On 27 October 1982, July 1, which was known as Dominion Day, became Canada Day. news CENTRE WPSH weekly newsletter of West Parry Sound Health Centre June 30 to July 6 2014 Patient numbers in the Emergency Department increase significantly as soon as the summer season begins on our Canada Day weekend. We re working to improve the patient experience with changes to the Children s Area, new computer access and games, and starting our Non-Urgent Care Clinic. Read more about our ER inside this edition... Hand hygiene education - July 15 A representative from Public Health is coming to WPSHC on July 15 to provide us with hand hygiene education in the classroom from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The training will be provided in a drop-in format. This education is open to everyone: health centre and Lakeland staff and volunteers. Educational content will focus toward support staff - dietary, housekeeping, and laundry. All volunteers are encouraged to attend. CPR training A CPR course is being offered on July 28 at 4:30 p.m. in the classroom. For more information please contact Quality & Risk Manager Shannon Burrows: ext: 2440 or sburrows@wpshc.com Working to improve the Patient Experience Summer construction could increase traffic on health centre property Forest Street construction closure scheduled for July 2 to October 31 may result in additional traffic around WPSHC on Albert Street and along Ernie Eves Way. Staff and visitors are advised to use extra caution while driving and walking on health centre property.
If enough donors are interested, Canadian Blood Services will provide us with a Lifebus ride to the next blood donor clinic on July 18. Please let me know if you would be interested - jhanna@wpshc.com I leave you now with this thought... You all did an excellent job of keeping an 80-year-old Granny alive. Thank you... Celebrating CARE Celebrating CARE is a weekly feature presenting comments received from patients and families served by WPSHC. Whenever you donate blood, you can register to help WPSHC meet our commitment to support the Partners for Life Campaign. Farewell dinner for Fred Daniels Thursday July 3 Trapper s Choice Social at 5 p.m. Dinner at 5:30 R.S.V.P. - to Jim Hanna 705 746-4540 extension 4144 jhanna@wpshc.com
Learn more about our new Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Dr. Eric Hoskins was first elected to the Ontario legislature as the MPP for St. Paul s in 2009. He was re-elected in 2011 and 2014. Hoskins currently serves as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. He was appointed as Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment in February 2013, and has previously served as Minister of Children and Youth Services and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Hoskins is also a renowned humanitarian, family doctor and a proud Ontarian with a long and dedicated record of public service. After finishing his medical studies at McMaster University, and subsequently at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, Hoskins spent nearly a decade as a doctor and humanitarian in war-torn regions in Africa and around the world. From 1997 to 2000, he served as the senior advisor to then Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy on issues such as human rights, child soldiers, peacekeeping and the land-mines ban. He and his wife, Dr. Samantha Nutt, founded the international charity War Child Canada to help hundreds of thousands of children in war-affected regions across the globe. Hoskins was also Advisor to the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations in 2002-03. He has been recognized for his humanitarian work and public service. In 2008, he was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada. He has also received the Governor General s Meritorious Service Cross, and has been awarded the United Nations Lester B. Pearson Peace Medal. Hoskins and his wife have one son, Rhys. From www.health.gov.on.ca HAPPY Canada Day Flag do s and don ts Do The national flag of Canada should always fly alone on its own mast or flagpole. Don t The dimensions/proportions of the national flag of Canada have an exact ratio of 2 to 1 (twice as long as it is wide), and must not be modified. Do The national flag of Canada can be flown at night without being lit. Don t The national flag of Canada should not be written on or marked in any way, nor be covered by other objects. Do When the national flag of Canada is raised or lowered, or when it is carried past in a parade or review, people should face the flag, men should remove their hats, and all should remain silent. Don t Nothing should be pinned or sewn on the national flag of Canada. Do Half-mast the national flag of Canada on occasions when a public demonstration of sorrow is called for. Don t The national flag of Canada should never be dipped or lowered to the ground as a means of paying a salute or compliment to any person or thing. Do Replace a faded or torn flag with a new one. The correct form of disposing of an old flag is by burning it in private. Learn more about flag etiquette in Canada by visiting the Canadian Heritage website at www.pch.gc.ca
Summertime in ER is very busy, simple precautions can help you avoid a visit Make arrangements to visit your family doctor, family health team, nurse practitioner well in advance of your vacation or time at the cottage. Ensure your tetanus shots, vaccinations, medication refills are up to date. Wear sunscreen and a hat. Drink plenty of water (avoid dehydration and heat stroke). Wear proper footwear (avoid slips, strains, sprains). Be aware of your surroundings (avoid snake bites). Wear your personal flotation device (PFD) when in and around the water regardless of your age or swimming abilities. Always wear a helmet when biking, boarding, and traveling on motorized recreational vehicles. Summertime food safety When grilling, use a meat thermometer to ensure that you cook meat and poultry thoroughly. