Shared on behalf of Ryan Sears, Director, Capital & Facility Services

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Please be advised the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (at the 980 Oliver Road location only) will execute a planned impairment of its entire Overhead Paging System and Fire System on Thursday, January 22, 2026 for approximately eight (8) hours – starting at 11:00 PM to facilitate project related work for the MDRD Renovation. 

Our Facilities and Security teams will be enacting and overseeing our Fire System Impairment and Fire Watch procedures, as included in the Fire Plan for our site. 

During this impairment, no Hot Work will be authorized. Further, any high risk work that could result in an elevated risk of fire, heat, or smoke should not be planned – please review this within your department and plan to discontinue high-risk activities (i.e. construction, repairs, hot showers, etc).  Should you observe activities that may be of concern during the impairment, contact your Supervisor or Manager to discuss. 

While the Hospital’s Overhead Paging System is out of service, alternate measures will be applied to notify the organization of Emergency Codes and Alerts. Staff will continue to activate all Codes using extension 55. Please see the attached policy for guidance.  

Key things to remember during an outage:

1. Regularly monitor email for emergency code and alert notices issued by Switchboard.
2. Respond to emergency codes and alerts through alternate communication measures, e.g., paging, radios, emails, runners, etc., as appropriate – and activate response as required.
3. Be vigilant in reviewing department activities during the period of fire system impairment.
4. Clinical leads are encouraged to collaborate with their teams to consider alternatives to paging patients back to units, such as collecting Patients’ mobile phone numbers.

 Further, in event of fire during this impairment, please execute all steps as outlined in Code Red Policy (EMER-30) and your area sub plan. Should you discover a fire – “REACT”:

R – Remove persons in immediate danger
E – Ensure doors are closed to confine fire or smoke
A – Activate the fire alarm by pulling the nearest pull station
C– Call Switchboard at Ext 55 to report the location of the fire
T– Try to extinguish the fire if trained to do so or continue to evacuate 

The contractor for the fire system work is Troy Life & Fire Safety. The Building System Operator is onsite and reachable at cell number 807-629-7005. Further support will be provided by Security (684-6509) and the on call Facility Manager (cell number 807-629-3119) as required. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please contact Ryan Sears. 

All employee are automatically entered into the Big Prize draw to win. Human Resources will add an extra entry for participation in each of the following initiatives: iCare Impact Awards nominees and nominators, Long-Service recipients, and flu vaccine participants.

The winner will be announced Friday, March 6, 2026.

The outbreak of influenza A has been declared OVER on 3B as of Monday January 19, 2026. 

All restrictions are lifted. 

Outbreak number # 2262-2026-00006 

Please share this information with the appropriate staff.   

For more information, contact Infection Prevention and Control at extension 6094.

Flooring repair has been completed.

Reminder – How to Book Wellness Room

1. Open Microsoft Outlook
Open the Outlook desktop app or Outlook Web (Office 365).

2. Create a New Meeting/Event
Select New Meeting (desktop) or New Event (web).

3. Add the Wellness Room
In the Location field — or under Required attendees — type the name Wellness Room. Select it from the directory so it is added as a Room Resource.

4. Pick Your Date and Time
Choose the day and time you want to reserve.
Outlook will automatically show whether the room is free or already booked.

5. Add a Simple Subject
Enter a brief title — your first name and last initial

6. Send the Invitation
Click Send. If the room is available, it will auto-accept and appear on your calendar.
If unavailable, you will receive a decline message

7. Confirm Your Booking
Open the event on your calendar to ensure the wellness room is listed under Location.

For more information, please contact: Rose Lazinski, Manager, Occupational Health and Safety Department at Rose.Lazinski@tbh.net.

Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Renewal Course

Taking place Monday, February 23, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. in the Ibn Sina Simulation Lab (Room 3100, 3rd Floor – TBRHSC)

Click to learn more and to register – https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1979399240412?aff=oddtdtcreator

The PALS Provider Renewal course is a fast-paced course. It is designed for proficient PALS providers who regularly direct or participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies in critically ill or injured children and who holds a current PALS Provider certificate. This course assumes a comprehensive awareness, knowledge and skill proficiency in PALS concepts, and is best suited for providers who use these skills frequently and therefore require limited practice to be successful.

