View File - Cape Breton District Health Authority

January 2010
In the News
Page 1 Digest Returns
Page 2 Bulletin Board
ICMH Campaign Passes Goal
World COPD Day/Addictions Week
Patient Safety Snippets
Page 3 100 Years of Nursing
Page 4 & 5 Site Snaps
Page 6 Highlights 2009
Page 7 When You Can’t Breathe
Page 8 Hand Hygiene
Retirees 2009
Taigh Solas Donation
Olympic Torch Stops at
Taigh Na Mara
Residents and staff at Taigh Na
Mara became a part of history
when the Olympic Torch stopped
at the facility during its relay
through Cape Breton in November. Here torch bearers Taylor
MacInnis of Glace Bay and Trina
Doucette of Ingonish pose with
residents Don Garnier and
James Milne.
Cape Breton County
Vol. 10, No. 1
IT’S BACK! THE DIGEST RETURNS
Welcome to
the first issue of
the Digest for
2010!
It has been a
while since our
last issue back in
September, before H1N1 hit
and turned life as
everyone knew it
upside down.
Because the
situation with
H1N1 was changing daily
(sometimes hourly), all of our
department’s attention was focused on the pandemic. As a result, projects that weren’t linked
to H1N1 were put on the back
burner, including the Digest.
That being said, while we
were dealing with H1N1, life
didn’t stop in the District. It
might have slowed a bit but
there was still a lot of news happening,
This brings us to where we
are now. In this issue, we try to
cover off as much of the past
three months as possible. Some
of it, you’ll see in the Site Snaps
on Pages 4 & 5. Some other
Central and Northern Inverness County
events are summarized in the
“Highlights 2009”
section on Page 6.
Unfortunately, we
weren’t able to get
everything in this
issue but what we
didn’t use this
time, we’ll put in
the next issue.
As always,
we welcome your
suggestions, submissions and story ideas. The
deadline for the Digest is the 15th
of every month. Our contact information is in the lower right hand
corner on the Page 8.
Anyway, we’re sorry it has
taken so long to put a new Digest
together and we thank you for
your patience. Next year we’ll
make sure the Digest gets its
H1N1 shot!
Enjoy this issue!
Public Affairs Department
Victoria County
Page 2
ICMH CAMPAIGN SURPASSES GOAL
Need Uniforms?
Just a reminder to all staff who are
entitled to uniforms under their collective agreements and who have not
ordered from Belmac yet, you only
have only till March 31, 2010 to do
so. After this date, no orders for the
prior year will be accepted.
Med School Wants Feedback
Dalhousie Medical School is developing a new curriculum for medical
students and is touring the Maritimes
to get public feedback in order to create the new curriculum. Representatives will be in hosting a Community
Conversation on Thursday, Feb. 25 at
Horizon Achievement Centre in Sydney starting at 7p.m. Anyone can take
part. If you can’t attend the meeting,
you can still give your input by posting your comments at:
www.medicine.dal.ca/dean/
qualities.cfm
The goal of
als, local businesses
raising $1.9 miland national compalion for a major
nies. The response has
expansion and
been just outstanding renovation project
enabling us to raise
at the Inverness
over $2.2 million.”
Consolidated MeThe priorities for
morial has been
the expansion and renosurpassed in only Leo Cox, Chair, ICMH Charitable
vation project include
18 months.
improvements to the
Foundation and John van ZutOver $2.2
Emergency and Ambuphen, Chair, Always There Cammillion has been paign, after the announcement
latory Care departthat more than $2.2 has been
pledged to the
ments, the addition of
raised in support of hospital ex“Always There” pansion and renovation project.
renal dialysis services
campaign by aland the creation of a
most 500 donors, during the first
new Community Health Centre.
ever capital fundraising campaign
“Under the capable leadership of
mounted by the hospital’s Charitaour campaign chair, John van Zutphen,
ble Foundation.
and his committee of dedicated volun“Our hospital is blessed with a
teers, the people of Inverness County
wide range of supporters who truly
and beyond rose to the challenge. The
value the hospital and the tremenextraordinary support we received will
dous care provided its staff,” said
make it possible for ICMH to ensure
Leo Cox, Foundation Chair.
the highest level of medical care con“We were so touched when
tinues for our families,” Cox said.
twin girls from Little Judique chose
Following the expansion and renoto donate their birthday money to
vation project, the Foundation will
the hospital very early on in the
continue to support the hospital by ascampaign. Then the gifts continued
sisting with the purchase of new equipto come in from a wide range of
ment and enhancing programs and sercommunity organizations, individu- vices for patients and staff.
