Mental Health Awareness Week is happening May 5-9. Check out the poster below for details of the events taking place at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre throughout the week.

Hand hygiene saves millions of lives every year when performed at the right moments during health care delivery. It is also a smart investment that offers exceptional return for each dollar invested. Clean care is a sign of respect to those who seek care, and it protects health and other workers who provide that care.   

Medical gloves are used in health care and are defined as disposable gloves used during medical procedures. These gloves can get contaminated as easily as bare hands and do not protect 100%. When worn, gloves should be removed, for example, after touching a patient and hand hygiene performed immediately as per the four moments of hand hygiene.

Learn more about hand hygiene this week as Infection Prevention and Control will be visiting all medical units to share information on hand hygiene and offer a chance to participate in a prize draw. 

Shared on behalf of Ryan Sears, Director, Capital & Facility Services

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Emergency Preparedness Week (May 4 to 10, 2025) has been a national awareness event for over twenty-five years. This year’s theme “Be Prepared. Know Your Risks” hopes to encourage us all to understand the risks in our area and learn what actions we can take to protect ourselves, our families, our colleagues, and our community. Here at TBRHSC we have response procedures for each emergency code captured in policy. Some of these emergency codes, e.g., Code Green, require detailed response area specific plans. Be #ReadyforAnything by annually reviewing emergency code policies and your departmental sub-plans. All emergency code policies are located:

• On the intranet: http://informed.tbrhsc.net//corporate-info/emergency-codes
• Departmental Emergency Code binders

 We all have a role to play in an emergency. Preparing ahead of time at home will also save time and stress during emergencies. Follow the steps below to:

• Make a plan: Include actions that will help you stay safe before, during, and after an emergency event.
• Build a kit: Gather supplies for you to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in the event of an emergency (e.g., loss of power).
• Stay informed: Follow local authorities for up-to-date information and instructions (please refer to the City’s emergency preparedness site).

 For more information review our iNformed posts related to emergency preparedness this week, drop by the interactive emergency preparedness session being held May 6th from 1:30pm to 3pm in the auditorium, or reach out to Mēsha Richard, Lead, Emergency Preparedness (ext. 6552 or mesha.richard@tbh.net).    From monthly fire drills, to participating in mock codes, to debriefing after incidents, I want to thank everyone for your ongoing dedication to emergency preparedness at the Hospital. I also want to encourage you to continue to take concrete actions throughout the year to help us all be more prepared.

As the impact of heart failure (HF) continues to grow across Canada and throughout the world, it is becoming increasingly important in raising awareness among patients and their families. With the aim to improve the quality of life for people living with HF, this year’s campaign will focus on self-management and self-care in a virtual world. Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) hosts programs that support heart failure patients including the Telehomecare Congestive Heart Failure Program and Cardiac Rehabilitation.

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a complex syndrome which occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, leg swelling and fatigue. There are many reasons why someone may develop heart failure. The most common causes of heart failure include coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.

Self-care in a virtual world: What you need to know about self-managing heart failure

Did you know that heart failure is on the rise? In Canada there are over 600,000 people living with heart failure which affects people of all ages. Over 90,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure each year in Canada. Surprisingly, many people do not understand heart failure. More than 1 in 4 Canadians do not know what heart failure is, and almost half incorrectly think it can be cured. It is more important then ever to be responsible for your own care. There is a lot you can do to live well with heart failure.

What you can do to promote self-care and self-management

• Monitor your symptoms and report any change to your health care provider
• Reduce salt in your diet
• Increase your daily activity
• Seek peer support
• Keep your blood pressure low
• Follow up with your primary care provider
• Stop smoking
• Take your medications as prescribed

Work with your health care team to learn if you are at risk of heart failure. Ask what you can do to help prevent this condition from worsening.

Self-management is team effort

Even though heart failure cannot be cured, there are treatments that can help people feel better and live longer. They often need help from a number of health care providers, family members, and they also need to be active partners in their care. Together you can build a plan that supports your needs and goals.

