Meeting link: http://tbh.net/hgt
Contact: Samantha Morris, morrissa@tbh.net

Please join us in celebrating the upcoming retirement of Cathy Paroschy Harris.

Date: Friday March 26, 2021
Time: 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm with formal presentation beginning at 2 pm
Location: https://tbh.net/cphretirement/
Meeting number: 129 779 7949
Meeting password: CPH2021

If you would like to sign the Virtual Guestbook, contribute to a gift, or present Cathy with a gift, please contact Ann-Marie Cline at clinea@tbh.net for more information before March 26th.

Sent on behalf of Dr. Peter Voros, Incident Manager

---

An outbreak of COVID-19 is declared on our 1A Medicine unit. The health and safety of all staff, professional staff, patients and the community is our utmost priority.

The decision to declare or end an outbreak is made in collaboration with Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU). The Ontario Ministry of Health defines a COVID-19 outbreak in a public hospital as: Two or more laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases (patients and/or staff) within a specified area (unit/floor/service) within a 14-day period where both cases could have reasonably acquired their infection in the hospital.

The low threshold for declaring an outbreak ensures that outbreak management measures, including increased infection prevention and control practices, can be put in place swiftly to contain any further spread. In collaboration with TBDHU, a thorough assessment of the situation is underway, including contact tracing and enhanced surveillance and testing activities. Anyone who is considered to be at risk will be notified.

As a precautionary measure, there will be no admissions to 1A Medicine until further notice. For the safety of all, Essential Care Partners will not be permitted in 1A Medicine or 1A Oncology until the outbreak is resolved. Additional measures may be taken as needed to manage the situation.

This outbreak, combined with high numbers of admitted patients who are COVID-19 positive and the heightened need for critical care services, has prompted our Incident Management Team to advance our hospital’s internal COVID-19 pandemic response from Red (Control) to Grey (Lockdown). This involves additional strategies to make both space and staff available to respond to increasing critical care needs. Medical and administrative leaders are investigating options regarding patient transfers, reduced elective procedures and alternative spaces to provide care within the hospital. Information will be provided as decisions are confirmed. 

Sincere appreciation is extended to leadership, staff and professional staff for outstanding support and professionalism at this challenging time. Our collective empathy and ongoing diligence to infection control protocols will see us through this. If you need additional support, please access resources available at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/staff-wellness-resources/.

All Hospital COVID-19 updates are also available on the iNtranet at https://comms.tbrhsc.net/covid-19-information/

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 2:00 a.m., clocks and watches spring ahead one hour to change to Daylight Saving Time.

The accuracy of time is very important to ensuring safety at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. It is of importance not only for scheduling procedures and staffing, but also for charting accuracy and medication dispensing.

At 2:00 a.m. all electronic clocks that are controlled by the system (NICU, ICU, etc.) will be moved ahead to Daylight Saving Time automatically. Any final adjustments will be completed by 5:00 a.m. If any of these system clocks are not updated by 8:00 a.m., please contact the Maintenance Department. All departments will be responsible for changing the time on any battery operated clocks in their area. Desktop computers will automatically change to Standard Time.

Please ensure that your personal watches/devices are updated and that any clocks
in your area are adjusted in a timely manner.

Maintenance Contact Number: Ext. 6340

BLS Renewal Prerequisite Challenge: https://resuscitation.heartandstroke.ca/resources/other/bls_training

Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/bls-renewal-course-march-tickets-144225790221

March 8th is International Women’s Day, a global day of recognition celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls, and raising awareness of the work left to be done.

To help mark this special occasion, we’d like to share a message from Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President & CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute: 

It’s International Women’s Day and I would like to acknowledge and celebrate all the amazing women who work at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. Their kindness is symbolic of what it means to be human — while their strength and spirit is almost inhuman. Like all of our staff, these women are committed to professionalism and public service each and every day. During the pandemic for the past year, many have been pulling double duty by going home after a shift at the Hospital only to continue working as caregivers, parents, and children of aging parents. They are often quiet warriors and unsung heroes. Please join me in celebrating their leadership at work, at home and in the community. Thank you to all from the bottom of my heart on International Women’s Day.

Our team is extraordinary! All staff and professional staff play a vital role in Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for keeping our community safe and for providing exceptional care for patients and families.