A Healthier You - October 2013

October 2013

Healthy Eating in the North page 14

WILDERNESS & HEALTH TIPS page 13

Being Safe in the Wild page 5

CAMPS IN

NORTHERN BC page 8

Presented by Northern Health and Glacier Media

Welcome!

by Cathy Ulrich

Welcome to the October 2013 edition of A Healthier You magazine. The large geography of northern B.C. means that the majority of northern residents live and work in rural and remote communities. In fact, the area that Northern Health covers is the size of France with a population of 300,000 people. This edition of A Healthier You will focus on living and working in this type of environment.

The north has a resource-based economy which often requires people to travel distances to work or means working away from home and living in an industry based camp.

Stories included in this edition shed light on some of the camps across the region and how they’re taking an employee first approach to improving health and wellness. Apex Reforestation is an example of a company that established new camp kitchens this year that enhance food services to their employees and are easier to clean. A staff member from Northern Health shares some tips for healthy food choices and habits in the workplace.

With long distances between work sites and communities in northern B.C., considerable time can be spent traveling on roads. Mike Nash provides safety tips for those heading into the backcountry. Additionally, Northern Tourism BC has contributed an article about healthy food stops across the region where a good meal can be purchased when away from home.

I hope you enjoy this edition of A Healthier You magazine!

Cathy Ulrich | President and Chief Executive Officer Cathy has held her position of president and CEO since 2007. From 2002 to 2007, she was the organization’s vice president, clinical services and chief nursing officer. Before the formation of Northern Health, Ulrich worked in a variety of nursing and management positions in northern B.C., Manitoba, and Alberta. Most of her career has been in rural and northern communities, giving her a solid understanding of their unique health needs.

A Healthier You is published by

A product of

A Healthier You | 2 | October 2013

what’s inside...

Visit the Northern Health Matters Blog for more healthy living tips at blog.northernhealth.ca

2

CEO Welcome

5

Being Safe in the Wild

7

Biking to Work Between Islands

8

Camps in Northern BC

12

Health Care Foundations

13

Wilderness & Health

14

Healthy Eating in the North

16

Healthy Eating in the Workplace

18

Mental Health in Work Camps

20

NH Connections

21

Technology in Maternity

24

Tree Planting Camps

25

Staff Profile: Angela Wheeler

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A Healthier You | 4 | October 2013

Avoid the Complacency Trap

y tr n u o c k c a B ’s C B in fe a Stay S

by Mike Nash

A reward for living in northern BC is the chance to experience the vast and still largely untrammeled wild lands around us. But whether you work in an office, industrial plant or from a remote bush camp, safety should always be foremost in mind. In fact, safety doesn’t begin and end in the workplace, it should be a constant in our lives.

There are inherent risks in the outdoors, just as there are in everyday life; the key is how well we understand and manage those risks. Unpredictable weather, difficult terrain, wildlife encounters, consequences of getting lost or injured in remote places, and how we respond to peer pressure to just get on with something that we’re unsure about or inexperienced with.

There are many things that can go wrong in the outdoors: some are unavoidable, but most can be anticipated and dealt with safely. At the top of my list, squarely in the avoidable category is complacency.

We are all afflicted with complacency from time to time—it seems to be human nature. I’ve watched an experienced outdoorsman, compass in hand walk in a direction opposite to his intended route. He was so convinced he was going the right way that he read the compass needle backwards. I’ve heard members of the medical profession, a community coroner, and the head of a large industrial safety program rationalize that a padlocked fire exit door at a crowded New Year dinner/dance in a wooden hall with lit candles was not a concern.

Complacency arises whether you are in a work setting, on the highway, engaged in work or recreational activities from remote wilderness camps, or simply working around the home.

According to a 2010 testimony concerning the death of an experienced BC forest worker: “Death and serious injury in the woods are rarely caused by inexperience. Complacency, often by those who have worked in the bush all their lives, is the deadly enemy.”

One way to counter this tendency is to think through what if scenarios. Anticipate what could happen and how you might respond if it did. This practice saved the life of a Prince George woodsman when he fell through the ice carrying a 40-kilogram pack on a minus 30 degree windy day on remote Stalk Lake in northwest BC. Fred Van der Post had mentally rehearsed this scenario many times during his 700-kilometre solo snowshoe trek and he knew what he had to do. Fred’s amazing account of how he survived is the opening reality check in my latest book, Outdoor Safety & Survival. Continued on page 6.

