A publication for the staff of Horizon Health Network
A soothing space New tech will also provide breast cancer patients quicker results Page 11
Social Shout-Out This new feature is #awesome! Page 12
Helping patients’ wounds heal faster Discovery will treat damage caused by chronic health conditions Page 14
Issue No. 20, Vol. 5 January 2020
A publication for the staff of Horizon Health Network
Seeing the possible in seemingly impossible situations: DECRH ED nurse shares experience caring for vulnerable patients Page 5
The 2019 Award of Distinction in Nursing award recipients Page 9 Top 10: The best things you watched, read or listened to last year Page 17
Contents
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8 9 10
Breastfeeding: It takes a community 12 11
Public Health builds community capacity through partnership
Horizon nurse practitioner named one of 10 Champions for Cultural Diversity
DECRH ED nurse shares experience caring for vulnerable patients with Canadian Red Cross
Becoming One Horizon Library
Horizon MRT publishes first book, detailing love and war from WWI
CCH surgeon retires after 36 years Campaign aims to reduce serious preventable injuries
New equipment provides calming, modern treatment for breast cancer patients
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Horizon’s Chief Emergency Management Officer recognized SMH receives dignity quilt 15
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19 A world of French
2020 Experience Conference 20
Horizon neonatologists published in academic journal
#ResearchatHorizon: Helping patients’ wounds heal faster
Winners of the 2019 Waste Walk challenge
Top 10: The best thing you’ve watched, read, or listened to in 2019
2019 Awards of Distinction in Nursing
DECRH achieves ENERGY STAR ® certification
On our cover: Ashley Young, an Emergency Department (ED) nurse at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (DECRH), is photographed outside the ED in mid-January.
In Every Issue Message from CEO Editor’s Note Colleagues’ Corner Look Who’s Shining Top 10
This magazine is published by Horizon Health Network’s Communications Department, and is distributed free of charge to Horizon staff, physicians and volunteers. A French version can be found online at fr.horizonnb.ca. Editor: GinaBeth Roberts Design and layout: Hudson Creative Agency Printed by: Advocate Printing Please send comments and/or story ideas to HorizonStar@HorizonNB.ca .
DECRH ED nurse shares experience caring for vulnerable patients with Canadian Red Cross
A welcome note from the editor
Arriving at the field hospital I was always so moved to see the kites – made of torn bags – flying in the sky. Many children have been orphaned as a result of the ongoing conflict. It always put a smile on my face to see some of the children still found time to play and just be kids. During the day my time would be spent juggling Triage, the needs in the Emergency Rooms, as well as coordinating patient flow and ambulances arriving with patients. The days were long, and the hours varied depending on how many surgical cases we might have and what emergencies might present. One of the big differences is the demographic; the majority of those being treated are women and children who are weapon wounded. Though it is such a different environment, there are similarities, too. Most notably I would say the assessment process, whether in Canada or at the field hospital in Syria are similar. I would meet with the patient, take record of their symptoms and injuries and recommend next steps. As well, another similarity was the close collaboration with doctors to provide patients with the best possible care. Share one of your most heartwarming interactions with a patient. I was very fortunate to have met so many inspiring individuals during my time in Syria and was specifically moved to see the resiliency and hope in so many of the children we treated. The majority of people living in the camps are women and children, and an interaction with one young boy stands out to me from my time there. I remember the day one of our little guys, who had suffered a weapon wound and had been coming into the hospital for dressing changes, came to see us for a physiotherapy follow up. To see him progress to needing only one crutch and for him being able to show off his walking is memorable. What were your biggest challenges working in this setting? Access remains a huge challenge for getting humanitarian aid to those who need it most in Syria. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent, International Committee of the Red Cross and other Movement partners, such as Canadian Red Cross, are amongst the few that have acceptance in the area and access. This allows us to continue providing aid to those who might not otherwise receive it. With the camp expanding quickly, humanitarian organizations have had to work hard to keep up with the demand, particularly for medical services. One of the challenges for me was always wanting to do more but being limited by the services we had the capacity to provide and the amount of supplies on hand. As well, there were environmental elements that made the work challenging. Some days the temperature would reach over 40 degrees, which added another layer of difficulty to the
Ashley Young is an Emergency Department (ED) nurse at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (DECRH). She recently travelled to the Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria as a triage nurse with the Canadian Red Cross, in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the Norwegian Red Cross field hospital. The camp hosts around 76,000 people who are either refugees or internally-displaced individuals and families, most of whom are women and children. The camp has been in operation since the early nineties, with a new wave of people starting to arrive in Al-Hol in December 2018. Within the camp there is limited access to health care due to ongoing hostilities, lack of medicine and damaged or destroyed health facilities. The field hospital is assisting patients wounded in war or suffering from illness. Here, Ashley shares her experience. How did you get involved with the Canadian Red Cross? Was this your first time working in this type of setting? From a very early age I worked towards becoming a medical professional so I could deliver humanitarian aid to people who needed it most. The Red Cross Movement is the largest humanitarian organization in the world and I always aspired to be part of their operations one day. When I felt I had acquired the appropriate nursing skills and knowledge that could be utilized in this context, I knew without a doubt I wanted to apply to the Canadian Red Cross. This was my first time deploying to a camp to support displaced people. Previous missions with the Red Cross have taken me to Lebanon and rural South Sudan. What was your role at the field hospital? I was assigned to work in Triage and both the male and female Emergency Rooms. My role in Triage was to assess the needs of those seeking medical care and then determine if we were able to help with their specific needs. The majority of our work was providing surgical and obstetrics care, as well as physio services. We also worked closely with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent who were operating a static clinic next to the hospital and treating medical issues such as diarrhea, dehydration, chronic health issues and malnutrition, which was supported by Canadian Red Cross. As needed, I also worked between Emergency Rooms to further assess patients, change dressings and provide medications. Strengthening the capacity of local staff and volunteers was also part of my role, which included daily hands-on training. Describe a day working at this camp. How did it differ from your work in the ED at the DECRH? How was it similar? Our mornings started early. We would travel over an hour to the field hospital each day.
