STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
HORIZON GETS ACTIVE!
Improving the transplant process Project improves care for kidney transplant recipients and donors Page 19
New program in Sussex focuses on recovery for schizophrenia patients Page 6
Organization-wide event unites employees across the province Page 7
Issue No. 15, Vol. 4 January 2019
A publication for the staff of Horizon Health Network
More than just good timing: Security officer’s keen awareness and fast action helps save woman’s life at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital Page 5
A place to come together, heal and grow: Cardiac Rehab at TMH turns 10 Page 13 Top 10: Your best advice for someone beginning a health care career Page 17
Contents
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Blankets knit with care bring comfort to children Sussex Health Centre staff helps community sleep better
Sackville Memorial Hospital a community “gem”
Sussex program is strengthening families
Staff inspired to get active for Horizon-wide 3K/5K walk-run
Miramichi Emergency Department named most improved
Nurses at The Moncton Hospital earn Advanced Certification
DECRH security officer helps save woman’s life
Teddy Bear Clinic teaches invaluable lessons
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It’s flu season, protect yourself Flu or cold? Know the symtoms 15
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Cardiac Rehab Program at The Moncton Hospital turns 10
Stitches of Love: Donated hats keep babies warm and cozy
Friends campaign to improve care for cardiac patients, moms and babies at TMH
Top 10: What advice would you give to someone starting in your field?
How the Active Offer provided comfort to two new Canadian residents
Kidney transplant recipients benefit from Horizon project
Horizon’s new Community News Channel
On our cover: SecurityOfficer Mike LaPage is photographed at Horizon’s
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 .
Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in December.
DECRH security officer’s keen awareness and fast action helps save woman’s life
unresponsive, limp in the wheelchair, her feet dragging on the floor. Two of the nurses working in triage that day, Billie-Jo Bear, LPN, and Nicole Ward, RN, quickly responded. They called a Code Blue, started compressions and provided care that saved her life. “As a nurse working in the Emergency Room it’s our job to recognize and take appropriate actions to provide patients with the care they need,” said Nicole. Even though he wasn’t part of the medical team, they credit Mike for playing a large part in a critical situation. “He went above and beyond,” said Nicole. “He noticed this woman to be in distress and that she needed immediate medical attention. Without his actions the outcome could have been much different. He played a big role in saving this woman’s life.” Mike’s quick to minimize his actions - “I played a very small part,” he said. “It was just good timing.” – but it was much more than that. He’s been at the hospital two years, and previously worked as security/bodyguard in Vancouver. Working in a health care facility, Mike and his fellow SOs are very conscious of the environment in which they work. “People are here battling stuff, so you should always be aware,” he said. Mike later checked in on the woman, at 11:45 a.m., according to his detailed log book,
It was more than a case of being in the right place at the right time – thanks to the keen awareness and fast action of a Horizon employee, a woman’s life was saved. At 10:20 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22 Mike LaPage, a security officer at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, was on his regular rounds, not far from the Security Office. In the hallway near the X-Ray Department he noticed a man with his arms around his wife. As he got closer, he noticed the woman wasn’t responding to her husband. He stopped by the couple, asked if they were OK, and then knelt down to be closer to the woman. She didn’t respond to him, either. “Her eyes were glazed and she had a grey parlour with beads of sweat,” Mike said. His first thought: she’s having a heart attack. He had a decision to make: call switchboard to announce for a Med Stat, or bring her directly to the Emergency Department, about 100 yards away. “She hadn’t fallen, so she didn’t have any spinal or head injuries, so I thought I could get her to Emergency quicker than if I called,” he said. He sprinted to the end of the hallway, got a wheelchair and safely put her in it, and yelled for people to get out of his way. As soon as they went through the Emergency Department doors, Mike said she was all but
Dear Staff, Physicians and Volunteers, I hope your 2019 is off to a great start! This year will be another big one for Horizon as we will join together to discuss and develop our new strategic plan. Some of you may be asking, “What is a strategic plan?” In simple terms, it’s our organization’s five-year plan. It’s often said that everyone should have a five-year plan, and a regional health authority is no different.
A welcome note from the editor
Happy 2019, and welcome to the 15th edition of the Horizon Star! This month marks the start of my fourth year with Horizon, and the cycle of giving back within this organization never ceases to amaze me.
and found out she had a double pulmonary embolism, which has only a four to six per cent survival rate. He also checked in with his boss, Bob Gibson, security manager for Fredericton and Upper River Valley, to go on the record about his actions and make sure what he did was OK. The following week, Bob shared the story of Mike’s heroic actions at a Horizon-wide security meeting. Security officers at DERCH, as well as Horizon’s Oromocto Public Hospital and Upper River Valley Hospital, are Horizon employees; in all other areas, security services are contracted from an external company. “There is a family out there who will not be mourning the loss of a loved one due to Mike’s awareness and life-saving actions. A life was saved because doing rounds put him in the right place at the right time,” Bob said. “Regardless of what our job titles say, we work in a hospital. We can and do make a difference.” There are 20 security officers at the DECRH, and two or three on each shift. Mike is the traffic officer, so during any given day he is usually moving around the facility and parking lot. “He’s rarely in the office,” said Bob, adding Mike regularly goes above and beyond. His actions also highlight the importance of being “out and about” as much as possible, Bob said, and not only monitoring cameras in the office. Mike first learned the signs of a heart attack in anatomy and physiology classes in university, and all security officers are trained in Emergency First Response CPR and AED. “I think all of us feel lucky to have this job because we get to help people,” said Mike. “Yeah, we have to deal with problems, but we do get a chance to help.” Mike LaPage, security officer at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, is photographed outside the Security office at the hospital.
