VIHA One of Canada s Top 100 Employers. Happy Holidays to all A message from our President and CEO

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1 A newsletter for staff, physicians, volunteers and affiliates of the Vancouver Island Health Authority Happy Holidays to all A message from our President and CEO As 2012 draws to an end and homes and businesses begin to light up for the Christmas season, we start to reflect on the upcoming holidays. I hope that for all of you, it is a time for relaxing with family and friends and reflecting on our many blessings. The work we do at VIHA is both rewarding and challenging. You can all take pride in what we have accomplished together this past year as we have continued to provide excellent care and support to the patients and communities we serve. Whether your work involves comforting patients, working in an operating room, delivering laundry, planning the construction of a new facility, managing a technology challenge, working the late shift in an emergency department, or carrying out any of the myriad of other duties undertaken by our staff, the work you do is important and valued. For those of you who will be working during the holidays I extend my heartfelt thanks. To our physician partners, and volunteers, thank you for your contribution to VIHA s success. Your efforts to provide quality health care to the people we serve is greatly appreciated. People who work in health care are caring professionals committed to the service of others. This spirit of care is core to the work that we all do. With your continued commitment to our core values Courage, Aspire, Respect and Empathy we will achieve our vision of excellent care for everyone, everywhere, every time, and create healthier, stronger communities and a better quality of life for those we touch. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the senior leadership team, I would like to thank you for your service and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. ~ Howard Waldner, President and CEO VIHA One of Canada s Top 100 Employers For the fourth year in a row, VIHA was named one of Canada s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. Howard Waldner, VIHA s CEO received the award on behalf of the organization at Canada s Top 100 awards ceremony in November. The competition aims to identify employers that lead in their industries by providing exceptional workplaces for their employees. VIHA is the only health authority in Canada to receive this award. Mediacorp identified a number of initiatives VIHA has implemented to attract and retain staff including: Ongoing support for staff training and skills development Excellent salary and benefits program Health and family friendly Encourages commuting by bike and transit VIHA CEO Howard Waldner (left) accepts Canada s Top 100 Employers award on behalf of VIHA. We are the only health authority in Canada to achieve this national honour, noted Waldner. I want to thank our 18,000 staff, 1,700 physicians, 3,600 volunteers, and the many contracted support workers for choosing VIHA to develop their careers. As the Island s largest employer, our goal is to continue to be a career destination. Congratulations to the entire VIHA team for making this such a great place to work. A full list of the Top 100 employers, including detailed reasons for VIHA s selection, can be found at December 2012

2 Share your success stories with your VIHA Peers. A special place for Parksville families Welcome to Family Place in Parksville. This brand new building houses not only VIHA s Public Health program but also the Ministry of Children and Family Development and School District 69. Along with these important resources, there are a number of programs available including Triple P Parenting (positive parenting) workshops, Baby and Me, a speech therapist, public From left: VIHA Family Support Worker Judy Richardson, shares nutritious dinner inspirations with mums Brittany, Tiffany and Heather in the teaching kitchen at Family Place. health nurses, youth clinic, Aboriginal education, BLT (Building Learning together), breastfeeding support, vision screening, and of course immunization and flu clinics. Opening in January is Munchinkin Land, an early learning centre. This is an adventure into new opportunities for the partners at Family Place (FP). While there are other shared facilities around the Island, the vision for FP is that by working together and sharing the same space there will be opportunities for increased integration of services for families and collaboration between practices. The building is designed with all the facilities for families located on the first floor and staff offices on the second floor. These shared spaces don t belong to any one