An award ceremony was held today to present Mona Hardy, a dedicated volunteer at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) with the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers (SMV). This prestigious national award recognizes the volunteer achievements of Canadians from across the country in a wide range of fields.

“Volunteers play such a crucial role at our Hospital, and Mona exemplifies the essential link volunteers fulfill to help ensure patients have the best experience possible when at our Hospital,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO of TBRHSC, and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “Mona has been an extremely dedicated, long-serving volunteer, tirelessly contributing her time, gifts, skills, and energy to improving the lives of many people. I’m thrilled that she is receiving this well-deserved recognition.”

Originally from Rocky Bay First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, Mona has been a passionate volunteer in our community for the past 10 years, notably with organizations such as TBRHSC and NorWest Community Health Centres. Mona is one of TBRHSC’s first Patient Family Advisor volunteers and has contributed many hours in this advisory capacity on various committees, including participation in the Hospital’s Indigenous Advisory Committee and the Hospital’s PRIDE Committee. She has been integral when it comes to bringing issues of the LGBT community to light and, more importantly raising the voice of the transgender community. Mona also spends quality time with patients who are undergoing Renal Dialysis, where treatments can sometimes take a number of hours to complete and Mona shares her time, empathy, humour and knowledge in many ways. Mona has been a mentor to patients and families helping them learn how to live and self manage their life on dialysis.

“It is truly a privilege to work with someone who is so dedicated, competent, hardworking, and professional in all of her interactions with patients, staff, and fellow volunteers,” said Bonnie Nicholas, Manager, Patient and Centred Care at TBRHSC. “Mona’s positive, outgoing personality, kindness, and generosity have an immense impact on so many people in our hospital and the wider community.” The SMV is the highest honour for volunteer service that an individual can receive within the Canadian Honours System. The SMV program was created in 2016 to replace its predecessor, the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award (CCA), conceived in 1995 by then-Governor General the Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc. The Medal builds on the legacy and spirit of the CCA by honouring the dedication and commitment of volunteers.

Let’s give a big round of applause for the Hospital staff, professional staff and volunteers that make up our COVID-19 vaccination team. They’ve worked tirelessly over the last few months to get shots in arms and make our community safer. We also want to thank Lakehead University for providing us with space to run our vaccination clinic in the Bora Laskin building.

Shared on behalf of Dr. Peter Voros, EVP In-Patient Care Programs

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Currently, a small percentage of staff who have already received their first dose have not yet received a second dose. Our Hospital strongly encourages all who are eligible to receive their second dose do so as soon as possible: 21 days following your first dose for Pfizer and 28 days for Moderna.

Although the Hospital’s Bora Laskin COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic is closing as of Friday, July 23rd, all may conveniently reschedule an earlier appointment through the provincial booking system for the Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s (TBDHU) COVID-19 vaccination clinics, or at a local pharmacy. Alternatively, walk-ins are currently available Monday to Friday at the TBDHU’s CLE Coliseum Clinic. This is also a great opportunity for those who have not yet received their first dose. For more information about vaccine options, please visit https://www.tbdhu.com/covidclinics.

Once you have received your vaccine, please ensure to forward a copy of your vaccination receipt to Occupational Health and Safety at ohs@tbh.net.

Thank you to all those who have already received both doses of the vaccine in order to help protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19. Your commitment to health and safety is much appreciated.

All Hospital COVID-19 updates and resources are available on the iNtranet at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/.

Managers were asked to bring forward frequently asked questions (FAQs) from their staff about physical distancing and mask wearing guidelines, in order to provide clarity and ensure consistency throughout the hospital. Please see below:

1.   Are goggles mandatory on the inpatient units, or only in patient rooms? Everyone entering a patient care area (inpatient or outpatient) must wear goggles at all times. Goggles are also mandatory when providing patient care within 2 meters, in all areas of the hospital.

2.   How do staff get approval to remove their mask when at their workstation? Staff must provide their vaccine confirmation to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and consent to OHS sharing that information with their manager. Once OHS informs the manager, the manager can approve staff to remove their masks within their workspace (in non-patient care/non-public areas only).

3.    If an office is considered clinical (e.g., Genetics program) but patients do not enter the office space, what guidelines should they follow? If there are no patients entering an office space and the space is not open to the public, staff may follow the administrative guidelines for physical distancing and mandatory masking.

4.   Can staff in administrative work areas remove their mask at their workstation when the distance between them and another staff member is either a) greater than 2m OR b) less than 2m with barrier or partition is installed? Yes, if they follow the process to confirm that they are fully vaccinated and they consent to that information being shared with their manager.

5.   Are there any limits to the number of people allowed in outdoor spaces? Thunder Bay District Health Unit has confirmed that there are no limits to shared outdoor spaces. This includes sitting at picnic tables with other staff from separate households.