Developing a strategic plan is an opportunity to evaluate if our mission, vision and values are still the right fit for our organization. It’s when we look at the realities of today, such as health care trends, population and community needs, financials and our current work force, and determine how to optimize. The cornerstone of everything we do is delivering safe and quality care – and this will not change. Our current strategic plan, introduced in 2015, was a solid step in the right direction in putting more emphasis on improving our community services. There is also an addendum to the strategic plan on Skyline on how to move the priorities forward, based on conversations I had with you during my CEO tour.
Let me explain.
Throughout the month of December I heard many stories of how Horizon employees and teams give back to their communities. We shared some of those stories on Horizon’s social media accounts, and feature some in these pages, too (flip to page 9 for an example). You experience firsthand the difficult and emotional journeys your patients, clients and their loved ones are going through, and your care doesn’t stop when they’re discharged or successfully finish a program. Your care continues beyond the walls of your facility or outside your program, and reaches many aspects of your patient or client’s home life and beyond. What a profound effect this must have on their journey to recovery. Often the way you give back doesn’t even involve anything physical or of monetary value. For this issue, you shared advice for someone starting in your field of work. You can read 11 of the best pieces of advice on page17, all of which are applicable, no matter how long you’ve been in your job. And then there are people in the community, be it individual citizens, community groups or large organizations, such as Accreditation Canada, who recognize your empathy, your attention to detail and your desire to provide safe and quality care and want to give back to you. Sometimes it’s in the form of recognition or awards, other times it’s donations to help your patients while in your care (read more about two examples of this on pages 9 and 14). I know you’ll be inspired by all the stories in this month’s issue, and maybe even inspired to give back. As always, it’s an honour to share your stories, and I hope you’ll continue to reach me at HorizonStar@HorizonNB.ca
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Karen McGrath President and CEO
This work will continue, but developing a new strategic plan is an opportunity to design what our health care services will look like in the years to come. For future success it will be important to build on the excellent work of our Human Resource team in terms of improving staff engagement and recruiting more health care professionals to Horizon. In the months ahead I look forward to traveling across Horizon to meet with as many of you as possible to discuss Horizon’s future. I am really looking forward to these discussions and learning your ideas. We’re all part of One Horizon, and regardless of what facility you work at, or what you do, everyone contributes to improving the safe and quality care we provide. If you’re interested in sharing your ideas regarding the new strategic plan in advance of my next CEO tour, please contact me at President@HorizonNB.ca.
Sincerely,
with new ideas. Happy reading,
Karen McGrath President and CEO Horizon Health Network
Mike LaP age, security officer at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, is photographed in the hallway where he noticed a woman in distress and quickly brought her to the Emergency Room for medical care. The woman was having a heart attack, and members of her medical team credit Mike’s actions for saving her life.
GinaBeth Roberts Editor, Horizon Star
Colleagues Corner
First-time program in Sussex is strengthening families
Staff inspired to get active for Horizon-wide 3K/5K Walk∙Run
To help celebrate the 10th anniversary of Horizon, Marilyn Babineau, Manager of Workforce Wellness, put together a team to plan an active, Horizon-wide event uniting employees and their families. On Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 at 10 a.m., participants gathered in Fredericton, Miramichi, Moncton, Saint John and Upper
Participants had the option to meet on the early November morning, or if unable to join at the locations listed, were encouraged to create their own “virtual run.” Although it was a rainy day, participants still had a lot of fun and snapped some great photos. Each participant received a medal for participating, as well as a few healthy snacks!
River Valley to walk and or run pre-measured distances for Horizon’s first 3K/5K Walk∙Run. Employees were inspired to get active and lace-up their sneakers for this fun event, and more than 300 registration forms were submitted to Employee Health and Wellness departments. All levels were welcome — rookie, pro or somewhere in-between.
Employee Health & Wellness would like to sincerely thank all those who expressed interest and participated in this event. Thanks also to Communications who braved the weather to get some great photos, and our dedicated volunteers. Cheers to our regional committee involved with the planning of this fun event!
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Horizon volunteer Donna Craig (standing, fourth from left) and Kathryn Scott, Human Service Counsellor at Horizon’s Sussex Health Centre (front row, sitting), are photographed with fellowmembers of the Strengthening Families Together group, a schizophrenia support group at Horizon’s Sussex Health Centre.
Fredericton
they are advocating for their loved one and learning to support them better, which further destigmatizes many myths surrounding schizophrenia.” “For far too long many people were ashamed and afraid to speak about the struggles of having a family member that suffers from a serious mental health issue,” said Horizon volunteer Donna, who has benefited from the program. “The more we talk about it, the more we’re not alone,” she added. “This program has allowed parents and loved ones to connect with people that have similar experiences.” The Strengthening Families Together program was first introduced in 2003 by The Schizophrenia Society of Canada, and through their New Brunswick chapter they offer training for facilitators to deliver the program across the province.