group, encouraging collaboration among the partners. For instance, speech therapists can use the children s area to conduct testing and teach parents, all in a family-friendly, playroom setting. There is a teaching kitchen next to the child-minding area where parents can prepare nutritious meals, learn about family dinners and eat together. There will be opportunities to integrate the services VIHA provides with the other services delivered to families at this location. VIHA is also building a strong link between Oceanside and Family Place to ensure there is a close collaboration between these two important facilities. To the nurses of 4 South at Royal Jubilee Excerpt from a patient letter: Thank you for helping me ask for help when I need it Thank you for the infinite number of ice cubes you brought me Thank you for watching amazing electrical storms from my room Thank you for making me feel like a normal person and not a walking kidney Thank you for making me laugh when I wanted to cry Thank you for taking extra time to help me feel better, change bandages, get things from across the room and rarely making me feel like you were under any pressure But most of all, thank you for treating me like family or a good friend. I think you are all amazing women and men. If I have to be in the hospital, I want to spend my time with you guys. ~ Jennifer We sharing your stories A Round of Applause for Shiv Grewal The Communications and Public Relations team would like to thank everyone at VIHA for providing us with great stories, anecdotes and photos for our publications throughout the year. Currents and A Healthier You magazine are all about VIHA and the people who work here and we love having the opportunity to tell your stories. From our team to yours, we wish you a very Happy Holiday and all the best for the New Year, and please, keep those stories coming! The 6 South Team has some kind words to share about Shiv: You are amazing at getting to the heart of a problem, coming up with a solution and making it happen smoothly so that the entire team patient, family, staff is happy! You are wonderful. Shiv Grewal Page 2

3 Need to change your Currents mailing address or reduce your copy count? Get to know... Kimberly Hunter Nurse Practitioner, Cardiac Care Unit at Royal Jubilee Hospital Kimberly Hunter is VIHA s first Nurse Practitioner (NP) to work in an acute care facility. VIHA is proud to employ 24 nurse practitioners, most working in primary practice in community and rural locations. Kimberly is the exception, working on the cardiac ward at the Patient Care Centre at Royal Jubilee. Nurse practitioners (registered nurses with advanced education and training) are able to prescribe medication, request diagnostic treatments and provide ongoing health care in a variety of settings. Kimberly is part of the multi-disciplinary team looking after cardiac patients postoperatively. We work collaboratively, each of us bringing our own skill set to ensure patients get the very best care and treatment. Passionate about her work, Kimberly brings a primary health care approach to this acute care setting. Her training and experience lead her to think about how the patient will recover in his or her home, right from their first day on the floor. I m on the floor all day, five days a week, so I get to know patients and their families, giving me an Kimberly Hunter I m on the floor all day, five days a week, so I get to know patients and their families, giving me an understanding of what it might be like for them when they are discharged home. ~Kimberly Hunter Nurse Practitioner understanding of what it might be like for them when they are discharged home, notes Kimberly. I m a resource for staff and because I m right there, I m available to deal with complex post-op cases and complications that need immediate attention. I spend time in the community as well, adds Kimberly. I participate in the Heart to Heart presentations for recovering patients and it is so rewarding when I meet someone I have helped recover who is now out attending wellness classes. Nurse practitioners are a growing force in healthcare; the BC Government has made adding more nurse practitioners a priority and has committed to fund 190 new NP positions over the next three years. VIHA s CEO gets a first hand look at what it s like to be a nurse practitioner VIHA s leadership is committed to staying in touch across departments and across the region. Executives are encouraged to spend a day each year walking in staff shoes by jobshadowing a front line staff member. Recently, VIHA s President and CEO Howard Waldner spent a day with Kimberly Hunter, Nurse Practitioner (see profile, at left) working in the Cardiac Care ward at the Patient Care Centre at RJH. Spending