Encounters in Bioethics 2021-2022 offers a free webinar “Health Care Ethics, Pain and the Opioid Crisis” on Thursday, January 27, 2022, 12:00-1:00 pm (ET), with presenter Travis N. Rieder, PhD, Bioethicist; Director, Master of Bioethics program; Assistant Director, Education Initiatives; Research Scholar; Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Baltimore, MD.

Join via Zoom link: https://lakeheadu.zoom.us/j/92490354583

Be sure to save the following dates for other upcoming webinars (Thursdays, 12:00-1:00 pm ET on Zoom):

• February 24, 2022
• March 24, 2022
• April 28, 2022
• May 26, 2022

It’s the last week to purchase your tickets for the January Thunder Bay 50/50 Draw, and the jackpot is currently at $530,900 and growing. Tickets are on sale until Friday, January 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET, and can be purchased at www.thunderbay5050.ca.

“To date, there have been 48 Early Bird and Grand Prize draws, which have awarded dozens of winners a combined $8 Million+ in prize dollars.  The proceeds have also helped purchased some vital equipment here at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre,” says Glenn Craig, President and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.  “Most recently, they have helped purchase a new adjustable operating table and an LED Microscope for our Labour & Delivery department, two pieces of equipment which will help Hospital staff provide the best possible care to our patients”. 

Tickets for the January 2022 jackpot are now are available online only at www.thunderbay5050.ca:

• $10 for 5 numbers
• $20 for 30 numbers
• $50 for 150 numbers
• $75 for 300 numbers  (Best Value)

** Tickets must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 27, 2022 to be eligible for the Grand Prize draw on Friday, January 28, 2022.

Questions about the draw can be sent to info@thunderbay5050.ca. Ticket purchasers must be present in Ontario to purchase and 18 years old or older. The Thunder Bay 50/50 continues each month with the Grand Prize drawn on the last Friday of the month.

2022 Lottery licence RAF1222518

Click here to submit your vote: https://wttvoting.tbrhsc.net

Shared on behalf of Adam Vinet, Executive Vice President, Patient Experience & Chief Nursing Executive

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I am pleased to present my final update of 2021. It has been a challenging year in health care and beyond, yet I am astounded by the resilience of our staff, inspired by the commitment to patients and families, and encouraged by our willingness to collaborate in finding solutions to our challenges.

I am extremely proud of the successes achieved to date. Below are a few highlights of the work since my last update, as well as some activities that are planned in the new year.

Progress Updates:

• Increased Staffing Clerk FTE approved by SLC in order to reduce backlogs and improve timing of calls for advance shifts.
• Daily Staffing Clerk huddles at beginning of each shift to share information and ensure smooth transition between shifts.
• The Staffing Office regular weekend business hours will be extended to 10:00 p.m. beginning December 27, 2021.
• ICU Clerk scheduling trial from November 22 to February 22 where immediate needs and sick calls are managed at unit level.
• Development of a tool for Unit Care Aide requests that will allow for better tracking of UCA utilization as well as assist Managers/Unit Leaders, Admin Coordinators, and Staffing Office in the prioritization of filling
• UCA requests.
• Staffing Office leadership and clerks have identified and prioritized 27 internal process improvements and are co-designing and trialing solutions for many of these.
• Master rotation reviews for areas of highest need.

Next Steps:

• The current spring hire processes is under review; a proposal regarding improvements is forthcoming and will include recommendations such as extending the length of orientation for new staff.
• Finalize the approval of financing for a new automated scheduling system that will allow for greater autonomy and ability to view schedules from home.
• Formation of working group to choose and implement a real-time acuity tool and leverage this tool to assess patient acuity and inform staffing requirements/gaps at the start of every shift.

Advancement of the major initiatives as well as trials of small improvements will continue into the next year. I often reflect on the quote “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” Although we may not always get it perfect the first time, we must never stop seeking continuous improvement. Whether that be in large steps such a introducing a new organizational scheduling software tool or by making small improvements in the way we perform our day to day tasks such as how we document and communicate an available shift. All these things matter, and will bring us a step closer to better communication, better work environments, and a more fulfilling work experience for all staff.

In order to measure the impact of these improvement initiatives over time, front line staff are invited to participate in a quick survey. The survey will be repeated periodically over the next twelve to eighteen months as we continue to implement changes.

The survey is open until January 21, 2022.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H9NFSQR

For more information, please contact any member of the Staffing Project Planning Team:

Angela Kutok, Performance Improvement Consultant, kutoka@tbh.net

Dawna Maria Perry, Director, Nursing Practice, perryd@tbh.net

Jordan Stokes, Practice Coordinator, Nursing Resource Team, stokesj@tbh.net

Laura Macgowan, Manager, Labour Relations, macgowal@tbh.net

Lori Neri, Staffing Coordinator, neril@tbh.net

Michael Del Nin, Director, Strategy and Performance, delninm@tbh.net

Rita Grenier Buchan, Manager, Nursing Resource Team and Staffing, grenierr@tbh.net

Prevention and Screening Clinical Services invites you to join the Healthy Living and Cancer Prevention & Screening Series on Thursday, January 20th at 2:00 pm for a presentation entitled ‘Healthy in 2022: What can I do? How do I start?’

Join Dr. Newhouse to learn about the benefits of physical activity and how you can start moving today. During this session, Dr. Remus will be sharing information on spinal health and guide you through some basic stretches to support good back health.

The Healthy Living and Cancer Prevention & Screening Series provides ongoing education and awareness about chronic disease prevention, cancer prevention and screening for Indigenous communities, partners and organizations throughout Northwestern Ontario.

Register for this virtual event at the following link: https://thunderbayhospitals.webex.com/thunderbayhospitals/onstage/g.php?MTID=ed15e285b6eeb6e799f4a03a64691e5f8