September 30 has been designated the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federal statutory holiday in recognition of the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools. The history of this day builds upon the important work of the Orange Shirt Society and the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. It is a day to witness, recognize and honour Indigenous victims and survivors of the residential school legacy and inform further action in the spirit of reconciliation.
Across Manitoba we offer health care services on the original lands of First Nations, Inuit and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. We dedicate ourselves to collaborate in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in the spirit of reconciliation and to the creation of health care environments that are safe, accessible and equitable for the populations we serve.
      

Do you know someone interested in an exciting career in health care? If so, they may want to check out the Selkirk Community Health Office’s Home Care Job Fair on Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  to learn more about a career in home care.

“Home care is about helping patients with the supports they need to stay in their homes safely as they age,’’ says Tricia Tyerman, clinical team manager for Selkirk home care. “The Home Care Job Fair offers an opportunity for interested people to learn more about home care and receive help applying for positions within the program.”

Home care services are provided by the regional health authorities in Manitoba to those who require health services and assistance with daily living. Home care will provide an initial review and assessment of patients’ individual needs to determine what services are needed. Resource co-ordinators help co-ordinate that service with clients and their families.

Home care resource co-ordinators share why they enjoy their jobs in home care.

“I like how the small actions we make have a big impact on clients. For example, us going once or twice a day could be the difference between them staying in their family home and having to move,” says Lauren Airey, home care resource co-ordinator.

Lorraine Lowen, another resource co-ordinator, says her reasons are very similar for why she enjoys working in home care.

“Working in home care is important to me because I enjoy working with people, and it gives me a sense of purpose to be able to help them stay in their home as long as possible.”

Interlake-Eastern RHA is hiring licensed practical nurses, health-care aides and uncertified health-care aides into the home care program.

To apply for positions, visit www.ierha.ca/careers and click “View/Apply for position.” On the job postings page, select “Community Care” under “Job Postings” to view home care positions.

For more information, contact Human Resources at [email protected] or Kerri Simcoe, human resources generalist, at [email protected] or 204-485-5436. More information is also available online at www.ierha.ca.

Please note, phone services back in service at East Gate Lodge Personal Care Home and the adjacent Stony Plains Terrace. Bell MTS identified and fixe the issue with one of their cables.

The medical officer of health has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at Red River Place and Gimli Betel over. The facilities received a thorough cleaning and are accepting visitors.

The medical officer of health has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at Tudor House Personal Care home in Selkirk and Ashern Personal Care Home. Outbreak protocols are in place and visitation is restricted.

An unplanned staff vacancy in the diagnostics department has resulted in the temporary suspension of diagnostic services in Eriksdale’s E.M. Crowe Memorial Hospital until Sept. 26.

A physician is available in Interlake-Eastern RHA to take call in Eriksdale’s emergency department but without access to diagnostic services, emergency department services cannot be provided during this period.

Ambulances will be redirected to the nearest or most appropriate emergency department. To view emergency department schedules, please visit: https://www.ierha.ca/emergency-department-schedules/

Inpatient admission to the hospital and delivery of primary care services in Eriksdale are unaffected. People are being directed to Ashern or Arborg for diagnostic care during this period of temporary service suspension.

The RHA is working closely with Shared Health Diagnostics to address the staffing shortage that is affecting service delivery so emergency department services can be resumed in Eriksdale. Discussions with the local municipality and First Nation health directors regarding access to health care services are ongoing.

Shared Health Diagnostics has invested in establishing training opportunities in northern and rural Manitoba to encourage employment of local residents. Anyone interested in learning more about medical laboratory assistant training opportunities with Herzing College or Robertson School of Health can contact [email protected] or visit https://www.ierha.ca/careers/educational-opportunities.

The COVID-19 outbreak on the medicine unit at Selkirk Regional Health Centre was declared over by the medical officer of health on Saturday, September 10, 2022.

The COVID-19 outbreak on the Appleyard unit at Rosewood Lodge in Stonewall has also been declared over by the medical officer of health as of Monday, September 12, 2022.

The units have undergone thorough cleaning and regular visitation can resume.

On September 2, 2022, Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Beausejour’s East Gate Lodge Personal Care Home on the Shamrock Unit.

At this time:

• All residents and their family members/key contacts have been advised of the outbreak.
• All staff have been advised of the outbreak.
• Outbreak protocols are in place in the Shamrock unit.
• General visitation is now restricted on the Shamrock and Rose units. Designated family caregivers may still attend to the needs of residents in the Shamrock unit.

Effective immediately emergency department services at Pine Falls Health Complex are temporarily suspended.

Individuals seeking emergency care are directed to call 9-1-1 or their local 10-digit emergency number in the event of a medical emergency.

On July 18, Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority partnered with Shared Health Emergency Response Services to implement an innovative model that saw paramedics join the care team in the Pine Falls Health Complex emergency room to maintain care delivery. This model was introduced with the assumption that the regional health authority would be able to recruit nursing staff and schedule clinicians who are able to requisition diagnostics and prescribe. Despite best efforts, significant nursing vacancies still exist and the regional health authority has experienced recent physician departures. Combined, these vacancies undermine the effectiveness of the model and put the safety of patients at risk.