the day with Kimberly provided great insight into the cardiac unit, said Waldner. It also afforded an opportunity to learn about the role of the nurse practitioner working in an acute care setting. Attending the morning staff briefing, listening to the issues and watching how Kimberly interacted Spending the day with the team and with with Kimberly patients gave Mr. provided great insight Waldner a real sense of into the cardiac unit, how nurse practitioners said Waldner. It also complement the entire afforded an team. Not only do they opportunity to learn work collaboratively with about the role of the physicians and nursing nurse practitioner staff, they are there to working in an acute support the patient and their family. care setting. ~Howard Waldner This job-shadow President and CEO provided a real learning experience and I am very grateful to Kimberly for spending the time with me, noted Waldner. Nurse practitioners are a key component of the interdisciplinary teams that will be an important part of health care in the future. We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. Page 3 ~ Walt Disney

4 We re on the web! Visit for archived editions of Currents Vancouver Island Volunteers Abroad team supports health care in Haiti A team of 30 volunteers recruited from VIHA sites in Campbell River, Nanaimo and Victoria travelled to Port au Prince, Haiti, this fall to work alongside clinicians at the Bernard Mevs Medishare Hospital. The Vancouver Island Volunteers Abroad (VIVA) team at the Bernard Mevs Medishare Hospital, Port au Prince, Haiti. The team, which adopted the name Vancouver Island Volunteers Abroad (VIVA), included pediatric general and ICU/ PICU RNs and a pediatrician, emergency physicians and nurses, respiratory and physical therapists, medicine and ICU RNs and physicians, general and orthopedic surgeons and anesthetists, a radiology technologist and radiologist and a pharmacist. It is always enlightening learning how different cultures and populations view and deal with health and sickness, said physiotherapist Jane Trepanier. We all had an agenda to teach and share our professional knowledge and expertise but I came home feeling like I was the one who had been educated. The 50-bed hospital in Haiti s capital has the only critical care facilities in the country of close to 10 million. The VIVA team is planning a second trip this spring to continue development of the hospital. Been here awhile? Let s celebrate! It s that time of year again! The Long Service & Retirement Recognition (LSRR) events are just around the corner. Staff and volunteers who have reached their 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or 55 milestone years of service in the year 2012 should expect to receive information sent to their home in mid December. The 2012 Long Service & Retirement Recognition program will be recognizing staff that have start dates of 1961; 1966; 1971; 1976; 1981; 1986; 1991 and Check out the LSRR website at recognition/longservice for more information. Happy 25th Birthday, Dufferin Place Residents, staff, volunteers, and special guests gathered for cake and reminiscences at Dufferin Place for a celebration marking the 25 th anniversary of the residential care facility. VIHA Board Chair Don Hubbard, Nanaimo-Cowichan MP Jean Crowder, Nanaimo MLA Leonard Krog and Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan paid tribute to the staff, Volunteers and staff associated with the facility from the start joined the board chair for a group photo at the mid- November event. From left: Lynne Tourond, Charlene Singbeil, Gerry Barr, Vivian Scott, Colleen Evans, Debbie Ziprick, Madeleine Brick, Sally Rozanno, Don Hubbard and Cindy Strandberg. volunteers, residents and family members who have contributed to creating the welcoming environment at the facility since Hubbard also acknowledged Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation and the Nanaimo Hospital Auxiliary as wonderful friends to Dufferin Place. Page 4

5 December 2012 Violence Prevention Policies - Promoting Safety for All VIHA s Violence Prevention Task Force has developed new system wide policies to prevent violence in our workplaces. The new policies cover four key areas: Weapons and prohibited items in the workplace Working Alone or in Isolation Transporting clients in Vehicles or Boats in Coastal Communities Restraints and managing unsafe patient behaviour The policies were created with input from all program areas, and included engagement of front line staff, physicians, educators, leaders, protection services officers and patients. Weapons and Prohibited Items Weapons and other dangerous items are not allowed in VIHA facilities. VIHA has two policies in place that work together to minimize the