Happy National Nursing Students Week to all the incredible future nurses across Canada. During National Nursing Students’ Week we recognize the work and commitment of nursing students across Canada. 

Wishing you a week filled with appreciation and recognition for your hard work and passion in this vital field!

Attached is the Professional Staff Calendar for December 2023.

Any revisions made to the calendar will be posted to the Intranet and to the bulletin board in the Professional Staff Lounge.

The Spiritual Care department and Hospice Northwest invite staff at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre who are grieving this holiday season to attend a Candlelight Memorial Service on December 7 at the DaVinci Centre at 7:00 p.m. Please RSVP for this event at 626-5570.

Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control

---

An outbreak of COVID-19 has been declared on 3B Surgical unit as of November 20, 2023. All restrictions are in place.

Please share this information with the appropriate staff.

As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staff and visitors. All patients identified as having an exposure to this outbreak will require isolation with appropriate additional precautions.

The department of Infection Prevention and Control encourages everyone to keep applying the routine practices of hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, equipment cleaning, and the appropriate admission screening of all patients. Please set an example for staff and students and assist us by maintaining compliance and due diligence.

FLU VACCINE

The influenza vaccine continues to be available in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) department. Feel free to drop in anytime Monday – Friday between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to receive the vaccine.

Reminder to notify OHS if you have received your flu vaccine from your Health Care practitioner or another facility. Please email the immunization documentation proof to TBRHSC.OccupationalHealthandSafety@tbh.net to ensure we update your immunization records.

COVID VACCINE (Moderna XBB.1.5)

The COVID-19 vaccine clinic continues to be held every Friday in the OHS department with the last clinic date of December 15, 2023.

Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Appointments can be booked by calling the OHS department at 684-6212. There are many spaces available

To be eligible for the vaccine, you must be a health care worker 18 yrs of age and a minimum of six months (168 days) since your last COVID vaccine dose or confirmed COVID-19 infection (whichever is later). A confirmed COVID-19 infection is one that has been confirmed by molecular (i.e. PCR) or a rapid antigen test, or where you experienced symptoms after contact with a household member who had a positive test.

Staff must bring a piece of government issued Identification in order to obtain the vaccine. Your Health Card or Driver’s License is acceptable.

Shared on behalf of Peter Myllymaa, Vice President, Operations, Clinical & Support Services & CFO Jeannine Verdenik, Vice President, People & Culture

---

As we embrace the winter season, it is critical to prioritize pedestrian safety, particularly during adverse weather conditions and times of reduced visibility. Our collective responsibility towards ensuring safe access to the Hospital is paramount. This memo is a reminder of our commitment to ensuring safety within our hospital community. We can all contribute to a safer environment by following the precautions set out below.

Pedestrian Safety Guidelines

Designated Sidewalks & Crossings: All pedestrians are to utilize official access sidewalks and designated pedestrian crossings. These areas are designed to enhance safety and visibility and receive added snow and ice control measures.

Visibility: You may not be immediately visible to vehicular traffic. It is important to wait for vehicles to come to a complete stop and acknowledge your presence before proceeding to cross roadways. During the winter months, when visibility may be reduced due to daylight savings or weather conditions, is it crucial to travel along designated sidewalks and crossings.

Stop for Pedestrians: When travelling by vehicle, stop for pedestrians waiting to cross a roadway. We emphasize the importance of safe driving in adverse weather conditions. Allow ample time to stop when approaching designated pedestrian crossings. Please encourage staff to reduce speed on hospital property and exercise increased caution at pedestrian crossings.

Key Takeaways:

• Staff are required to travel onto and off the property only via official access routes.·
• While travelling on the property, please adhere to the use of sidewalks and designated crossings
• While travelling by vehicle, stop for pedestrians to cross a roadway.

We thank everyone who continually exercise all measures of caution when entering and exiting Hospital property. We all share in the responsibility of keeping our workplace safe and together we can ensure that our property remains a safe zone for all staff, patients and families, and the greater community.

For more information, please refer to OHS-os-253 Slips, Trips and Falls Prevention Policy.

Shared on behalf of Shannon Schiffer, Manager, Patient & Family Centred Care

---

As part of maintaining a Patient and Family Centred Care culture, we are encouraging commitment to the implemented strategies that embed PFCC values into our organization, including NOD (Name, Occupation, Do) and the use of bedside communication Whiteboards, which is a PFCC best practice.