Dear Staff, Physicians and Volunteers, The 2020s are upon us and it’s both an interesting and exciting time to be part of health care! Like many of you who have been working in health care for many years/ decades, I am constantly amazed by the advancements I have seen throughout my career. The exciting part is I don’t believe the pace of this improvement will be slowing down anytime soon.
Welcome to the 20th edition of the Horizon Star! We’re now a few weeks into a new year, a new decade. How are your resolutions going? If they’re not going well, you’re not alone. Research shows 60 per cent of people make New Year’s resolutions, but less than 10 per cent are successful in achieving them. Maybe that’s because the resolutions we often make are too rigid or unattainable. Even the definitions of resolution (something that is resolved; firmness of resolve) and resolute (marked by firm determination; bold, steady) are quite stringent. But, often, life doesn’t allow elaborate resolutions to work out. Instead, smaller, daily changes are the kind of resolutions that stick. In professional settings, we often look at SMART goals: goals that are S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R ealistic and T imely. Why not try this kind of planning for your resolutions? And maybe you’re thinking: that’s way too much planning, but it doesn’t have to be, and you don’t have to completely change your ways to practice self-improvement. Instead of resolving to lose weight, try cooking one new healthy dish and trying a new workout every month. Want to read more while implementing healthier choices? Listen to audiobooks on your phone instead of watching a show two days a week while on the treadmill. Need to get better at asking for help? Start with delegating small chores at home or approach a colleague for support at work. Haven’t made a resolution for 2020 yet? Maybe you’ll find some inspiration in the stories in this issue. If you want to volunteer more of your time, read the story of how an ER nurse is bringing health care to a field hospital in Syria with the Canadian Red Cross (Page 5). Want to write more? Check out the story on Page 8 of how an MRT published her first book. And if you’re looking for reading inspiration, turn to Page 17 for our Top 10 list of the best things we’ve watched, read or listened to in 2019. As always, it’s an honour to share your stories, and I hope you’ll continue to reach me at HorizonStar@HorizonNB.ca
response. This also could pose challenges with some of the equipment; for example, we had an X-ray machine, but due to the heat it could shut down at times which could impact availability and assessment. How did your skills and experience as a Horizon ED nurse help you? As an ED nurse you need to be ready and prepared to tackle whatever comes through your department’s door. This readiness and ability to assess your patients in a high-stress environment while maintaining composure is an invaluable skill to have while working in the field. What skills – clinical or otherwise – did you learn and have incorporated into your care? Working in the field, it is vital to provide culturally appropriate care and maintain clear communication with colleagues and patients. For example, we would use translators to communicate with patients who didn’t speak English. We would also seek out female doctors to treat female patients when possible. Both are areas I have refined through this experience and incorporated into my care here in New Brunswick. Why would you encourage your colleagues to work with the Canadian Red Cross? If you are passionate about improving quality and access to health care for all people and want to have a part in alleviating the suffering of those impacted by emergencies, disasters or conflict, then the Canadian Red Cross is a great organization to lend your skills and knowledge. From my experience it has been extremely rewarding to see what is possible in seemingly impossible situations. I was lucky enough to see first-hand the impacts that the Red Cross Movement is making in the lives of people in the camp. For international opportunities please visit redcross.ca/delegates and for volunteering in Canada please visit redcross.ca/volunteer. You can also donate to the Syria Crisis and Refugee Appeal here.
