Lakehead University’s Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences (FHBS) is proud to announce the first of three new micro-credential courses designed to address critical areas of need in the health of Northern, rural, and remote regions. 

Mental Health Care in Rural and Remote Regions will equip learners with an understanding of the unique challenges, opportunities, and strategies for delivering mental health care in rural, remote and northern settings. Developed for learners in any professional role, the course emphasizes cultural considerations and strength-based care approaches while providing practical, evidence-based strategies to address mental health challenges in rural and remote settings.

This online, self-paced program starts April 14, 2025, and will help you:

• Understand the unique needs of individuals in Northern, rural, and remote communities
• Develop culturally informed care plans
• Access and utilize available resources

Improve your mental health care practice and help those facing unique challenges.

Mental Health Care in Rural and Remote Regions Course: 

Start Date: Monday, April 14, 2025

End Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Registration Fee: $475.00 (NO HST)

Learn more here.

Shared on behalf of Occupational Health and Safety & Infection Prevention and Control

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Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection that was formally considered eliminated in in Canada in 1998. The rising numbers of measles cases in Ontario has been attributed to declining vaccination rates as well as international travel. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles. Immunity after two dose of the measles vaccine is 99%.

Upon hire at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Occupational Health and Safety conducts a comprehensive health, review including ensuring that employees are fully immunized from vaccine preventable illnesses. For Measles, all health care workers are required to have documented proof of either 2 doses of a measles containing vaccine (i.e MMR) or serological proof of immunity. If your vaccine history was unknown, titer levels are drawn and vaccination is offered to those without evidence of immunity.

Revaccination for Measles is not required as immunity after two doses of the Measles vaccine or immunity after infection is lifelong therefore no booster is required.

OHS had sent out notices to those staff who have outstanding pieces of their immunization history. If you have received a notice, please respond promptly to ensure compliance.

Please ensure that your N-95 fit test is up to date and review policy IPC-1-18 Applying Routine Practice and Additional Precautions and IPC-2-12 Effective Hand Hygiene.

Please call Occupational Health and Safety at extension 6212 or Infection Prevention and Control at extension 6094 for more information.

Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control

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Please be advised that the Influenza outbreak on 2B unit is over.

Thank you to everyone who assisted in ending hospital acquired transmission on this unit.  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, contact: Infection Prevention and Control at extension 6094.

All staff scheduled by Staffing Office, we have made it easier than ever to stay on top of your schedule! Here’s how it works:

• For shifts scheduled 8-49 days away, you will receive a handy email newsletter with all the details.
• For shifts coming up in 1-7 days, you will get notifications based on your preferred settings.

Reminder: Staff will only be notified once about any new upcoming shifts.

The best part? You are in control! The responsibility is on you to manage your shift bids. 

Feel free to check the Andgo calendar anytime, from anywhere, and bid on shifts at your convenience. It’s all about flexibility and making your schedule work for you.

Want more tips and tricks? Head to the Staffing Office Intranet Page for full details!

Shared on behalf of Phil Thompson, Director, Support Services

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Our Nutrition & Food Service department will be replacing equipment that will require us to close the dish room as of March 24, 2025. This equipment installation will take approximately two weeks to complete. Two things to note during the equipment installation: 

1. Use of disposable products

We must vacate the current room and utilize temporary space. Due to the lower capacity, you will notice we have moved to disposable products in order to maintain service. The increase in disposable products is only temporary and we will move back to reusable products as soon as we are able. 

2. Utilization of Service Hallway

We also needed to move part of the dishwashing process into the Service Hallway across from Maintenance. This will create congestion in this hallway, therefore, the hallway now becomes a “production” area, which may restrict traffic flow We appreciate your patience while we work through this installation. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Phil Thompson at phil.thompson@tbh.net.

March is Kidney Health Month, and we want to raise awareness about kidney disease and its impact on the people of Northwestern Ontario. Throughout the month, we will be featuring members of the Renal Team, and highlight the incredible care they provide for renal patients across our region.

