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 6-12).
This week is Emergency Preparedness Week! This year’s theme is “Be Prepared. Know your Risks”. The intent of the theme is to encourage us all to understand the risks in our area and learn what actions we can take to protect ourselves, our families, and our community.
Emergency Preparedness at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC)
At TBRHSC, our Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC) works to ensure that we have the capacity to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. The EPC is comprised of representatives from various programs and services and is responsible for providing oversight and leadership related to hospital emergency preparedness.
Current EPC members include:
TBRHSC follows the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) standardized Emergency Colour Code system. Each colour code (as well as Alert 99 and Lockdown) has an Executive Sponsor (who is also a member of the EPC) and working group assigned to maintain the associated policy, review key incidents, and identify training and exercise opportunities. The Manager, Emergency Preparedness, Switchboard & Security and the Lead, Emergency Preparedness work closely with all these groups.
See the EPC’s Terms of Reference document via the link for a better understanding.
If you have questions, please reach out to your manager or Mēsha Richard, Lead, Emergency Preparedness (ext. 6552 or mesha.richard@tbh.net)
Our Hospital is hosting a variety of local vendors just in time for spring. Visit the far end of the Cafeteria (by the east entrance) and the main lobby (outside of Season’s Gift Shop and the Foundation donor wall) on Thursday, May 2nd, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The Noojmawing Sookatagaing Ontario Health Team invites you to attend the Indigenous Service Providers Forum.
This event brings together Indigenous organizations and leaders in a vibrant environment dedicated to exploring and enhancing Indigenous health and social services.
The event is taking place on Wednesday, May 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Victoria Inn (now called the Superior Inn).
As a part of our commitment to safe, quality patient care, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) participates in the Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently (moreOB) program.
moreOB is a comprehensive performance improvement program that improves team dynamics, reduces risk, promotes best practice, and ultimately improves the patient experience on our Labour and Delivery unit. This program involves all members of the Labour and Delivery team; doctors, midwives, and nurses and allows us to keep up-to-date on new advances in care of pregnant patients and their newborns.
moreOB empowers all members of the team to make positive changes within the Hospital to improve communication and creates a culture of patient safety. It is also really fun and is a great way for all the members of the team to get to know each other better, and improves trust, respect, communication, and ultimately strengthens the relationships between team members.
𝗡𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲.
For more information on the programs and services available visit our website at bit.ly/TBRHSC-Maternity-Centre.
Our organization highly values the contributions of our volunteers, who play a vital role in connecting with our patients and their families. This week, we ran the ‘Shadow a Volunteer’ program to showcase the incredible impact of our volunteers. The program highlighted the contributions of our volunteers to our patients, visitors, and staff. Senior leaders participated in 30-minute shifts and shadowed volunteers to see firsthand the impact they make every day. They worked with a volunteer in one of our service areas and gained valuable insights into how our volunteers make a positive impact every day. Thank you to everyone that participated!
The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is proud to highlight volunteer Dougie Newhouse.
HELP is a delirium prevention program that aids in the improvement of cognitive and functional outcomes in patients 65 and older. HELP achieves this by having trained volunteers facilitate interventions that prevent delirium, which includes orienting patients to their surroundings, facilitating activities that keep them cognitively active, encouraging fluids and keeping them mobile within the limitations of their physical condition.
After he completes his studies on human physiology to the PhD or MD level, Dougie looks forward to a long career in healthcare serving Northwestern Ontario. With those academic and professional goals in mind, he began volunteering with the HELP program. However, he says he soon found the experience personally rewarding as well, from supporting and interacting with HELP patients, hearing their unique perspectives and doing what he could to aid in their care.
“My experiences volunteering for the HELP program have facilitated my development of communicational, organizational and professional skills to draw from while navigating a prospective career in healthcare, particularly when working with vulnerable populations.”
HELP, Elder Life Coordinator, Marielle Dysievick, says Dougie demonstrates dedication and effectiveness in helping improve patients’ experience here at the hospital. “Dougie truly makes everyone he meets feel comfortable and has empathy for patients and their families.”
“Dougie is friendly, kind and truly enjoys getting to know each patient. These qualities were evident from his first shift with HELP. He possesses all the qualities of an outstanding volunteer. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to our patients Dougie!”
For Olivia, Brad, and Marilyn Adams, volunteering is a family business! The daughter, father, and grandmother trio are all volunteers in different departments at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Olivia volunteers in the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP); Brad volunteers in Wayfinding, and Marilyn volunteers in Healthy Lifestyles, Cardiac Rehab.
Marilyn: I originally started volunteering at the TBRHSC because I have the time, availability, and a strong desire to help people. My granddaughter and son encouraged me to become involved. I am a previous participant of the Healthy Lifestyles program and had a great experience.
Brad: My daughter was volunteering at the hospital and from discussion with her, I could see the positive impact it was having on her in helping others. This led me to consider volunteering at the hospital once I retired. In my previous work experience it gave me satisfaction in helping others and coordinating service delivery to the community.
Olivia: Originally I started volunteering at the hospital because I had a growing interest in healthcare and I wanted to gain experience. At the time, I was too young to work, but eager to get involved so volunteering presented itself as a great opportunity to gain valuable experience.
Marilyn: My favorite thing about volunteering is interacting with staff members and participants of the program. As a volunteer, I have the privilege of talking with participants and listening to their stories. I find great satisfaction in encouraging and assisting them throughout the program. Ultimately, it is the people themselves who make each shift rewarding.
Brad: Volunteering in the Wayfinding position has many different tasks assigned to it, from answering general questions, to directing and assisting people with where they need to go. My favorite thing about volunteering is helping or assisting people with getting where they need to go within the hospital. This always brings me satisfaction and a smile to my face when at the end of the day I know I helped somebody get to an appointment, visit a family member within the hospital or make a delivery to a patient within the hospital.
Olivia: My favorite thing about volunteering in the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) is the opportunity to connect with seniors. As I transitioned into roles as an employee as a unit care aide and nursing student, my interactions with patients became more task-oriented. Volunteering with HELP allows me time to engage in meaningful conversations with hospitalized seniors.
Marilyn: Volunteering at the hospital is a rewarding experience. There is always an opportunity to make a difference and I encourage anyone interested in volunteering to apply. Age knows no limits when it comes to trying something new, so don’t hesitate to get involved.
Brad: Volunteering at the hospital or any organization provides you a good feeling about helping others and giving back to the community overall is satisfying.
Olivia: Volunteering at the hospital is an enjoyable and rewarding experience. It is an opportunity to learn and gives you a unique perspective into our healthcare system and community. I encourage everyone to try volunteering if they have the opportunity to.
Thank you to these amazing volunteers who take time out of their busy schedule every week to volunteer at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre!