In addition, Horizon has been leading the charge by performing “first of its kind” surgeries in both the country and Atlantic Canada. We’re also part of some ground- breaking research on many fronts. Together, these surgeries and research are leading to better patient outcomes in the most extraordinary ways. These are exciting developments for both Horizon and our patients/clients, and it’s a trend I hope to see continue. In saying this, it’s important to understand that to advance we must change and/or improve the way we are currently doing things. We have all read the headlines in the media, and changes to New Brunswick’s health care system are inevitable. Change is needed to grow, and I look forward to our organization
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Karen McGrath President and CEO
working with our health care partners to develop a plan that will lead to better access to health care services for our patients, clients and their families. Much of Horizon’s plan to move forward will be outlined in our new strategic plan which will be released later this year. That is why it is critically important for us to hear from as many New Brunswickers as possible as we develop our strategic plan. This month we’ve launched our online engagement platform www.LetsTalkHorizon.ca and we encourage you to visit the site and share your ideas. There are a number of ways to share your feedback on the site, and that feedback will be integral to the development of our strategic plan. Consultation will be open until February 14, 2020. Whatever changes happen in the next weeks, months or years, it’s important information is shared and that your voice is heard. I look forward to what the 2020s will bring, and I am fortunate to be starting off this new decade as your CEO. Sincerely,
with new ideas. Happy reading,
GinaBeth Roberts Editor, Horizon Star
Karen McGrath President and CEO Horizon Health Network
Colleagues Corner
Horizon nurse practitioner named one of 10 Champions for Cultural Diversity
Becoming One Horizon Library
Horizon’s Library Services team is celebrating a major milestone. They’ve standardized, streamlined and consolidated all their resources, processes and services, and now operate as One Horizon Library, regardless of where they work. The team began working towards this milestone when Horizon was formed, and want to share their experience with other teams and departments that are transitioning from segregated areas to one team. How it started The Library Services team includes four librarians and five library technicians who work in Horizon’s five regional hospitals. They have a wealth of experience in the field, with many team members boasting 20, 30 and even close to 40 years’ experience. “I got into this profession because I see the power in good information and how it impacts people — in particular in health care, how it impacts people lives,” said Paul Clark, librarian at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital. The team provides staff, physicians and students with knowledge-based resources and information needed to provide safe and quality patient care; perform corporate decision-making, policy and procedure development, and research; and, host learning activities. “Even though we don’t directly deal with patients, we’re supporting the clinical and non- clinical staff with evidence-based information that’s current,” said Lori Leger, regional manager of Library Services, who is based at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital. As a member of the HR portfolio, their move to work as one library service was propelled by Human Resources’ “One Horizon” motto. Now, this way of working is crucial to how they support others throughout the organization. The changing industry – from one that was print- based to one that is now primarily electronic – also helped prompt the change, as large tasks like managing subscriptions and databases was easier to do as one organization. But having staff in physical libraries at Horizon facilities is still essential to the mandate of supporting Horizon staff and learners. Horizon libraries provide space for work, study and research, along with a place for groups, including students within Horizon’s medical education and other health-affiliated programs, to work collaboratively. Local library staff are champions and promoters of library services and its resources in their respective areas. For example, Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital library alone had over 20,000 visits in the 2018- 19 fiscal year. How it happened Before the change, work was distributed per area. For example, the librarian and library tech at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital would
M E E T YO U R L I B R A R Y S E R V I C E S T E AM
A Horizon nurse practitioner says she’s humbled by her recent recognition from the New Brunswick Multicultural Council because it acknowledges the importance of her daily work. Nurse Practitioner Louise Pelletier was one of 10 recipients of the council’s Champion for Cultural Diversity Award for 2019. “I share this award with the wonderful team at Horizon’s Médisanté Community Health Centre, as well as with all the newcomers I have served,” she said. “Of course, being recognized is a humbling experience but it also affirms that I must continue on this journey to help others.” In her Saint John practice, Louise cares for newcomers from many parts of the world and knows each patient’s health care journey is unique and important. “I am very passionate about the health and well-being of diverse populations and particularly immigrant women,” she said. “We strive to provide health care services according to Horizon’s values, keeping in mind that everyone deserves the best care every time, every day regardless of their origin, language, gender, religion and socio-economic background.” Jean Daigle, Horizon’s VP of Community was thrilled to see Louise recognized. “Louise embodies what it means to be a nurse practitioner by providing exceptional care, to every person, every single day in her practice,” he said. “Bravo!” The collaborative team approach at Médisanté — with its Horizon partners and other community agencies, like the Centre scolaire Samuel-de-Champlain (where Médisanté is located) — have been instrumental in facilitating services to newcomers. “We will continue this journey as immigrant newcomers are an important part of our local economy and we believe that diversity and prosperity go hand in hand,” Louise said.
