It’s finally National Nursing Week and we want to acknowledge the incredible impact nurses have in shaping health care, driving innovation, and advocating for patient centred care.
National Nursing Week serves as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication of nurses at our Hospital and across Canada.
To the nurses at our Hospital — we are excited to celebrate this year’s edition of National Nursing Week with you! Click on the poster below to learn about the upcoming events and activities.
On May 9, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre proudly celebrated the graduation of 51 of our Hospital’s dedicated leaders and aspiring leaders who have actively participated in — and successfully completed—leadership development training through our most recent cohorts of the Humber College and Rotman School of Management programs.
This milestone reflects not only the hard work and commitment of our graduates but also our organization’s ongoing investment in leadership growth and team development. By continuing to support both personal and professional advancement, we are building a culture where excellence, innovation, and collaboration thrive.
Congratulations to each graduate on this outstanding achievement! Let’s continue to inspire one another, pursue excellence, and lead the way toward a stronger future — together.
Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control
Please be advised that the respiratory outbreak on Transitional Care Unit at TBRHSC is declared over. Thank you to everyone who assisted in ending hospital acquired transmission on this unit.
All restrictions are lifted.
As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staff and visitors. 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, please contact Infection Prevention and Control at extension 6094.
Click HERE to complete today’s National Nursing Week Trivia Questions.
Each submission will be entered into a draw to win prizes! Winners will be announced on the Daily Informed Newsletter during National Nursing Week (May 12-18).
As part of this year’s edition of National Volunteer Week (April 27 – May 3), Directors at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) were invited to spend a day walking in the shoes of our dedicated volunteers. The initiative offered leaders a first-hand glimpse into the day-to-day contributions that volunteers make across departments in our Hospital.
From greeting patients at the front desk to assisting in the patient experience surveys, directors experienced the meaningful — and often unseen — ways volunteers enhance the patient experience. This year’s program reinforced the essential role volunteers play in shaping our Hospital’s culture, while fostering stronger connections between leadership and frontline support.
TBRHSC extends its deepest thanks to our volunteers — and to the directors who took the time to understand their impact. We look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come.
Craig Kozlowski, Director, Patient Flow and Partnership, with Idongesit Usua, Patient Experience Survey Volunteer.Mary Anne Fossum, Wayfinding Volunteer with Crystal Edwards, Director, Women & Children’s and Adult & Forensic Mental Health Programs, and Cathy Britt, Wayfinding Volunteer.Heather White, Wayfinding Volunteer with Kristin Shields, Director, Quality and Risk Management.Jennifer Fawcett, Director of Academics & Academic Family Health Team with Lisa Rozenbergs, Emergency Department Volunteer.
It is National Nursing Week and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is highlighting a few of our nurses and their achievements. Meet Erika Whatley, a Registered Nurse at our Hospital.
Erika Whatley’s journey in nursing began here, working as a unit care aide while completing a diploma in Practical Nursing. In 2019, she graduated as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) and developed a passion for surgical nursing. However, she felt a strong drive to continue advancing in her career.
In 2020, Erika returned to school to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing through Nipissing University’s bridging program, all while balancing full-time work. After a challenging but fulfilling journey, she graduated with Honours in December 2023 and successfully completed her NCLEX in March 2024. Erika felt fortunate to secure a permanent part-time position in Hemodialysis, where she could continue to grow and make a meaningful impact.
Over the past year as a Registered Nurse, her drive to push forward has only strengthened, and she now serves on the Nursing Practice Council and as the Policy and Political Action Executive Network Officer for the RNAO Lakehead Chapter. Florence Nightingale’s words, “I attribute my success to this – I never gave or took any excuse,” continues to resonate with Erika as she remains committed to advancing nursing, constantly pursuing further education, and aiming toward a future where she can earn a Master’s degree and make an even greater difference in health care. This unwavering drive to keep learning and improving has been the foundation of her career, and Erika looks forward to the many opportunities ahead to continue pushing herself and the profession forward.
Andgo Shift Bidding Update – For Staff Scheduled by the Staffing Office Only
Effective May 12, 2025, a new shift bidding process will apply only to full-time staff scheduled by the Staffing Office.
Key Change: Full-time staff will now receive shift notifications only after premium pay has been approved.
How It Works:
Shifts are first offered to part-time and casual staff. If unfilled, they are reposted for all eligible staff (including full-time) with premium pay details noted. These changes aim to reduce unnecessary notifications and clarify shift availability.
For more information, please see the full memo or contact Rita at 684-6746 or Rita.GrenierBuchan@tbh.net.
Long-time Thunder Bay oral and maxillofacial surgeon Bruce Pynn was recognized for his work by the University of Toronto
Dr. Bruce Pynn said he’s glad he decided to stay in Thunder Bay after arriving in the city 30 years ago.
“This is quite an honour,” said Bruce Pynn, one of three University of Toronto graduates to receive Alumni of Influence awards this year.
U of T’s faculty of dentistry describes the recipients as having sky-high goals, being technically precise and impressively innovative, and demonstrating a deep level of care for their patients.
Dr. Pynn is chief of dentistry/oral and maxillofacial surgery at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre while also running a private practice and teaching at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
An online article posted by the U of T outlines a host of accomplishments and contributions, and credits him with building “a meaningful career in a community where the needs are palpable,” but adds that he remains modest about his work.
“I came to Thunder Bay from Toronto 30 years ago. I’m super glad that I stayed,” he says.
In an interview with Newswatch, Pynn said he was a little older as a graduate from the U of T because he focused on research in a plastic surgery lab for years before going into dentistry.
“I came to Thunder Bay for a year to just make some money, and then I met Dr. (Bill) Dowhos, the oral surgeon. We were kindred spirits, so I stayed.”
He said the most rewarding aspect of his job is “fixing up” trauma patients.
“There’s up to 10 fractured jaws per week, so it’s among the busiest services in the province for the fewest number of oral surgeons. There are 200-plus in the province, and only three up here looking after an area the size of France.”
Pynn said he’s received requests to care for patients from as far away as Timmins.
He called the award “very special” because he puts a lot of effort into treating his patients, and sometimes even goes to their homes to do a consultation or post-operative check.
“That’s following in the footsteps of Dr. Dowhos. You have to be helpful, because the next place for big oral surgery in Ontario is Toronto. Not everyone wants to go, so I take the effort to see people and spend time with people.”
Pynn also supervises dental students at Confederation College, and travels to Toronto monthly to oversee U of T oral surgery students.
Next month, he will take a long flight overseas to deliver a talk about his professional experiences in Thunder Bay at a meeting of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Singapore.
Join Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Care Group for an Indigenous Nurses Panel, on May 12, to celebrate Indigenous Nurses Day. See poster below for more information!