6.   Is physical distancing still mandatory when in a shared space while not wearing masks? If staff are removing their masks in a shared workspace, they must maintain physical distancing or be separated by a partition.

7.    Are essential in-person meetings allowed at full room capacity? Essential in-person meetings, as well as training, are both allowed to take place at 50% room capacity.

Vanderwees Garden Gallery is offering Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre employees a free round of golf for 2 on their 18 hole mini golf course.

Vanderwees appreciates the hard work of all the employees at our Hospital and their commitment to our community. They recognize the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on health care workers and their supporting staff and wish to offer a fun outing and a well-deserved break.

The Mini Golf course is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, weather permitting. For more information, please contact Wendy Falk at (807) 767-3666.

Link: https://vanderweesgardengallery.com/pages/18-hold-mini-golf-course

Sent on behalf of Dr. Peter Voros, EVP In-Patient Care Programs

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On February 15th, 2021, the dedicated COVID-19 Care Unit on 3A reopened to care for COVID-19 infected patients. Throughout the past 5 months and during the second wave of the pandemic, the COVID-19 Care Unit provided care for a significant number of patients infected with COVID-19. This resulted in many changing circumstances and staff redeployment to areas needing support. While this was not ideal, the staff and professional staff at TBRHSC showed tremendous dedication to the care of patients in our Hospital.

With the Hospital operating at Pandemic Response Level Green, and with 1 patient with active COVID-19 currently in our Hospital, effective immediately, the dedicated COVID-19 Care Unit will begin closure. This will enable the 3A surgical beds to be better utilized to enhance our inpatient capacity.

Thank you to the many leaders, staff and professional staff who have worked tirelessly to treat patients infected with COVID-19. Your dedication and flexibility during these times is greatly appreciated and has not gone unnoticed. After the past many months, I recognize that some may experience anxiety and/or the need to debrief the experience associated with the influx of patients infected with COVID-19 and
the ever-changing circumstances. Your physical and mental health is a priority and I encourage you to access the support resources available to you at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/staff wellness-resources/.

All Hospital COVID-19 updates are available on the iNtranet at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/.

Based on high vaccination rates in our community and a significant drop in appointment bookings, the Bora Laskin COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic will be closing on Friday, July 23rd. 

The operation of our Bora Laskin COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic was an incredible endeavor and its success is a testament to the outstanding efforts of all staff, professional staff, and volunteers who were involved. Your hard work and dedication was instrumental in significantly increasing the level of protection against COVID-19 for our staff, professional staff, patients and community. Thank you to all for your contributions.
As services ramp down, we will not be promoting walk-in appointments for the Bora Laskin clinic next week (July 19-23). Instead, community members will be encouraged to attend the Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s (TBDHU) community COVID-19 vaccination clinics. All vaccine shipments going forward will also be directed to TBDHU, with the exception of a small supply that will be maintained for our Hospital’s inpatient vaccination program.

Clinic staff are currently working to contact any clients with outstanding appointments booked for August and September in order to reschedule them for next week before the clinic closes, or to redirect them to the TBDHU clinics.

All Hospital staff who were redeployed to the Bora Laskin clinic will be able to return to their previous positions. All other staff will be given the appropriate amount of warning prior to their positions being completed, as there will still be some administrative work to do after the clinic shuts down to appointments.

Thank you again to everyone who was involved in this extremely important work. Our community is safer because of you.

Patients in Thunder Bay have a new and more effective way of getting a prostate cancer biopsy – and it’s an Ontario first north of Toronto.

Diagnostic imaging helps doctors identify tumours in the body including the prostate. But those images can only tell doctors so much. A biopsy is needed to first confirm the tumour is indeed cancerous. That biopsy also determines the type of cancer (there are many different types of prostate cancer, for example), what stage it is, how aggressive it might be, and so on.

However, traditional biopsy for prostate cancer is difficult for several reasons including the fact that the prostate is relatively deep in the body. This makes guiding the needle directly to the tumour a challenge.

“We’ve had patients who get biopsy after biopsy, and they are all negative,” said Dr. Walid Shahrour, a urologist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “But that’s because traditional biopsy methods keep missing the tumour.”

Each time the tumour is missed, another biopsy has to be ordered. That adds to patient discomfort and anxiety, increases the chance of complications, and delays treatment if treatment is needed.

Dr. Shahrour introduced a new technique for patients in Northwestern Ontario called MRI/Ultrasound Fusion to ensure the biopsy needle reaches the tumour the first time. As the name suggests, this technique uses two different types of imaging. First, the patient has an MRI to target the tumour, pinpointing its size, shape, and location in the prostate. Then, doctors use an ultrasound to guide the needle. The ultrasound image is synched with the MRI image using special software so that the doctor knows exactly where the needle is in relation to the tumour at all times.