Lori Léger, Regional Manager of Library Services, Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital
Karen Darrach, Library Technician, Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital
Shannon MacTavish, Library Technician, Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital
Paul Clark, Librarian, Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital
John Booker, Library Technician, Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital
Alison Manley, Librarian, Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital
Marilyn Sherman, Library Technician, Horizon’s Upper River Valley Hospital
Sandra O’Driscoll, Librarian, Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital
Cheryl Gass, Library Technician, Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital
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primarily support staff and teams at Horizon facilities in the Saint John area. Now, a team member in one area can support clients in any area, and work is distributed throughout the team. Some team members have subspecialties or interests, which means they’ll be the go-to person for certain requests. They developed one email address to take in all requests (Library@HorizonNB.ca) and one Skyline page to be the key internal resource point. “In the past, people had to physically come visit us in the library where now they can just send us an email from their office or their workspace,” said Cheryl Gass, library technician at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital. To further help bridge the geographic divide, they started using Skype with their video cameras turned on, whether for team meetings or when helping clients remotely. There were challenges along the way, too. Finding technical solutions and IT support, and consolidating resources was daunting at times. “When we first came together, even though we’re all health libraries, it was amazing how different our collections were,” said Lori. “Now, everybody, everywhere has the same access to the same resources.” They leaned on the Performance Optimization team, and completed 13 waste walks, including merging book catalogues and consolidating journal subscriptions based on use, and developing around 40 standard operating procedures. They’ve seen many advantages from these changes: coverage during vacation or leaves is
Timeline: Transition to One Library Year Milestone 2011 Established online workspace 2012 Conducted journal inventory 2013 Created search request log Standardized cataloguing process Standardized request forms 2014 Standardized statistics collection 2015 Initiated ~ 40 SOPs Regionalized ejournal subscriptions 2016 Merged book catalogues Merged ejournal directories 2017 Merged database admin accounts 2018 Merged library email accounts Standardized book purchase process 2019 Standardized e-resource renewal process They are truly helping people be healthy. “At the other end of this information is a patient,” Cheryl said. easier, as is sharing resources. They’ve also seen hard and soft financial savings. How it’s helped Through it all, their main goal remained the same: provide decision-makers, frontline health care professionals, physicians, support staff and students with the best evidence-based information in a timely and accessible manner. “For me, it’s making sure everyone has the best information they can get in order to fulfill our mission, fulfill our vision, fulfill our values every day,” said Alison Manley, librarian at Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital.
From left, Nicole Nader, project manager for the New Brunswick Multicultural Council; Louise Pelletier, Horizon nurse practitioner; and Moncef Lakouas, president of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council. Photo: Nataliya Kutsurenko
knew she wanted to help others. She graduated with her degree in nursing in 1991, followed by a degree in adult education in 1995, both from the Université de Moncton. She received her master’s in nursing research from Laval University in 2000 and a master’s in nursing as nurse practitioner in 2008 from the Université de Moncton. She’s now enrolled in a doctorate program in nursing with the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The Cultural Diversity Awards were handed out at the council’s annual Growing Together Gala, which took place Oct. 24 in St. Andrews. This event aims to recognize individuals and employers who are actively working towards increasing diversity and inclusion in New Brunswick workplaces and communities.
Community Health Program for Saint John said Louise is an important part of the team doing great work at the community level. “Louise plays an integral part of the Horizon team that serves the needs of the diverse group of patients we serve,” Gillian said. Louise has been a nurse for nearly 30 years, and an NP for the last 11, spending her last nine years at Médisanté. “I have been blessed to be in a career that I am so passionate about even to this day,” she said. “My experience in the various domains of nursing including, clinical, education, and research have inspired me through this great journey to pursue and achieve excellence in care.”
Merged Pubmed, Google Scholar & TRIP accounts Merged document delivery accounts
Gillian Haycox, manager of Horizon’s
Louise, who grew up in Edmundston, always
Look for a follow-up story in the April 2020 edition of the Horizon Star where the Library Services team will share more about the changing library industry and how they can support you!
Look Who’s Shining! Know someone who’s accomplished something outstanding outside the workplace? Nominate a colleague, peer or volunteer for this feature by emailing HorizonStar@HorizonNB.ca .
Horizon MRT publishes first book, detailing love and war from WWI
Public Health builds community capacity through partnership
Chelsea Currie-Stokes, Registered Nurse, Public Health Healthy Learners in School program
A Horizon MRT has published her first book, which tells a story of love and war through the eyes of a soldier on the frontlines of the First World War. Heather McBriarty, a medical radiation technologist (MRT, or X-ray tech) at Horizon’s St. Joseph’s Hospital in Saint John, self- published Somewhere in Flanders in November. The non-fiction book is a collection of love letters between her grandmother, Isobel McCurdy, and her high school sweetheart, James (Jim) W. Johnstone, interspersed with a historical narrative of the First World War. In September 2018 (which was, fittingly, the 100th anniversary of the end of the war), Heather and her sister received a package of family letters from a cousin. “Amongst all the family letters were 70 love letters to my grandmother (before she was married to Saint John physician Dr. Kenneth Baird), written by a young man who had went off to war, and never made it home,” she said. James, from the Halifax area, went to war in 1914 and was killed in action in 1916. Through the letters, Heather discovered his big personality: he was thoughtful, insightful and politically-aware. The letters have since been donated to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, which will help preserve their pristine condition.
