On Wear Blue Day (March 7), staff at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Regional Cancer Care wore blue to raise awareness for colorectal cancer.
If you are between 50 to 74 years of age, and have no family history of colon cancer, you should complete a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit every two years.
To get your FIT kit, talk to your health care provider. If you don’t have a health care provider, you can get a kit by calling Health811 at 1-866-828-9213 or by making an appointment on the Screen for Life Coach by calling 807-684-7777. Learn more here.
Our team is extraordinary! Each employee at Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre plays a vital role in providing exceptional care for patients and families in our community and across the region.
Since today is Employee Appreciation Day (March 7), join us in thanking these amazing members of our team for everything they do, day in and day out.
Kevin is a certified millwright at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. A millwright is a skilled tradesperson who installs, maintains and repairs industrial machinery, ensuring proper functionality. From heat valves in patients’ rooms, to air compressors for laundry, to HEPA filter exhaust fans in the Intensive Care Unit, to the MRI cooling system, there isn’t an area at our Hospital that Kevin doesn’t support.
Kevin and the Maintenance team have to carefully plan their projects, often coming in early or staying late, to support a positive experience for patients and ensure staff can work with minimal interruption. They collaborate internally and with contractors to ensure essential Hospital equipment is ready to go.
Check out these photos to see Kevin in action. You might be surprised at what you see!
Did you know that there is a fourth floor of the Hospital? Kevin works up in the Penthouse, maintaining the Hospital’s enormous air exchange systems.Kevin inspects the air handling units that keep our air clean and fresh.There are dozens and dozens of fan coils located all over the Hospital. They serve various functions, from cooling server rooms to maintaining a comfortable temperature for patients, and Kevin looks after them all.
Kevin maintains the Hospital’s hot water heating pumps…
… and chilled water pumps.
When the weather turns warm, the Hospital’s cooling towers get to work, taking heat out of the building to be cooled and returned as cool air.Kevin maintains the deionized water systems, which are essential for our Medical Device Reprocessing Department’s processes.Kevin and Amanda Swazey, Supervisor, Food and Nutrition. Amanda and her team call on Kevin to service various equipment. Kevin even machines and fabricates parts that are needed.Kevin not only supports Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, but Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute too! The fume hoods and other equipment in the lab sometimes needs Kevin’s finesse. (L-R): Melissa Hacio (Clinical Research Services Research Assistant, TBRHRI), Viktoriya Dyukaryeva (Ortho Research & Development Officer, TBRHRI), Tanya Niederer (HR/Operations Coordinator, TBRHRI) and Kevin (Lead, Millright, TBRHSC)
The Maternity Centre at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) provides prenatal care for the residents of Thunder Bay and surrounding region. Our team is committed to providing evidence-based maternity care that is safe, respectful and culturally sensitive.
No referrals are necessary to access care at the Maternity Centre.
During pregnancy, you are welcome to call the Maternity Centre to schedule an appointment with one of our prenatal care providers. All of our programs are accessible with your Ontario health card.
TBRHSC’s Maternity Centre welcomes the 119 babies born at our Hospital during the month of February. Congratulations on the new bundles of joy!
Shared on behalf of Ryan Sears, Director, Capital & Facility Services
I want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for your patience and understanding as we experience parking pressures due to the start of the CVS construction project. We recognize that this may cause some inconvenience and added travel time.
As a reminder, please feel free to use the overflow lot if needed. We will continue to monitor the situation and do our best to minimize disruptions.
Overflow Lot: Turtle Lot (I) – vehicle access from 1040 Oliver Road and utilize the pedestrian walkway to the hospital at the northeast corner of the lot.
Shared on behalf of Stephanie Rowan, Manager, Food & Nutrition Services
We would like to welcome Shawn Bannon, our new Sodexo Retail Manager, to the team. Shawn comes from a diverse leadership and culinary background. We are excited for Shawn to share his experiences with us, and look forward to all that we can accomplish in our retail space.
Shawn is located down in the Food & Nutrition Services Office and can be reached by:
Congratulations to our team winners of the quarterly ‘Good Catch’ Awards, Dr. Buitenhuis, Dr. Naana Jumah, Dr. Ankalagi, Jodie Keys, Katelyn Young, Jordan Stokes, and Eva Marie Brindley from the OR!
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 co 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.
On October 11, 2024, as a surgical closure was being performed, the Relief Circulator notified the Surgeon that a part of the removed specimen was missing. The team worked together to search the cavities laparoscopically and manually, and the surgical draping thoroughly, however it was not found. It was decided that a second laparoscopic procedure be completed so the room staff and the relief staff assisted with the new sterile set up. The missing specimen was found within the abdominal cavity and was able to be removed through the laparoscopic port. This is a great example of conscientious teamwork and a great catch!
Thank you, all for your diligence and dedication to safety! The group has been awarded a certificate and a gift card to enjoy lunch together.
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 Improvement Specialist (terry.fode@tbh.net).
