May 14-20, 2023 is National Biomedical Engineering Week and we would like to acknowledge the role of Biomedical Engineering Services in Ontario’s health care system.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Biomedical Engineering Technologists and Technicians use their knowledge and training to maintain, repair and help with the selection of medical devices and health technology used for patient care at TBRHSC and in Northwestern Ontario.
As an integral part of the patient’s health care team, we thank all Biomedical Engineering Technologists and Technicians for their hard work and dedication!
Cathy Bishop has honorably served our patients and families of Thunder Bay and the district since 1984. Cathy has previously worked within the Surgical program and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health area. Currently, she is passionate about Maternal Newborn practice and brings this experience and enthusiasm to the workplace daily. With a strong work ethic, she exemplifies team work by regularly being the first to roll up her sleeves and lend a hand.
She has dedicated numerous hours to her union colleagues and constantly strives to improve this working relationship across the organization. She is dedicated and professional in all interactions and makes this organization a better place for us all to grow and learn.
Cathy appreciates acts of service for others and was one of the front runners in organizing a Christmas donation this past season for the Our Kids Count program here in Thunder Bay. Her giving nature exemplifies her innate ability to show care and compassion for others.
Congratulations, Cathy, on winning the Chief Nursing Executive Award.
National Nursing Week (May 8-14) annually falls during the second week of May, coinciding with Florence Nightingale’s birthday on May 12th, in recognition of the dedication and achievements of nursing professionals. Nurses make up the largest group of employees at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and National Nursing Week provides an opportunity to recognize their clinical excellence and their ability to care for patients with compassion and professionalism.
Join us in once again thanking our nurses for their incredible contributions to positive patient outcomes. Also, thank you to the many local sponsors, community members and TBRHSC staff who helped to make this year’s edition of National Nursing Week a memorable one.
It’s National Nursing Week and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is highlighting a few of our nurses and their achievements. Meet Jacob (Jake) Kubinec, a Registered Nurse (RN) at our Hospital.
Jacob (Jake) Kubinec has been a Registered Nurse (RN) since 2016 and has worked on mental health-based units most of his career. He started on the Nursing Resource Team, working on many different units, where he gained interest in mental health. Jake then worked in Forensics until he accepted a permanent full time position in Adult Mental Health.
Jake enjoys working in Adult Mental Health as he has a deep passion for working with patients who have mental illnesses. Jake says, “I have a very supportive team that I respect and care about greatly. I really hope to continue to learn and improve my skills as a Mental Health Nurse.”
It’s National Nursing Week and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is highlighting a few of our nurses and their achievements. Meet Megan Kelly, a Registered Nurse (RN) at our Hospital.
Megan Kelly is an energetic and compassionate RN who recently graduated from Lakehead University with a Bachelor of Science and Nursing in June of 2022. After completing her degree, Megan relocated to Thunder Bay from southern Ontario. She was drawn to the area by its natural beauty and the unique challenges presented by providing health care in a more remote region.
After finishing her second year of the collaborative nursing program, she applied to be a Unit Care Aide at TBRHSC, where she was responsible for supporting staff in providing care to patients. This experience was a pivotal moment in Megan’s nursing career, as it opened doors that clinical placements could not. This is where she found her passion for emergency nursing, being drawn to the fast-paced environment and having the ability to make a difference in people’s lives in their most vulnerable moments.
As Megan transitioned from her role as a Unit Care Aide and nursing student to a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department (ED), she was better-equipped to handle the high demands of the job due to the amazing teamwork and welcoming staff within the department. The ED at the TBRHSC is one of the busiest in the province, serving not only the city but also regional communities.
Thanks to her previous experience working in the hospital and her education, Megan was able to hit the ground running, quickly adapting to the fast-paced and often unpredictable environment of the ED. She demonstrates a strong ability to assess patient needs, provide timely and appropriate care all while maintaining a calm and reassuring demeanor for her patients and their families.
When she is not working on the frontlines she enjoys being a proud member of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) sitting on our local chapters executive board helping to boost their social media presence. She also holds a seat on the TBRHSC Nursing Practice Council to give the voice of a novice frontline nurse, collaborating with her colleagues to identify opportunities for quality improvement and implement evidence-based practices.