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Continued from page 5 On a recent mountaineering trip based at a wilderness camp in the southern Chilcotin Mountains, my party inherited the results of poor food waste practices from two groups that were there before us. On the final day of our stay, we found fresh grizzly bear sign on three sides of the camp. Anticipating a possible incursion that night, we discussed what if scenarios and agreed on an action plan for the eventuality. Earlier prevention would have been a far better strategy.

Often it’s an accumulation of small, familiar things that can blossom quickly into a serious, life-threatening problem. In my book, I detailed the series of minor events that led to Canada’s worst civil aviation disaster in Toronto in 1970 when a brand new DC8 jetliner went down in perfect flying conditions, killing all 109 people on board.

This past weekend I was leading a mountain hike near Prince George when we encountered a grizzly bear while bushwhacking off trail. We had anticipated the possibility and retreated unscathed; but in a postincident assessment I learned that only two of the five of us had bear repellant spray. The same afternoon, my wife was hiking in southern BC when a member of her party suffered multiple fractures, requiring helicopter evacuation. It took seven hours to resolve the incident, leaving Judy and her two remaining companions barely an hour of daylight for the two-hour hike out with only one headlamp between them.

Whether you are recreating or working in a remote area, or just enjoying the woods near your home, spend some time learning about outdoor safety and survival, take a wilderness first aid course, carry the essential gear that you might need if things go awry and you need to spend a night out, think through the what ifs, try to keep a focus on the complacency trap, and then go out and enjoy the best that northern BC has to offer!

Submit your story (250-400 words) about staying safe in the wild to ncoyne@pgcitizen.ca for your chance to win a signed copy of Outdoor Safety and Survival. The winning article will also be featured in the Prince George Citizen. Contest deadline: November 21st

Mike Nash has been writing about the northern BC outdoors for 30 years and is the author of four books, including Outdoor Safety & Survival published by Rocky Mountain Books in 2012.

Mike has been involved in many advisory groups related to BC’s natural resources during this period. He is currently a member of BC’s watchdog Forest Practices Board, and is a board member with BC Hydro’s Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program Peace Region.

For Mike’s other works: http://www3.telus.net/pgoutdoors A Healthier You | 6 | October 2013

Biking to work

by Heather Brule

Northern Health Therapy Aide

Between islands

When I was asked to contribute to the NH blog, I actually accepted the invitation before I knew what I was going to write. Encouraging health in the workplace? How can we add health in the workplace? How is ‘health’ defined by each of us? Healthy eating?

Exercise?

How do I incorporate healthy in my workday?

Well, I work in Queen Charlotte City but live in Sandspit. That means my commute consists of 12km to the ferry terminal, a 30-minute ferry ride and another 5km to the hospital in Queen Charlotte. I could drive or bike. I made the choice to bike to work for two reasons. First, it would save me cash by walking onto the ferry versus driving and secondly, I could add some movement into my day before and after each work day.

ocean. The water is Caribbean blue, calm and the beach is empty and peaceful. Throughout the summer I was fortunate to witness various berries changing colours, the dayold fawns playing, whales around Onward Point and river otters crossing the road before the other morning traffic. On the mighty Kwuna, I enjoy my coffee and morning chat with friends all while watching seagulls and porpoises pass by.

The ferry docks at the Skidegate Terminal and I continue my ride into Queen Charlotte with sunshine warming my back and highlighting Sleeping Beauty Mountain in front of me.

When I reach my destination I feel energized and happy to be there. I get to do the reverse at the end of the day.

Heather lives, works and plays on Haida Gwaii. She has worked for Northern Health since 2012 in the Rehabilitation department as a therapy aide. At work, she assists the physical therapist as well as works with the long-term care residents to provide various forms of recreation. She’s active in the community and enjoys teaching various fitness classes over the past few years. In her spare time she can be found running, hiking, biking, crafting, reading, diving and enjoying the ocean via fishing, surfing and paddle boarding.

