Royal Review March 15 2017

The Vickies: Hot off the red carpet

Certified yoga instructor Lin-da Renco (left), has donated 10 copies of her manual for mindfulness (Mindfulness to the Moment) to the RVH Health Library which was accepted by Donna Smith-Roselle, Library Technician. The book opens with a trib-ute to Nicole Marchand, a well-known cancer patient who passed away a year ago. Her mother Lesley Jan-nis (centre) was on hand for the donation.

RVH’s awarding-winning volunteers Two long-time RVH volunteers were recently recognized with some impressive awards. Congratulations to Rosemary Dunsmore (pictured left) who received a Leading Women Building Communities Recogni-tion Award through the Ontario Ministry of Women’s Issues. This prestigious award acknowl-edges and cele-brates women and girls who demonstrate exceptional leader-ship in working to improve the

lives of others in their communities. This

honour was officially presented to her by Barrie MPP Ann Hoggarth. Robert (Bob) George was recognized with the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers (formerly the Governor Gen-eral’s Caring Canadian Award). The award is given to Canadian citizens who have made significant, sustained and unpaid contribu-tions to their community. Bob was awarded

the medal for his committed efforts in fund-raising for the creation and enhancement of Peacekeepers Memorial Park. The award was presented to him on March 7 by Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman. At RVH, we can be proud to know that such a passionate and dedicated members of our community are part of our ‘Blue Brigade’.

Book donation

For the first time in Vickies history, there was a tie in the Most Creative category between Health Information Management/Decision Support (top)and Occupational Health & Safety (bottom).

The Renal program (top photo) won the MY CARE Award at the RVH Film Festival. Patient Food Ser-vices (bottom photo) walked away with the People’s Choice Award.

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RVH Royal Review March 15 2017

New device has big impact on response to workplace violence

Construction on our new Advanced Cardiac Centre is under-way. The existing entrance to the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) has been blocked with staff and visitors being re-routed. The exist-ing entrance into the CCU will be blocked by hoarding, as will the rear door of Elevator G (Emergency elevator). RVH staff will need to exit the front doors of the elevator and follow the wall signage around the corridors to the CCU. After the com-pletion of Phase 1 (approximately four weeks), a new, shorter route will be determined and communicated to TEAM RVH.

Renovation updates: Access to Mental Health and CCU

To accommodate the start of the construction on the Child and Youth Mental Health area, Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Services and Medication Clinic has been relocated from its current location on 3NA to the Outpatient Mental Health area-on 3SC. Transition of these services took place on Friday, March 10 and included the relocation of the psychiatrist offic-es, the Medication Clinic, and the patient registration and waiting areas. As of Monday, March 13, patients, staff, physi-cians and volunteers now access the Outpatient Psychiatry

and Medication Clinic via the Cen-tral elevators (green eleva-tors). Temporary signage will assist with the redirec-tion and flow of traffic. The Mental Health Day pro-gram, previously on 3SC has al-ready moved to its temporary location at 70 Wellington St. West.

Staff in 3GA are now wearing a small piece of equipment that’s having a big impact on our response to workplace violence. Thanks to a donation from Waypoint Centre for Mental Health, and an endorsement by the Joint Health and Safety Committee, staff alert pendants have been issued as a trial for all frontline staff on the Respiratory Inpatient unit (3GA). The pendants are worn up high on the collar or chest pocket of the shirt and give staff an alternate means of calling for help if they are faced with workplace violence. “These new devices are not intended to replace proper pa-tient assessments, flagging or care plans already in place, but instead act as an additional tool to summon immediate assis-tance when violence is occurring or imminent,” says Marlene Salojärvi, Health and Safety Consultant, Occupational Health and Safety. “When a staff member is cornered or is experienc-ing violence, they activate the pendant by pulling it down with a hard yank off its ring. The sound is incredibly loud and when other staff hear it, they know to come running.” The appropriate protocol when a staff alert pendant is activat-ed is for a staff member near a phone to immediately dial 55 to initiate a Code White with Security Services. At the same time, all other staff hearing the alert are to immediately run and as-sist the staff member, preventing an incident from becoming more serious. The Joint Health and Safety Committee – with representation from frontline clinical and support staff across the health centre – reviews workplace violence statistics every month. Along with Security Services and Occupational Health and Safety, the

committee regularly dis-cusses strategies to help prevent workplace violence from occurring at RVH. The pendants came highly recommended from staff at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health who report that the piercing sound often startles the aggressor, giving staff the oppor-tunity to get away and for immediate help to arrive. “We’re grateful to our

partners at Waypoint for

donating 50 staff alert

pendants for RVH to trial on 3GA. I’ve seen and heard first-

hand the impact these little devices have had on staff on the

unit,” says Salojärvi. “In fact, they’ve been so well-received that

we’ll be rolling them out shortly to all frontline

clinical and support staff then progressively

across the organization. Keeping our staff safe is

our top priority and these pendants are just an-

other way we’re able to deliver on that promise.”

Marlene Salojärvi holds up the new staff alert pendants currently being trialed on 3GA.