Kevin Vopni has been a member of the Renal team since 2015. He is the go-to person for new staff wishing to learn more about cannulating a fistula with the ultrasound. He is viewed as an expert in this area, and leadership often recommends him as a resource to others.
Kevin is always willing to preceptor new staff joining our team without hesitation. He will take on the responsibility to ensure knowledge transfer and understanding for care of the renal patient with new staff. He advocates for high quality patient care and brings forward any clinical issues. Kevin has also taken on doing other tasks in the unit like TPE and will mentor staff with this treatment as well to ensure machine set up and understanding of the treatment being provided.
Kevin has precepted many new hires to the unit. He is laid back, with an easygoing personality and passion for teaching about care of the renal patient. Please take this opportunity to acknowledge his strengths and contribution to the renal team.
Volunteer Association Education Bursary Awarded to Erika Whatley
Erika Whatley has been working at Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Center since 2018, initially as a Unit Care Aide (UCA) while pursuing her Practical Nursing diploma at Confederation College. She graduated in 2019 and transitioned to a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) role, where she was delighted to begin her career on the 3C Surgical floor, fulfilling her dream.
Driven by her immense ambition, Erika refused to settle for less than she deserved. Despite facing numerous challenges in life, she has always pushed herself to chase after her dreams. Driven by her deep passion for nursing, she made the bold decision to further her education and enrolled in Nipissing University’s RPN to RN bridging program to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a Registered Nurse (RN).
Beginning in 2020, she embarked on the arduous journey of working full-time and dedicating herself to completing her degree online. Despite the demands of her rigorous schedule, she persevered with unfaltering determination. However, the challenges did not end there, as the pandemic swept through the world and greatly impacted the nursing profession. As a dedicated nurse, she faced even more hurdles than before, yet remained steadfast in her commitment to patient care.
On top of the challenges of the pandemic, she was suddenly struck with a chronic heart disease that required surgery. Though Erika was forced to take a break from bedside nursing, she remained true in her determination to return to her passion for surgical nursing.
Her scheduled surgery in February 2021 was postponed due to the pandemic-induced delay of countless surgeries across the province. Despite her struggle, she never lost courage and continued to maintain focus on regaining her health. In March 2022, she underwent the long-awaited surgery, finally bringing an end to the challenging journey she had endured. Even though she went through a significant disruption to her plans, she never stopped thriving in both her work and education. Excelling in her new position in lnfection Prevention and Control, Erika remained committed to her love for nursing. She even joined the Nursing Practice Council to advocate for the profession, demonstrating her unwavering dedication and belief in herself.
Erika truly embodies the spirit of nursing, tirelessly advocating for its advancement and showing a firm commitment to patient care.
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 Home
By taking a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere. It is important to:
Make a plan – It will help you and your family know what to do
Get an emergency kit – During an emergency, we will all need some basic supplies. We may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in an emergency.
We all have a role to play in an emergency. Experience has shown that individual preparedness goes a long way to reducing vulnerability and increasing disaster resilience. I encourage you to take concrete actions throughout the year to be more prepared.
If you have questions, please reach out to your manager or Mēsha Richard, Lead, Emergency Preparedness (ext. 6552 or mesha.richard@tbh.net).
It’s National Nursing Week and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is highlighting a few of our nurses and their achievements. Meet Erika Bishop, Nurse Practitioner – Primary Health Care (NP-PHC) at our Hospital.
After graduating in 2014 from Lakehead University, Erika Bishop started her career at TBRHSC working as a cardiac nurse. In 2017, she moved over to the hemodialysis unit and continues working there in a casual position.
Before March 2020, she had applied for graduate studies and ended up spending the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic working on her Master of Nursing – Primary Care Nurse Practitioner degree from Queen’s University, which she obtained in July 2022. She has since joined TBRHSC’s Nurse Led Outreach team as a Nurse Practitioner working in long-term care, assisted living and retirement homes across Thunder Bay with the goal of reducing emergency room visits.
In recognition of National Nursing Week (May 8-14), there are daily 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.
According to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), what is the theme of National Nursing Week 2023?
In 1971, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) designated May 12 as International Nurses Day (True or False)
In 1985, the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) passed a resolution to negotiate the week containing May 12 to be National Nurses Week. Soon after, the federal minister of health proclaimed the second week of May as National Nurses Week (True or False)