Here’s a typical day, riding my bike to work: I reach for my alarm, turn it off, roll over and open my eyes. September is not quite as bright in the morning as in July, but there’s still light streaming into my bedroom from the rising sun. I put my biking outfit on, make some coffee, grab my pre-made lunch and pack my backpack. I make my favorite breakfast smoothie and toss it too into my pack. It’s 7:15 am. I walk to the end of my driveway with my ride. My morning commute has started. I start to peddle the 12km. The road is quiet and to my right for 12km is the R001413886

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Camps in

by Frank Peebles Prince George Citizen

Northern BC

There's a reason working in the bush is called "camp." In the early days, when workers left home and went into remote wilderness areas for long-term industrial jobs, camping was required. The accommodations were only a few degrees warmer than out on the work site, there were roofs (often canvas) that kept most of the rain and snow off of sleeping bags, and usually someone else did the cooking. These were about the only features that made these portable villages "home" while the tie-hackers, fishers and track layers of the region eked out a living. It's only been in the past 10 years or so that modern sensibilities shooed the rats out of the bunkhouse and swept the mess out of the mess hall. Modern work camps are now more like Olympic athlete villages than spartan M*A*S*H units.

"The further away from the cities, the nicer the camps need to be to attract workers," said Pam Solly, director of investor relations and corporate responsibility for Thompson Creek Metals. "We have designed, constructed and furnished our permanent operations residence with the intent for it to be run like a three-star lodging facility.

We want our employees to enjoy being there."

There are currently more industrial jobs than there are employees, so part of the improvements to work camps is related to boosted safety regulations over the years but a lot of it has to do with cutthroat competition for workers.

A Healthier You | 8 | October 2013

Many employees know that they have options, if they don't like being at Endako Mine or Mount Milligan Mine - the two camp facilities Thompson Creek Metals has in northern B.C. Huckleberry Mine near Houston is not far away, there are several coal mines and natural gas outfits in the northeast, Rio Tinto Alcan has a massive construction village for smelter upgrades at Kitimat, New Gold Mines has a camp south of Vanderhoof, and there are even a few forestry camps still in existence especially in spring for the treeplanters and other silviculture workers.

Tim Bekhuys is the director of environment for New Gold. In his 30 years in the mining industry he notes that "the expectations have changed a lot" for camps, from the workers who stay there, the unions that represent them, the government agencies that ensure safety, and the mining companies themselves who have learned that a motivated crew is a key variable in making a profit or not.

"It's important that people have a place they want to stay at, so we get the product we are hoping for," Bekhuys said. "It's a pretty exciting time in B.C., a lot of projects are proposed, and we needed to have the labour available to our project. In order to do that, we knew we needed a good camp. When New Gold took over the Blackwater project [south of Vanderhoof and west of Prince George] in 2011 from the junior mining company that owned it beforehand, we ramped it up into probably the largest exploration program in North America. We had probably 400 people on site. We needed to attract the best people possible.

“

We invested in building a new camp from the ground up."

It's important that people have a place they want to stay at, so we get the product we are hoping for

�

The newest camps are several portable structures conjoined into a large common area. One end is a comprehensive kitchen and cafeteria counter, but there are food coolers and snack stations throughout. A wide and clean dining area fills the main area of the structure. Natural light comes in from numerous windows.

There is a spacious entranceway where boots and coveralls are taken off. Outside this entrance is a breezeway that leads to various configurations of sleeping quarters, lounges, fitness gyms, libraries with common-use computers, safety and first aid quarters, offices and other amenities. Some camps in B.C. also have a movie theatre, stores, food franchises and other elements of life back in civilization.

Bekhuys and Solly agree on the thing at the top of the list for industrial workers: safety. Cushy off-hours conditions fall behind this element. Companies can argue over who serves the best muffins and heartiest soups, but no potential employees are listening if they are worried that their families back home might get "the phone call." Solly said, "We meet all applicable safety codes, sprinkler systems, etc. We have an on-site medical facility with a nurse practitioner, mine rescue team and helicopter pad in the event of a life-threatening evacuation situation."

Looking specifically at Mount Milligan, the construction phase won awards for its safety record. More than five million personhours were spent without a lost-time injury, and what reportable injuries did occur were minor and few.

Thompson Creek Metals even changed their on-site mine plan to include a residential complex. This required new provincial licenses and municipal approvals (Fort St. James and Mackenzie are both about 90 kms from Mount Milligan) in order to accommodate the expressed wishes of potential workers to live at the site. The original plan was to run buses or have employees drive themselves to and from work each day.

Continued on page 10

Photo Credit: New Gold Mining Company

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Continued from page 9 "As you know, winter conditions, logging trucks, etc., make driving on the roads to the mine dangerous, which raised safety concerns with having employees either drive or bus in and out of site each day," said Solly. "The construction of the permanent operations residence enabled us to expand our recruitment efforts outside of Fort St. James and Mackenzie, which has broadened the scope and skill level of recruits/employees."

