news CENTRE WPSH weekly newsletter of West Parry Sound Health Centre July 29 to August 4 2013 balance Helping balance your life with health and wellness information August issue of balance The monthly newsletter from our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider - Shepell fgi - is designed to offer you helpful tips and tools for balancing your everyday work and family demands. Find it in your email. Take simple precautions to avoid snakebite While out along the shores of Georgian Bay, remember that some simple precautions can help to avoid a prolonged hospital stay. Be aware of your surroundings and understand that one of Ontario s most popular summer destinations is also the favoured habitat for the Massasauga rattlesnake - a rare and reclusive creature that is the province s only venomous snake. That s the caution being issued by West Parry Sound Health Centre, responsible for operation of the Ontario Massasauga Rattlesnake Antivenom Depot, and the location of treatment for six patients who have been bitten while outdoors along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay this summer. Any bite from a Massasauga rattlesnake requires prompt evaluation in an acute care hospital, said WPSHC Chief of Staff and Internist Dr. Terence Fargher, medical director for the antivenom depot. Residents, cottagers, and visitors should all be aware of the snake s presence. By taking simple precautions, people can greatly reduce their chance of being bitten and avoid the potentially serious health care consequences that can result from envenomation. continued on page 3 How can I avoid snakebite? Always wear ankle-height, closetoed boots or shoes when hiking, especially at night or in open rocky areas, through brush, or long grass. The Massasauga has relatively small fangs that are not likely to penetrate leather-hiking boots or loose clothing. Always watch where you put your hands and feet. Do not reach into areas where you cannot see. Poke around gently with a stick before reaching into brush, under rocks, or into dark places where snakes may be living. Stay on frequented paths when walking in rattlesnake habitat and use a flashlight at night. If you hear a rattlesnake, stay calm. Stop walking, and then determine the snake s location. Slowly move away from the snake and give it room to also move away. Enjoy the unique encounter but observe it from a distance and try not to disturb the snake. Do not pick up snakes. Do not harass, chase, or threaten a snake. These are common causes for snakebites. Protect your pets - keep dogs on a leash when walking though rattlesnake habitat.
weekly newsletter of West Parry Sound Health Centre July 29 to August 4 2013 If you have precious items that you no longer need and that someone else would be interested in purchasing, please bring them to the Auxiliary office. Thank you to everyone for helping our Auxiliary support quality care at WPSHC. SWAT news SWAT - Staff Welcoming and Activities Team supporting Quality Worklife at WPSHC Join us for an evening of food and fun as we cruise to Craganmor aboard the Cambrian Departing from Parry Sound Town Dock 3:30 p.m. Saturday, September 14 $10 return fare for cruise only. Special dinner menu available for pre-ordering. Available for the first 28 people paid and registered with Cathy Knox, Foundation Office, ext. 3348. N95 respirator fit testing is a provincial ministry requirement The Ministry of Labour requires that fit testing is completed for N95 respirators (masks) every two years. Has it been two years since your last fit test? Has your weight changed? Have you never been fit tested? If you answer yes, then you should be scheduling an appointment. Check the August Education Calendar for upcoming fit testing dates. We are looking to see if there is enough interest to organize a dinner trip to Medieval Times in Toronto on Saturday, November 16. The cost of trip will be approximately $90 per person (including dinner) as long as we have 55 people to fill the coach bus - $50 for the Medieval Times ticket and $40 for the bus. If you are interested please contact Rachel Larocque at extension 4142 or rlarocque@wpshc.com by August 31.
Take precautions from page 1 People who are the victim of a venomous bite requiring treatment with antivenom and can expect to spend a few days in a hospital intensive care unit. Apart from pain, swelling, and tissue damage, the venom can alter blood s clotting ability. The WPSHC antivenom depot web page (at www.wpshc.com) offers public advice on how to avoid being bitten by a Massasauga along with what to do if you are bitten. Additional safety and habitat education material is provided by the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve at www.gbbr.ca. Staff from the biosphere reserve are active throughout the year in providing improved awareness of the region s species at risk, including the Massasauga rattlesnake. The 30,000 Islands are home to over 40 species at risk including eleven reptiles, the Massassauga being one of them, said Glenda Clayton, GBBR s Species at Risk Coordinator and a member of the antivenom depot advisory committee. Many people who live or visit eastern Georgian Bay will not see this at-risk snake. By taking the time to learn more about the Massasauga, we can appreciate the role this, and other snakes, play in our environment. We can also learn how we can easily co-exist with the Massasauga. What if I get bitten? Don t panic! Not all bites result in venom being injected. Stay calm and reduce movement. Clean the wound with soap and water Remove jewelry on the affected limb. Get to a hospital as quickly and safely as possible. Call 911 if necessary. Do not apply ice or a tourniquet. Do not cut or apply suction to the bite. Well deserved...! Surgeons Denys Hunt and Jack Hatfield have earned their retirement and a chance to sit back and relax in these cedar deck chairs presented as gifts from colleagues and friends during a celebration of their careers held on July 20. Over 100 guests attended the event at Rocky Crest, including members of the Hunt and Hatfield families who gathered for the photo above, and staff (right).