During each meeting, participants listened to different speakers, such as a local pharmacist, who spoke about the importance of medication, and members of Horizon’s Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team. But what was most inspiring was hearing from an individual with lived experience who is successfully managing their schizophrenia. For many family members, this gave them hope that there is light in the journey to recovery, as well as knowledge on how to navigate the health care system to better support their loved ones. This was the first time the Strengthening Families Together program was offered in Sussex. However, now that the first group successfully completed the program, they feel empowered and want to continue with their meetings as an ongoing support group and recruit more members in order to offer the program again. “It was great to see the group quickly come together and bond on shared experiences,” said Kathryn, who facilitated the session. “Together, whether they realize it or not,
Lending support and providing information is what The Schizophrenia Society’s Strengthening Families Together program is all about and now, for the first time, family members who have loved ones with schizophrenia in Sussex are benefitting from this program. The nine-week program took place at Horizon’s Sussex Health Centre and was facilitated by two Horizon staff, Kathryn Scott, Human Service Counsellor and Sue Fry-Adair, Clinical Psychologist. Joining them were volunteers Donna Craig and Dale Kyrev who both have family members with a major mental illness, as well as Davine McLean, Director of the Sussex and Area Activity Centre. The program focuses on recovery for people diagnosed with schizophrenia and provides tools for self-care and stress management, advocacy and support. The group of nine program participants all have family members who have been diagnosed with a major mental illness. Some families have been dealing with the impact of the illness for many years, while others are newly diagnosed.
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Upper River Valley
If interested in learning more about the Strengthening Families Together program, please contact Addiction and Mental Health Services in Sussex at 432-2090.
Saint John
Want to tell your colleagues about the services you provide for patients and staff throughout Horizon? Email HorizonStar@HorizonNB.ca .
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 .
Miramichi Emergency Department named most improved in treatment times of febrile neutropenic children
Staff at Horizon’s Sussex Health Centre collected and donated 171 pairs of pyjamas to the Sussex Salvation Army in mid-December as part of their second annual PJ Drive. Estelle Arbing, Emergency Department nurse, and Monica Tays, the health centre’s nurse manager, spearheaded the drive, which garnered support not only from staff, but also friends, family and community members, all who were happy to help in the drive. The original goal of the PJ drive was 50 pairs, to surpass last year’s donation of 41 pairs. “Did we ever surpass that goal!” said Monica. A special kudos goes to Estelle for her persistence in finding people to support this goal. The team is already looking forward to their third annual PJ drive in 2019! Sussex Health Centre staff helps community sleep better over the holiday season
Blankets knit with care bring comfort to children in crisis
hope patients and families can be reassured they will receive quality, and experience the least amount of stress possible during their visit.” Marilyn Underhill, the hospital’s executive director, said she is thrilled about this recognition from APPHON. “This is thanks to the hard work and dedication of staff and physicians in our continued support of providing excellent patient care,” Marilyn said. APPHON acts as a vehicle for communication, education, advocacy, and development of standards to achieve goals of comprehensive health services, clinical care, education and research related to the health care of children with hematologic or oncologic disorders and for their families. Michelle and Kara said they are happy to see everyone’s work translate into meeting the standards of pediatric febrile neutropenia treatment times. “We are pleased to be recognised by APPHON and we will continue to work hard to maintain the standards,” Kara said.
The Emergency Department at Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital (MRH) was recently named the most improved - and best - in terms of treatment times of febrile neutropenic children in all the Atlantic provinces. In early December, representatives from the Atlantic Province’s Paediatric Hematology Oncology Network (APPHON) performed a “levels of care” visit at Horizon’s MRH. These visits happen every four years to review standards of care and treatment times for paediatric febrile neutropenia. Neutropenic children are children who are undergoing chemotherapy and are often left with a diminished immune function. When a child has diminished immune function and then becomes sick or develops a fever it becomes a serious health risk. Michelle Watling, clinical resource and critical care nurse, said in Miramichi most of these children’s first point of access to care is through the Emergency Department (ED), and after an APPHON visit in 2011, staff set up plans to improve the care they provided.
“Pediatrics set up an audit process and began tracking our pediatric febrile neutropenia pediatrics outpatient clinics and emergency room visits,” said Michelle. Kara Barter, pediatric nurse, said they worked together to make these improvements. “We looked at each visit and what we could do to improve our system to meet our goals,” said Kara. Michelle said staff began practices such as including critical patient information and guidelines in triage, adding antibiotics to AcuDose machine, educating staff on febrile neutropenia, providing feedback post visits and so on. Through these efforts, numbers improved steadily over the years and APPHON’s audit in 2017 showed treatment times for febrile neutropenia at MRH as the most improved in Atlantic Canada, and meeting the standards of care. “This was a team effort and includes all the ED nursing staff and doctors,” said Michelle. “With the ED meeting the treatment standards, we
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Trena Brown, nurse m anager in the Emergency Department at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital, was on hand to gratefully accept the donation from Elizabeth Stewart.
Horizon and its patients are fortunate to benefit from the kindness of people in the community like Elizabeth Stewart. During the holiday season, Elizabeth donated 14 packages to the Emergency Department at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital. Each package contained a hand-knit blanket, teddy bear and matching blanket for the teddy.
Elizabeth knitted and then donated the blankets in memory of her daughter, Terri- Lynn, who was killed while flagging traffic on a road construction site at the young age of 19. Terri-Lynn loved children and planned to become a teacher; this thoughtful gesture helps keep her memory alive. These special blankets will bring comfort to some of the sickest and most frightened children requiring care. “The gift is very generous,” said Trena Brown, Emergency Department Nurse Manager. “The blankets represent that human connection we all need, and to be able to provide that to children in crisis is very important.” Elizabeth began working on the blankets during the summer, each of which took about a week and a half to complete. She loved the idea of creating a smaller version for the teddy bears — a little something to provide extra comfort to children. “Blankets allow us to restore a sense of security and trust for our most critically-injured pediatric patients,” said Trena. “Sometimes, we have to send kids by air to the IWK (Health Centre in Halifax). A blanket and teddy would be perfect travelling companions.”
