Shared on behalf of Adam Vinet, VP, Patient Experience, CNE & RVP, Regional Cancer Care

The rate of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) in Thunder Bay and Region have significantly reduced over the past several weeks. In light of the decreased ILI activity, the Hospital will be moving to Level 2 masking protocols.

Starting Monday, March 16, 2026, mandatory masking will decrease from Level 3 to Level 2 across all inpatient units, outpatient departments and patient-facing clinical areas within the hospital.

With this change, all Staff, Professional Staff, Learners, Volunteers and Essential Care Partner’s (ECPs)/Care Partner’s (CPs) must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask when entering every patient room, exam rooms or other patient-facing care spaces, and when unable to maintain 6ft physical distancing standards.

All ECPs/CPs visiting inpatient rooms, must wear a minimum Level 3 procedure mask when entering a patient’s room and at any time they are unable to maintain 6ft physical distancing standards.

All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners, Volunteers and ECPs/CPs are encouraged to exercise their own risk analysis and level of comfort for masking above the minimum requirements. Masking is required at all times for anyone who fails self-screening and their presence is essential at the hospital and/or masking is deemed necessary based on IPAC protocols. ECPs/CPs are discouraged from visiting the Hospital if they are experiencing symptoms of a communicable illness.

Masks will continue to be made available at all public/staff entrances on the sanitizing stands, as well as at the unit/department level should you or a member of the public require a mask.

Staff, Professional Staff, Learners, Volunteers and ECPs/CPs will continue to wear a Level 3 procedure mask at all times while on the Acute Oncology wing of 1A, for protection of the patients. In order to reduce the spread of communicable diseases we encourage everyone to follow proper hand hygiene techniques.

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 at extension 6094 for further details on best practices.

Shared on behalf of Crystal Edwards, Director, Women & Children’s and Mental Health Programs

I am pleased to announce that Jason Cooper has accepted the position of Manager, Forensic Mental Health Program effective March 23, 2026.

Jason has been serving as the Acting Manager for the Forensic Mental Health program since the fall, following a brief transition as the Coordinator for the Mental Health Program. During this time, he has provided steady leadership and continuity for the team. Prior to these leadership roles, he worked as the Patient Care Coordinator for Adult Mental Health for the past five years.

Jason brings more than 20 years of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse working the majority of his career in acute mental health settings. Over the years he has gained valuable experience in a wide variety of environments, including Thunder Bay Corrections, the District Jail, and the Adult Mental Health Unit here at TBRHSC. These diverse experiences have provided Jason with a strong understanding of the complexities of mental health care across both hospital and justice systems.

Throughout his nursing career, Jason has demonstrated a deep passion and commitment to supporting individuals living with and experiencing mental illness. He has developed extensive knowledge of the Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation and understands the intersection of mental health care and the provincial justice system.

In his leadership roles, Jason has consistently demonstrated humanistic leadership, focused on building meaningful relationships. He is known for his approachable manner, collaborative approach, and his ability to communicate with professionalism, clarity, and respect. Jason is committed to fostering a culture of safety, collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement while supporting his teams in delivering compassionate, evidence-informed care.

Please join me in congratulating Jason on this well-deserved appointment and in welcoming him to this role on a permanent basis.

Shared on behalf of Robin’s Donuts

We’re delighted to announce that the renovation of our Robin’s Donuts store at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is complete, and we are back to full operations. We sincerely thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this time.

Starting April 2026, our store will be freshly baking products on-site, ensuring you enjoy the best taste and quality. This Spring, we’re also expanding our menu to include flatbread pizza and a wider selection of grab-and-go options — perfect for a quick snack or meal on the move.

Shared on behalf of Information Technology

On Thursday, March 12, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre experienced a Code Grey that affected network services, including internet connectivity and some cloud-based applications.

The disruption was identified through system monitoring and staff reports. Our technical teams worked with our vendor and regional partners to investigate and isolate the issue. Corrective actions were implemented and systems were stabilized.

During the disruption, clinical and non-clinical teams followed Code Grey procedures and contingency workflows to maintain operations and ensure continuity of patient care. Your teamwork and commitment to patient safety helped ensure care continued with minimal disruption.

All systems have now been fully restored and are operating normally, and staff may resume regular work activities. Our teams have verified functionality across key applications and network systems; however, if you encounter any issues, please contact the IT Help Desk so they can be addressed promptly.

A post-incident review will be conducted to identify opportunities to strengthen system resilience, and any lessons learned will be shared.

Thank you to all staff for your professionalism, patience, and collaboration during this event.             

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a major health challenge, affecting 1 in 10 Canadians. Often silent in its early stages, CKD can progress unnoticed until it leads to serious health complications. The disease significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduces quality of life, and can eventually lead to kidney failure. At that stage, survival depends on life-sustaining kidney replacement therapies such as dialysis or kidney transplantation.

This World Kidney Day, the Northwest Regional Renal Program is raising awareness about Chronic Kidney Disease and the unique challenges faced by patients living throughout Northwestern Ontario.

TBRHSC’s own Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse, Kayeleigh Larocque, with financial support from The Kidney Foundation of Canada, designed a shirt to help spark conversation and awareness. The following is her inspiration behind the artwork.

“The design is telling our story of dialysis in Northern Ontario. In the North, our Regional Renal Program faces unique challenges. Some of our biggest challenges we have overcome as a team, have been in relation to our unique geography.

Our Renal Program (at TBRHSC) services approximately 50% of Ontario’s geography. As you can imagine, simple solutions, to simple problems, can easily become complicated merely by where our patient is relative to us, and which services they have access to in their community. I really wanted to make something that acknowledged the pride and compassion I see in my team when overcoming our challenges.