When she couldn’t find more about his life story she decided to do the research to fill in the blanks, building the picture of a man who was almost completely forgotten – and, as she puts it, “He wasn’t just your ordinary Joe soldier.” His great-grandfather was once premier of Nova Scotia and one of the founders of the Bank of Nova Scotia. “He deserves to be remembered and for people to get to know him as I felt I got to know him,” she said. Along with military records and Archives Canada, one of her sources was a front-page article and photograph of James, published in a Halifax newspaper edited by her great- grandfather. She encourages others to learn more about Canada’s role in the war and those who fought for our freedom, and not just on Remembrance Day. “It’s really important we remember all of these men who went over and didn’t get home, and the men who went over and did come home; they came home completely changed, both mentally and physically,” she said.
Heather ran a Kickstarter campaign to help with costs of editing and publishing, and created a Facebook page to share excerpts from the letters and promote her book leading up to its publication. The group now has almost 1,000 members, and the book has been shipped to all corners of the world, including Mexico, Scotland, and Australia (including to a woman who visited Jim’s grave, which was adopted by a Belgian man who Heather met through social media). The positive feedback and reception of her book encouraged her to continue writing, and she’s now writing a novel (fiction) based on the Great War. She’s taken inspiration from the Commonwealth War Grave plot at Fernhill Ceremony in Saint John, discovering the stories and personalities of men buried there, putting them together in a trench, and mixing in a love story inspired by her grandmother and James’s love letters and her grandfather’s time as a medical student trained in administering anesthetics after the Halifax Explosion. You can purchase Somewhere in Flanders directly from Heather or on Amazon.
For Public Health nurses and dietitians working within the Healthy Learners in School program, building strategic partnerships and accessing services to provide opportunities for advancing school health and wellness is at the very center of their work. Using the Comprehensive School Health model as a guide, the team recognizes healthy students learn better and achieve more. Gaining the support of families and communities at large is a crucial part of realizing this goal. For the Healthy Learners team at the Woodstock Education Centre, a crucial partnership in their success is with the Western Valley Wellness Network. The network is comprised of many people who are key in each community they represent, each community member supporting health and wellness in their respective specialties. Together, they make up seven committees — seniors, workplaces, schools, food security, First Nations, communities, promotions and communications — who come together every two months to share successes and collaborate on initiatives. It is through these committees that resources and knowledge are shared. Through this partnership, and together with Horizon Health Network, RCMP, Canadian Mental Health Association, Anglophone West School District and the Department of Social Development – Wellness Branch, 60 students from grades 9 to 11 in the Upper River Valley area recently came together for a Youth Empowerment Forum. The event, held at two locations, was a 78% DID YOU KNOW OF CANADIAN YOUTH FEEL THE OCCASIONAL VAPE IS NOT RISKY?
The Youth Empowerment Forum allowed students, teachers and partners in health care and wellness to come together to share resources and knowledge and have fun!
day of learning and discussion about how communities could empower youth to tackle the growing issue of mental health. Students listened while professionals within the community spoke about how social media use, nutrition, sleep habits and healthy relationships can affect mental health in both positive and negative ways. Teachers took part in workshops on self-care and stress management with the overall objective of supporting mental health in the school environment. After a healthy lunch, students and teachers together participated in a large group asset mapping activity to discover what is being done in other schools to support mental wellness. After the activity, students broke off into their school groups to develop a S.M.A.R.T goal within the topic of mental wellness to take back 4X DID YOU KNOW YOUTH WHO VAPE ARE MORE LIKELY TO START SMOKING WITHIN 18 MONTHS? NATIONAL NON-SMOKING WEEK JANUARY 19 TO 25 VAPING = SMOKING
to their schools and carry out with their peers. Public Health practitioners are usually never seen at the forefront of their work in schools. With the ability to collaborate, foster partnerships and advocate for students on issues such as vaping, nutrition and mental health, their work helps to advance health promotion for students in the school community every day. Using the core competencies for Public Health in Canada as a standard, practitioners are also able to effectively communicate, interpreting health data and information to make sure schools, students and families have the information they need to thrive. To learn more about the Healthy Learners in School Program please visit: https://en.horizonnb.ca/home/facilities-and- services/services/public-health/healthy-learners- in-school.aspx 43% DID YOU KNOW OF NEW BRUNSWICKERS IN GRADES 9 TO 12 HAVE TRIED VAPE PRODUCTS?
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Heather McBriarty, a Horizon MRT who works primarily in the prostate ultrasound clinic at Horizon’s St. Joseph Hospital, has been with Horizon for 30 years. In November 2019 she published her first book, Somewhere in Flanders.
One of the letters from James (Jim) W. Johnstone to Heather’s grandmother, Isobel McCurdy.