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RVH Royal Review March 15 2017

Enhanced education making a difference in the lives of staff and patients

When RPN Ashleigh Page from the Surgery 3 Inpatient unit, signed up for an Advanced Ostomy course this year, she knew it would help improve the care she’s able to provide. What she didn’t know is soon, it could help her save a patient’s life. In late February Ashleigh was caring for patient Denise Henderson who was admitted to RVH due to a flare up of a chronic condition. Closely moni-toring Denise during her hourly patient rounding, Ashleigh noticed some sig-nificant declines, prompting her to notify the physician and recommend an emergency CT scan. Ashleigh’s instincts and her newly-acquired knowledge through her course, saved Denise’s life. The CT scan indicated a bowel perforation which was causing Denise to go septic (i.e. severely infected). Soon after the problem was discovered, Denise—with Ashleigh right by her side until they wheeled her into the operating room—went for emergency surgery to repair the perfo-ration. “If it hadn’t been for Ashleigh’s care and attentiveness, I don’t want to think about what could have happened,” says Denise. “She noticed changes in my health, listened to me and stayed by my side the entire time. For a while, I was worried I wouldn’t make it to my granddaughter’s graduation this spring, but now I will thanks to Ashleigh’s quick thinking and amazing care.” Ashleigh and 24 nursing colleagues from the Surgery 3 Inpatient unit will have completed the Advanced Ostomy class by April 2 - paid for by the one-time funding announcement from earlier this year. This is one of many train-ing opportunities in which Kimberley Sweeney, Manager, encourages staff to participate. “In the past year, we’ve spent $48,100 on training this unit’s staff through one-time funding and the Education Trust Fund,” says Kimberley. “And based on some of the indicators we measure, I think the results have been tremen-dous. For example, since 2015 when we really began to focus on education for this unit, we’ve had a 70 per cent decrease in CCOT—or Critical Care Outreach Team—calls. I can’t help but think there is a correlation there.” Kimberley’s staff have embraced edu-cation opportunities and have respond-ed in the form of their employee experi-ence results. When asked about access to education, opportunity to make work improvements based on what they’ve learned and the chance to further their careers because of education, the nurs-ing staff on Surgery 3 have made their appreciation for education clear through drastic (20 - 40%) increases in their sat-isfaction scores. “I know the recent training I’ve re-ceived has helped me recognize even subtle signs of change in my patients and given me the confidence to act on my observations,” says Ashleigh. “It benefitted me as a nurse in helping Denise and I know training benefits us all as we continue to learn, and improve knowledge and skill set for our patients.”

RPN Ashleigh Page (left) with patient Denise Henderson.

Random acts of kindness

Every four years, RVH participates in a voluntary process of quality improvement through Accredi-tation Canada. Accreditation Canada is an inde-pendent and not-for-profit organization that pro-vides standards of care that enhance patient safety. The standards examine communication, risk management, infection prevention and con-trol, medication management and many other services across the organization. During our four-year accreditation cycle, RVH will complete self-assessments to determine how we are meeting the standards and participate in an onsite survey/ external review. This is an exciting opportunity for surveyors to see our successes while also help-ing to identify any areas for improvement. Ac-creditation Canada assesses the information from the surveyors and provides us with an accredita-tion decision. We are proud to currently hold the highest standing of “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” . Our next onsite survey will take place in early 2019 and we will continue to pro-vide regular updates leading up to that date. Check out the RVH intranet or contact our Ac-

creditation Coordinator Vicci Stevenson at ext.

47020 or stevensonv@rvh.on.ca for more info.

Community members from local organizations includ-ing AMICA, Shoppers Drug Mart, Roberta Place and TD Bank participated in Random Acts of Kindness, with one stop in mind - RVH. The team brought coffee and donuts to RVH volunteers and fol-lowed up with a visit to the Special-ized Seniors Care Inpatient unit to bring gifts for patients and staff.

Intro to Accreditation 2019 Submitted by Vicci Stevenson, Accreditation Coordinatior

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RVH Royal Review March 15 2017

Foundation News

Rotary Club of Barrie presents the Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni Game!

Friday, April 21, 2017

Barrie Molson Centre

Puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Celebrate the Leaf’s 100

th anniversary as alumni favorites including Wendel Clark, Wes

Jarvis, Kevin Maguire and Darryl Shannon take on the Rotary All Stars! VIP tickets are just $35 which includes a pre-skate with the players at 6 p.m. You can also purchase a general admission tickets to the game for just $23. Tickets are going fast so get them here (BarrieRotary.com) today. Proceeds support local charities including RVH.

Braestone 1st Annual Pancake Breakfast

Braestone Horseshoe Valley

Sunday, April 2, 2017

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

$15 for adults, $10 for children It’s nearly spring and what better way to enjoy the change of season than with friends and family over a delicious stack of pancakes – topped with Braestone’s very own maple syrup fresh from the sugar shack! All proceeds support patient care at RVH.

Home Sweet Home Home Improvement Auction

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Doors open at 6:00pm

Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club Join us at the first annual Home Sweet Home event, bid on the service that will get the job done for you, and feel good supporting the future Child and Youth In-patient Mental Health program at RVH. Tickets for this event are just $35 which includes gourmet hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment featuring a comedy performance with Andrea Murray and an inter-active auction to bid on premium contracting services. Tickets are available here (Eventbrite.ca).

Education Trust Fund

At RVH, we value and encourage professional development. Intake for the next round of Edu-cation Trust Fund applications is April 15. The application form can be found on the intranet under the Learning Academy. In 2016, through generous support from the RVH Foundation, over $214,000 in education trust fund money was awarded to 80 individu-als and 23 teams at RVH. Overall, the funds awarded in 2016 supported 301 staff pursuing their professional learning and development. Please contact Rebecca Coyle at ext. 42156 or coyler@rvh.on.ca with any questions.