For more information on Renal Services at TBRHSC, and to view educational videos for renal patients and their families, please visit https://tbrhsc.net/programs-services/renal-services/.

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Multi Care Kidney Clinic

“The Multi Care Kidney Clinic is a specialized multidisciplinary team consisting of nephrologists, registered nurses, a dietitian, a pharmacist, a social worker and clerks. This team manages care for patients with advanced kidney disease, and helps prepare patients and families to navigate this journey. The team provides shared decision making, education for health promotion and goals of care. They coordinate living donor transplant assessments, kidney and kidney pancreas transplant assessments, followed by post care. The catchment area is large, spreading from Wawa to the Manitoba border, including 69 Northern communities. The Multi Care Kidney Clinic currently provides care for approximately 1100 patients”. 

– Kim Lightbody, RN, Renal Transplant Coordinator, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Multi Care Kidney Clinic

The next phase of terrazzo flooring repairs will start on Monday, March 17 and are expected to last two weeks, until Friday, March 28.

This phase of work will result in the closure of the Main Entrance (at the revolving doors).

• REGIONAL CANCER CARE patients only can continue to enter through the West Entrance, to access Reginal Cancer Care reception.
• ALL OTHER PATIENTS AND VISITORS will need to access the facility via the RENAL Entrance doors (adjacent to the main entrance) and utilize the A-Corridor back to the main corridor and then back to the Main Lobby.

Please see the map attached below.

As with previous phases, we will begin to close of the area with fencing in the afternoon of the first day. and repair work will occur overnight from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Fencing will be placed around the work area for the duration of the timeframe to protect the area and equipment, and to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors.

Major Impacts:

• MAIN ENTRANCE doors will be closed – staff, patients and visitors are to use the RENAL Entrance doors (at the revolving door)
• Volunteers will be posted at the Renal Entrance to help guide patients back to the main lobby. Signage will also be posted.
• Staxi chairs will be kept inside the Renal and West entrances
• Interior entrance to Regional Cancer Care (RCC) will be OPEN and accessible via the West Entrance. RCC patients will need to continue to use the detour route to access the Robin’s Donuts area of the main lobby from within the department.
• Vending machines from the west doors will remain in the Cafeteria for the duration of work; alternate machines are located in the Diagnostic Imaging and Surgical Day Care waiting rooms
• Access to the Information Desk or Security Desk will be by the east side of the Info Desk
• Waiting space (for rides) inside the building will be available in the open area at the West Entrance, but patients and visitors will need to access this area from OUTSIDE

There are NO impacts to the following:

• Vehicle Pick-Up and Drop-Off area at the front entrance
• Renal patients can continue to access the building via the Renal doors
• Admitting department will be partially blocked but remain fully accessible

If you have any questions, please contact Kristi Judge at kristi.judge@tbh.net or Darin Pretto in Maintenance at x.6205 or darin.pretto@tbh.net.

We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with NOSM University for the second Preceptor Workshop Conference for Health Professions, hosted by our Interprofessional Education Department. The goal of this workshop is to support current staff who preceptor learners in the organization with representation from many health professions at the conference.

This free event is scheduled for April 1, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and includes a complimentary networking breakfast for all participants. Financial compensation will be available to departments, where backfill is required for staff attending the workshop.

Understanding the value this workshop holds for professional development, we encourage you to share this information with your staff/colleagues who you feel would benefit from this event.

Interested participants are asked to register on Eventbrite, link found here, by March 14, 2025. Participant confirmation will be on a first come, first serve basis.

Thank you for your commitment to ongoing learning and professional growth. We look forward to your active participation in this enriching event!

Impact Promotions continues to have a wide variety of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute branded items available for staff, professional staff, volunteers and learners to purchase online.

Questions or comments? Contact us at TBRHSC.StaffAdvisoryCommittee@tbh.net