The Security Services department at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre strives to provide a safe and secure environment for all patients, visitors, and staff. They are on site and available 24/7 to provide assistance to those in need. Security Staff Appreciation Week is an opportunity to recognize their commitment to our safety.

We would like to give a heartfelt thanks to these hard-working and highly-trained individuals for the important job they do.

To contact our Security Services department, dial extension 6509 or visit Control Room #2221.

Shared on behalf of Adam Vinet, VP Patient Experience, Chief Nursing Executive, Regional VP Regional Cancer Centre

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As a result of increased level of viral activity within the community, and as a precaution to further spread of illnesses within our facility to the most vulnerable patients, we are adjusting our masking requirements.

Please note, effective September 18, 2023, our Hospital will increase masking requirements within our facility as outlined below:

1A Inpatient Units

All Staff, Professional Staff, Essential Care Partners and Volunteers are required to wear a Level 3 procedure mask at all times while on units 1A Medicine, and 1A Acute Oncology.

All other areas of the Hospital

All Staff, Professional Staff and Volunteers must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask at all times when entering a patient room, when providing direct patient care, including transportation of patients and at any time they are unable to maintain 6ft physical distancing. Masking is not required when outside a patient room unless you are unable to maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from any patient.

We are implementing the above protocols as part of our steps to avoid moving towards a Restricted State where mandatory masking is required facility-wide. We ask that you please abide by the above requirements to prevent further steps towards mandatory masking. As well, abide by any additional IPAC protocols and practice proper hand hygiene.

Further communication will occur on this topic as required.

Thank you for your commitment to keeping our patients, staff and Hospital safe. If you have any questions, please ask your manager or reach out to IPAC (684-6094) for further details on best practices.

Shared on behalf of Adam Vinet, VP Patient Experience, Chief Nursing Executive, Regional VP Regional Cancer Centre and Jennifer Wintermans, VP, Quality and Corporate Affairs

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We are issuing this notice to inform you about a change in practice when utilizing medications on the Baxter Novum IQ Large Volume Pump. This is in follow-up to the memos provided on August 1, 2023 and September 8, 2023. This change in practice is required due to an issue that has the potential for internal screws to loosen and interfere with the valves within the pump. This malfunction has the potential to lead over infusion of the intravenous solution.

As a precaution, we will be implementing the following action to address this potential malfunction with the Baxter Novum IQ Large Volume Pumps until they can be inspected, tagged and returned to the units.

1. Buretrols (volume control device) will be used for high risk infusions, particularly where close observation may not be possible. A list of high risk medications will be available on all units.
2. Utilize the smallest volume bag available when mixing and hanging medications, fluids, blood products especially for patients at high risk of fluid overload.
3. Avoid hanging 1000cc bags whenever possible.
4. Orders should not use to keep vein open (TKVO) rates and lock IV catheters as clinically appropriate.

We will remove the above additional safety precautions once units have had all pumps inspected and returned. You will receive further direction and communication on this process.

In addition, please continue to complete the following prior to initiating an intravenous infusion;

1. Confirm the pumping mechanism valves (two visible white valves when the pump door is open) are not stuck, ensure they move up and down.
2. While the pump is infusing monitor for any atypical sounds coming from the pump.*Please see the attached reference

If the pumping mechanism valves appear to be stuck and/or there is any atypical noise noted, bring the pump to your Patient Care Manager. Ensure the pump is labeled and a biomedical requisition is complete.

We understand that this workaround will require extra time and effort but it is necessary until we can ensure all pumps have been inspected. We appreciate your efforts and cooperation in these extra steps to ensure patient safety is maintained.

Baxter Corporation is onsite and working diligently with us to resolve the issue. Further communication will be provided as we work through this issue.

An Obstetrical Experience

We are conducting a research study with the aim to improve multidisciplinary team performance and patient safety in real life emergencies within the L&D Department at TBRHSC.

If you are any of the following at TBRHSC, you may be eligible to participate:

• registered nurses (RNs) from Labour and Delivery
• registered respiratory therapists (RRTs)
• physicians (Family Physicians, Obstetricians and Anesthesiologists)
• registered midwives (RMs)

Participation involves a one day session at the Ibn Sina Simulation Lab at TBRHSC. Lunch will be provided.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact the research team at (807) 684-6242 for information.