Fusion Biopsy Like Cheating at Battleship

Dr. Shahrour compared the new technique to the game Battleship. With the traditional biopsy technique, you are blindly trying to find the right location. But with MRI/Ultrasound Fusion, doctors can “cheat” to find its exact location.

“It’s like saying, ‘M-8’ and bam! we’ve got the cancer,” Dr. Shahrour said. “I don’t have to go blindly. I’m going directly to the tumour. That’s a big game-changer.”

That game-changer is a first in Northern Ontario.

“I was in a meeting with urologists across Ontario, and some of them in Toronto were talking about MRI-targeted biopsy,” said Dr. Shahrour. “I said, ‘Oh, we’ve been doing that in Thunder Bay since November (2020).’ And they said, ‘What?’ They were so surprised.”

The new technique could be adapted for other types of biopsies including liver and kidney tumours, Dr. Shahrour said.

This is just one of several cutting-edge techniques coming to Thunder Bay, thanks to the team of urologists at our Hospital.

“These are the things we need to be proud of,” Dr. Shahrour said. “The people in the North – we deserve the best care possible, as good as anywhere else in the province.”

You can help! Your donation to the Urology Fund will support more treatments, diagnostics, and research throughout Northwestern Ontario. Right now, your donation is worth twice as much because the two Thunder Bay Canadian Tire locations have teamed up to match your gift up to $25,000.

Support more Thunder Bay firsts at healthsciencesfoundation.ca/doublemygift or call the Donation Centre at (807) 345-4673.

Sent on behalf of Patient Care Services

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After a 35-year career in health care and as an integral member of the Patient Care Services Department at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre since 2002, our friend and colleague Kathy Shilliday is retiring, effective July 21^st, 2021.

As part of the Patient Care Services team, Kathy has played an important role in the daily functioning of the department and our interactions with Hospital staff, patients and families. Kathy has always brought energy and enthusiasm to special projects, especially our annual Nursing Week events.

We wish Kathy all the best!

Ongoing education and training is crucial to ensure Clinical Laboratory staff at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) can provide the best patient care. Thanks to the Dr. Douglas Rathbone Scholarship Fund and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, 15 hardworking individuals from TBRHSC’s lab were awarded scholarships to continue their education and professional development.

Dr. Rathbone was a well-known and respected physician; most fondly remembered in the community as the coroner. He valued the continuing education of laboratory staff and believed there was always something more to learn. Created thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Lyla Rathbone and through memorial gifts made in Dr. Rathbone’s honour, an Endowment Fund was established.

Thanks to the generosity of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, additional funds were allotted this year due to the high number of scholarship applicants. This allowed for more award recipients than in previous years.

The 15 successful recipients of the 2020 Rathbone Scholarship award are Chelsea Alexander, Sarah Asselin, Sara Belec, Rachel Brisson, Dayna Chambers, Brittany Coultis, Kayla Hagstrom, Carly Harris, Meagen Lepage, Lisa Morin, Karina Polson, Lesley Robertson, Katelynn Scheuerman, Madyson Weir and Raymond Zuliani.

For Chelsea Alexander, Quality and Safety Lead in Lab Administration, the award money will be used to enrol in a business course to ensure that she has the tools to succeed in her new role. “I am gradually learning the management side of laboratory services with my new role,” she explained. “Having a vast comprehension of navigating Microsoft Office is a key component to the success of my position.”

Like Chelsea, this scholarship has allowed Raymond Zuliani to take a course that will aid in his success in his role as the Quality and Safety Lead.

For Lisa Morin, shortly after beginning her work in Point of Care Testing (POCT) in 2019, she realized there was a lot to learn. This scholarship was the ticket to taking an introduction course in POCT through the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science. “I am grateful for the opportunity to enhance my knowledge of POCT, since this is a rapidly growing area in the acute care setting,” said Morin.

The staff that work in the lab are not shy to share that they love their jobs and many are looking towards the future with goals of advancing in the department one day. For example, Katelynn Scheuerman, Invoicing Clerk III, is using her scholarship winnings towards a General Laboratory Medicine/Science course and Sara Balec, Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT), is enrolled in the Clinical Management Certificate Program at the Michener Institute of Education.

While there are approximately 170 medical laboratory professionals working in laboratory services at TBRHSC, the majority of the lab leadership team is at the age of retirement, which is of concern due to the shortage of lab professionals. Georgia Carr, Manager of Laboratory Services, is doing her part to educate the next generation of laboratory staff by teaching a 6-month long Medical Laboratory Assistant and Quality Management System program for Lab Administration Certification in an effort to help circumvent the critical staffing shortage.

“We encourage our staff to keep moving forward and upgrading their skills to continually provide the best patient care possible and thanks to this scholarship they are able to this,” said Carr. “I’m thrilled these 15 individuals are stepping up to be able to carry the torch when the time comes.”