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 70 C (160 F). Also put cooked meat on a clean platter not back on the one that held the raw meat. Always keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. When you re finished eating, refrigerate leftovers promptly. Understanding the triage system in Emerg If you look around the Emergency Department you will see signs that state: Patients who require immediate attention will be seen first. Thank you for your patience. The triage system is used in order to ensure that immediate attention is given to those patients who require urgent care. Many times this c an involve saving someone s life. Patients are interviewed and assessed by a Registered Nurse soon after checking into the Emergency Department. This is called the triage process. The first assessment is made so that patients with the most serious medical needs are seen first. All patients coming into the Emergency Department are assessed on a scale of one-to-five using the information given by the patient and based on the experience of the triage nurse. All of WPSHC s Emergency Department nurses have special training in the triage process. Waiting times in our Emergency Department As part of the triage system in the ER, sometimes other patients might arrive after you and they will receive medical attention before you you will see a doctor based on your level of need. At WPSHC we know that approximately 25 percent of our patients will require immediate care. A serious medical concern is not always obvious to other patients who are waiting and this is something that causes concern that some patients are unfairly waiting longer than others. Some patients will be brought to the Emergency Department by ambulance and their arrival will not be obvious to patients in the waiting area. It is true that not everyone will wait an equal length of time, but everyone at WPSHC Emergency Department will be trea ted with fairness and respect and they will be provided with the best possible medical care. Information from our Patient and Family Education material located at www.wpshc.com Are you hosting lots of visiting family and friends this summer? CALL 911 for emergency services Be sure that all guests know your location (including your address & municipality)
ROP information taken from www.accreditation.ca ROP this week s Required Organizational Practice Accreditation Canada defines a Required Organizational Practice (ROP) as an essential practice that organizations must have in place to enhance patient/client safety and minimize risk. In the Qmentum accreditation program, ROPs are vital components of patient safety and quality improvement. Safe surgery checklist The team uses a safe surgery checklist to confirm safety steps are completed for a surgical procedure. Guidelines Surgical checklists play an important role in the provision of effective and safe surgery. Evidence demonstrates the use of safe surgery checklists reduces likelihood of complications following surgery, and may improve surgical outcomes. The purpose of a safe surgery checklist is to initiate, guide, and formalize communication among the team members conducting a surgical procedure and to integrate these steps into surgical workflow. Surgical procedures are increasingly complex aspects of health services, and represent significant risk of potentially avoidable harm. Data show substantial cost savings if surgical checklists are widely used. Semel et al estimate savings in the USA of $15-25 billion Surgical checklists have been developed by and are available from Canadian (Canadian Patient Safety Institute) and international (World Health Organization) sources. Each checklist has three phases: Briefing before the induction of anesthesia. Time out before skin incision. Debriefing before the patient leaves the OR. Tests for compliance Major - The team has agreed on a three-phase checklist to be used in the operating room. Major - The team uses the checklist for every surgical procedure Major - The team has developed a process for ongoing monitoring of compliance with the checklist. Minor - The team evaluates the use of the checklist and shares results with staff and service providers. Minor - The team uses results of the evaluation to improve the implementation of and expand the use of the checklist. Our response to this ROP WPSHC meets all of the tests for compliance. This information is publicly reported by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. WPSHC is 100 percent compliant with the use of surgical safety checklists in our Operating Room. The results of our surgical safety checklist compliance and other safety related reports can be found on our website, www.wpshc.com under Patients & Family - Patient Safety
ROP this week s Required Organizational Practice Dangerous abbreviations The organization has identified and implemented a list of abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations that are not to be used in the organization. Guidelines Medication errors are the largest identified source of preventable hospital medical error. From 2004-2006, more than 600,000 medication errors were reported to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) MEDMARX program, with a total annual cost of $3.5 billion. Five percent of those errors were attributed to abbreviation use. Misinterpreted abbreviations can result in omission errors, extra or improper doses, administering the wrong drug, or giving a drug in the wrong manner. In return this can lead to an increase in the length of stay, more diagnostic tests and changes in drug treatment. Tests for compliance Major - The list is inclusive of the abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations, as identified on the Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada s Do Not Use List. Major - The organization implements the Do Not Use List and applies this to all medication-related documentation when hand written or entered as free text into a computer. Major - The organization s preprinted forms, related to medication use do not include any abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations identified on the Do Not Use List. Major - The dangerous abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations are not used on any pharmacy-generated labels and forms. Minor - The organization educates staff about the list at orientation and when changes are made to the list. Minor - The organization updates the list and implements necessary changes to the organization s processes. Minor - The organization audits compliance with the Do Not Use List and implements process changes based on identified issues. Our response to this ROP WPSHC has a Dangerous Abbreviations in Medical Transcriptions Policy. The policy list of dangerous abbreviations is based on ISMP s Do Not Use list Pharmacy generated labels and forms and all pre-printed forms related to medication use do not contain any of WPSHC s Dangerous Abbreviations. Audits and reviews are done and education/ information is provided to staff regarding areas for improvement. The list is readily available on all patient care units and in the Pharmacy Department. WPSHC believes the elimination of dangerous abbreviations will provide safe medication practices and cultivate a culture of safety that incorporates interdisciplinary collaboration.