August Education calendar
Cottage Country Art Auction raises $7,000! It was a spectacular evening... good to great art, stations offering fine foods... wonderful local artists... the only thing missing was a large audience. Still the audience in attendance was engaged, bidding enthusiastically under the encouragement of auctioneer Millie Dowling... Millie kept squeezing those of us in the audience to bid higher! In the end, $7,000 was raised through the extraordinary efforts of Mary Jane Zissoff and her committee Magdolna Szabo and Erik Deiters and the fabulous donations of works from local artists and artisans. Thanks to the Foundation Board members who volunteered at cash. Friendly competition made the bidding exciting! Donald Sanderson took home a stunning painting by Judy Ideson (volunteer co-ordinator of Whispering Pines Gift Shop), Dr. Fargher out bid me on a wonderful carved Haida bear, and I took home a whimsical Dave Packer bird for the garden! The money raised will help buy a $13,720 flexible cystoscope to help in the local fight against prostate cancer and diseases of the bladder. Thank you to everyone who supported this engaging event! Lynne Atkinson Executive Director The Staff Recycling Depot for containers and fibres is located near the loading dock in the Stores Office area on the second floor where you will also find the bin for discarded printer cartridges. Champions help us stay green in all departments Many department champions continue to help us maintain a greener environment for all recyclables being generated inside the health centre. This involves the collection of personally-used items like drink containers and paper products, as well as office waste being generated in many administrative functions. We ve seen recently that some departments are not following through on their green champion commitment to sharing the workload of recycling at WPSHC. Bags of recycling are being placed in hallways with the expectation that Housekeeping will collect it, similar to their collection of garbage. Please also note that cardboard intended for recycling cannot be filled with garbage and left in hallways. Department champions are staff members who have volunteered to help manage the collection of containers and fibres and to see that the recyclables are brought to the depot on the second floor. Housekeeping then manages the large bins and ensures they are collected by our waste management company.
MONDAY Soup: Cream of spinach Chicken noodle Entree: Mushroom and mozzarella burger Sweet and sour chicken with rice TUESDAY Soup: Mediterranean vegetable Mushroom Entree: Macaroni and cheese Perogies with sour cream WEDNESDAY Soup: Low-sodium turkey rice Homemade beef barley Entree: Hot beef sandwich with vegetables Salad bar THURSDAY Soup: Pea Squash Entree: Ham broccoli pasta casserole Beef stew with tea biscuit FRIDAY Soup: Beef and noodle Cream of broccoli and cheese Entree: Fish & fries Salad bar SATURDAY Soup: Turkey and wild rice Entree: Toasted western SUNDAY Soup: Garden vegetable Entree: Chicken burger Delicious selection of made-to-order sandwiches available at our Sandwich Bar during lunch hours Monday to Friday OUR DAILY LUNCH MENU What s cooking this week... Open for lunch service from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Meal Cards can be purchased in the Cafeteria, or from the Finance Department during regular office hours - Monday to Friday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. DINNER menu Open for dinner service from 5 to 7 p.m. MONDAY Meatloaf and gravy Mashed potatoes Corn and red peppers TUESDAY Roast turkey with gravy Whipped potatoes Carrot coins WEDNESDAY Pork chop in mushroom sauce Roasted potatoes Mixed vegetables THURSDAY Chicken divan Rice pilaf French cut beans FRIDAY Roast beef with gravy Roast potatoes California mixed vegetables SATURDAY Glazed ham & baked beans Mashed potatoes Broccoli SUNDAY Beef biscuit roll with gravy Whipped potatoes Vegetable medley All weekly menus can be subject to change
Join in celebrating a caring career Please join with your coworkers in celebrating the upcoming retirement of Debbie Burke from our Laundry Department - over 25 years of dedication to health care in our community! Friday, August 2 2 pm WPSHC Cafeteria Cake and refreshments Show leadership... Use hand sanitizer every time you enter and leave the health centre. Staff are strongly encouraged to park in Lot #2 or the back gravel portion of our main entry parking lot
Visit the Foundation office for complete details and see a schedule for where the markers will be on display