads will be printed on coloured paper (yellow);
• Each prescription pad sheet will be numbered sequentially to allow for tracking;
• Text changes:

Previous	New
CPSO #	CPSO or Registration #
Signature of Physician	Signature of Prescriber
Printed Name of Physician	Printed Name of Prescriber

• Exceptions – There will be no change to the format of the current prescription pads within the following areas and documents (see pages 4, 5, and 6 of memo)
  • Adult Mental Health (AMH), Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT), Medical Transitions Clinic (MTC), and Renal Department [prescription pads are white with a duplicate/coloured carbon copy; no numbering system];
  • All digital order sets within TBRHSC.

Storage & Location:

• Prescription pads will be stored in one designated location in all applicable TBRHSC departments, including the Print Shop (with the exception of larger departments and specialized areas who may require more than one location).

Ordering & Pick-Up:

• The new prescription pad process will mimic our current taxi voucher process;
• Ordering and pick-up of prescription pads will be restricted to Managers/Designates who will place orders via email to the Print Shop;
• Print Shop will keep a tracking record of prescription pad orders and pick-ups

(with the exception of departments above who order prescription pads off-site);

• Departments to notify the Print Shop if they require a monthly top-up.

Evaluation:

• A short survey will be sent out to all key stakeholders prior to and following the implementation of the new prescription pad process.

We appreciate your assistance as we move toward a more secure process to reduce the risk of prescription pad diversion. For any questions regarding these changes, please contact your Manager.

Please see memo attached below for further details including examples.

Happy International Volunteer Day!

2023 Theme – The Power of Collective Action: If Everyone Did

This year, we mark International Volunteer Day (IVD) by recognizing the power of collective action: if everyone did.

If everyone volunteered, the world would be a better place. Imagine more than eight billion of us volunteering. Limitless possibilities for sustainable development – food and education for everyone, clean environment and good health, inclusive and peaceful societies, and more.

Volunteerism is an enormous renewable resource for social, economic and environmental problem-solving throughout the world. As the world faces mounting challenges, volunteers are often the first to help. Volunteers are at the fore in crises and emergencies, often in very testing and dire situations.

Join us in recognizing volunteers all over the world and right here in our Hospital community.

Congratulations to Alyssa Cuglietta, who recently won six months of FREE PARKING in the random draw prize for completing her Employee and Professional Staff survey!

There are more prizes to come, including another free parking prize draw! To be entered in the draws, make sure to complete your survey using the unique link sent to your email inbox. The deadline to complete the survey has been extended until December 10, 2023.

Don’t have access to a computer? Come by the cafeteria this evening (Tuesday December 5) from 6:00 p.m-9:00 p.m. to complete your survey. Laptops will be available for use and complimentary tea, coffee, and cookies will be offered for those who complete their survey.

Staff from the Emergency Department (ED) and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at our Hospital were in the giving spirit recently. They held a friendly competition to see who could collect the most non-perishable food items in support of a local Thunder Bay food bank.

Both departments finished strong: the ED staff collected 186 items, while the ICU staff collected 352 items.

The ED and ICU staff also wanted to raise awareness about food insecurity and the importance of donating to our local food banks. Food insecurity affects individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Giving food to those in need benefits our communities in more ways than we may know.

We are very thankful for the work that our local food banks do to support the needs within our community, and are proud to contribute towards their efforts this holiday season.

Thank you to all our ED and ICU staff who helped make this food drive an overwhelming success. We hope this inspires others to give back as well.

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The Our Hearts at Home Cardiovascular Campaign is helping bring cardiac surgery to Thunder Bay so patients no longer have to travel far from home for this care. One family that understands close to home cardiac care is the Witiluk family.

Today, they teamed up with the Health Sciences Foundation to launch the ever-popular Save a Heart Raffle. All funds raised will go to support the development of a cardiovascular surgery program at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, to keep our hearts at home.

This year’s raffle will be known as the Save a Heart Side by Side Raffle. The prize is a Polaris RZR900 Trail Premium Side by Side, valued at $27,566, which has been generously donated outright by J&J Sports.

Jeff Witiluk, Dealer Principal of J&J Sports, said, “Our family is so proud to be a part of this raffle knowing the impact the funds will have for our community. No one should have to travel out of town for life-saving cardiac surgery and we’re thrilled that we can contribute to raising the much-needed funds to bring cardiovascular surgery closer to home.”

Added Witiluk, “Our community is the real winner in this raffle, but I also can’t wait to see who takes home the brand new Polaris RZR900 Side By Side. They’ll be driving away in a unit that has comfortable seating for two, LED headlights and accents and a great combination of power, which is perfect for those who love the outdoors year round.”

Adam Vinet, Vice President, Patient Experience and Chief Nursing Executive, Regional Vice President, Regional Cancer Care at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, attended the launch of this year’s raffle. He knows how much of an impact the funds raised will have.

“Currently, when patients need coronary bypass or other procedures, they must travel far from home to access this critical care,” said Vinet “We need local access to cardiac surgery for our patients to have timely access to care. Our plan for these new surgical services is in place, and with your help, we are making this a reality.”

“Knowing how much of an impact this raffle will have and hearing about this incredible prize, I am confident that tickets are going to sell themselves,” said Glenn Craig, President and CEO of the Health Sciences Foundation. “And keep our hearts at home.”

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Tickets for the Save a Heart Side By Side Raffle are on sale now. They are $20 each, 3 for $50, or 10 for $100 and may be purchased at:

• J&J Sports, 939 Tungsten Street
• Thunder Bay Mitsubishi, 872 Copper Crescent
• Balmoral Park Acura, 868 Copper Crescent
• Health Sciences Foundation Donation Office (lobby of Hospital)

The draw date is April 1, 2024. Lottery license #861391.

The Employee and Professional Staff Engagement Survey has reached 50% participation rate! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their anonymous feedback.

If you have not done so yet, the Employee and Professional Staff Engagement Survey deadline has now been extended to December 10, 2023. Draw prizes of gift cards and free parking will be randomly drawn throughout the week for those who have completed their survey.