Participation in this research is voluntary. You may choose not to participate or withdraw from the study at any time with no consequences.

Leanne Lankinen and Maria Forget are the big winners of tickets to Wake the Giant Music Festival.

They completed their Wake the Giant Indigenous Culture and Inclusivity Training and each won a pair of tickets to the event this Saturday.

The Wake the Giant Indigenous Culture and Inclusivity Training was launched earlier this year, providing an online learning experience to support businesses, companies and organizations in creating more inclusive spaces, free of racism, where Indigenous People are welcome. This training is intended to present the realities of First Nations students having to leave their home community to attend high school in Thunder Bay and was developed in direct response to the recommendations in the Seven Youth Inquest.

The training module is mandatory for all staff and available through Dual Code LMS.

Congratulations Leanne and Maria!

Observed annually by all member states of the World Health Organization (WHO), World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) aims to raise global awareness about patient safety.  The day aims to influence stakeholders, including patients, families, health workers, healthcare leaders, policy makers and patient organizations, to work collaboratively towards co-designing health care policies and safety interventions that truly reflect the needs and preferences of patients, ultimately enhancing healthcare safety globally.

WPSD 2023 is dedicated to the theme “Engaging Patients for Patient Safety” as patient and family engagement is a pivotal strategy to advance safety in healthcare. The impact of meaningful patient engagement is remarkable, with studies showing a potential reduction in the burden of harm by up to 15%, saving countless lives and billions of dollars each year.  Safe health care depends on the full involvement of patients and families as the users of the health care system, and it requires a shift from care designed for patients to care designed with patients.

Here at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, we recognize and involve patients and their care partners as members of the health care team because we understand that they are the experts about the patient and are vital in ensuring optimal health and well-being.  As a result of Patient and Family Centre Care initiatives, TBRHSC was the first organization in Canada to earn the “Patient and Family Care Leading Practice designation from Accreditation Canada!

Reference: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-patient-safety-day

Shared on behalf of Information Technology

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We wanted to inform all staff about a new cyber security threat which is targeting Apple devices. This cyberattack affects unpatched vulnerable devices such as iPhone, iPad, Mac Computers, and Apple Watches.

Here is the list of known devices to be targeted:

• iPhone 8 and later

• iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later

• Macs running on macOS Ventura

• Apple Watch Series 4 and later

This threat has been resolved by Apple with their newest software updates for each of these devices which include:

macOS Ventura 13.5.2, iOS 16.6.1, iPadOS 16.6.1, and watchOS 9.6.2

If you are using any of these devices, please update the software to the newest version possible. The following are links to instructions on how to update your device:

iPhone or iPad           Mac Computer           Apple Watch

A potential infection to our network can cause data theft, and service disruption, with the likely outcome of disrupting patient/client care. Information Technology has taken many steps and precautions in the background to protect our networks, systems and delivery of care but we count on you to be our first line of defense.

Please contact the Help Desk with any questions at (807) 684-6411 or help@tbh.net.

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 September 13, 2023 Operational Updates and Strategic Planning Meeting featured a focus on quality, presented by Tram Dao, Manager of Quality and Risk Management.

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

Conversations in Canadian Bioethics

Join us on Wednesday September 20, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. -2:30 p.m. EST for the next episode of the Conversations in Canadian Bioethics series via Zoom:

Ethics in Geriatrics

Panelists:
Dr. Félix Pageau, MD, FRCPC, gériatrie; professeur associé, Université Laval.

Janelle Taylor, PhD, professor of medical anthropology, University of Toronto.

Moderator:
Kim Jameson, PhD(c), clinical ethicist, Vancouver Health Coastal.

Click here to find out more about the session and to register. After registration, you will receive a Zoom link.

On Monday, October 2, any department names in the 411 with no individual or area record assignments will be deleted from the database.

This is the second phase of the change to the 411 structure; the first was changing the directory from based on organizational hierarchy to department name.

The elimination of department names without records will improve search results and create additional efficiencies for self serve users creating their own contact records.

Managers, please review your department names and let Robert Srigley (Robert.Srigley@tbh.net) know if there are any changes.