With these unique challenges comes exceptional critical thinking application and problem solving. I am proud to be a part of a team that does so much, with so little, so often. We spend a lot of time collaborating together, with outlying healthcare facilities and providers, working to provide our patients with the quickest access to the care they need.

My passion around “water is life” and how I view, in the context of dialysis, water is balance. The kidney in this image is a symbol of life. Whether a patient is on PD or HD (peritoneal or hemo dialysis), their catheter, after starting dialysis is often referred to as their lifeline, a reminder to care for it as such. The kidneys are representative of that. In the middle of the kidneys is a map of Northern Ontario communities and the waterways — the lifeline that connects us all here. They blur with the roots of a tree exploding into leaves that flow back into waves which cradle the kidneys in a delicate balance. This all leads back to Lake Superior, the home of our Regional Renal Program, and indicated with a heart, a signature of the humanity I see in us all as we face our challenges together.”

Photos: Kayeleigh Larocque, Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse, is wearing the shirt she designed with support from The Kidney Foundation of Canada in recognition of World Kidney Day.

Photos above: Kayeleigh Larocque, Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse, is wearing the shirt she designed with support from The Kidney Foundation of Canada in recognition of World Kidney Day. Notes on wall art below.

Photos above: On World Kidney Day, members of TBRHSC’s Northwest Regional Renal Program and Home Hemodialysis Unit wear a commemorative shirt designed by Kayeleigh Larocque, Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse, to bring awareness to chronic kidney disease and the challenges faced by patients living throughout Northwestern Ontario.

Kayeleigh Larocque, Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse at TBRHSC designed the wall art above for the Renal department waiting room. Here is what she said about it:

I wanted everyone that finds themselves in front of this piece of digital art work, to feel like it was made for them. We have not only dialysis patients that find themselves in this space but also family members and even employees.

A lot of people also find themselves here by accident – they may not have known they had kidney disease or never imagined their family member would end up on dialysis. I have this saying that I really like, “Be Here Now.” And even if you’re not happy with where you are or your feelings aren’t positive, you’ve found yourself in this spot no matter what. Regardless of how you’re feeling about how you got here, as a team we find our way through that together.

The waterways and the map are used to connect that idea, with the word “Welcome” written in multiple languages – no matter where in Northern Ontario you came from, the people here are going to get you through. Our common goal as a team is to help this person to where they have to go next.

This art is to acknowledge where someone started, where they are now, and where they are going next. 

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) offers Patient Oriented Education Tools (POETs) for all patients at our hospital to support their transition from the hospital setting to home and the community. POETs are diagnosis-specific education tools designed to assist patients in identifying next steps when managing symptoms for their condition.

In collaboration with staff, physicians and Patient Family Advisors, the Patient Family Centered Care team has created 82 POETs to date, with the newest POETs focusing on Opioid Use Disorder and Problematic Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorder. POETs also include important information about expected lifestyle changes and contact information for patients who require further assistance with their care.

As patient education materials, POETs are available from the Print Shop and must be printed in color to promote a person-centred educational format. To find a complete list of the POETs available at TBRHSC, please go to Departments >> PFCC >> Resources on the intranet.

For more information about POETs, please contact Shannon Schiffer, PFCC Manager at ext. 6345, or Joanita Nakimuli, Discharge Transition Lead at ext. 4379

This month, we recognize the role of Child Life Specialists at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). These paediatric health care professionals work with children and families to help them cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness, and disability. They provide children with age-appropriate preparation for medical procedures, pain management and coping strategies, and play and self-expression activities. They also provide information, support, and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. 

Join us in showing appreciation to the Child Life Specialists at TBRHSC today. 

March is Nutrition Month — dedicated to the significance of nutrition and health. It seeks to educate individuals about the importance of making informed food choices, developing consistent eating habits, and undertaking regular physical activity.

The theme for the month — Nourish to Flourish — focuses on the profound connections between food and overall well-being, emphasizing the transformative role of nutrition in our lives.

Make the most of Nutrition Month by following the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide, such as planning meals, cooking more often and involving your kids in the kitchen. Include physical activity along with your nutritious eating habits, helping you achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You can also subscribe to Canada’s Food Guide updates for health information and recipes to unlock the potential of food throughout the year.

Stay tuned! Later this month, we will highlight our team of Dietitians who support hundreds of patients and families each year.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit also has information including resources on how we can build positive, supportive relationships with food – for ourselves and for others. Click here to learn more!

Shared on behalf of Michelle Addison, Director, Chief of Staff’s Office  

We are pleased to announce that Kristin Spafford has accepted the Clinical Lead position in the Chief of Staff’s Office, effective March 9, 2026. She brings extensive clinical expertise, educational leadership and a passion for advancing quality collaborative care. 

Kristin graduated as a Medical Radiation Technologist (MRT) from Confederation College in 2015 and completed an Honours Bachelor of Allied Health Sciences from Ontario Tech University in 2025. She has worked at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as a Medical Radiation Technologist for the past nine years, and prior to that worked as an MRT in the private sector. In 2017 Kristin became a Professor in the Medical Radiation Technology program at Confederation College, involved in teaching, developing curriculum and contributing to accreditation processes. 

In her free time, Kristin enjoys watching sporting events with her husband, reading, walking her dog, gardening, and attending concerts. Please join us in welcoming Kristin to the role. 

Join fellow health care workers across Ontario for the Your Health Space e-Learning Series – a hybrid learning experience tailored to the needs and experiences of health care staff.

Learn more about YHS e-Learning through this 1-minute video.

Click here to register, or see the poster below.