The presence of the Blackwater exploration camp has improved the health and safety foundations for the rural communities around their operations, said Bekhuys. The main resource road to the site connects to Vanderhoof and it is a good one used by foresters and ranchers, backcountry recreationists and the rural residents in the area. Normally, a place that remote would be behind in communication technologies, but New Gold's connectivity became their connectivity.

"We installed our own cell tower onsite, so that allows us to communicate with medical services immediately in Prince George and Vanderhoof so there can be quick medical care if someone ever is injured on the job. We have helicopter landing areas, an onsite medic, ambulance services, we do a safety orientation when all staff arrive onsite, plus we do daily inspections and we test for alcohol and drug use."

Work camps are only beginning to evolve. With thousands of beds scheduled to be temporarily installed in the north to accommodate natural gas projects, plus all the forestry and mining activity ongoing, camp life is only beginning to set up its tent in northern B.C.

“

We installed our own cell tower onsite, so that allows us to communicate with medical services immediately

�

Photo Credit: New Gold Mining Company A Healthier You | 10 | October 2013

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Health Care Foundations Throughout northern B.C., health care foundations work with the communities and donors on a variety of fundraising programs and the money they raise helps improve health care for local residents.

It’s often used to buy specialized equipment for hospitals and clinics, like the warmers for premature babies that the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Foundation bought in 2012 (see the April 2012 issue of A Healthier You).

region – focusing on bringing the best of care close to home in the north for our families and friends.

Please join us in making this year the most successful yet. A full listing of events can be accessed from our website at www.spiritofthenorth.ca.

“Giving is the Difference, that Makes the Difference”

Festival of Trees Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation presents the 20th anniversary of the Festival of Trees, Celebrating Families! Mark your Calendars: November 23rd to December 1st, 2013. This event promises yet another year of traditional family fun, creative treasures, and all the ingredients to make the season festive. We are fortunate to have Shirli-Gene Sadowick, Event Chair, along with 25 committee chairs, and over 600 volunteers who continue to put their hearts and souls into making this an incredible event for the whole community to enjoy. Since the beginning of this event, close to $2 million has been raised. This is thanks to the amazing support shown by you, our donors, as attendees and supporters of the event. Thank you!

Proceeds from this event are used to help purchase equipment, fund capital, education, and training to support health care in our

A Healthier You | 12 | October 2013

Kitimat General Hospital Foundation The Kitimat General Hospital Foundation continues to grow with additional contributions for hospital equipment and facilities.

A donation was made to the hospital towards the expansion of the emergency room and nurse’s station, and the members are reviewing the list of needs for 2014.

In June of this year, Foundation members volunteered again with Bull-orama, Kitimat’s indoor rodeo, where they received contributions of over $10,000 from the Kitimat Snowflake Fairgrounds Society, the Kinsmen Club, as well as private donors.

The Foundation is moving into new office space at the hospital which will provide better exposure to the public and a home for their growing files.

&

Wilderness

by Dr. David Bowering

Health

Northern Health Chief Medical Health Officer

It goes without saying that many people in northern B.C. love and appreciate their access to unspoiled wilderness. We can, with little effort, leave the paved roads and the communities strung along them and find ourselves alone. If we are lucky enough to be out of cell phone range, we can be uninterrupted except for the sounds of insects, birds, the wind, water, and the changing patterns of light as the planet rotates and moves through space.

There is increasing evidence that such experiences are good for us.

We feel refreshed and our minds are able to let go of the stress that comes with a constant stream of manufactured input and stimuli.

Breathing and heart rate slow, blood pressure goes down, and we know at a deep level that our physical and spiritual roots are here. All of us, no matter how plugged in, have ancestors who were Aboriginal whether here, in Europe, or in some other part of the world.

The healing power of wilderness is a topic of increasing interest and importance.

Dr. Gabor Maté, well known for his insights into addictions and the importance of early experiences on the developing brain, speaks about our “toxic culture.” Human beings need family and community to develop properly. Without these, people may develop coping mechanisms, including addictions to various things such as drugs, food, work, and risk-taking behaviour. The outcomes of this “toxic culture” may include high blood pressure, diabetes, mental illness and depression, and cancer - the chronic disease plagues of our time. When a man who is a son, father and brother in a small rural community feels compelled to leave the things that feed his soul in order to earn a “living” far away, he can fall prey to the toxic culture and increasingly lose his connection to who he is.