Estelle Arbing, Emergency Department nurse, and Monica Tays, the health centre’s nurse manager, are photographed with pairs of pyjamas collected by staff, family members, friends and community members as part of their second annual PJ Drive.
Members of Horizon’s Miramichi Regional Hospital Emergency Department and Pediatrics team pose with the Atlantic Province’s Paediatric Hematology Oncology Network (APPHON) Pediatric Oncology Supportive Care Guidelines. Front row, from left: registered nurses Holly Newman, Monique Daigle and Jessica Sargent; Susanna Dewolfe, pharmacist; and Sandra Daigle, LPN. Back row, from left: registered nurses Michelle Foran and Renee Squires; Pam Power, Emergency Department nurse manager; registered nurses MichelleWatling and Carolyn Sutherland; Dr. Bill Martin; and Kara Barter, registered nurse.
Elizabeth holds one of her hand-knit blankets. Each blanket takes about a week and a half to complete.
Nurses at The Moncton Hospital earn Advanced Burn Life Support Certification
Teddy Bear Clinic teaches children, health care providers invaluable lessons
WHAT THE KIDS THOUGHT “ There is lots of cool stuff there that the nurses use.” – Shiloh Henderson
“You get to see such a transition as they go through their journey,” said Josee. “They have a lot of resilience.” Sharon agrees, adding, “It’s the most satisfying type of nursing I’ve ever done.” But perhaps their most important role is treating a patient who may not have a hopeful prognosis. As Janet says, “We don’t just care for the patient we know will improve, we also give the same care and comfort to the patient who might not make it.” This team of nurses has helped patients who have experienced heartbreaking trauma, and they rely on each other and the rest of the unit for support, whether it be by getting together as a group to study the 100-page booklet for two weeks before the conference, required for the ABLS course and certification, or by sharing what they learned with their colleagues so they can all provide the best possible care. Teamwork is at the core of this group, something Nathalie is very proud of. “It’s so rewarding to support this team, support their team efforts, and support their continued education,” she said. “It’s such a great privilege.” Congratulations to this caring and dedicated team!
Four of Horizon’s Moncton-area registered nurses (RN) recently earned their certification in Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) while attending the annual Canadian Burn Network Conference in Toronto. The Moncton Hospital’s Nathalie Gould, Nurse Manager, Sharon Brown, Burn Resource Nurse, Josee Nelson, RN, and Janet Hebert, RN, of the 5600 Unit, which specializes in General Surgery, Surgery Specialties, and Burns, attended the two-day conference in October thanks to Burn Unit funds raised through The Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation. Sharon Brown, who is the Burn Unit’s longest serving RN (18 years and counting), jumped at the opportunity and enthusiastically recruited her colleagues. “I knew this certification would give us a better understanding of why we do what do while also giving us the required tools for care efficiency,” Sharon said. These requirements are unique clinical skills involving triage, pain management, fluid balance, critical care, trauma recovery, and rehabilitation, as well as compassion and understanding to extend their care to the emotional well-being of their patients and their loved ones. The Canadian Burn Network Conference is a yearly multidisciplinary education event where
all Canadian Burn Directors and their colleagues (plastic surgeons, trauma surgeons, nurses, researchers, psychologists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and first responders) interact and discuss challenges in the burn community. This year’s conference included 100 participants from across Canada, with 18 taking part in the ABLS course, including our four RNs. “It was a great opportunity to network with other nurses from across the country and the United States,” said Janet. “We are very fortunate to have learned from much esteemed experts and teachers in the field.” ABLS certification affords the ability to assess and stabilize patients with serious burns during the first critical hours following injury, providing valuable lessons in initial burn assessment to stable condition, burn types and the treatment for each type, fluid management, and triaging. “The certification provided us with a systematic way of assessing a burn for prioritization,” said Sharon. “It’s made us better equipped to care for a burn patient in the ER.” Caring for burn victims is a passion this special group shares, and each finds great satisfaction in watching their patients’ progress and improve.
“It was fun seeing all the things nurses do.” – Elizabeth Chute
“I’m not afraid to go to the doctor now.” – Sydney Malloch
“It was fun!” – Avalon Butler
Registered Nurse at the health centre. Under the guidance of Ms. Holly Matthews, these students have been incorporating play- based learning into their curriculum. Their theme during the fall was hospitals and health care, as Ms. Matthews had been out for a surgery. As well, Ms. Matthews is the mother of one of the registered nurses at the health centre and one of the health centre’s nurses had previously worked in a First Nations community where teddy bear clinics were held yearly.
A lucky class of elementary school children in Campobello recently explored their local health centre, learning about the health care field, professions and instruments, and teaching the health care providers much in return. In early December, staff at Horizon’s Campobello Health Centre welcomed the Grade 2/3 class from Campobello Island Consolidated School for a Teddy Bear Clinic. Students, each with one of their teddy bears or “stuffies,” toured the health centre, learning about the work of health care professionals in their community and discovering how health care equipment and technology works. The visit helped children overcome fears of visiting the health centre, and taught health care providers how to better interact with children by observing their language, actions and the way they care for their teddy bears. “It is a great opportunity for the students to meet some people in the care giving field in their community and to make positive connections with their health care providers and facility,” said Meghan Paul, a The Grade 2/3 class at Campobello Island Consolidated School pose for a group photo, holding their healthy teddy bears, after a visit to Horizon’s Campobello Health Centre.
