Shared on behalf of Chad Johnson, Code Orange Executive Sponsor
The Hospital’s Code Orange (EMER-01) policy has been revised. As a part of the updated policy launch a scoped Code Orange – Stage 1 drill has been scheduled for Tuesday July 18, 2023 at 1100 hr. No patient movement will occur as a part of this drill. The purpose of this drill is wayfinding and increased familiarization for nurses from clinical units, as the Code Orange – Stage 1 reporting area has changed (see all staff memo and safety huddle dated June 8, 2023).
Managers: Circulate this memo to staff, including employees without regular access to email, and post the attached drill poster in your unit.
What am I expected to do? Upon overhead drill announcement:
All Staff:
Communicate with patients and visitors during the drill that this activity is part of the Hospital’s emergency preparedness training and patient care services are continuing as normal.
Available Nurses from Clinical Units:
Report to the D entrance doors and line up in the hallway with stretchers/wheelchairs (if available).
Arriving nurses will be escorted through the Emergency Department.
After completing a circuit, at the direction of ED staff, nurses are to return to their unit.
No other Code Orange response actions are required
What happens if a real emergency occurs during the drill? If the drill must be stopped due to a real emergency, Switchboard will immediately announce “Code Orange Drill – All Clear” overhead, followed by “NO DUFF, NO DUFF + relevant colour code announcement”.
Thank you for your participation and cooperation. Any questions or concerns can be directed to Mēsha Richard, Lead, Emergency Preparedness (ext. 6552 or mesha.richard@tbh.net)
Sincerely, Chad Johnson, Code Orange Executive Sponsor
Shared on behalf of Noojmawing Sookatagaing (Healing Working Together) Ontario Health Team
Join us on September 30, 2023 in Thunder Bay, Ontario at Boulevard Lake for a special community run in honour of the Indigenous children who were lost and the ongoing healing journey of residential school survivors and their families.
This event will take place on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and we invite everyone to participate in this important and meaningful event. Let’s come together as a community to show our support and commitment to truth, reconciliation, and healing. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make a positive impact and be a part of something truly special.
In order to support additional parking at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, there will be an expansion of the A2 Parking Lot towards Golf Links Road. Construction will commence on Monday, July 10 and will be completed in the Fall 2023.
This work will involve the use of heavy equipment, and the main entrance from Golf Links Road (adjacent to the A2 parking lot) will have increased traffic while the equipment is entering/exiting the construction area. A portion of the existing A2 Parking Lot may be utilized for the Contractors and will be fenced off, along with the rest of the construction area. Please adhere to all signage and take extra caution during the construction period.
Your cooperation and patience is greatly appreciated.
Starting early afternoon on Monday, July 10, the new Siemens PET-CT chiller will be delivered and will be hoisted by crane up onto the roof. This will occur at the west side of the building outside F door, between the F and Renal doors.
Access to Renal doors will be permitted; however, access to F door and the sidewalk in front of F door will not be permitted. Please adhere to all signage and caution tape that will be posted by the contractor to delineate the construction zone. Do not enter the construction zone for any reason.
Staring around 3:00 p.m. on Monday, July 10, components of the new PET-CT will be delivered. Large items such as the CT and PET gantries will be delivered after 5:00 p.m. The path of travel for deliveries includes the lower level service corridor, the lower level B & C corridors, the main floor B & C corridors and the Ultrasound Waiting / Nuclear Medicine corridor in Diagnostic Imaging. The trauma elevator at C corridor will be used to move the large CT and PET gantries after 5PM. Please use caution at the above noted corridors.
Please be advised that the Turtle (I) Lot will be closed on Sunday, July 9th for a Thunder Bay Auto Sport event in support of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.
Security will close Turtle (I) Lot entry at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 8th to allow the lot to empty overnight. The Auto Sport event will run from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 9th, during which time the lot will be closed for parking.
Staff that park in Turtle (I) Lot are encouraged to use their secondary lot (if applicable).
Moose (B2) and GH will also be made available to staff that typically park in Turtle (I) Lot. Staff are reminded to avoid Turtle (I) Lot for safety reasons, unless attending the event.
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts we announce the unexpected passing of our friend and colleague, Nicole Landgraff-Wegner on July 4, 2023.
Nicole worked in the medical field for 25 years. Nicole started working at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) in 2010. In 2013, Nicole transitioned to Clinical Contract Specialist with the Northern Supply Chain. In this role, she worked closely with TBRHSC and other hospitals in Northwestern Ontario to assist and guide us in medical product selection, standardization, sustainability, and the transition of those products into the hospital. Nicole’s passion, dedication and of course smile, will be greatly missed.
