Monday 22 June 2015

Cardiac Staff Matters 22/06/15

Cardiac Staff Matters is a regular publication of updates, information, points to ponder, and news items that are significant to the Program. The aim is to pass these points on during huddles, in conversations, and by posting in clinical areas to ensure widest dissemination.

1. The Manitoba Association of Cardiology Technologists recently unveiled a brand new website, which was created with the assistance of Rabeea Siddiqui, one of the SBH Cardiology Technologists. Visit http://www.themact.ca

2. The CSP Website Advisory Group would like to remind everyone of the wide variety of resources available on our website: http://www.umanitoba.ca/medicine/units/cardiac_sciences/ Although the website has been getting an increasing number of hits, many people still don’t use it to its capacity. It’s also requested that you include the link in your email signature, to make it easy for others outside the program to find us! If you have any suggestions or ideas regarding the website, please forward those to Kelly Lukaszewski.

3. A warm welcome is extended to Soobia Naeem, who joined the CSP team at Seven Oaks on June 1. Soobia is a Cardiology Technologist hailing from Brampton, Ontario. Glad to have you aboard, Soobia!

4. We are pleased to announce that Emily Phillips has accepted the position as Continuing Education Instructor for 5A Cardiology (SBH). She will start in this new position on July 20. Join us in giving her a warm reception!

5. Congratulations to Kyle Eckhardt, Regional Clinical Engineer on being awarded the 2015 Early Career Achievement Award from the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society. Each year, this award is presented to an individual who has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills in such areas as: client services, technical performance, sophisticated scientific or technology development. Kyle’s work within our program has been invaluable and we very much agree with the CMBES’ assessment of his skills!

6. Rhonda Findlater, Program Team Manager for the Cardiac Surgery Inpatient Unit at SBH has accepted the position of Director, Education & Clinical Programs Support at SBH, and so will be leaving CSP. Thank you, Rhonda, for your many contributions to the program and best of luck in your new position!

7. Another new face within CSP at SBH: on August 3, Cheryl Swanson will be starting as the Program Team Manager on 5A Cardiology. Cheryl comes to us from the SBH Emergency Program, where she was the Continuing Education Instructor. Welcome, Cheryl!

8. On April 18, 2015 several nurses from the SBH Cardiac Surgery Inpatient Unit (CSIU) wrote the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) Cardiovascular Nursing Certification exam. Congratulations to Kelsey Forest, Kyla Siatecki, Amanda Vermeire, Tara Lamoureux and Vida Ferrer who have received their CNA Certification in Cardiovascular Nursing.

In addition to this, congratulations also to Sandy Warren, Clinical Educator, Irene Nazarevich, CRN and Rhonda Findlater, PTM who obtained their 5 year CNA cardiovascular recertification. This is a great accomplishment and brings the total number of cardiovascular certified nurses on CSIU to twelve!

If you have any news or items of interest or information that you want to pass on to the rest of the Program and/or if you have feedback, please contact Kelly Lukaszewski at klukaszewski@sbgh.mb.ca or 204.237.2743
Tuesday 9 June 2015

Cardiac Staff Matters 08/06/15

Cardiac Staff Matters is a regular publication of updates, information, points to ponder, and news items that are significant to the Program. The aim is to pass these points on during huddles, in conversations, and by posting in clinical areas to ensure widest dissemination.

1. Thank you to Estrellita Estrella-Holder, Jonathan Yip and Lorraine Avery for co-chairing the Knowledge Café. The knowledge cafe took place on May 12th, 2015 as part of the Nursing Week celebrations at St. Boniface Hospital. Congratulations to Shari Barker who won second prize for the best poster/display entitled Bionic Heart and to L. Avery, E. Estrella-Holder, T. Warner, J. Tam, M. Kvern, & D. Fitch who won third prize for the best poster/display entitled Are E-Cigarettes More Than Smoke and Mirrors?

2. Transcription for Holter reading has been upgraded to Digital with a go-live date of May 25/15. There is now a digital recorder located in the Holter reading room on CR 1. Secretaries will be able to assist the Cardiologists with any questions or concerns with the new system.

3. Aron Casas has accepted a term position in NICD, and started on May 25. Welcome, Aron!

4. Michael Powell has joined the CSP Leadership team on a part-time basis as interim Administrative Director. We’re happy to have you with us, Michael!

5. Starting on June 9, a trial will start of providing phlebotomy services in the Lipid Clinic for patients attending educational sessions on CR3. This will greatly decrease patient wait times, eliminate the need for patients to travel between buildings as well as reduce the potential for delays in session start times. Thanks go out to Alissa LaForte and her team from Laboratory Services for helping us find this solution to streamline the patient experience!

6. Dr. James Tam was a guest judge at UBC’s Cardiac Sciences Research Day last week. In addition he spoke at Grand Rounds and was a leader for Academic Half-Day.

7. Calling all Cardiac Sciences nurses—gather a team, challenge yourselves and maybe win a free CCCN membership! See more information below.

 If you have any news or items of interest or information that you want to pass to the rest of the Program and/or if you have feedback, please contact Kelly Lukaszewski at klukaszewski@sbgh.mb.ca or 204.237.2743




CCCN MB Provincial Division: Step Challenge 


Calling all Cardiac Sciences Nurses! Win a 1 year membership to CCCN! Check us out at us http://www.cccn.ca

Take the three week Step Challenge anytime between June 1, 2015 to August 15, 2015

Studies have shown that physical activity improves your health, helps you manage stress and helps maintain a healthy weight

Challenge each other and other teams of nurses to increase levels of physical activity

• Form a team of 5 nurses
• To register your team: email Eva Stephens or Barb Payne (estephens@sbgh.mb.ca; bpayne2@sbgh.mb.ca) Include the first and last names of team members and the contact person
• You can purchase a pedometer, Garmin or Fitbit anywhere or go to http://www.stepscount.com/index.php. Pedometers are approximately $12.00/each
• Each person counts their steps using their device every day for 3 weeks and records his/her total number of steps
• After 3 weeks, the designated team contact person will report the team’s total number of steps to Eva Stephens or Barb Payne • First prize for the most steps is a one year membership to CCCN for each team member (5 X $75)
• Every other participant receives a $5 Tim Horton’s gift card…just for taking part to be fit.

Please contact Eva Stephens at 204-258-1494 (estephens@sbgh.mb.ca) or Barb Payne at 204-235- 3682 (bpayne2@sbgh.mb.ca) if you have any questions.