Campaign aims to reduce serious preventable injuries
New equipment provides calming, modern treatment for breast cancer patients
innovative partnership between businesses, government and community groups whose combined energy, effort and resources are focused on building awareness, shifting attitudes and changing behaviours towards causes of serious preventable injuries. The campaign’s messages encourage Atlantic Canadians to “Have a word with themselves” — to think before they act on the road, at work, home and play. The Atlantic Collaborative on Injury Prevention (ACIP), together with partner organizations from across Atlantic Canada (including the NB
Trauma Program), coordinated the campaign in the fall of 2019. Phase one of the campaign trialed the distinctive black and yellow branded TV ads for eight weeks on all major networks, and in both English and French. “It is important that, together, we continue to reduce the burden of preventable injury within New Brunswick,” said Ian Watson, Administrative Director of the NB Trauma Program. “The key to reducing serious injuries is to shift our overall attitudes and behaviours to recognize that serious injuries are not a normal or acceptable part of life. When we couple that shift with short, simple and highly visible reminders where and when injury is most likely to happen, we know we can help save lives.” With phase one of the campaign complete, ACIP, the NB Trauma Program and other partners from across Atlantic Canada are exploring phase two of the campaign. Stay tuned – and in the words of the campaign, before you take a risk that could cause serious injury: Have a word with yourself.
Preventing serious injury is important. Injuries kill more New Brunswickers aged one to 44 than any other cause. They have a devastating impact on patients and often tear families, colleagues and friends apart without any opportunity to say goodbye or to appreciate how different things will be after they occur. Injuries are also costly: New Brunswickers pay approximately $1.1 million dollars a day – over $400 million a year – on direct costs related to injury care! That is why, during 2019, the New Brunswick Trauma Program played an integral role in supporting the launch of phase one of the Preventable campaign in Atlantic Canada. The Community Against Preventable Injuries (known as Preventable) is a collaborative and
Roughly 400 women come through the hospital’s mammography unit each month. In addition to the new Serena mammography machine and Pristina biopsy machine, the space has also been equipped with a new digital monitor that will allow a radiologist to read the updated image and compare it with the results from previous screenings on-the-spot.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the Radiology Department at Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital (MRH) is a new addition to the facility that’s providing quicker results and a more comforting experience to patients undergoing breast cancer screenings or biopsies. The hospital’s new,
While the mammography machine has been installed since last April, the biopsy unit only came online this past fall. Funding for the equipment came through a combination of pre-approved capital expenditures, as well as a significant contribution from the Miramichi Regional Hospital Foundation.
state-of-the-art Digital Mammography Unit has been up and running for a few months now, and according to staff, it’s
already made a difference in improving the overall patient experience. The main upgrades include the purchase and installation of a new GE Medical mammography machine, as well as a new biopsy unit and a sensory suite aimed at creating a calming experience for visitors and lowering anxiety. Janice Brideau, director of Diagnostic Imaging at MRH, said it’s believed the hospital is the first in Atlantic Canada to be outfitted with this specific line of diagnostic equipment. Going into a hospital setting for a breast screening or a biopsy can be a nerve-wracking experience for many women, Brideau said, and it can be difficult to put people at ease. While being on the leading edge of digital mammography technology is one thing, she noted the addition of the sensory suite – a digital screen and sound system offering a serene visual and auditory environment – is something staff are thrilled to be able to offer. “It adds a calming factor, especially during biopsies, and it’s just something for people to draw their attention to so they don’t have to concentrate so much on the needles and the other things around them,” Brideau said. “Nobody comes here on their best day, and it’s a stressful time for women – so anything we can do to make it a more pleasant experience, they’re typically not as afraid to come back again next time.” For the sensory suite, patients can choose from a combination of soothing sights and sounds, including a tranquil garden with songbirds chirping in the background, an ocean scene or the gentle crashing of waves. Aside from being able to provide a more relaxed experience, Brideau said the screening equipment represents a massive upgrade that should lead to improved outcomes for women.
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To learn more about the campaign, visit preventable.ca.
CCH surgeon retires after 36 years Staff at Horizon’s Charlotte County Hospital
recently said goodbye and gave many thanks to Dr. Tom Goulding at a farewell barbecue, which was attended by staff and members of the St. Stephen and surrounding community. Dr. Goulding was a general surgeon at the hospital for 36 years, and will be missed by all but wished much happiness in his retirement!
Dr. Goulding is seen here with his wife, Ella and daughter, Sarah.
A look at the different pieces of equipment that make up the new and improved Digital Mammography Unit at Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital.
