New Integrated Stroke Unit will benefit patients and QHC as a whole
Having all stroke patients on one unit during their entire QHC stay will give them better access to peer support — one of the new Integrated Stroke Unit’s many benefits. Pictured: peer support volunteer Todd Crouchman speaks with stroke patients in the lounge on Sills 3.
When it comes to strokes, time is brain. The sooner a patient receives life-saving treatment, the better their outcome. Time can be a factor in their rehabilitation as well – any delays or setbacks can be detrimental to a patient’s recovery. For this reason and others, in December, Quinte Health Care is establishing an Integrated Stroke Unit on Belleville General Hospital’s Sills 3 Unit, where stroke patients will receive both their acute care and rehabilitation. Continued on Page 2
Joy in Work - Spotlight Physicians QHC – in collaboration with physicians – launched a new physician compact in September. The compact will be used regularly as a tool to enhance the collaboration and communication between QHC and our many physicians – leading to a more positive working relationships based on mutual respect and trust. To bring the QHC/physician compact to life, we are focusing on one set of commitments each month. The statement “I will value and cultivate joy in work” was the first statement of focus, making September “Joy in Work” month. Physicians were asked to nominate other physicians who exemplify joy in work. See pages 6-7 to see which two physicians were selected as ‘Joy in Work’ Spotlight Physicians and to learn a little bit more about them. Look for each month’s Spotlight Physicians in subsequent issues of Vital Signs!
Continued from Page 1— Integrated Stroke Unit...
Currently, once a patient has received appropriate stroke treatment in the Emergency Department, they are sent to BGH’s Quinte 5 where they spend an average of five days recovering. They begin rehabilitation while on Quinte 5 but just as they’re getting comfortable in their setting and making good headway with their therapies, they are transferred to the Sills 3 Rehabilitation Unit. “Transitions are really scary for patients because they have to meet all new staff and get acclimated to a new environment,” explained Melissa Roblin, Stroke Resource Nurse. “Sometimes we see that patients have a bit of a setback for a few days after they change environments.” Under the new model, 90+ per cent of stroke patients will be sent directly to the Integrated Stroke Unit on Sills 3 from the Emergency Department. Four beds will be added to the unit to expand capacity and the unit will be run by Family Medicine. Only if there is a specific medical need for a patient to be treated by Internal Medicine will they be treated on Quinte 5. On any given day, 20-30 per cent of patients on Sills 3 will be acute stroke patients. Another 20-30 per cent will be stroke patients rehabilitating. The rest will be other non-stroke rehabilitation patients – for example recovering from hip surgery or physical injuries. (The change to the unit is not anticipated to reduce rehab access for non-stroke patients). With a more spacious layout, Sills 3 is set up well for stroke patients who require space for their therapies. Stroke patients and Sills 3 staff will meet each other on the patient’s first day and will work together throughout the entire recovery – not just for the rehabilitation portion. As one half of the unit will be stroke patients, there will be more peer support for patients and their families. “Our Sills 3 peer support volunteer Todd Crouchman can meet with patients even earlier in their road to recovery, and patients will benefit from being collocated in the same physical location. Being able to talk to someone going through the The spacious layout on Sills 3 is same thing as you can have a huge impact on your well-being,” said beneficial for stroke patients who Melissa. require space for their therapies.
“Our stroke outcomes are already very good but by establishing the Integrated Stroke Unit we are making stroke a specialty,” said Derk Damron, Manager of Rehabilitation, Therapy and Stroke Services. “With strong evidence that an integrated model is beneficial, we will build on the foundation that Quinte 5 has laid and further improve patient outcomes in terms of rehabilitation and recovery.” With an increase in patient volumes and heightened demand for medicine beds across the entire organization, collocating stroke patients to an Integrated Stroke Unit frees up medicine beds for other types of patients – another benefit of creating the stroke unit. “An Integrated Stroke Unit will be excellent for our patients and our staff,” said Carol Smith Romeril, VP and Chief Nursing Officer. “It has great potential to improve patient outcomes as well as help with some of our capacity issues. The Senior Leadership Team felt it was the right thing to do and the right time to do it. We’re excited for this big change.”
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Quinte 6 staff get educated!
BGH Quinte 6 staff crowd around Dr. Sean McIlreath as he presents his topic “A Tale of Two Fistulas.”