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Meghan Paul, RN, bandages the arm of Elizabeth Chute’s teddy bear.
They’ll take what they’ve learned back to their classroom and create their own health centre, building their own props, such as weight scales and blood pressure machines. The visit will also help them practice and expand their vocabulary and speaking and writing skills. “Involving our clients in activities helps them to become more involved with their health, in turn creating healthier environments and choices for their families,” said Meghan. “School-aged children are a great population to work with, as they go on to teach their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and peers. Their healthier lifestyles will follow them into adulthood.”
The Moncton Hospital’s proud ABLS certified nurses, from left: Burn Resource Nurse Sharon Brown, registered nurses Janet Hebert and Josee Nelson, and Nurse Manager Nathalie Gould.
Wendy Morrison, RN, draws blood fromHayden Chute’s teddy bear, while his classmates watch.
Avalon Butler examines her patient, her stuffed otter, during her class’s trip to the Campobello Health Centre.
Cardiac Rehab Program at Horizon’s TMH turns 10
The Moncton Hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program offers patients more than just physical activity — it’s a place to come together, heal and grow. In early December the program celebrated 10 years of helping clients be healthy with an open house. The program consists of a multidisciplinary team of cardiovascular health professionals who help clients return to their optimal activity level both physically and mentally. It all began 10 years ago with Kelly Gould, registered nurse; Sheila Nicolle, physiotherapist; and Tracy Selway, who was the coordinator at the time.
exercise, education, nutrition counselling and symptom management, including stress, dyslipidemia and hypertension management and smoking cessation. For the first five years the program took place at the Moncton YMCA, before moving into the hospital. Nancy Couturier, the program’s clinical coordinator, said the objectives of the program include helping clients regain confidence and learn how to live with heart disease while incorporating heart healthy living through exercise and education into their lifestyle. The goal is to reduce the client’s risk of having heart problems in the future. Each participant has their own plan, including guidelines for home exercise, but in the clinic they work out as a group.
Emergency Department staff at the SMH.
Horizon’s Sackville Memorial Hospital “a gem” in the community
Sheila Nicolle, physiotherapist and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program client Bernie Mazerolle are photographed in the rehabilitation gym in Clinic A during the program’s 10th anniversary open house. Tanya Steeves began the program in April 2018 after surviving a heart attack in late 2017. She’s come a long way since her heart attack and is feeling good. She begins each work out on the treadmill before moving to another piece of equipment. Her current favourite is the NuStep, because it works both your upper and lower body. “The staff is fantastic,” said Tanya. “They have become friends and have made me feel very comfortable.” Tanya will never be able to return to her career as a pet groomer, but says the program has given her a new purpose. “Right now my job is to get better,” she said. “And the staff made me focus on that. They have made me feel like I was part of something, like I am part of the team.” Once clients complete the program they are encouraged to take part in Friday morning open gym sessions. Each week program graduate Bernard “Bernie” Mazerolle visits the gym to exercise in a supervised environment and catch up with staff and friends. “Bernie lost his spouse of over 60 years in the spring and I hope we have been able to help him in some small way in the grieving process,” said Nancy. “We are like family and have been able to support him during this difficult time, not just physically but emotionally as well.” Making a difference in the lives of clients like Tanya and Bernie is what Nancy loves about the program and her role. “Our patients are so grateful,” she said. “It’s rewarding to see them gain the confidence to move forward dealing with heart disease and take some control back in their lives by making healthy, knowledgeable choices.”
Horizon’s Sackville Memorial Hospital (SMH) opened 30 years ago and has been offering patients in the Sackville region quality care since that very first day in April 1988. That care has been reciprocated: Since the doors opened, the Sackville community has shown a lot of love for the SMH. It’s evident in the fact that each year, through the work of the Sackville Memorial Hospital Foundation and Sackville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the small community rallies together to raise a large amount of money for their hospital. “People are happy that we are here,” said Emilie Doucet, facility manager. “The community is a big supporter of the hospital. Every year the Foundation is able to raise $100,000 for their campaign. For a small community, that is a lot of support.” The community support has allowed the hospital to flourish over the past 30 years, ever since ground broke on the new build in 1983. Staff at the former Sackville Hospital had the unique opportunity to watch their new facility being built right before their eyes — the new location was right behind the old one. Wendy Smith, supervisor of Health Records, Admitting and Telecommunication, said she and her colleagues watched patiently from the old building. “We were the first department that moved over,” she said. “We moved all our charts. When we moved in, we thought it was just awesome; we had a huge new room, with everything all in one area for filing. So much more space that we had before.” Sharon Trainor, registered nurse, has been working at the SMH since the new facility opened, and worked in the former location, too.
“I grew up here and a friend of mine and I decided when we were in high school we would come to the ladies auxiliary and ask for a bursary,” Sharon explained. “We applied for a $500 bursary, and we each got one. But one of the stipulations was we had to come back here and work for two years once we graduated.” Sharon took that two-year commitment and turned it into a 44-year nursing career in her home town. “I like that we’re a small hospital,” she said. “You really get to know everyone. People you know from the community come in and say, ‘It’s so nice to see a familiar face.’ You get that so often in a small community. For them it brings comfort.”
