This year, staff from Academic Affairs, Medical Affairs and Chief of Staff’s Office wore pink in support of Pink Shirt Day.

We remind all staff members be aware of their behavior towards their colleagues and take action to prevent and stop any instances of bullying. Thank you for your cooperation and support in creating a safe and respectful workplace for everyone.

Every year in Canada, Pink Shirt Day is observed on the last Wednesday in February to take a stand against bullying. This year, Pink Shirt Day takes place on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.

The first Pink Shirt Day took place in 2007. It was inspired by the efforts of two Grade 12 students in Nova Scotia, who distributed pink shirts to all of the boys at their school in a show of solidarity for a grade 9 boy who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt.

Bullying includes behaviours such as physical aggression, verbal abuse, exclusion, or online harassment that are repeated; these behaviours humiliate, intimidate, cause physical and emotion harm, and traumatize the person who is being bullied. Over 75% of people say that they have experienced bullying. Youth who are bullied experience long-term impacts to their physical and mental health, including stress-related illnesses, low self-esteem, and suicidality.

To learn more about how to support youth who are being bullied, please visit BullyingCanada at: https://www.bullyingcanada.ca/

To learn more about Pink Shirt Day, please visit The CKNW Kids’ Fund’s Pink Shirt Day website at: https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/

Shared on behalf of Payroll and Accounting

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We’re pleased to inform you that T4 tax slips for the 2025 tax year are now available for viewing and printing through the Employee Self Service (ESS) Portal.

To access your T4 tax slip, simply log into the ESS portal and select the “Tax Slips” option.

A quick reminder: If you plan to access your T4 from home, you must first enroll in Cisco Duo to enable multi-factor authentication. If you haven’t done this yet, please contact the Help Desk at 684-6411 or help@tbh.net for assistance.

Please note that some employees may receive two T4 slips for the same tax year. We kindly ask you to review your tax documents carefully and ensure both slips are included in your income tax preparation, if applicable.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Michael Iorianni, Manager of Payroll and Accounting, at extension 6917 or michael.iorianni@tbh.net.

Good Catch Awards highlight individuals, groups or departments who demonstrate their commitment to keeping patients safe by reporting a near miss. A ‘good catch’ (or near miss) is an event or situation that could have resulted in harm, but did not reach the patient because of chance or timely intervention. Reporting these events can help to identify gaps in order to prevent future adverse events from happening.

Kayla and Micaela were interviewing a patient in Surgical Day Care, confirming her name and birthday for consent. Micaela noticed the birthday was incorrect on the patient identification wristband.  Kayla and Micaela compared the labels in the chart together.  They double-checked with the patient, asking for her full name and birth date, and checked the medical record number in the chart against Meditech.  Her birthday was listed as 04/11/2000 (November) but her actual birthday was 11/04/2000 (April).  The date and month had been transposed. Good catch and great teamwork!

While working on 1A, Sumi went to the Omnicell to remove a patient’s Risperidone prescription. However, the nurse found Ivabradine in the drawer.  Sumi notified the charge nurse of the error, then removed and administered the correct medication (Risperidone) to the patient. Great job!

Trinity was working on 3A, when a patient became upset and began swinging a cane, hitting walls, phones and other items.  Another patient, hearing the commotion, stepped out of her room. Trinity and her colleagues surrounded the patient to protect her from being hit, then moved her to the nursing station to remove her from the situation and keep her safe. Quick thinking!

Thank you to all for your diligence and dedication to safety. Each recipient has been awarded a certificate and gift cards to local businesses to enjoy.

New winners will be selected every quarter. Continue submitting your near misses for a chance to win! Near miss reports are submitted through the Incident Learning System (patient safety incidents). Click on the ‘safety reporting’ icon from your Novell home page, or go to the iNtranet and choose ‘Safety Reporting’ under ‘Informational’.

For more information, contact Terry Fodë, Patient Safety Specialist (terry.fode@tbh.net).

Join us for a hands-on workshop on monitoring fetal health in March 6, 2026.

The course is intended for practitioners including nurses (RN priority), nurse practitioners, physicians, registered midwives and residents who want to learn the current fundamental concepts related to fetal health surveillance. 

You are required to complete the following two activities:

1. Read the free online Fundamentals of Fetal Health Surveillance – A Self-Learning Manual; and

2. Successfully complete the online Canadian Fetal Health Surveillance Program Exam.

The cost is $250.00. Please note, payment information is required for all registrants, but workshop fee will be voided for nursing staff of the Women and Children’s Program.

For more information or to register, click here.

Employee Donors are Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre staff who donate through payroll deductions, helping to fund Hospital equipment & upgrades in the area that means the most to them.

Each month, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation will feature some of the incredible Employee Donors in the Employee Donor Spotlight!