I love the north because of the moments and the days when I have been able to connect with the healing power of wilderness. The health benefits are both spiritual and mental, but also physical of course. Hiking on a trail has all the health benefits of walking with the addition of improved balance, coordination and leg strength. The more tree roots, rocks and uphill stretches, the better! Self-propelled transportation is the way to go whether you are walking, running, riding a bike, or paddling a boat. You will be healthier, more relaxed, and more in touch with the world than if you let a motor do the work.

The accompanying article in this issue by Mike Nash speaks rightly to the importance of respecting the wilderness and its potential dangers.

We should prepare and equip ourselves properly, of course, but for our own health, and arguably for the health of the planet, we need to spend as much time as we can in the wilderness and listening to its wisdom.

Dr. David Bowering is Northern Health’s chief medical health officer. In November 2010, he released the report “Where are the Men? Chief Medical Health Officer’s report on the Wellbeing of Men and Boys in Northern BC” and has been heavily involved with the men’s health program since then. To stay active, Dr. Bowering walks or bikes to work, walks his dog daily, boycotts elevators, hikes or cross-country skis most weekends and plays with his grandchildren.

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Healthy Eating in Northern B.C.

by Susan Clarke Northern BC Tourism

Whether you are on the road for work or for play, it’s equally important to nourish yourself to stay healthy and alert. Spending time in unfamiliar communities doesn’t always inspire good food choices, so here are a few recommendations from around northern B.C.:

Haida Gwaii:

Queen B’s Café, The Purple Onion Deli, Sapporo Japanese Restaurant

Prince Rupert: Opa Japanese Sushi Bar, Safeway’s deli Blue Fin Sushi Bar, Don Diego’s, Casa Masala Hot House Terrace: Hazelton:

The Historic B.C. Café

Stewart:

Dash Mobile Bistro (seasonal)

Smithers:

Trackside Cantina, Two Sisters, Blue Fin Sushi Bar

Alternative Grounds Coffee and Tea House anean Grill Prince George: Sassafras Savouries, Spicy Greens, CIMO Mediterr Beanery 2 Bistro, Giggling Grizzly Neighbourhood Pub, IGA McBride: Market Place’s deli

Burns Lake:

Dawson Creek: Brown’s Socialhouse, Hug A Mug, Safeway’s deli Fort St. John: Whole Wheat & Honey Café, Kiwi Roasts and Coffee

River Lodge Alaska Highway: Shepherd’s Inn Restaurant (Mile 72), Buckinghorse

Lodge River Toad Nelson), (Fort nt (Mile 175), One Restaura

(Toad River)

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Take advantage of local farmers’ markets to grab local produce and baked goods. Look for one nearby on the B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets website: www.bcfarmersmarket.org Grocery stores and Subway restaurants are easy to find all throughout the region – it’s just about making the right choices. When selecting, go heavy on the vegetables and light on processed foods!

Check the Northern BC app for more restaurants near you. The free app assists people traveling in and around northern B.C., and comes in three flavours iPhone, iPad and Android. Visit this site to learn more: http://t.co/CNZTMmCv Last of all - don’t overlook Mother Nature – there’s a lot of food in the woods and waters in northern B.C., but make sure you do so with good information or informed local people about what is safe for humans to eat!

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Healthy

by Jodi Johnson

Northern Health Self-Management Coach

Take some time to plan out healthy lunches so you’re eating well throughout the day.

Years ago, lunch at work was whatever I could get my hands on!

It may have been fast food, no food or just a coffee. I thought I was doing my body good, but now that I have become knowledgeable in healthy living, things are different. I have come to realize that, if I do not fuel my body, it does not fuel me.

This is important because I know that I cannot expect my body to wake up, be productive and alert, and maintain energy all day, without doing my part. I definitely notice a difference in my work day if I take care of my eating habits throughout that day.

Yes, it’s sometimes easier and tempting to grab whatever is quick and accessible through vending machines or convenience stores, and admittedly, there are days where I don’t prepare a lunch and snacks. On these days, I notice a lack in my energy level and blood sugar maintenance.

The best program I have found is the one in which I prepare my ‘bucket of food’ the evening before. Our bodies respond better when we spread this ‘bucket’ out over the course of our waking hours, rather than once we wind down at the end of the day.

This becomes the case when we don’t eat properly throughout the day.

An example of a good day for me would be one in which we start the day with a well-balanced breakfast. This is important to “break the fast”, and kick start the metabolism for the day.