Become an active partner in your virtual care

• People living with heart failure need to pay extra attention to their salt and fluid intake, eat a healthy diet, stay active, take their medication as prescribed, and be smoke free.
• Learn about your symptoms of heart failure – they may not be the same as someone else with heart failure. Ask your health care team what you can do to help prevent your heart failure symptoms from getting worse.
• Be patient with yourself – learning to live with heart failure takes time. Share your feelings and talk about your concerns with your health care team.
• Join support groups and share your experience. Talking with your peers can help relieve some of the stress, pressure, and anxiety.

For more information and a guide to virtual health care sessions visit: heartandstroke.ca

Please be advised that a planned water service shutdown affecting the entire Medical Centre (984 Oliver Road) is scheduled for Friday, May 2, beginning at 3 p.m. The interruption is expected to last approximately 4 to 6 hours, during which time all water services – including washroom facilities, sinks, etc. will be unavailable throughout the building. Water service will be restored once testing and approval have been completed by the City of Thunder Bay.

This shutdown is a necessary part of the Cardiovascular Surgery Project, and will support the installation of a new water valve in the FISH (A3) parking lot. This work is in preparation for an upcoming, larger-scale watermain relocation effort required to advance construction.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this temporary disruption. Your support is essential as we continue working toward bringing Cardiovascular Surgery to Thunder Bay.

Did you know it’s Emergency Preparedness Week May 4 to 10, 2025?

Join Emergency Preparedness in the Auditorium on May 6 for a fun, in-person opportunity to learn about personal preparedness, ask questions, and participate in some hazards and disasters trivia!

Two sessions – comprised of a brief presentation > trivia > open forum – will kick off at 1:30 p.m. and again at 2:15 p.m.

Come take part for a chance to win a $25 gift card!

Reach out to Mēsha Richard, Emergency Preparedness Lead at ext 6552 or mesha.richard@tbh.net if you have any questions about #EPweek in general or the sessions in particular.

As a part of internal policy compliance and best practice, Interprofessional Education and Emergency Preparedness, are running a Code White drill on the afternoon of Thursday May 1.

Staff are expected to respond accordingly as though it were a real incident. Please ensure to inform patients and visitors when there is a drill in progress.

Note: This drill will be discontinued via overhead announcement if a live code occurs.

Refer to Code White – Violent or Threatening Person (EMER-50).

If you have any questions, please contact, Holly Freill at holly.freill@tbh.net.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Trauma program presents, ‘Burns Outside the Burn Centre: A pragmatic approach to the initial stabilization and management of a burn injured patient’.

Presented by Dr. Stephanie Mason, MD, PhD, FRCSC, Medical Director, Ross Tilley Burn Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Objectives:

➡️ Discuss principles of initial stabilization of the burn injured patient.
➡️ Describe criteria and process for transfer to a burn centre.
➡️ Review management of inhalation injury.

📅 Date: May 1, 2025
🕓 Time: 4:30 p.m. EST
ℹ️ Meeting information:

📍 Online via WebEx

Meeting number: 2346 836 4938
Password: i228T8hPpiz

Questions? Please reach out to Anthony Paladino at antonio.paladino@tbh.net.

Our Hospital’s Regional Bariatric Care Centre presents ‘Current Trends in Obesity and Comorbidity Management’, presented by Dr. Scott Cassie, Bariatric Surgeon and Dr. Tayyab Khan, Endocrinologist.

Learn about:

➡️ current trends in obesity
➡️ its impact on health and the health care system
➡️ treatment options
➡️ management of the disease

📆 Thursday, April 24, 2025
🕛 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (EST)
📍 Via webinar (Webex) 🔗 https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/j.php?MTID=m10ccc2f99907274b1090c816873aaab1

No advance registration necessary. This is a great opportunity to ask your questions regarding obesity management and treatment options.

Pop by and see Jodi from Afonso Creations across from Seasons Gift Shop today until 2:00 p.m.!

A portion of her sales supports the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation’s Northern Cancer Fund for Breast Cancer. Pocket hugs, tooth fairy boxes, metal signs & more — all for a great cause!