risk of injury, harm and violence to staff, patients and the public: Weapons and Prohibited Items in the Workplace Policy, and Searching Patients Belongings, Room & Person for Weapons & Prohibited Items Policy. Key points from the policies include: Staff should never work in a setting or situation where weapons or prohibited items pose a safety risk Under specific circumstances, specially trained staff can seek consent and search a patient s belongings or room in a VIHA facility The policies and associated procedures provide restrictions on the conduct of search and a common approach that respects rights and privacy, while meeting safety regulations. You can find out more about what you need to know, and what you need to do in regards to these policies on the Occupational Health and Safety website. Did you know? A recent report of searches by VIHA Protection Services Officers detailed nearly 150 searches that have taken place in our hospitals. Items seized in searches of patients, rooms or belongings included: *Knives *Guns *Nunchaks *Syringes Staying Safe While Working Alone Many VIHA staff work alone or in isolation when providing care to clients. The Working Alone or in Isolation Policy is in place to protect their safety and security. WorkSafe BC regulations require staff to have access to resources and help to mitigate or reduce the risk of injury, harm or violence. The Working Alone or in Isolation, and Transporting Clients policies support this requirement. Find out more on the Occupational Health and Safety website. Find more information on how you can stay safe on the job on our website

6 Injuries from Violence There have been 415 violent incidents reported at VIHA this year. 140 resulted in no injury, but it is still important they were reported, to ensure we learn from each incident, and prevent further incidents from occurring. Incidents involving patients and staff should be reported in the Patient Safety Learning System and the Workplace Health Call Centre. Restraints and Managing Unsafe Patient Behaviour Spotlight on Safety Tracy Larsen Safety and Prevention Team Leader Tracy Larsen has covered a lot of ground in her 23 years working at VIHA and its predecessors. She has worked from Acute, Residential and Home and Community sites performing a variety of Human Resources and Occupational Health and Safety roles. But her passion is safety, and in her job in OH&S, the biggest reward is hearing from staff that they feel safer on the job as a result of her work. One of Tracy s recent highlights was the HEABC Golden Apple Award for VIHA s Safety Profile Risk Assessment. When Musculoskeletal Injury was the biggest impact of violence, following by psychological trauma. Research shows there are many negative consequences when restraints are used to manage unsafe patient behaviour, but there are occasions where this last resort is needed to keep patients and staff safe. The Restraints and Alternative Ways of Managing Unsafe Patient Behaviour Policy recognizes that patients have the right to be free from restraints unless they are a serious danger to themselves and others, and all other strategies to manage unsafe behaviour have been exhausted. If restraints are needed, the following procedures must be used: You must get consent except in an emergency. Emergency procedures are also outlined in the policy. Only use VIHA-approved physical restraints The restraint must be least restrictive for the situation and used for the least amount of time possible. You can find more information on the restraints policy on the OH&S website. Proud grandma Tracy with one-year-old Ella she s not at work, Tracy loves to spend time with her granddaughter Ella, her Pug Gus, as well as her husband of 30 years and their two amazing daughters. Find more information on how you can stay safe on the job on our website Violence Impacts Everyone When violence occurs in healthcare, it impacts providers, patients, and witnesses. Violence Prevention is about staff and patient safety. Patients and their families may act inappropriately due to fear, grief or stress. After an incident, they may feel remorse and embarrassment, or be concerned about their future relationship with their care providers. Providers are impacted by physical and/or verbal violence. They can be injured or suffer psychological trauma. Witnesses may be left feeling unsafe in the environment where the incident occurred. Violent incidents can also diminish the therapeutic relationship we strive for to meet the needs of our patients. Everyone s health and safety is at stake when violence occurs. Tracey Newlands, Project Director, Staff Safety & Injury Prevention Are you immunized against influenza? Click here for info on your responsibility to protect patients.