WORLD COPD DAY, ADDICTION AWARENESS WEEK
Prohibited Abbreviations are
medical abbreviations that are often
misinterpreted and can
lead to medication errors. For example,
“trailing zero” is intended to mean .0 mg
but the decimal point
can be overlooked resulting in a 10-fold
dose error. To avoid
this, never use a zero
by itself after a decimal point. Use “ mg”
instead. Stay safe!
In November, World
COPD Day and Addiction Awareness
Week were held. To
mark these events,
an information display focusing on the
theme “Breathless
Not Helpless” was
set up at the Regional Hospital. Information covered a
variety of topics including COPD, the
impact of smoking
on the lungs, stop
smoking programs,
pulmonary rehab, education and medication. From left to right: Pat Steele,
Cape Breton Chest Clinic; Carol Ferguson, Heart and Lung Wellness Centre; Lauren Kelloway, Pharmacy and Meaghan Grant, Addiction Services.
Page 3
Above: Nurses across Nova Scotia celebrated 100
years in Nursing with a variety of events. Here a
group of retired nurses take in the Nursing Artifact
Display at the Cape Breton University Art Gallery.
The display was one of three celebrations held in
the local area.
Above: As part of the Florence Nightingale Tea, attendees visited a small artifact display. Looking at graduation photos from the Glace Bay Nursing School class of
1949 are Gladys (Phillips) Smith, Susan Gouthro, Clotilda Yakimchuk and Marion Hopkins.
In 2009, the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia, celebrated its centennial. Locally, three events
were held to recognize this milestone. In June, a Florence Nightingale Tea, sponsored by the District was
held. The tea raised $1,000 which was donated to the Cape Breton Cancer Centre and Palliative Care.
In September, two more events were held. The first was an Artifact Display at the Cape Breton University
Art Gallery. The second was an Ecumenical Service at Bethyl Presbystarian Church that was attended by
Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis. Both events were well attended.
As part of the celebration, awards of distinction were given to nurses across the province. Nurses with a
Cape Breton connection who were honoured include: Sibella Barrington, Isabel Crawford, Mabel Dubbin,
Sr. Catherine Gerard Herlihy, Rhoda MacDonald, Marion Hopkins, Jean MacLean, June Rushton, Frances
Moss, Bev Justin-Muldoon, Sr. Simone Roach, Gladys Smith, Jean MacPhee and Clotilda Yakimchuk.
Above: John Malcom, CEO accepts $1,000 raised by the Florence Nightingale Tea from members of the local celebration
committee. Left to right: Marion Hopkins, Mildred Kettlewell,
Mary MacIsaac, John Malcom and Clotilda Yakimchuk.
Page 4
Above: The Cape Breton Regional Hospital Auxiliary
held a draw for $1,000 in cash. Making the draw was
Herb Martell, Security Coordinator. He’s joined by
Auxiliary members Jackie MacKinnon, Juliet Rovello,
Ruth Griffin, Auxiliary President and Auxiliary members Judy Lawrence and Cookie Power.
Above: In August, Natalie MacMaster and
Friends generously contributed their time and
talent to a dance at the Judique Community Centre in support of the Inverness Hospital Foundation “Always There” Campaign. Everyone who
attended will remember an incredible night of
moving music for a long time to come. This
dance was organized by the Foundation.
Left: In October, Lisa Hurd performed the Aviva
Ravel’s play "Dance like a Butterfly " at the Regional
Hospital and Northside General. Set in a hospital
room, Hurd plays Tillie Rheinblatt, a spirited 85 year
old woman who loves life but is realizing that she
may not be able to live the rest of her life entirely on
her own terms. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad but
always insightful, Hurd brought Tillie’s story to life
and took the audience with her on Tillie’s journey.
About 80 people attended the two performances.
Right: In June, the Northside Hospital Foundation was
able to provide funding to assist employees registered
for a Neuro-Developmental Therapy course which was
held at Harbour View Hospital in Sydney Mines. This
course is an advanced therapeutic approach that uses
hands-on techniques with individuals with neurological
challenges. The Northside Hospital Foundation provides funding to employees to enhance their skills at
Northside General and Harbour View Hospitals. Left to
right are: Melissa McDonough, Chastity Devoe & Karen
Boudreau.
Page 5
Right: The Northside Hospital Foundation's Orange County Chopper campaign
was a huge success over the summer raising more than $44,000 For the Foundation.
