Roundup
An update for staff, physicians and volunteers
A Sweet Ride
If it’s spring it must mean the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike is touring the region. June is Stroke Month and as always, Niagara Health departments are doing their bit to support the efforts of the foundation. In April, the Welland Site got on board, raising $1,969 on their ride. In May, the Regional Stroke Program gathered together the Risky Business team
(pictured) to garner $2,505! Congratulations to staff who participated and to those who supported their Big Bike ride once again. «
Roundup Events
Saturday, June 20: Hoe Down Dinner and Dance
The May Court Club of St. Catharines, the Rotary Club of St. Catharines South, and Performance Cars want to show the Niagara region a good old-fashioned barn-raising, foot-stomping Country & Western Hoe-Down!
Come to the Hoe Down Dinner and Dance and enjoy the sounds of Sandy Vine and the Midnights at the H.A. Staff Farm, 3210 Staff Avenue, Jordan. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m., wear casual western attire. $85 per ticket.
Proceeds go to the Regional Cardiac Catheterization Lab. Tickets available at the St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation or go to www.scghfoundation.com.
Saturday, July 18: 7th Annual Co-Ed Beach Volleyball Tournament
Support the Rankin Cancer Run and get your group of four together for the St. Catharines Firefighters 7th Annual Keep the Spirit Tournament, at the NSP Sandbox, Lock 3, St. Catharines. Entry fee is $200 per team with registration deadline July 8. Register online at www.rankincancerrun.com or contact Terry Turner at 905-356-9362.
Results of WalkArounds
In the last issue, we shared with you that Patient Safety Leadership WalkArounds are a way for senior leaders to learn about the safety issues in our organization and demonstrate their commitment to patient safety. WalkArounds provide an informal opportunity to discuss patient safety with staff. The NHS started this new initiative in March, and we are pleased to report that we have completed our first round!
A total of 34 units across our seven sites were visited — Emergency Rooms, Intensive Care Units, Laboratories, Diagnostic Imaging, Operating Rooms, Day Surgery, Pharmacies, Mental Health, Complex Continuing Care, Inpatient Medicine and Maternal Child. Altogether, 110 opportunities for improvement – both big and small – were identified. Some examples are:
- separating look alike, sound-alike medications
- ensuring that proper signage is posted to indicate outbreaks
- removing articles that could potentially cause patient falls
- installing more alcohol-based hand sanitizers on walls
These suggestions have the potential to substantially increase patient safety. The straightforward action of separating look-alike medication bottles will eliminate the risk of administering wrong medications to patients. In addition, installing more hand sanitizer wall units will improve access, alert everyone to wash our hands and thereby decrease the spread of bacteria.
Once an opportunity for improvement has been identified, the manager will follow up immediately. Depending upon appropriateness, the manager does so by either acting on the task herself/himself or delegating it to a team member. For each improvement opportunity, an action plan has been developed to address the identified concern.
Already, 40 of the plans have been acted upon. The remainder are in progress and will be followed up, as they will take longer and require more detailed planning. Some examples include …
- purchasing or replacing equipment
- setting up education sessions for staff
- drafting or revising policies
In the Niagara Health Now June 25 issue, read about other issues identified and next steps in this important new initiative. The next deadline for Round Up is Friday, June 12.
Just Clean your Hands: Lunch and Learn Sessions
Infection Prevention and Control has embarked on a hand hygiene educational campaign, which includes lunch and learn sessions for all staff. The first session was held Wednesday, June 10, and two more sessions are planned for Monday, June 15 and Thursday, June 18.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided at all sessions, and .5 Continuing Education (CE) certificates will be issued to attendees.
For more information on the sessions and registration, please go to the SourceNet home page at https://sps01.niagarahealth.on.ca/default.aspx or contact Michelle McRae at ext. 44465 or mmcrae@niagarahealth.on.ca or Pam Mackie at ext. 50204 or pmackie@niagarahealth.on.ca «
The next deadline for Round Up is Friday, June 12.
We welcome your story submissions, which can be forwarded by e-mail to madkin@niagarahealth.on.ca. For more information, contact Round Up Editor Marjory Adkin-Wilson, Communications Co-ordinator, Ontario Street Site, at ext. 43879. The editor reserves the right to edit stories for content, clarity and length. An update for staff, physicians and volunteers