7 Emergency Management& W O R K I N G T O G E T H E R F O R A S A F E H E A L T H A U T H O R I T Y Business Continuity (EMBC) Y E A R I N R E V I E W D E C E M B E R VIHA s EMBC moves to provincial focus VIHA s Emergency Management and Business Continuity (EMBC) department plays a vital role in preparing our sites and programs to respond to small and catastrophic emergencies and disasters and to make sure our clinical providers, business and administrative functions and systems are ready to care for patients in the event of a disaster. In November, it was announced that the emergency management functions of all the health authorities would be consolidated into a single program with the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). VIHA emergency management staff will continue to work in VIHA sites and plan for disasters and emergencies in VIHA locations; the only change is that they will be part of a broader team of health emergency planners and report through to PHSA instead of VIHA. This province wide health emergency management change aims to support alignment across BC of health emergency management services with the Ambulance Service and other Tsunami Notifications programs important to supporting patient care. It will also strengthen overall response capacity, reduce system-wide risk and provide for a better sharing of skills, experience and resources across the health care system. Transition planning is beginning, with the transfer to happen early next year. VIHA s emergency management leadership staff are committed to maintaining a strong local emergency management presence in our hospitals and communities. Norma Jones, Corporate Director Emergency Management and Business Continuity Vancouver Island Tsunami Zones On October, 27th,2012, Haida Gwaii had a 7.7 magnitude earthquake which generated tsunami warnings all along coastal British Columbia and Washington State. There are six types of tsunami notifications: Tsunami Warning: (highest and most serious level of notification) is issued when there is an imminent threat of a tsunami or confirmation of a tsunami wave. Tsunami Advisory: Is issued when there is the threat of a tsunami that has the potential to produce strong, dangerous currents for a person on, in or near the water. Beaches & marinas may be evacuated. Tsunami Watch: An advance alert based on information that an area could be impacted if a tsunami is generated from identified seismic activity. People should prepare for possible evacuation if their local area is upgraded to a tsunami warning. Tsunami Information Message: This message is provided following a seismic activity event without any confirmation of a tsunami. Tsunami Cancellation: This message is issued when a tsunami watch or warning message was generated AND there was has been no subsequent damaging wave activity. Tsunami All Clear Message: This message is generated when a tsunami has occurred and there is no further threat. If a tsunami warning is issued for your community, always move to higher ground! For more information, visit: B

8 P A G E 2 Congratulations to our ShakeOut Emergency Preparedness kit winners: Karen Coles Linda Barnes Peter Carter Nancy Clements Carol Petrie Laureen Richards Develop the plan Plan to exercise! Dr. Steven Thicke, SPH Emergency Physician and Incident Commander. In the past year, the EMBC team has worked diligently with internal and external stakeholders to initiate development of disaster/emergency response plans across the organization. Once plans are developed they need to be exercised and the lessons learned incorporated into the plan. In conjunction with the plan development at a few sites and in collaboration with key stakeholders, our team has utilized a variety of strategies to exercise disaster response. Dr. B. Irvine & SPH Emergency Department staff assess patient from airport exercise. Sites that have participated are: Tofino General Hospital (Code Red & Mass Casualty); Lady Minto Hospital (Code Red); Campbell River Hospital (Code Orange/Mass Casualty) Saanich Peninsula Hospital (Code Orange in conjunction with the Victoria Airport Authority). E-learning modules for Code Orange now available! Malcolm Pallos Lynn Hillis Phylis Baikie Dr. Brendan Carr Eileen Goudy Don t Forget! Emergency Preparedness Week is: May 5-11th, 2013 Are you prepared? A Code Orange is also known as a mass casualty or disaster event. In VIHA, this code is declared when the number of people requiring services and care, overwhelms the emergency department and the healthcare system and external resources are required. While a Code Orange may impact every department within the facility the focus of this module is emergency department (ED) staff. A short (20-30 minute) e-learning module will assist ED staff to familiarize themselves with the information, resources, supports and protocols that are available to prepare for and respond when a Code Orange is declared within their facility. This module is readily available to any interested staff on Learning Management System (LMS) online. Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) 2012 Deployment Above: Clinical Education in the Mobile Medical Unit. Dr. G. Laxdal (CRH), Dr. P. Luke (SJGH) & Sue Munro, RN (Manager, EMBC) practice their skills during a patient simulation exercise at Campbell River Hospital. In September 2012, the Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) visited rural and community sites in centre and north island (Tofino, Port McNeill & Campbell River). The focus of this deployment was interdisciplinary education for trauma and mass casualty events in addition to staff familiarization with the mobile unit. Taken one step further, Campbell River and St. Joseph s Hospital physicians, staff and BCAS participants engaged in a simulated mass casualty event using the MMU as an extension of their emergency department (see photo to left). Planning for next year s deployment will be commencing soon. Thank you to all the sites that we visited this year for your participation and enthusiasm! E M E R G E N C Y M A N A G E M E N T & B U S I N E S S C O N T I N U I T Y ( E M B C )