From this point, it becomes important to continue to eat small, balanced meals, spaced out throughout the day. If there is too much time between meals, you may be causing your blood sugar to spike and crash. What does this mean on a work day? Well you may feel more fatigue, less energy and an effect on your moods as well. All of this in turn makes it harder to be focused and productive in your work environment.

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Eating

in the workplace

So do yourself a favour and take a few minutes in the evening and think about the next day.

Ensure that your meals have at least three of the four food groups and snacks have at least two of the four food groups. Don’t forget a good supply of water and enough to satisfy your work day. When in doubt, follow Canada’s Food Guide. This will ensure that you have a good balance of all nutrition your body needs.

Most importantly, have a great day!

Jodi is a Self-Management Coach for Northern Health in the Living Well Program at the Kitimat Hospital and Health Centre. She is very passionate about helping others understand what self-care is all about, and she believes strongly in the importance of living well to feel well. She has lived in Kitimat most of her life, and with her husband and two daughters, enjoys making the most of the beautiful surroundings in Northern BC.

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Mental Health Considerations

by Peter James Prince George Citizen

Working a camp job can put added stress on families, but making an effort to stay in touch while on the road can help relieve some of the anxiety, according to Maureen Davis, the executive director of the Prince George branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Davis said working in a camp away from home can be challenging due to the isolation from family, the disruption of normal routines and the lack of privacy. She said taking the time to set up a support network before beginning work can help alleviate some of that stress.

“We’re in an age that allows that so well,” Davis said. “People can have all sorts of concerns about the addictive nature of computers, but when it comes to camp, to be able to Skype, to be able to get on Facebook, to be able to connect and stay in touch with what’s going on with your family and friends, I think it’s a godsend.”

Acknowledging that camp life can be stressful is an important first step. Davis said people often begin working in a camp without considering how the nature of the job will impact the rest of their life and their mental health.

“I think it can come as a big surprise to some people,” she said.

“The studies show that there are huge increases in depression and huge increases in anxiety.”

That added stress can be made worse if someone is dealing with a major event in their lives, such as the birth of a child or going through a divorce. Davis said taking those problems on the job can pose real risks for a workplace injury, due to a loss focus during a shift.

in Work Camps

If steps aren’t taken to deal with some of the mental health issues that can spring up when someone is separated from their loved ones for a long period of time, Davis said it can lead to substance abuse.

“That can land you in a lot of difficulty and a lot of trouble,” she said. “It can dig the hole deeper.”

In addition to keeping close ties with loved ones, Davis said camp workers should develop hobbies that they can do while away from home. She suggested activities like writing, photography, music or taking a class because they are things that can be done individually in a contained environment.

At camps where workers are together with the same crew every time they’re on site, Davis said the opportunity exists to create support networks away from home.

Family members of the camp worker can also deal with some of the same anxiety as the person in the camp, Davis said, especially if they’re going through a major life change like pregnancy or moving to a new community to be closer to the camp job site.

“Sometimes this is a brand new community for that family member and, again, you have all the same issues,” she said.

“They’re building new connections.”

For family members living in a town or city, Davis recommended they get involved in activities like volunteer work or taking a course at a local university or college. For people dealing with ongoing stress and anxiety related to being away from home, a visit to a family doctor is a good first stop.

“If you’re struggling with depression or anxiety as a result of separation from a loved one we have a number of resources through Northern Health and all it takes is picking up a phone and calling,” Davis said.

The Canadian Mental Health Association also offers a program throughout northern B.C. called Bounce Back. The phone-based counseling is aimed at people suffering mild to moderate anxiety.

The program coaches them through different coping mechanisms and life strategies to prevent the depression and anxiety from becoming overwhelming.

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Making a

Difference

by Maureen Haley Coordinator, Patient Transfer Network, Northern Health

Northern Health Connections is the start of a health care journey for some our passengers, so the service provided is integral to a passenger’s experience in the healthcare system. This service allows people to focus on their health and travel to their health care appointments knowing they will be well cared for along the way. Northern Health Connections staff strives to ensure they arrive at their healthcare appointments on time, safely and comfortably.

Northern Health has been operating the Connections health care travel program for northerners for the last six years. Ridership is consistently rising with the 2012 numbers showing an increase of 7 per cent!

The success of the program relates directly to the passengers and the people operating the service. The staff closely monitors passenger feedback to confirm passengers had a positive experience during their travel. Knowing the service provided has met the needs of individuals allows them to continue to provide great service, making adjustments as necessary.