“Interlake-Eastern RHA will continue to pursue this model of care in the region. The region extends its thanks to the paramedics who volunteered to participate and to Shared Health Emergency Response Services who helped us successfully establish and maintain a working emergency department and responsive care team,” says Interlake-Eastern RHA CEO, Marion Ellis.

“The RHA acknowledges the gratitude that communities have expressed for the ongoing efforts of nurses, paramedics, physicians and other staff to maintain access to care at the emergency department in Pine Falls and across the region during these challenging times.”

Care for inpatients at Pine Falls hospital is unchanged and the hospital will continue to admit patients in need of care. Dialysis and laboratory services remain available according to their usual schedule. Ambulances will be redirected to the nearest or most appropriate emergency department.

Ellis also points out that nursing staff in Pine Falls Health Complex continue to develop emergency department skills with education and training as a means of preparing for the resumption of emergency department service.

“Interlake-Eastern RHA is maintaining efforts to recruit nursing staff to work in the facility. We are committed to resuming emergency department care in Pine Falls Health Complex,” says Ellis.

Until emergency department services can be resumed, hours of access at Pine Falls Health Complex’s primary care clinic will be extended to evenings and weekends. Visit www.ierha.ca and click “Find Us” and “Clinics” for clinic hours.

Residents should continue to watch IERHA’s emergency department schedules accessible at www.ierha.ca for updates.

On August 31, Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Selkirk Regional Health Centre’s medicine 2 unit. An outbreak is declared when two or more patients, who are not roommates or do not share a bathroom between two patient rooms, acquire healthcare-associated infections attributed to a unit, within 10 days of each other.

At this time:

• All patients/family members and staff have been advised of the outbreak.
• Medicine ward general visitation is now restricted.
• Emergency department services at Selkirk Regional Health Centre are not affected by this outbreak and we will continue to admit inpatients to the health centre.
• Appointments for surgeries and hospital programs such as day surgery, dialysis, diagnostic imaging, lab and the community cancer program are proceeding as usual with no disruption to service delivery as a result of the outbreak.

Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Rosewood Lodge in Stonewall.

While outbreak protocols are in place and visitation is limited to designated caregivers only on the Appleyard Bay unit.

Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Pinawa Hospital.

While outbreak protocols are in place, the emergency department continues to care for patients based on scheduled physician availability. Admissions to the hospital will be restricted to patients who are recovered from COVID-19, those who are COVID-19 positive or those who are fully vaccinated and boosted.

Access to the community cancer program, telehealth and physiotherapy services operating in the hospital remain unaffected by the outbreak.

Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health declared a COVID-19 outbreak in hospital of Arborg and Districts Health Centre on August 6, 2022. General visitation is suspended and outbreak protocols are in place in this unit. The Arborg primary care clinic, public health office and personal care home are not currently experiencing outbreaks and outbreak protocols are not in place there at this time.

Interlake-Eastern RHA’s medical officer of health declared a COVID-19 outbreak in the Crocus Unit at East Gate Lodge Personal Care Home in Beausejour on August 2, 2022. The outbreak was declared over on August 22, 2022.

Are you a high school student thinking about a career in health care?

If so, perhaps you’ll want to consider volunteering with Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority to earn a half-credit (55 hours) or full credit (110 hours) towards the Community Service Student Initiated Project Credit.

Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority partners with students and schools to offer hands-on experience and exposure to a variety of health-care programs such as nursing, rehabilitation services, and long-term and palliative care. Other options include nutrition and food services, maintenance, and lab and imaging.

“The internship program gives the students insight about each health career by job shadowing the different health-care professionals,” said Lori Buors, Indigenous human resources development assistant.

“This way, the student can decide if the career they want to go into is right for them.”

Ella Spence recently wrapped up an internship at Selkirk hospital. While she was job-shadowing there, she determined that she would like to become a surgeon as her career goal.

For Ella, who recently graduated and lives in West St. Paul, it was interesting to see different areas of Selkirk hospital including surgery, the emergency room and the family birthing unit.

“All of the staff were very helpful in showing me what they were doing and why they were doing it. I got to see many different procedures, including child birth. Many of these procedures many people never see, and I am grateful I got to use it as a learning experience,” said Ella, who plans to attend the University of Manitoba this fall to study science. 

“Watching doctors, nurses and health-care aides work gave me an even bigger respect for the jobs they do and how important they are in our society. I also got to help with basic patient needs, by making them more comfortable and getting them what they need when they are unable to.”

She expressed gratitude for her experience through the internship program, which is open to all high school students in the Interlake-Eastern region.

“This experience truly gave me a better understanding of the health-care field and gave me an idea of what it would be like to work in health care,” she said.
“Thank you to all of the staff who helped me learn and allowed me to watch them as they work.”

To learn more, contact Lori Buors at [email protected].