Breastfeeding: It Takes a Community
Horizon neonatologists published in academic journal
In Canada, Breastfeeding Week is celebrated from October 1 to 7, which is also Wellness Week in New Brunswick! Breastfeeding and wellness go hand-in-hand: practicing wellness is easier when the people and places around you are supportive. This is why the theme for the 2019 breastfeeding campaign in New Brunswick was Working Together Makes Breastfeeding Better. In the Upper River Valley, the Community Breastfeeding Promotion Committee has been working to create supportive environments for breastfeeding families. The committee includes (along with others): Horizon Public Health dietitians, nurses and a community developer, a regional wellness consultant, staff from the Valley Family Resource Center and Carleton Manor and community moms. This year, Breastfeeding: It Takes a Community was held at the Andrew and Laura McCain Public Library in Florenceville-Bristol and was a huge success. About 55 participants, including moms and babies, partners, grandparents, siblings and residents from the Carleton Manor in Woodstock, took part in activities including: a Quintessence Challenge (latch on); pelvic floor health education session; infant massage; breastfeeding questions and answers; crafts; story time; and face painting for the young and young-at-heart participants. Breastfeeding is not always easy. It is a skill
Two neonatologists at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital recently published an academic article highlighting their research in the field of neonatology in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Drs. Yasser Soliman and Marc Blayney, along with physicians from other hospitals, authored the article “Neonatal coning secondary to hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy: A case study and literature review” in the November 2019 issue of Paediatrics & Child Health Journal of the Canadian Pediatrics Society. In their article, the physicians examine the case of a two-day-old infant born at term with severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), which is brain damage caused by lack of oxygen and blood to the brain. The infant required therapeutic hypothermia, a treatment used to improve neurologic function of infants with HIE. The newborn experienced a rare complication called brain herniation - the second case of this type of complication ever reported in literature. The article concludes that vigilance in monitoring neonatal neurological status during therapeutic hypothermia is imperative for the early detection and intervention of brain herniation. “Brain herniation in response to therapeutic hypothermia for severe HIE is a very rare occurrence and that’s why its an important
topic to study,” said Dr. Soliman. “Health care workers who may have never seen cases like this before now have the article to refer to and know what to look for.” Dr. Soliman had completed his research for the article while working at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and consulted with Dr. Blayney in Moncton to make sure the research findings were in line with his colleague’s experiences. “Because it is such a rare occurrence, brain herniation in response to therapeutic hypothermia for HIE can be difficult to detect,” said Dr. Blayney. “The research conducted by Dr. Soliman fit with what I knew and had seen. Sometimes a single, rare case like this one can open up whole new areas of research.” Dr. Soliman joined Horizon in mid 2019 and the article was published shortly after. “On behalf of Horizon, I would like to congratulate Dr. Soliman and Dr. Blayney on their academic achievements,” said Dr. Ken Gillespie, Chief of Staff at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital and Medical Director for Women and Children’s Health. “Horizon is fortunate to have such dedicated neonatologists. Their work highlights the high level of neonatal care that The Moncton Hospital provides for our patients both in Moncton and New Brunswick.”
Dr. Yasser Soliman graduated from Benha Medical School in Egypt with a Master’s degree in Pediatrics. He worked as a neonatologist in Saudi Arabia before accepting a fellowship in neonatal perinatal medicine at the University of Calgary followed by training in neonatal transport medicine at the University of Toronto. He became chief transport physician fellow at SickKids in Toronto in Acute Care Transport Services. He was recognized for his exceptional undergrad medical students teaching program efforts from both the University of Calgary and Toronto. He became a staff neonatologist at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital in 2019. More of Dr. Soliman’s recent publications include: • May 2019: Neonatal transport services, a cross-sectional study. Soliman et. al, published in Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Journal. • Sep 2019: Respiratory outcomes of late preterm infants of mothers with early and late onset preeclampsia. Soliman et. al, published in the Journal of Perinatology.
Community members of all ages attended a Breastfeeding: It Takes a Community event, organized by Upper River Valley’s Community Breastfeeding Promotion Committee, in the fall.
and, like any other, requires time, practice and support. Parents often need active family support to start and continue breastfeeding. A little reassurance, encouragement, helping with household chores and being aware of support services in your community goes a long way. By working together, members of the Upper River Valley Community Breastfeeding Promotion Committee are helping create a community where breastfeeding is welcome and supported.
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S O C I A L S H O U T - O U T
On Horizon’s social media platforms, we’ve heard frommany of your patients, clients and families about the professional, safe and quality care you provide. In this new, recurring feature, we’ll highlight some of these “social shout-outs.” If you see a social shout-out, tell us about it by emailing HorizonStar@HorizonNB.ca.
Andy Campbell @fredcityandy Dealt with a Physician Assistant last night. Caring, informative, efficient and effective. Well done @HorizonHealthNB 7:12 AM · Dec. 12, 2019 25 Likes
Peter McDougall @FreddyBeachPete
Dr. Marc Blayney graduated from UCD Medical School in Dublin, Ireland. He completed a Neonatal Fellowship at SickKids, Toronto. He was appointed to the Faculty of the University of Ottawa as neonatologist in both CHEO and the Ottawa General Hospital (OGH) and became Medical Director of the NICU at OGH. He was also appointed to Pediatric Undergraduate Medical Education Program Director and Co-chair of years 3 and 4 at the University of Ottawa as well as Vice-Dean at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. He later continued to practice clinical paediatric and neonatal medicine at the Sudbury Regional Hospital before moving to Moncton in 2010 where he became a staff neonatologist at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital and Professor of Paediatrics at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, Moncton (Dalhousie University).
