On November 27, Canadians celebrate National Physician Assistant Day, which recognizes the physician assistant (PA) profession and its contributions to healthcare in Canada. Working alongside physicians and other health professionals, PAs are having a positive impact on many aspects of healthcare from emergency room wait times, access to primary care, the quality of seniors care and access to healthcare in rural communities. Join us in celebrating our PAs and thanking them for their important and life-saving contributions. Learn more about the profession by visiting the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants website.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is joining others across Canada to celebrate National Kinesiology Week (November 21-27).

Kinesiologists are regulated health professionals who study human movement and the relationship between physical activity and health. They are committed to enhancing quality of life through the promotion of physical activity and workplace health & safety, the prevention and management of injury and chronic disease, and the overall improvement of health and performance. They are leaders in the prevention of injury and chronic disease; they work with people of all ages and every level of function and physical ability to assess, track, manage and achieve a broad range of personal health goals. Exercise is used to prevent and manage injury and manage chronic disease.

Kinesiologists ultimately aim to encourage the health and wellbeing of individuals through the implementation of movement and exercise. They work with patients to reach their health and personal lifestyle goals. Through body composition testing, the assessment of physical abilities, and the instruction of proper exercise form, Kinesiologists ensure that patients are motivated and have the resources required to be healthy and move efficiently.

In a health care system that focuses on remedial care, Kinesiologists are becoming increasingly valued as health care providers who focus on preventative care. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle including a balanced diet and regular exercise. Kinesiologists have been specially trained as exercise therapists to remove barriers and encourage individuals of all abilities to remain active through all stages of life.

There are Kinesiologists working in Programs and Services throughout our Hospital, including Cardiac Rehab (Sarah Chadwick, Katherine Chisholm, Duncan Hutchison, Casey Ruberto, Kyle Baysarowich and Victoria Finley), the Regional Bariatric Care Centre & Peadiatric Healthy Living Program (Debbie Walsh and Katelyn Methot), the Maternity Centre (Keri Gerlach), and the Transitional Care Unit (Keri Gerlach, Shannon Baysarowich, and Olivia Stowell).

Please join us in thanking our Kinesiologists for their important contributions to patient care.

TBRHSC is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on the Research Ethics Board (REB).  We are looking for three new alternate research board members:

1. One member who is knowledgeable in relevant laws and willing to review proposed research projects to identify legal issues related to research protocols and their implications, especially those related to health and privacy law;
2. One member knowledgeable in relevant research disciplines, fields and methodologies in areas of research covered by the TBRHSC REB;
3. One Indigenous community member not affiliated with Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and able to provide input regarding your knowledge about the Indigenous community of Thunder Bay and discuss issues and research from this perspective.

Although the alternate member is welcome to attend all REB meetings and may be asked to participate as a primary reviewer on specific studies, their primary responsibility is to provide coverage when the regular REB member is not available to perform reviews or attend meetings.

If you are interested in more information about this opportunity, please email your cover letter and resume to Carol Pelletier, Research Ethics Officer at TBRHSC.REO@tbh.net by November 25, 2022. Please indicate which position you are applying for in your email.

Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview, with the final decision being made by the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Board of Directors Chair.

Please see memo linked below for more details.

On Thursday, November 24, 2022 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm EST join Michelle Allain in this webinar to learn more about bioethics perspective on changes to MAiD and mental illness. Registration is not required, join at the appointed time via Zoom: https://lakeheadu.zoom.us/j/92239978099.

For more information, please contact Loretta Delea at (807) 343-8010 ext. 8126 chce@lakeheadu.ca.

Nurse Practitioner Spotlight: Kathryn Bill

Why did you decide to become a Nurse Practitioner?

I went in to nursing in order to help people and make a difference in their lives for the better. I worked in acute care, primarily in the Intensive Care Unit, for over 17 years before I decided to further my education and become a nurse practitioner (NP). With the vast experiences I have had over my nursing career, I was ready to take the knowledge that I had learned and use it to further make a difference in the lives of patients in Northwestern Ontario.

Tell us about your role with the Internal Medicine Clinic.

As an NP with in the Internal Medicine Clinic (IMC), I manage two similar programs – Telehomecare Programs for Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Using specialized remote monitoring technology, I am able to monitor, manage and treat patients with severe to very severe CHF and moderate to very severe COPD patients from the comfort of their own home, helping to reduce visits to the Emergency Department. These patients are partners in their own health care and, through the program, attain effective self-management strategies. They also have the ability to liaison with a Registered Dietitian for further education.

What is the most challenging part of your role?

The most challenging part of the role is receiving the data from the patients via the telehomecare monitoring system, being able to interpret the data received, determining the relevancy of the information, and knowing how to adjust treatment options further – all without seeing the patient physically in-person.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your profession?

Knowing that I have the skills and judgement to be able to treat the patient and enabling them to self-manage their chronic diseases from the comfort of their own homes is one of the most rewarding aspects.

Any advice for those considering a career as a NP?

I say go for it! It is a challenging profession where you are always learning and growing not only as a nurse, but as a person.

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Nurse Practitioner Spotlight: Jeff Yahn

Jeff Yahn is a primary health care Nurse Practitioner working as a specialist in Thrombosis within the Internal Medicine Clinic. In his current role since 2014, he also garnered knowledge and experience in Benign Hematology along with three years as lead of the Telehomecare Heart Failure program. He completed his Bachelor of Nursing degree and Nurse Practitioner designation through Lakehead University in part with the Council of Ontario University Programs in Nursing with first class standing. 

Jeff previously worked as a Registered Nurse including two years in the Neurosurgical ICU at the Ottawa Civic hospital and four years in the ICU at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center. Jeff also holds a Business Degree through Lakehead University and certificate in Critical Care Nursing through Durham College.

Career Retrospective

Nursing is a diverse and challenging profession with an abundance of opportunity to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. Over the past eight years, practicing in a specialist role has built a knowledge base from which to form a clear understanding of the health care needs we are presently confronted with. Becoming a nurse practitioner has enabled me to help restore, maintain and advance the health of individuals, groups and communities. Within my role I am able to collaborate with allied health professionals and form close relationships with physicians, fellow colleagues, patients and families.

I chose to become a Nurse Practitioner to expand my knowledge base, work independently and provide timely, patient-centered care.

Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control

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COVID-19 outbreak has been declared on 1A Oncology in TBRHSC as of November 16, 2022. All restrictions are in place.

Please share this information with the appropriate staff.

As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staffand visitors. All patients identified as having an exposure to this outbreak will require isolation with appropriate additional precautions.

The department of Infection Prevention and Control encourages everyone to keep applying the routine practices of hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, equipment cleaning, and the appropriate admission screening of all patients. Please set an example for staff and students and assist us by maintaining compliance and due diligence.

For more information, contact Infection Prevention and Control at 684-6094.