The Chopper was won by Jason Wison of
Coxheath. Ken Brownwell of Neil’s Harbour took home the 2nd place prize of
$5,000. Taking home the 3rd place prize of
$2,500 was Joseph Weeks of Hubbards,
NS. Pictured, left to right, with the custom
painted and signed bike are NSG foundation members Joe Marsh, Paul Jenkins
(Chair), Thom Irvine, Albert Wilkie, Kim
Brewer, Lynn Clarke (Vice-Chair) and Frances MacDougall.
Left: Members of
the Adult Day Program at Harbour
View spread
Christmas cheer by
gathering donations and nonperishable food items
for the Sydney
Mines Food Bank.
Besides the
canned goods and
nearly $200 donation the members
raised for the Food
Bank, the group
also presented
gifts to the Salvation Army for local families. Pictured making
the presentation to the Sydney Mines Food Bank is (left to right)
Eva Whitty; Steven MacKeigan, Food Bank representative; Joe
Sampson and Kevin Stairs, Recreation Therapist.
Above: Students at Boularderie Elementary
School made and presented a peace quilt to
residents of Harbour View as part of their
Remembrance Day celebrations. Pictured
with the quilt are veterans George Hiscock
(Left) and John Brown (right) both residents
of Harbour View, along with Recreation Coordinator Wil van Hal.
Left: Anne Momberquette, Jennifer MacInnis, Irene
Ellefson, Frances Ford and Paul Martin pack some
shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. About 143
boxes were gathered from staff throughout the District.
Thanks are extended to everyone who participated in
the project. Special thanks also to Stores, Gerard MacDougall, Randy Martell, Kevin Ruelland in Materiels
Management, Paul Martin and Sid Brewster and the
off site helpers and coordinators for all their help.
Page 6
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Page 7
WHEN YOU CAN’T BREATHE...NOTHING ELSE MATTERS
By Scott MacKeigan, Registered
Respiratory Therapist BHSc,
MPH, RRT, CRE
“We need an ABG on this patient to check the PaCO2. Should
we do PFTs to check the DLCO?
Can we assess their use of an
MDI? Let'
s ventilate using PRVC
and monitor the VE.”
Sound like a hodgepodge of acronyms and abbreviations? These
are things heard daily by a registered respiratory therapist (RRT).
October 25-31 marked Respiratory
Therapy Week in Canada. In Cape
Breton, RRTs hosted in-hospital seminars for healthcare staff and promoted
RT Week with an educational display
booth for the public.
Respiratory therapists are healthcare
professionals who assess, monitor and
treat individuals with respiratory and
cardio-respiratory disorders. RRTs are
an integral part of Canada'
s health care
system.
In acute care areas, they can found
on the frontlines helping patients with
breathing difficulty in the emergency
room, managing a patient airway in the
operating room, attending high risk
births and assisting babies who have
breathing problems or adjusting life
support systems in the intensive care
units.
In the home care sector, RRTs initiate oxygen for clients at home and provide therapy for those with sleep disorders.
In outpatient clinics, RRTs are responsible for performing lung function
testing and educating and counseling
patients with various lung disorders
such as asthma, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), and interstitial lung disease.
Training to become an RRT requires
graduating from an approved RT
school. In Canada, three-year diploma
training programs are offered by community colleges and institutes of tech-
Respiratory Therapists Blair
Mackie, Melini Sutherland, and
Stephanie Madill tend to a patient.
(Photo: Scott MacKeigan)
nology while universities offer
four-year degree programs. The
didactic component of the program
is provided at the college, institute
of technology or university and students receive clinical training in
hospital and home care settings.
In Atlantic Canada, the schools
include Dalhousie University (3year diploma and 4-year degree
programs), New Brunswick Community College in St. John, NB (3year diploma program with option
to continue to a degree at UNB), or
College of the North Atlantic in St.
John'
s, NF (3-year diploma with
option to continue to a degree at
MUN). Following graduation, students are eligible to write the national registration examinations of
the Canadian Board for Respiratory
Care. Successful candidates earn
the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.
Prior to 2007, licensing and
standard of practice was dictated by
the Canadian Society of Respiratory
Therapists (CSRT). The Nova Scotia government passed the Respiratory Therapists Act into law in 2007
which led to the formation of the
Nova Scotia College of Respiratory
Therapists (NSCRT). This selfregulating College sets the stan-
dards for the profession and ensures compliances with provincial
acts and related laws. Their role is
to protect the public’s interest, set
the standards for entry to practice
as well as continuation of practice,
develop a code of ethics and enforce legislation, regulation, codes
and bylaws.