MONDAY Soup: Cream of spinach Chicken noodle Entree: Mushroom and mozzarella burger Sweet and sour chicken with rice TUESDAY Soup: Mediterranean vegetable Mushroom Entree: Macaroni and cheese Perogies with sour cream WEDNESDAY Soup: Low-sodium turkey rice Homemade beef barley Entree: Hot beef sandwich with vegetables Salad bar THURSDAY Soup: Pea Squash Entree: Ham broccoli pasta casserole Beef stew with tea biscuit FRIDAY Soup: Beef and noodle Cream of broccoli and cheese Entree: Fish & fries Salad bar SATURDAY Soup: Turkey and wild rice Entree: Toasted western SUNDAY Soup: Garden vegetable Entree: Chicken burger Delicious selection of made-to-order sandwiches available at our Sandwich Bar during lunch hours Monday to Friday OUR DAILY LUNCH MENU What s cooking this week... Open for lunch service from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Meal Cards can be purchased in the Cafeteria, or from the Finance Department during regular office hours - Monday to Friday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. DINNER menu Open for dinner service from 5 to 7 p.m. MONDAY Meatloaf and gravy Mashed potatoes Corn and red peppers TUESDAY Roast turkey with gravy Whipped potatoes Carrot coins WEDNESDAY Pork chop in mushroom sauce Roasted potatoes Mixed vegetables THURSDAY Chicken divan Rice pilaf French cut beans FRIDAY Roast beef with gravy Roast potatoes California mixed vegetables SATURDAY Glazed ham & baked beans Mashed potatoes Broccoli SUNDAY Beef biscuit roll with gravy Whipped potatoes Vegetable medley All weekly menus can be subject to change
We now need to create a new strategic plan and we are asking for your help. Please offer your opinion. Join us in preparing for the future delivery of health care services in our community. Please consider the following questions and provide us with your comments: Do our existing Vision, Mission, and Values accurately reflect your perceptions and expectations of WPSHC? What, if anything, would you recommend that we consider changing? Do our Values accurately describe the experience of our patients and families, staff, physicians, volunteers, and community partners? If not, how is it different? You can provide your comments online by using the Contact Us button at www.wpshc.com Do the current Strategic Issues accurately describe what the health centre s priorities should be during 2015-2020? What should be added or removed? Where should we be going? Please complete this sentence: During 2015-2020, I expect that my community hospital will...
Summer FUNd raisers! Help West Parry Sound Health Centre be ready to care for you! July 5 - The Family Fitness Festival This event in Whitestone is chock-o -block full of outdoor activities in support of replacing the health centre s 11-year-old ultra-sound machine. For a $20 entry fee you can partake in a day of family friendly activities. The 76-KM bike ride attracts serious bikers. Join Kit O Brien, our Ultra-Sound Technician, and ride for a reason! If you are a paddler, join Foundation Executive Director Lynne Atkinson as she meanders down Whitestone Lake to Longarm Bay. Contact: Festival Chair Mike Lynch bulldogreta@yahoo.com Whitestone Lake Resort Entry: $20 plus any pledges collected Bike start -10:30 Paddle start - 1:30 Swim: 2 to 3 p.m. July 9 - the annual Moose Radio-a-thon In four years the guys at the MOOSE and their loyal listeners have raised $93,288 for critical equipment at the health centre! Again this year our annual Moose Radio-a-thon promises great music and great listening! Kent Matheson will work his magic persuading you to donate and help buy our new telemetry system in ICU/Emergency. The annual Radio-a-thon is a special day with great stories and terrific music -- July 9 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 1 through July 9, Richard Bernard is running the perimeter of our catchment area. Yes, the entire 10,000 square kilometers! Richard will be collecting donations as he runs through Mactier, Rosseau, Whitestone, Port Loring, Britt, Pointe au Baril, Carling, and Nobel - until finally on the 9th day he runs into the Moose studios during the radio-a-thon. Please pledge to support Richard s Run! The Grand Finale on July 9 is a concert at the Stockey Centre featuring Pavlo on guitar.