Located in Clinic A, the twice-weekly, 12-week program consists of supervised
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Sharon Trainor, registered nurse, has been working at the SMH since the hospital opened its doors in 1988.
“To be able to have my dad right here when he was in the latter part of his life is very important. “I know how important it is to the community by the work being done by the Foundation, the Auxiliary; they are all gung-ho for doing things for the hospital.” The hospital means a lot to all staff, who, according to Emilie, all know each other — a very special feeling.
Wendy agrees, referring to the hospital as a “gem.”
“I found out when my dad was sick how much this hospital means for our community,” she said.
Physiotherapist Sheila Nicolle and Registered Nurse Lisa Steeves help client Tanya Steeves on the treadmill.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Program team and clients joined together in December to celebrate 10 years of the program.
Health Records and Admitting staff at Horizon’s Sackville Memorial Hospital, from left: Heather Hicks-Gautreau, Donna Steeves, Susanna Surette, Wendy Smith and Alex Ouellette.
Stitches of Love: Donated hats keep babies warm and cozy in SJRH’s NNICU
Flu season is here. > Get your flu shot > Wash your hands > Avoid close contact with others > Limit touching your face Protect yourself and those around you by following these simple tips:
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Amari, who was seven weeks old and weighed almost three pounds at the time of this photo, has a collection of seven fashionable hats.
Know the symptoms. Is it the flu or a cold?
On a quiet morning in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NNICU) at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital, a tiny girl named Amari yawns silently and closes her eyes. As she rests in an incubator, a hand-knit white hat with a purple pompom keeps her head cozy and warm.
fashionable hats. They’re pink, blue, purple, red and a fluffy silvery grey.
she keeps busy by knitting hats and quilts for babies in the NNICU.
In the NNICU, all the babies have handmade hats and blankets – and that’s thanks to the generosity of a few anonymous, nimble- fingered angels. One of those secret knitters, a woman who has been making hats for babies for more than three decades, recently turned 100 years old. The big-hearted centenarian didn’t want to be identified, interviewed or celebrated, but she did tell us her middle name.
“It gives her great pleasure to know she is helping out,” said her daughter, Joanne. “It also gives her something to do.” In the NNICU, nurses store dozens of adorable new hats in plastic bins until they are needed, and a cupboard is stocked with neatly folded handmade quilts. Kim Aker, the nurse manager on the NNICU, said staff is grateful to Charity and other volunteers for these adorable gifts for babies. “Without the kindness and generosity of these people, we wouldn’t have any of these things to pass on to the families,” she said. “These handmade hats provide a more ‘homey’ feeling for the babies and their families.”
Symptom Fever Headache Aches and Pain Weakness Extreme Fatigue Sniffles or Sneezes Sore Throat Cough Complications
Influenza (Flu) Frequent, usually high, lasts 3-4 days Frequent (can be severe) Frequent (can be severe) Modest to severe, can last up to 1 month Frequent (can be severe) Sometimes Common Usual (can be severe) Pneumonia or worsening of underlying medical conditions which can be life-threatening
Cold Rare Rare Rare Not common (mild) Not common
Amari, who is seven weeks old and weighs almost three pounds, has a collection of seven
Fittingly enough, that name is Charity.
Common Common Sometimes (mild to moderate) Sinus or ear infection
Charity lives in Smithtown, near Hampton, in a house built long ago by her ancestors. Her family said she is in good health, and
This big-hearted centenarian has been making hats for babies for more than three decades, and recently turned 100 years old.
Blankets and hats made by various volunteers (none pictured were made by 100-year-old knitter, but by various other amazing volunteers).
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Friends campaign to improve care for cardiac patients, moms and babies at TMH
When I first started I worked in Long Term Care. The best advice I ever received was: When working with Alzheimer patients, go where THEY are, in time and or memory, because they cannot come to yours, the present time. It has helped me so much and my lovely patients as well. Eileen Harrison Patient Care Attendant (PCA), Emergency Department, Upper River Valley Hospital After 34 years with Horizon and as I head into retirement in January 2019 my words of advice are: Don’t shy away if an opportunity is presented to you. If someone approaches you with a chance to get involved in a project or take on a new role Go For It! They obviously recognize your strengths, work ethic and abilities so take a leap and challenge yourself. It will provide you with an opportunity to broaden your experience, further develop your skill set and meet other Horizon employees. Claire Esson Regional Director, Workforce Optimization, The Moncton Hospital Don’t lose your empathy. Empathy fuels connection: with your patients, with your co-workers and with yourself. You work in a system that can diminish your empathy, if you allow it. We have professions that are hard physically, emotionally and mentally. We have a system that often demands we do more with less. In those moments when outside forces seek to eat away at your empathy, remember why you are here and who you are doing this for: the patient. Focus on them. Connect with them. Do your best for them. Keep your empathy, even when it’s hard. Jennifer Carey Medical Radiation Technologist, Diagnostic Imaging, The Moncton Hospital Tip 1: Be gentle on yourself. New positions in any workplace often require a steep learning curve and with lots to learn and know; never be scared to ask questions. Tip 2: Be assertive. When in the field of nursing, it is absolutely essential that you feel safe and comfortable. A really good orientation is necessary. Be sure to let your supervisor know if you feel unsafe. Tip 3: Communication is your greatest asset. Always. Tip 4: Lastly, Nursing is extremely rewarding and has so many opportunities with lots of areas where one can work. I have had the opportunity to enjoy Critical Care, Emergency, Public Health, Geriatrics, UNBSJ School Health Centre, Corrections, Clinical Instructor work and now Addictions and Mental Health. Such a great journey. Sam (Chandra) Flewelling RN, Addiction and Mental Health Services, Saint John If I was to give new nursing grads/staff advice it would be: treat your patients like they’re your family, because everyone wants their family to receive the best care imaginable no matter their age, presenting complaint or social status. Melissa McCully RN, Emergency Department, Upper River Valley Hospital