Our thoughts go out to her family for their loss. As a sign of respect and mourning, TBRHSC flags will be put to half mast on Saturday July 8, 2023.
Born in Leduc, Alberta on May 29, 1974, Nicole passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on July 4, 2023 at the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital.
Surviving Nicole are her husband Tim, daughter Sofia Joy and son Cooper Conrad, mother and stepfather Glenna and Rocky Scali, brothers Ryan (Andrea) and Ian (Amanda), nieces and nephews Lydia, Hudson, Juliet and Thomas, Samuel, Naomi and Jesse, aunts Betty Ellchook, Mary Caban and Brenda Philips (Ed), parents-in-law Debbie Faught (Richard), Paul Wegner (Kathy) and sister-in-law Tilly Northrup (Cory). She is predeceased by her father Brian Landgraff (1997), grandparents Terttu and Michael Garland, and Alice Sidall.
Nicole worked in the medical field for 25 years. She kept her children active and always tried to teach them how to love and care for their world. Nicole, Tim and the children spent weekends on Lake Superior in their boat, exploring new places.
Nicole was a woman of faith, generous and kind with a smile that made your world seem grand! We love you always Nicole.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at 12:30 pm in the Blake Funeral Chapel on May Street, followed by a luncheon at the Kakabeka Falls Legion. Interment will take place at a later date. Memorial donations to the TBRHSC or to Our Kids Count would be greatly appreciated.
Pets serve a great purpose in our daily lives. In addition to being our furry friends, some are trained to perform specific duties. Therapy dogs undergo an extensive evaluation process to become certified and take on unique roles. Through petting, affection, and regular visitation, many people benefit both physically and emotionally from the unconditional love of a dog.
“Therapy dogs can be more effective than people at offering companionship to those in need of comfort or support, because dogs are non-judgmental,” explains Jill Biggs, St. John Ambulance therapy dog coordinator/ evaluator. “Dogs are accepting of those with physical or mental illness, or those presenting with confusion or tears. They calm the distressed, distract those in discomfort, and comfort the lonely.”
Research indicates that therapy dogs can have a significant impact on an individual’s social wellness, interpersonal reactions, mood, fear, anxiety, and stress. Recent studies have emphasized the positive impact therapy dogs have on enhancing workplace wellness. Following a threemonth pilot study with therapy dogs, health-care employees reported a boost in mood, an improved clinic atmosphere, and reduced levels of burnout and stress. Other research has deemed therapy dog programs feasible, effective, and much needed in health care settings.
As such, in May 2023, the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), in collaboration with St. John Ambulance, launched a therapy dog program for its staff.
“The use of therapy dogs to support mental health and prevent burnout amongst health-care workers has not only been found beneficial based on current literature, but has also been well received by staff at leading hospitals throughout Canada and many other countries,” says Kelly-Jo Gillis, manager of preventive health services at TBRHSC, adding that patients also benefit. “Through our hospital’s volunteer services, a therapy dog program has been offered to patients at TBRHSC since 2005.”
“The idea of therapy dogs for staff came up as a way to boost morale and enhance staff experience,” Gillis explains. “Many of us have pets and know the positive impact they can have, especially with those who are not well. I’m sure staff will benefit from the unconditional kindness of these therapy dogs.”
The program is currently running as a pilot project, but feedback from staff thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. During a therapy dog visit to 3C, the surgical inpatient and neurosurgery unit, one staff member commented: “A dog! This is all the therapy I need.” Another staff member shared “I wish this program had started years ago. Our stress levels would be much lower.”
Although most dogs are loveable and affectionate to their owners, it does not necessarily qualify them as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs undergo a series of testing and evaluation, such as a temperament assessment, to ensure they meet therapy dog standards. Therapy dogs must be obedient, friendly, calm, and able to adapt well to unfamiliar noises, places, and smells.
In order to ensure the dog meets these standards, Biggs describes the series of exercises they must complete. “These exercises have the dog walking through a crowd, greeting people in wheelchairs and with walkers, crutches, and canes, being exposed to a sudden loud noise, and being surrounded by a group of people. Throughout the whole evaluation, the dog is being assessed to ensure there is no aggression, timidity or shyness, jumping up, or pulling on the leash, and that the dog is well groomed and neat in appearance.”