9 Y E A R I N R E V I E W VIHA Shakes Out in provincial earthquake exercise P A G E 3 On October 18th, at 10:18 am, VIHA participated in the provincial ShakeOut exercise. This year the exercise focus was on testing our internal & external communication systems within our Emergency Operations Centres (EOC). Leadership responded to various EOC sites and activated to a full response level. The exercise was successful and provided positive feedback and opportunities for improvement. Staff throughout the health authority practiced Drop, Cover and Hold and clinical areas were encouraged to take part in safety huddles. Planning for next years ShakeOut exercise has already begun and EMBC will be conducting a scenario based exercise in coordination of the EOC activations. Next year s ShakeOut will take place on: October 17th, 2013 at 10:17 hrs. Photos: Practicing Drop, Cover and Hold in VIHA s executive office (left) and in the Courtenay Health Protection and Environmental Services office (above). Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) VIHA has added disaster response capability by developing Emergency Operation Centres (EOC) at 3 sites this year: NRGH, CRH and SJGH. This is in addition to the RJH EOC developed last year. Next year we will be focusing on VGH and SPH. An EOC is a pre-designated location set up separately from the incident, where VIHA leadership gathers to support the incident responders. The EOC is a management resource used to strengthen regular management capacity during the time of a major emergency or disaster. The EOC Responsibilities include: Policy-direction & support Information collection, evaluation and display Coordination of resources Establish priorities & create action plans Internal and external communications Public information/warnings Direct what needs to happen not how it happens If we fail to plan we plan to fail. Be a ham!...a HAM operator, that is A significant part of any disaster response is communications. Recent international disasters have shown us that amateur radio is often the only method of communication that may be available. VIHA s EMBC program has included amateur radio equipment in the EOC development and is now in search of volunteer amateur radio operators to assist with disaster communication (if required). To date, 17 VIHA staff have taken the Amateur Radio course. If this is something that you would like to be a part of and/or would like more information please contact: Deb Exelby at or her at: deborah.exelby@viha.ca

10 Evacuation Assembly Areas Building evacuations, while very rare, are sometimes necessary in health care facilities. In the event of an emergency, you may be directed by VIHA Protection Services, Emergency Responders (Police/Fire) or VIHA leadership to move to another area on the same floor (horizontal evacuation) or to move down a floor (vertical evacuation). Only in exceptional circumstances will there be a building evacuation. If you are instructed to leave a building, make your way to an Assembly Area located in the parking lots of VIHA s acute care facilities (residential sites soon to follow). Signs marking the area are posted and these locations have been identified as the safest places to gather. Designated areas can be located in your unit/department disaster plans. Staff leadership is reminded to take staffing/patient lists with you to verify the safety of staff & patients. All staff and physicians are encouraged to familiarized themselves with their evacuation route to the closest Assembly Area. Emergency Colour Code QuickStep Guides The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) Emergency Colour Code Quickstep guide includes procedures to ensure VIHA staff members are able to respond to an emergency or disaster, with an effective, coordinated approach. It is the responsibility of each staff member to be knowledgeable and understand these procedures and expectations should such an emergency occur. Currently, the guides have been distributed to all acute care facilities. Guides for Residential Services will roll out in If you would like hard copies of the guide for your acute site, please contact EMBC: embc@viha.ca Are you prepared? Wanting to learn how to create your own kit? Visit our intranet site for more information on Emergency Preparedness kits and where to purchase! Contact us: Emergency Management & Business Continuity Program Gorge Road Hospital 63 Gorge Road East Victoria, British Columbia V9A 1L2 Phone: embc@viha.ca EMBC On Call 24/ Preparedness is Everyone's Responsibility