When staff on the BGH Quinte 6 Surgical Unit want education, they take matters into their own hands. Whether it’s something they want to learn more about, something they’re struggling with or something they want to learn to do better, they find someone to provide that education. Twice a month, they invite a physician or someone from another discipline (e.g. pharmacy or physiotherapy) to their unit to provide a 30-60 minute education session on a topic they’ve chosen. Realizing the unit has a mix of new and old staff, Sara Lucas-Oliver, RPN, began organizing the education sessions to bring all staff up to speed. “We felt like we were missing something and that having ongoing learning for topics specific to our floor would be beneficial for everyone,” said Sara. So far, they’ve had nine sessions on topics ranging from ostomies and compartment syndrome to NG insertion and chest tubes. “The sessions are very helpful,” said Sara Meulenaar, RN. “It’s always good to have a refresher and stay up to date on the information that’s out there.” “The great thing is, it’s staff-centred,” said Sara Lucas-Oliver. “We’re choosing the topics we want to know about. The doctors have been super receptive and eager to participate because the more we know, the better we can look after the patients and provide the best quality of care.” To top it off, the sessions are being video recorded and saved on the Intranet for staff in other areas to watch. A link to the videos will be shared in the weekly bulletin in the coming weeks. “This was a staff-driven initiative and I am very impressed by how Sara Lucas-Oliver and the team took this on and went with it,” said Natasha Uens, Manager, Quinte 6. “It has gained momentum and the doctors have been so supportive and keen to share their knowledge.”
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A sweet gesture — “I would like to give kudos to Bonnie Carter, Hospitality Services Rep, TMH, for living the QHC value "We all help provide care" when she took it upon herself to dress up a paediatric pa ent's doll a er the li le girl went into the OR. The doll was wai ng for the girl when she returned from her procedure.” ‐ Denita Trost, Manager, TMH OR/PACU/ SDS/Minor Surgery Clinic & Medical Day Clinic
#4MyT Team #WeAllHelpProvideCare
A job well done — Three of QHC’s security guards – Cody Kell, Marcel Macdonald and Ma Tomlinson – were recently recognized by QHC and also their employer, G4S, for their quick ac on the night of the Quinte 5 fire. “What you did the night of the fire was nothing short of incredible,” said Dave Pym, Emergency Preparedness and Protec on Services Coordinator. “You assisted in ge ng the pa ents, visitors and staff out of the area unbelievably quickly. You are great representa ves of QHC and we thank you for living our values.” The guards were also presented a na onal Humanitarian Award from G4S for their great work! Pictured holding their Humanitarian Awards (white and red cer ficates) from le : Cody Kell, Marcel Macdonald and Ma Tomlinson.
Blown away — “In November 2017, I delivered my second child at the Belleville General Hospital. All of the staff on the maternity floor were absolutely outstanding. My husband and I felt like we were the only people that were there, and that everyone genuinely cared for our well‐being and the well‐being of our baby on the way ‐ it didn't feel like they were all "just doing their jobs," they treated us like gold. Ma Sequin, the delivery nurse, was outstanding. He was personable and very easy to get along with. Once my daughter arrived, Ma was extremely helpful when it came to ge ng her to latch properly for breas eeding. I was blown away by his knowledge and comfort. Overall our experience with the BGH Maternity staff couldn't have been more posi ve.” – Laurie Dorey Pictured: Quinte 7 RNs Ma Seguin and Tanja Benn.
#RespectEveryone
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#WeAllHelpProvideCare
Kindness ma ers — Chad Duff, an RN on Sills 5, recently lost his wife to illness, leaving just Chad and his three young children. Chad, his children Jane, Anne, and Thomas, and the rest of the Duff and Rice families would like to thank the staff at QHC for their love and compassion during this difficult me. “From meals, dona ons, cards, well wishes, and visits, QHC staff treated us like members of their own family,” said Chad. “It would be impossible to men on all the people, and all the ways, that QHC staff came to our aid, but you all know who you are and you have our sincerest thanks.”
#ImagineItsYou
Who inspires you? Anyone can share in celebra ng our teams – staff, pa ents, physicians and volunteers. Contact C Carly Baxter at ext. 2677, cbaxter@qhc.on.ca.
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BGH Auxiliary Opportunity Shop celebrates 70 years with a generous donation! Thank you to the BGH Auxiliary Opportunity Shop for their generous $20,000 donation to Cancer Care at BGH. This donation is the final installment of their $100,000 pledge, made in 2015! The BGH Foundation was honoured to receive these funds while celebrating the Opp Shop’s 70th anniversary! Congratulations and thank you!
Thanks for the stretcher, PECMH Auxiliary! The PECMH Auxiliary recently purchased a trauma stretcher from the PECMH Foundation’s equipment list that will be used in the Emergency Department. The stretcher cost just under $12,000 and comes with a powered lift base, an integrated scale and big wheels for mobility steering. It is 30 inches wide and has a 700lb weight capacity. This stretcher also provides a secure, stable platform for assessing and attending to critically injured and immobile patients. Its innovative design allows for full length x-ray capability without having to transfer or reposition the patient. “The Auxiliary is dedicated to helping improve the patient and family experience in as many ways as possible, so it feels great to be making this donation to the Hospital Foundation and purchasing this new stretcher for our Hospital,” said Pat Evans, PECMH Auxiliary President. QHC Vital Signs Newsletter, October 2018: Published by QHC Communications Department Editor: Carly Baxter (613) 969-7400 ext. 2677, cbaxter@qhc.on.ca.
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