You will not and should not know it all coming out – but that’s a good thing! Ask all of the questions. Your coworkers will be more concerned about you if you don’t ask versus if you do. Take this time to learn. Sally Mackereth RN, Intensive Care Unit, Saint John Regional Hospital Your challenges will not keep you from being successful. I was one of the slowest typists in my class but in my current position I have learned that employers look at the bigger picture and take into account your entire skill set when hiring. Nicola Keeling Administrative Assistant, Infection Prevention & Control, The Moncton Hospital My advice to someone entering the field of diagnostic imaging, or any front line health care field would be to become the best communicator you can be. Good communication begins with listening carefully and paying attention to the details of what’s going on around you. Studies have shown that communicative errors are the root cause of two out of every three adverse medical events. We can literally save lives by being better Whenever I encounter new students, whether in high school or college, I can’t express enough that nursing is about the patient, not ourselves. If you can leave all your problems and attitudes at home, give one hundred percent of yourself to every patient every day you work, then you are a “nurse”. This may sound hard to do, and believe me I know firsthand. However every person I meet at work is there because something in their health is not so great, and if I can help by doing my very best, then I feel I have done my job the way I would hope someone would help me if the roles were reversed. Marlene Reid LPN, IV Day Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital After 30 some years and retiring in January 2019, my handed-down philosophy has been, always give more than people expect and be accountable. Ray Jones Carpenter/Cabinetmaker/Locksmith, Physical Resources, The Moncton Hospital Tip 1: Establish a way to practise self-care, regularly, so that it becomes part of your routine and your norm. Compassion fatigue is very real and prevalent within the health care field. Tip 2: People will not always remember what you said to them, but they will remember how you made them feel (based on a quote by Maya Angelou). Angela Keetch Registered Social Worker/Clinician, Child & Youth Team CISM Co-Coordinator, Addiction & Mental Health Services, Charlotte County Region communicators! Phil Kennedy RTR/Program Director, Saint John School of Radiological Technology
What advice would you give to someone starting in your field? Thank you to everyone who shared their single most importance piece of advice for someone beginning a career in their field of work. We received 31 submissions, each offering insight that will help those new to their profession — and maybe even those who’ve been at their job for decades! Many members of the Horizon team shared helpful tips that get them through a stressful work day and practical advice about finding that first job in your field. Others shared how a positive mindset and strong communication can make a new job less daunting.
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From left: Dr. Ken Gillespie, TMH Chief of Staff; David Savoie, Friends Chair; Pat Armour, Friends 1st Vice Chair; Robert K. Irving, Extraordinary Care Campaign Chair; Linda Saunders, President and CEO, Friends: Dr. Ron Bourgeois, TMH Cardiologist; Jean Daigle, VP Community, Horizon at the official launch of the campaign.
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The new Maternity and Newborn Unit will house the Labour and Birthing Unit (LBU), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NNICU) and the Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic (MFMC). These three units will be relocated and merged into a new building between the Professional Arts Building and the hospital’s main entrance. This new space will create more modern and individual patient rooms for all stages of birth, each with private washroom facilities. This will improve outcomes for the mother, reduce the length of hospital stay, prevent the spread of infection and provide safe and quality patient care and a safe and seamless work environment for staff. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will also feature single private rooms, improving care by parents, patient and family privacy and confidentiality and noise control. The Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic will create a comfortable and modern space for women during high‐risk pregnancies. It will be adjacent to the other two units, providing a seamless continuity of care. Construction is expected to begin in June 2019, with occupancy in late 2021.
The Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation’s Extraordinary Care Campaign will raise $8 million for a new Maternity and Newborn Unit and the relocation and expansion of the Cardiac Care Unit at Horizon’s The Moncton Hospital (TMH). “Many of Atlantic Canada’s top health experts work right here at TMH, but currently parts of our facility don’t match the level of expertise provided by our people,” said Dr. Ken Gillespie, TMH’s Chief of Staff. “We are changing that. It is exciting to be part of creating healthier
futures for our families, neighbours and friends.”
The Cardiac Intensive Care and Cardiac Stepdown Units will be relocated and expanded into one larger, modern space purposely designed for optimal care and recovery. The units will be adjacent to enable medical professionals to provide more seamless patient-centered care, while offering greater comfort and private rooms for patients and their families. A construction date for this new building has yet to be determined.
We heard from readers from 13 facilities or regions, 23 units, and 16 different positions.
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As with all past Top 10 lists, we based our decision on a variety of factors, and to ensure a variety of representation across Horizon.
We look forward to reading your submissions for the next Top 10 list!
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Have an idea for a future Top 10 list? Email HorizonStar@HorizonNB.ca. We look forward to reading your submissions.
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As of press time, $5.6 million in donations and pledges had been secured.
“We are dedicated to helping provide a first class facility to allow the top‐notch medical team at The Moncton Hospital to better care for our friends, family and our entire community,” said Robert K. Irving, campaign chair.
A big shout-out to the Harrison Trimble High School student council for volunteering at the launch.
Hello ... Bonjour .
