Tuesday 8 December 2015

Cardiac Staff Matters 07/12/15

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. Drs. Lorraine Avery, Shelley Zieroth, Jo-Ann Sawatzky and Bev Temple, and Ms. Andrea Szwajcer were recipients of the Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses Research Grant competition. The title of their submission was “The impact of caring on informal caregivers/support persons of individuals living with a ventricular assist device: A qualitative systematic review protocol.”

2. Two cardiologists were recognized for excellence in teaching at the Dept. of Internal Medicine Faculty Dinner on November 26. Dr. Davinder Jassal and Dr. Colette Seifer were two of the ten specialist consultants in the Department who obtained outstanding evaluations by residents and were considered for the Morley Lertzman Award for exceptional performance in the role of specialist consultant, teacher & mentor. This year, the Internal Medicine Teaching Awards Committee bestowed this award (which comes with both a monetary prize and an engraved crystal award) to Dr. Davinder Jassal. Well done to you both, and hearty congratulations to Dr. Jassal on this meaningful recognition!



3. Congratulations and best wishes to Joy Marsh, Charge Cardiology Technologist at Grace Hospital on her upcoming retirement!

4. Now that winter is again upon us, be reminded of the risk the cold weather presents…watch this Weather Network video clip starring our own Dr. Shuangbo Lui and Dr. James Tam! http://www.theweathernetwork.com/videos/Gallery/study-is-your-heart-actually-weaker-during-the-winter/sharevideo/4621626093001

5. Dr. Riz Manji, Pat Taylorson, Corinne Lamotte and Jennifer Hayward have been given the wonderful opportunity to travel and work in Rwanda in February 2016 with an organization known as Team Heart. Team Heart is a non-profit medical organization that has been traveling to East Africa for over nine years, providing cardiac care and surgery to individuals affected by rheumatic heart disease. The program is not limited to the bedside. It is also involved in developing screening programs for school aged children and a teaching/mentorship program for health care professionals. The organization’s vision for the future is to build a cardiac center in Rwanda, so they are able to provide cardiac care all year round. If you would like to support this volunteer trip, come to the Rumors Comedy Club on January 8! If you can’t make it then, please donate. See the attached poster for details.

6. Dr. Shuangbo Lui, one of our cardiology residents, was the winner of the Best Poster Award at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences scientific poster competition. The winning poster was titled, “Short and Long-Term Outcomes for Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)” and the work was supervised by Dr. Malek Kass.

7. Congratulations to Dr. Rakesh Arora on his promotion to full Professor in the Department of Surgery (College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba), and to Dr. Rohit Singal on his promotion to Associate Professor! Well done, both of you!