A passenger recently told us, “What a great service to have this medical bus help the out of town patients get to their appointments. It’s such a relief not to worry about driving to a city that we don’t know our way around. Thank you so much for this service and our wonderful bus driver.”

Denis Litvinov drove for Northern Health Connections for three years. He reflects on his time with the program, “I really enjoy being a Northern Health Connections driver. Every single passenger deserves a warm, smiling, welcoming face when getting on the bus. Helping our clients get to and from their medical appointments makes me feel as though I am contributing to an important part not only of their day but also of their future.”

The program is open to all northern BC residents who require travel outside of their home community for non-emergent health care and is not dependant on income. Companions to help support patient travelers are encouraged.

If you are interested in travelling on the Northern Health Connections bus, please call the reservation line 1-888-647-4997 or for more information on routes and schedules visit www. Northernhealth.ca/nhconnections.

A Healthier You | 20 | October 2013

What Happens When We Are Away:

Predicting New Arrivals

by Ted Clark PG Citizen

A newborn baby’s arrival is never 100 per cent predictable.

Due dates are a doctor’s estimate of the time it takes for a fullterm infant to develop in the mother’s body. Babies, however, don’t live by calendars and some can arrive significantly early.

For mothers giving birth who live close to the hospital and can get to medical care in time, the life-threatening risks of a preterm delivery are minimized. But for those who live in remote areas, where access to a delivery room might be hours away, the chances of mom and baby suffering complications while giving birth rise considerably.

Medical technology is finding ways to reduce those risk factors.

It’s given the women of remote northern B.C. communities like Dease Lake, Stewart and Fort Ware a test to predict if they Continued on page 22

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Continued from page 21

will give birth prematurely. The fetal fibronectin enzyme test developed by Adeza Biomedical Corp. has been found to be one of the most accurate predictors of whether a woman is likely to have a preterm birth within the following two weeks.

“If you’re in a place that doesn’t have a general practitioner there that week and you have some preterm labour happening, you can go in and get your test done. If the test is negative, we’re pretty confident that you don’t have to travel for the next few days,” said Ken Winnig, Northern Health’s director of diagnostic services.

The test involves a vaginal swab sample that is processed using a digital analyzer to detect the presence of the fetal fibronectin protein. Northern Health introduced the test in northeastern B.C. in 2007. Other health authorities in the province have seen its value and have since adopted it.

Premature labour can cause problems that endanger the life of the baby. The fibronectin protein binds to the membranes of the uterus and, if it is detected, arrangements can be made to transport the expectant mother to the appropriate hospital.

“The test results can be available in 45 minutes and if it’s negative it is about 99.9 per cent sure the patient will not be going into labour in the next week,” said Prince George obstetrician Dr. Brian Galliford. “If every lady came in early with pains and you couldn’t tell if she was going to go into labour, it would be a very costly thing. It saves a lot on transport costs.”

If the fibronectin test comes back positive, fewer than 30 per cent of those expectant women go into early labour. The test can be given to expectant mothers from 24 weeks of pregnancy onwards.

Galliford recalls how the fibronectin test helped one of his patients. She was 30 weeks pregnant and already had three kids to look after while her husband was away at work. The test came back negative and she was able to deliver a full-term baby. Had the results been positive, she likely would have had to spend the rest of her pregnancy (10 weeks) hospitalized at B.C. Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, which is betterequipped for premature babies. The test would have also helped her to plan for this with her husband, who was away for work, and family.

“It’s been a huge help in managing premature labour,” said Galliford. “It’s one of the most valuable tests we’ve had developed in the last few years.”

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TREE PLANTING CAMPS

by Jonathon Dyck

Northern Health Lead, Media Relations and Public Affairs

A sure sign of the summer months is the arrival of tree planters to northern B.C. Workers in this industry are located across the region helping to plant trees in areas that have been cleared. Part of the challenge for these tree planters is living accommodations due to the migratory nature of the work, but there are innovative and interesting initiatives underway to make life more comfortable for the hard-working tree planters.

This year Apex Reforestation introduced new camp trailers to help support their staff. The new camps are easily transportable and include a good quality kitchen, mess hall, office, first aid tent, dry tent, shower, and toilets. The camps can serve up to 150 people, but typically Apex Reforestation usually has about 80 people on site.

“One of the biggest steps of this new camp was the introduction of a better engineered water treatment system which we have been pleased with,” said Marc Hobday with Apex Reforestation.

“This had been a challenge in the past, but now better meets our needs.”