NOD – Name, Occupation, Do

The goal of NOD is to decrease anxiety and enhance the patient’s understanding of their care and care providers. A patient may interact with over 20 people a day while accessing our services. When staff interact with patients without a NOD, it can be confusing, or even frightening to the patient. Wearing PPE makes it even more difficult for patients to recognize members of their care team, making verbal NOD for every patient during every interaction especially important. As many patients have an extensive multidisciplinary health care team, it is also important to NOD to co-workers to help facilitate open communication between healthcare team members and ensure proper documentation of completed referrals.

Bedside Communication Whiteboard

The bedside communication whiteboard is a tool that improves communication between patients, family and the health care team. It is used to communicate information, goals and readiness for discharge. It allows information to be clear, complete, timely, accurate and useful in helping patients and families effectively participate in care and decision-making. The whiteboard should be updated when the patient is initially admitted, the beginning of each shift change, when there is a significant change in patient information e.g., post-operatively and throughout the day as appropriate. Communication is a significant factor in better health outcomes, overall patient satisfaction, and patient care.
Please continue to emphasize the use of NOD and Bedside communication principles and continuously demonstrate your commitment to Patient and Family Centred Care.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is joining others across Canada to celebrate National Kinesiology Week (November 20-26).

Kinesiologists are regulated health professionals who study human movement and the relationship between physical activity and health. They are committed to enhancing quality of life through the promotion of physical activity and workplace health & safety, the prevention and management of injury and chronic disease, and the overall improvement of health and performance. They are leaders in the prevention of injury and chronic disease; they work with people of all ages and every level of function and physical ability to assess, track, manage and achieve a broad range of personal health goals. Exercise is used to prevent and manage injury and manage chronic disease.

Kinesiologists ultimately aim to encourage the health and wellbeing of individuals through the implementation of movement and exercise. They work with patients to reach their health and personal lifestyle goals. Through body composition testing, the assessment of physical abilities, and the instruction of proper exercise form, kinesiologists ensure that patients are motivated and have the resources required to be healthy and move efficiently.

In a health care system that focuses on remedial care, kinesiologists are becoming increasingly valued as health care providers who focus on preventative care. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle including a balanced diet and regular exercise. Kinesiologists have been specially trained as exercise therapists to remove barriers and encourage individuals of all abilities to remain active through all stages of life.

There are kinesiologists working in Programs and Services throughout our Hospital, including Cardiac Rehab (Katherine Chisholm, Duncan Hutchison, Casey Ruberto, Katelyn Methot and Victoria Finley), the Regional Bariatric Care Centre & Paediatric Healthy Living Program (Debbie Walsh and Katelyn Methot), the Maternity Centre (Keri Gerlach), and the Transitional Care Unit (Keri Gerlach, Shannon Baysarowich, and Katelyn Methot).

Please join us in thanking our kinesiologists for their important contributions to patient care.

TBRHSC Kinesiologists
Top row (L-R): Casey Ruberto, Debbie Walsh and Duncan Hutchinson
Middle row (L-R): Katelyn Methot, Katherine Chisholm and Keri Gerlach
Bottom row (L-R): Shannon Baysarowich and Victoria Finley

Having a baby is a life-changing experience, and we as Labour and Delivery nurses get to be an integral part of that. Being able to help patients through one of their most challenging times or joyous times in their life, it is truly an incredible gift. It’s why I go to work every day.

Leeanne Lozinski, Registered Nurse, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Labour and delivery is emotionally and physically intense. Labour and Delivery nurses work closely with the obstetricians and family doctors at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre to care for patients and families as they undergo this life changing event.

Since it’s hard to predict labour duration and potential challenges, Labour and Delivery nurses often form unique bonds with patients and their families, and they are one of the most consistent points of support and advocacy while in the Hospital. Although patients do not meet their nurse until they actually go into labour, the nurses will be aware of your birth plan and how you want to be supported because they will be able to access your pregnancy records that your OB or family doctor have been updating during your visits at the Maternity Centre. Having access to complete and up to date medical records is an important step toward making birth safe for parents and babies.

Remember, no referrals are necessary to access care at the Maternity Centre.

Find out more at our website bit.ly/TBRHSC-Maternity-Centre.