The last decade has led to
a progressive increase in advanced
practice for RRTs. Most stem
from education already provided in
the Respiratory Therapy programs
across the country. Some of these advanced practices include Anaesthesia
Assistants, Rapid Response/Medical
Emergency Teams, Transport (ground
& air) RRTs, Polysomnography (sleep
medicine), and Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Throughout Canada,
RRTs have an expanding scope of
practice and work in a variety of rural,
urban, and northern settings.
In the presence of an influenza
pandemic, RRTs, and other front-line
health care providers, face a disproportionate risk of exposure to the virus
compared to the general population.
RRTs are trained to think ahead and
prepare for challenges in the practice
environment, whether it is an influenza
pandemic or other disaster (CSRT position statement, 2009). Many RRTs
were on the frontlines during the SARS
outbreaks and played a vital role in
treating the patients. This experience
prepared RRTs to be better equipped to
deal with an outbreak.
For most people, breathing is easy
and natural. Unfortunately, for thousands of Canadians, breathing is a
struggle. They might be accident victims, premature babies with immature
lungs, heart attack and stroke patients,
or people who live with a chronic lung
disease. When it comes to their care, a
respiratory therapist will likely play a
vital role on the healthcare team.
Page 8
EFFECTIVE HAND HYGIENE
There are several factors that can
reduce the effectiveness of hand
hygiene, especially
in a health care setting. Here are some
of them.
Conditions of the
skin:
It is important to
maintain skin integrity. Avoid using
hot water to rinse your hands, After
handwashing or using alcohol hand
gel, let your hands dry completely
before putting on gloves.
Hand lotions and creams:
They may help to reduce irritant
contact dermatitis.
Nails:
Long nails are difficult to clean, can
pierce gloves and harbour more microorganisms than short nails. Nails
must be kept short and clean.
Artificial nails or
nail enhancements:
These are not to be
worn by those giving
care.
Jewellery:
Hand and arm jewellery hinder hand hygiene. Rings increase
the number of microorganisms present on hands and
increase the risk of tears in gloves.
Arm jewellery, including watches,
should be removed or pushed up
above the wrist before performing
hand hygiene.
Products for hand hygiene
should be dispensed in a disposable
pump container that is not topped
up, to prevent contamination.
(Source: www.health.gov.on.ca/
english/providers/program/
infectious/diseases/bestprac/
bphh20080501 pdf
PAINTING DONATED TO TAIGH SOLAS
Local artist,
Grazyna
Radziwiko
Evancio, donated a beautiful painting
in honour of
her sister to
the staff and
residents of
Taigh Solas.
Pictured is
Evancio
along with
Thom Irvine,
Northside
Hospital
Foundation
Board Member; Barb
Devoe, RN; and residents Wallace (Chippy) Reid and Joan MacNeil.
Cape Breton County
Central and Northern Inverness County
RETIREES HONOURED
FOR 2009
In November, the District honoured
73 staff members who retired this year.
Many of the retirees were the guests of
honour at the Retirement Dinner where
they were presented with a lovely art
print and a special certificate to mark the
occasion.
This year’s retirees are:
Agnes Astephen • Clare Bishop • Mike
Boudreau • Marion Burton • Susan
Champion • Deborah Chandler • Bev
Chivari • Norma Cochrane • William
Corbett • Margaret Desveaux • Heather
Dillon • Rozanne Duffney • Deborah Eagles • Jeanette Ewing • Geraldine Ferguson • Sharon Gallagher • Marlene Gallivan • Judith Grant • Glenda Gregory •
Pat Horvath • Phyllis Letcher • Judith
Lethbridge • Ann Lewis • Ernestine MacArthur • Raylene MacAskill • Ann Marie
MacDonald • Gloria MacDonald • Ida
MacDougall • Patricia MacDougall •
Trudy MacKenzie • Carol MacKinnon •
Russell MacLean • Susan MacLean •
Judith MacLellan • Elsie MacLeod • Bev
MacMullin • Brenda MacNeil • Elizabeth
MacNeil• Patricia MacNeil • Donna
MacPhee • Priscilla MacSween • Stanley
Mah • David Manley • Donna Martell •
Christine McCall • Helen Marie
McLellan • Joan McNeil• Joan McPhee •
Catherine Melanson • Paulette Mills •
Shirley Morris • Noreen Morrison •
Danette Murphy • Georgina Newman •
Bernadette O’Connell • Ellen O’Neill •
Arlene Peach • Margaret Penny • Yvonne
Pertus• Debra Poirier • Blair Reashore •
Marguerite Ross • Bernadette Ryan •
Evelyn Schaller • Janis Smith • Cathy
Stewart • Kathleen Thomas • Sandra
Thomas • Diane Timmons • Lynn Vickers • Audrey Waye • Darlene Whitty •
Brenda Wilson
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