February’s Employee Donor is Kerri McGinn, Executive Assistant:

“I first became an Employee Donor when I worked in the Foundation here at the Hospital and saw how powerful philanthropy can be in creating real change.  Through that work, I became closely connected to the Cardiovascular Surgery Program, and it became personal when someone in my family had to travel out of town for heart surgery.  I know how much it matters to have care close to home.  After I changed jobs and then came back to the Hospital in a new role, I chose to continue on as an Employee Donor supporting the Cardiovascular Surgery program because I believe in bringing life-saving care to our community – one small contribution at a time.”

If you’re a Hospital employee you can sign up, too! Learn more here. Did you know? Tbaytel, matches annual Employee Donor contributions up to $7,500!

Are you already an Employee Donor and want to be featured in the Spotlight? Let us know, and you’ll receive a coffee card donated by Robin’s and a gift card donated by Sleeping Giant Biscotti! Contact, Lindsay Puhalski, Development Assistant, Philanthropy at 807-684-7106 or lindsay.puhalski@healthsciencesfoundation.ca.

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We are pleased to welcome Dr. Prashant Jani as the new Regional Indigenous Cancer Lead for Northwestern Ontario.

In this role, Dr. Jani will work with healthcare providers, communities, and partner organizations to build relationships and improve access to culturally appropriate cancer services across the continuum of care, including prevention, screening, treatment, survivorship, and palliative care. His focus will include strengthening awareness of available supports, promoting evidence-based screening practices, and helping reach Indigenous people who are under- or never-screened.

Dr. Jani looks forward to working collaboratively to improve cancer care and outcomes for Indigenous peoples in Northwestern Ontario.

He can be contacted at RICL@tbh.net.

In light of the approaching Employee Recognition Week (February 27 to March 6), Recognition O’Grams will be available to order starting 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18. Orders will be open while supplies last and are first-come, first serve.

All submissions will be reviewed by Human Resources prior to distribution to help ensure a positive and respectful tone. Please protect patient privacy by avoiding any identifying details, use language that reflects dignity and compassion, and focus your message on recognizing or thanking a colleague for their efforts!

Click on this link (https://erw-recognition.tbrhsc.net/) to submit your order.

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Name: Casey Ruberto

Role: Kinesiologist, Cardiac Rehabilitation (Cardiac Rehab)

Why did you decide to become a Kinesiologist? 

I’ve always loved sports and was interested in what made our bodies move.  In University I had the opportunity to do an internship with Cardiac Rehab and I really enjoyed it.  A few years after I graduated, the opportunity came up to apply for a Kinesiology position with Cardiac Rehab and I’ve happily been a Kinesiologist ever since!

Tell us about your role. 

As a Kinesiologist in the Cardiac Rehab program, I’m a case manager for the participants of our program.  It involves tailoring exercise prescriptions, providing education on safe exercise and cardiac risk factors, collaborating with patients on reaching their health goals, supervising patients during exercise sessions, helping patients navigate the health care system and referring patients to other disciplines when appropriate. My goal (and I like to think the goal of our program) is to get patients exercising safely, regularly, confidently and reduce their risk factors for another cardiac event or issue.

What is the most challenging part of your job? 

One of the most challenging aspects of my role is supporting patients through the transition out of the program after they’ve completed it. While it is rewarding to see the progress they’ve made, ensuring they feel equipped and confident to maintain those lifestyle changes independently can be challenging.  Facilitating that shift from structured support to self-management is an important part of the process.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?

The most rewarding aspect of my profession is helping people feel better both physically and mentally.  I love that I get to be with patients for an extended period of time, get to help assist and witness their progress and help them meet their goals.  

Any advice for those considering a career in health care? 

Advice I would tell anyone considering a career in health care is to listening closely to what patients are saying and to try and see their situation from their lens.  Empathy always goes a long way and everyone has something to teach you.

The Communications and Engagement team is pleased to provide the latest version of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Patient Care Resource.

This guide is designed to help patients, families, and care partners quickly find the information they need when accessing Hospital services or visiting our facility. It brings together helpful details from departments across the Hospital, including:

• Specialized programs (e.g., Indigenous Care Coordinators, Hospital Elder Life Program)
• Support services (e.g., Patient Advocate, Spiritual Care, Ethics Support)
• On-site amenities (e.g., Wi-Fi, mail service, Flavours Cafeteria)
• Parking information and Hospital map
• Hotels offering preferred rates
• Ways to share feedback
• And much more!

Read it here: bit.ly/TBRHSC-Patient-Care-Resource-Vol17-READ

Or download your own copy here: bit.ly/TBRHSC-Patient-Care-Resource-Vol17-DOWNLOAD

To arrange for pick up or delivery of print copies for your area, please contact us at TBRHSC.GroupNews@tbh.net. Kindly note there are limited print copies available, so if able, please direct patients to the electronic version first.

For more information, or to provide feedback or input for next year’s edition of the Patient Care Resource, please reach out to a member of the Communications and Engagement team.

Please encourage patients and families to use the Patient Care Resource to learn more about the programs and services available and how we provide exceptional care for every patient, every time.