The kitchen is a key component to the new system. The kitchens, a space of about 20 feet by 24 feet, are easier to keep clean, provide better space to prepare food, and provide space for employees to eat. It is important to have good kitchens in these areas, as food preparation is a challenge once outside of municipal settings.

“The industry has always done a pretty good job at feeding crews well, but camps are generally of very basic configuration due to budgets and the need for camps to move several times in a season. Reinvestment is needed in our industry to replace some tired equipment, but the greater collective commitment to feed people well is definitely in place in most cases,” said Hobday.

Hobday hopes to see a shift in the industry in terms of the standards of field camps.

“Tree planters work at one of the most difficult jobs there is with both mental and physical challenges that are difficult to imagine.

The job deserves great respect. Good food is critical to health and is also one of the things you really look forward to during a long hard day.”

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Staff Profile:

Angela Wheeler What is your position with Northern Health?

I am an Environmental Health Officer (EHO). EHO’s, also known as Public Health Inspectors, strive to reduce health risks to the public through education and inspection programs. We enforce health legislation for drinking water, food facilities, industrial camps, recreational waters and personnel service establishments. Educating the public and facility operators forms a large part of our work whether through formal training courses or one-on-one interaction.

Describe your family life.

I live with my husband of 12 years and two sons, ages eight and 11. It’s an active and energetic bunch I live with; there’s never a dull moment. During the winter months, we are all involved in the Jackrabbit cross-country ski program. In the summer, we spend a lot of time swimming, hiking, biking and playing soccer in our backyard.

We also enjoy movie nights at home or at the local theatre.

Where did you grow up?

Summerford, N.L. - a small community of 1200 on Newfoundland’s northeast coast.

Where do you currently live?

Vanderhoof, B.C. What brought you to your community?

I first moved here in 2001 after getting married.

What’s the most rewarding part about living where you do?

I enjoy the many positive aspects of small town life, including the short commute, friendly people, unlimited outdoor recreation opportunities, and always running into someone you know at the grocery store. These are the kinds of things that make you feel connected and have less stress. Oh, and it is the best place to be on Halloween!

What made you want to enter your field?

It was a field I didn’t really know anything about until I came across an ad for a bursary program during a job search. The ad caught my attention and piqued my interest in the field.

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What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The ability to work in a dynamic field that requires knowledge in a variety of topic areas and involves interacting with many different people on a daily basis. I enjoy the educational aspects of the job and find it very rewarding when I make a connection with someone and knowing that I have provided a benefit to them.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Finding the best way to affect the necessary changes. This job involves a lot of one–on-one interaction with facility operators. Any single approach or solution does not necessarily work with the different personalities and situations we encounter. The job requires time and patience to learn to best way to deal with each person and situation.

What is your favourite part of northern B.C.?

Probably the landscape and how each season lends its own unique flavour to it. Frost-laden trees on a cold clear winter morning and early morning fog hovering on the river in the fall with a few rays of sun poking through are just a couple of examples of what makes the north a special place.

What do you do to live a healthy lifestyle?

Being active is something I believe to be important to a healthy lifestyle. I grew up in an active household and have always considered myself to be an active person. About five years ago, I realized that I was no longer the active person I thought I was. Between full-time work and raising young children, life somehow got in the way of my healthy lifestyle. I knew I wanted be this active person again so I made the decision to change. In the past, I always participated in individual sports such as running and skiing. Yet, I had found it difficult to get back into these sports. It was hard. It hurt and I felt sluggish, so I joined the local speed skating club on a whim. This gave me a new sport to learn, a place to be active with other people and a schedule.

This brought the fun back to fitness and, since then, I have been active in a number of sports and activities. I also found that when my activity level changed, my diet also changed. I was more inclined to the make healthier food choices. I consciously made better choices because I

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wanted to be healthier. However, I also think that, when you are physically active, your body wants to be refueled with things that are beneficial, not the empty calories of junk foods. If you are craving a bag of potato chips, go for a walk and you’ll likely come back wanting a piece of fruit.

Who has been the most influential person in your life?

My parents have played a large role in my life. They are avid crosscountry skiers and spend a lot of time outdoors. They instilled in me a need to be active and to spend quality time outside. Today my husband and kids have the most influence on me. They encourage me to step out of my comfort zone to do things I would not do on my own – like finding myself on the world’s highest roller coaster on a recent vacation, tobogganing down Sinkut Mountain or riding my bike with no hands.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Still living where I am today and hopefully staying healthy and active.

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