Votre langue. Votre choix. Notre engagement. Your language. Your choice. Our commitment.
How the Active Offer provided comfort to two new Canadian residents
Sherry MacPhee, Nephrology nurse manager at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital, and members of her teamwho took part in a successful Performance Excellence project to reduce work-up times for both kidney recipients and living donors, are photographed at the Nephrology clinic in mid-December. Pictured, from left: Evelyn Magee, RN and Renal Recipient Transplant Coordinator; Kayla McKay Transplant administrative assistant; Claribel Sosa Espinal de Rijos, Senior Project Manager, Performance Optimization; Dr. Paul Sohi, Nephrologist; Dr. Nessa Gogan, Nephrologist; Sue Melvin, RN and Renal Donor Transplant Coordinator; Sherry MacPhee, Nurse Manager; and Dr. Martin MacKinnon, Nephrologist. Missing from the photo is Dr. Christine Pippy, Nephrologist.
Béatrice Vermaut, 44 years old, became a New Brunswick resident in July 2017.
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Kidney transplant recipients to benefit from Performance Optimization project at Horizon care experience and quality of life.
While our family was in the process of immigrating to New Brunswick, I was
In Oncology, the physician made an effort to speak in my mother tongue. He always makes sure he is accompanied by a French-speaking nurse to ensure we both understand each other. Today, I do not even have to ask for my health care providers to speak French anymore; staff recognize me and automatically use my language of preference. Beyond the linguistic aspect, I would like sincerely thank the employees of Horizon Health Network for their professional and empathic approach. I know I am in good hands.
diagnosed with lymphatic cancer. We thought our dream was ruined. Fortunately, my cancer went into remission, and our trip to Canada could continue. Obviously, frequent medical check-ups are necessary, and I’m an Oncology patient at Horizon’s Saint John Regional Hospital. Before my first appointment, I was afraid that communication would be a barrier because my English is far from perfect!
The number of kidney transplants for Horizon’s Nephrology patients has increased over the last year, thanks to a project in Saint John focused on reducing work-up times for both kidney recipients and living donors. Claribel Sosa, Senior Project Manager, Performance Optimization has worked with the Nephrology team at the Saint John Regional Hospital (SJRH) to reduce the wait time for patients and donor candidates to complete their work-up process prior to receiving or donating a kidney. A work-up involves a number of tests and consults to ensure safety for transplantation. Transplants are then performed in Halifax. “This is important because kidney recipients can be placed on the active list sooner to ultimately reduce the time to get a transplant,” she said. “When patients have to wait a long time to receive a transplant, they are treated with dialysis and in some instances become ineligible for transplant due to worsening of their condition.” Likewise for donors, the sooner their charts are completed and evaluated, the sooner they can be approved to be donors. The number of transplants has increased from an average of 9.5 in the last four years to 15 transplants in 2018. There’s also been a reduction in cycle time and an increase in the number of recipient patients and living donor candidates work-ups completed (see factbox for more information). Recipient patients have had their transplants completed sooner, too, creating an improved
Success by the Numbers
Performance Optimization helped Saint John Regional Hospital’s Nephrology nurse manager Sherry MacPhee and team analyze their processes and discover the root causes of the wait times by applying Lean Six Sigma tools. They also provided guidance through the implementation and control phases of the project. As a result, the Nephrology team compressed and shortened the wait between patient tests, which meant fewer visits to the hospital for patients. As well, new cardiologists were added to the recipient and donor evaluation process, nephrologists created more time slots to assess patients and patients were also referred to centres with shorter wait times. Having a monthly goal and a target date for each patient, celebrating small gains to keep the team motivated, and engaging leadership, including project sponsor Geri Geldart, Horizon’s VP of Clinical Services and process owner Lisa Byrne, program administrator, helped make this project successful. Claribel’s advice to colleagues across Horizon who are embarking on a similar project is to implement change management processes early, as staff may feel overwhelmed with change, but don’t lose faith. “With time and persistence obtaining results is possible,” she said. The project has already saved more than $143,000 from avoided dialysis treatments.
Recipient Patients Reduced cycle time from 404 to 288 days from January 2018 to March 2018. Punctuality (work-ups completed within the eight months or less)
2016: 32 per cent 2017: 30 per cent 2018 (as of September): 63 per cent
My doubts quickly dissipated.
The Admission and Registration department offered me service in French immediately.
Number of patients who completed work-ups (per year):
2016: 25 2017: 22 2018 (as of September): 34
Agathe Robert, 27 years old, became a Canadian citizen in 2016.
It is sometimes difficult for me to express my questions in English, but staff always do their best to speak to me in French. This is highly appreciated and reassures me, because I can be sure sure I understand them correctly. I recently registered to take prenatal classes in French. I’m so happy Horizon provides this opportunity for French-speaking parents. For me, it’s a moment of intimacy, and having access to it in my mother tongue makes all the difference.
I’m pregnant with my first child.
Living Donors Reduced cycle time from 234 to 185 days for the months of June 2018 to September 2018. Punctuality (charts completed within the six months or less)
Of course, it’s a time of joy and euphoria. It is also a time of discovery and questions.
I want to express my gratitude to all Horizon staff that I interact with.
2016: 39 per cent 2017: 50 per cent 2018 (as of October): 61 per cent
Whether it’s doctors, medical administrative assistants or nurses, their approach is always professional and friendly.
Number of living donors with charts completed (per year):
2016: 10 2017: 12 2018 (as of October): 21
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