Learners will practice and apply their knowledge to case scenarios applying the proven systematic approach to pediatric assessment, treatment algorithms and coordinated high-performance team dynamics, in both team leader and team member roles.

Sign up early as space is limited

Clinical placements play a vital role in a health care learner’s journey, bridging academic learning with real-world practice and helping students build confidence, competence, and professional identity. Through hands-on experience, learners develop essential clinical skills, teamwork, and an understanding of patient centred care.

As an academic health sciences centre, our Hospital is proud to support learners by providing a safe, supportive, and enriching placement environment where future professionals can learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to patient care. Every month, the department of Academic Affairs is highlighting learners at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Today, we meet Jenna, who is in the Dietetic Program at NOSM University. 

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Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario

Program: Dietetic Practicum Program (DPP) at NOSM University. Undergraduate education at the University of Guelph

What does an average day during your placement look like?

My program is designed so that I have four- to six-week placement rotations. I have been lucky to be completing two placements at TBRHSC. I completed a rotation in Oncology/Medicine, and now I am completing a rotation in Renal.

A day for me looks like determining which patients are most important to see, gathering any relevant information that might help lead the conversation I have with the patients, conversing with the patients about their diet, nutritional concerns, and any interventions that I recommend. Finally, I chart on these patients. I ask my preceptors to give me feedback often to ensure I can correct any mistakes and change my approach next time.

Is there a mentor of faculty member who has significantly impacted you?

The entire Dietitian Team at TBRHSC have all significantly impacted me in a positive way. I have been able to learn so much from them, everyone is always willing to answer my questions, and I have felt very supported in my time at TBRHSC. I really appreciate the guidance I have received, as everyone has made sure that I know I am not alone and can reach out if I need anything.

What is one interesting fact others might not know about you?

An interesting fact about me, is that I am very crafty. I love trying out new crafts and making things. One of the most interesting things I did was, last year, I sewed a formal ball gown for myself that I wore to a Fantasy Ball. It took me a very long time, but I am so proud of the results. I find that sewing and making crafts has fostered my ability to problem-solve, as I usually get stuck but can work my way through by taking some time to think about how the pieces fit together. It has always been very rewarding to create something I can wear.

World Religion Day is observed annually on the third Sunday in January. This day serves as a reminder of the need for harmony and understanding amongst the different religions, faiths, and spiritualties that are practiced throughout the world.

There are around 4,200 religions in the world! There are also many people who do not follow religious practices.

Why is World Religion Day important? Freedom of religion and beliefs is a fundamental human right. World Religion Day offers important opportunities to reflect on our own religious and spiritual practices, as well as to learn about, and deepen our understanding of other spiritual practices and worldviews. Understanding other perspectives can help to reduce discrimination, celebrate diversity, and foster respect for others and their beliefs.

As part of our patient and family-centred care philosophy, TBRHSC recognizes that all patients and families have their own unique values and beliefs, and we celebrate the diversity that these beliefs bring to our community.

The Spiritual Care team at our hospital provides services that are sensitive to, and respectful of, the diverse expression of spirituality and religion in our community, and serves individuals from all faiths, and those with no faith tradition. If your patient would like to speak with a Spiritual Care Provider, please contact Spiritual Care at: 807-684-6236.

If you would like to learn more about World Religion Day, please click here.

Our Tuition Reimbursement Program is accepting applications until February 6. We are proud to be a learning organization that encourages education, growth, and ongoing development for employees.

For full details, please refer to the poster and the Tuition Reimbursement policy or visit the following: https://informed.tbrhsc.net/departments/human-resources/programs/tuition-remimbursement.

If you’re a part-time, contract or casual employee, you can join the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) at any time during your employment here at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

For more information, click the handout below, or contact HR at  TBRHSC.HumanResources@tbh.net or extension 6218.

A respiratory outbreak has been declared over on 2C as of Thursday January 15, 2026.

All restrictions are lifted.  

Please share this information with the appropriate staff. 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. 

For more information, contact Infection Prevention and Control at extension 6094.