@HorizonHealthNB thank you for the outstanding care given me over past two days. From admitting through discharge, staff were amazing. Special thanks to 4SW and Dr. Jill Hudson 1:56 PM · Nov. 29, 2019 Aaron Sousa @JournoSousa Long nights at the SJ Regional Hospital. Thank you to @SJRHFoundation and @HorizonHealthNB for taking care of my mama tonight. She’ll be “right as rain” (as we NB’ers say) soon enough. 3:40 AM · Dec. 13, 2019
Vince Nash @vnash3
@HorizonHealthNB had to go for bloodwork today in Miramichi (walk in) was in and out in less than 15 minutes!! Staff were professional and friendly, huge improvement in this aspect of your service!! #welloiledmachine 2:24 PM · Nov. 20, 2019
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Dr. Yasser Soliman, left, and Dr. Marc Blayney, pictured in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital.
#ResearchAtHorizon: Helping patients’ wounds heal faster Some of the biggest discoveries in science come from studies that are simple and cost very little.
Horizon’s Chief Emergency Management Officer recognized with Service Award
Horizon’s Sackville Memorial Hospital recently received a donation of a dignity quilt. The quilt, donated by the Sackville Quilter’s Guild, will be used to provide dignity by covering deceased patients as they are transported to the morgue. The quilt will be used on the Family Practice Unit and in the Emergency Department. “The quilt is beautiful and the hours of work that went into the quilt are obvious,” said Beth Black, nurse manager of both departments. “The quilt allows nursing staff an opportunity to provide respect to grieving families as we take care of the bodies of their loved ones.” Dennis Doherty, Horizon’s Chief Emergency Management Officer, was recently presented with a Service Award from the City of Fredericton’s Emergency Measures Organization for his faithful and devoted service to his community. Fredericton’s Emergency Measures Organization is responsible for the city’s emergency planning and management. Dennis, who has the same responsibilities within Horizon, has been an active Emergency Measures Organization Committee member since 2001. “I am pleased to be part of this group and am grateful for this kind gesture of recognition,” said Dennis. “The City of Fredericton has a very inclusive approach to emergency planning, engaging all the stakeholders who must work closely during an emergency. This is a key element of effective emergency management and they do it very well.” The award was presented at the December meeting of the city’s Emergency Measures Organization Committee by committee chair and Fredericton Fire Chief, Dwayne Killingbeck.
At Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital (TMH), two researchers may be on the verge of just such a breakthrough in their research that asks the question: “How can we help patients’ wounds heal faster?” With chronic health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, damage to blood vessels can occur and lead to poor circulation. Poor circulation means it takes longer for our bodies to heal, and causes a great deal of suffering in the process while we wait for bandages to protect the skin while it heals. In more severe cases, surgery is needed to remove damaged tissue. However, Drs. Emmanuel Maicas and Steve Griffiths have teamed up to study one possible way of improving treatment. Heat shock proteins, or stress proteins, are released after injury to promote the growth of new tissue and blood vessels. Studies in animals have shown applying these proteins directly on wounds using a cream can speed up the healing process. But, before they start testing a heat shock protein healing cream on patients, they need to first demonstrate humans release these
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A photo of one of the skin wounds tested for heat shock protein in their study, taken with a microscope. Here, a 40-day-old scar was stained for one of the three heat shock proteins tested; the picture shows that the scar tissue in the center contains more protein (the magenta colour) than the surrounding dermis (the almost white area).
from the Friends of the Moncton Hospital’s Community Health Research and Education Endowment (CHREE) 2018 funding competition. Using existing tissue removed by surgeons over a decade ago from patients’ scars or ulcers, the team will look at normal and abnormal tissue, and see if there is a difference in the amount of heat shock protein in each. “Sometimes, important experiments are easy to perform, cost little but provide valuable clues about new treatments,” said Dr. Maicas. If it shows there is more protein in the abnormal tissue, this would be a positive indication humans do release these proteins when injured, and act as a springboard for a future clinical trial of heat shock protein cream at Horizon’s TMH. At the time they started their research in early 2019, no one had published a similar study in humans. “I was astonished and delighted to see how histology brought immediate clarity to a profoundly important health issue,” said Dr. Griffiths. To perform the analyses, the funding was used to purchase chemicals not regularly stocked in Horizon labs. However, the study is relatively quite low in cost, is conducted completely in the hospital laboratory and was also quite quick to complete (in less than six months). Preliminary results indicate three different heat shock proteins are produced by the body during early wound healing.
proteins when injured. It was for this initial project that Drs. Maicas and Griffith were awarded research funds
Dennis Doherty, left, receiving the Service Award fromDwayne Killingbeck at the Fredericton Emergency Measures Organization Committee meeting in December.
SMH receives dignity quilt
Dr. Emmanuel Maicas, left, is a pathologist with the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital, with a PhD in molecular genetics. Dr. Steve Griffiths, with a PhD in animal and human cellular biology, is the president and CEO of X0S0ME (Exosome Precision Translational Biotechnology).
Mylene Ouellette, left, RN, and Linda Ceretti, LPN, who work on the on BrunswickWest Family Practice Unit hold the dignity quilt, which was created and donated by the Sackville Quilter’s Guild.
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