DECRH ED Nurse Shares Experience Caring for Vulnerable Patients Page 5
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A SOOTHING SOCIAL Helping patients’ SPACE SHOUT-OUT wounds heal faster New tech will also provide breast This new feature is Discovery will treat damage caused Issue No. 20, Vol. 5 cancer patients quicker results #awesome! by chronic health conditions January 2020 Page 11 Page 12 Page 14 HorizonSTAR A publication for the staff of Horizon Health Network SEEING THE POSSIBLE IN SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS: DECRH ED NURSE SHARES EXPERIENCE CARING FOR VULNERABLE PATIENTS Page 5 The 2019 Award of Distinction in Nursing award recipients Page 9 Top 10: The best things you watched, read or listened to last year Page 17 Contents 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DECRH ED nurse shares Becoming One Horizon Horizon nurse practitioner Horizon MRT publishes Public Health builds CCH surgeon retires after New equipment provides Breastfeeding: It takes experience caring for Library named one of 10 Champions first book, detailing love community capacity 36 years calming, modern a community vulnerable patients with for Cultural Diversity and war from WWI through partnership treatment for breast Canadian Red Cross Campaign aims to reduce cancer patients serious preventable injuries 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Horizon neonatologists #ResearchatHorizon: Horizon’s Chief Emergency Winners of the 2019 Top 10: The best thing 2019 Awards of Distinction A world of French 2020 Experience published in academic Helping patients’ wounds Management Officer Waste Walk challenge you’ve watched, read, or in Nursing Conference journal heal faster recognized listened to in 2019 DECRH achieves SMH receives dignity quilt ENERGY STAR® certification On our cover: This magazine is published by Horizon Health Network’s Communications In Every Issue Ashley Young, an Emergency Department, and is distributed free of charge to Horizon staff, physicians Message from CEO Department (ED) nurse at and volunteers. A French version can be found online at fr.horizonnb.ca. Editor’s Note Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers Editor: GinaBeth Roberts Colleagues’ Corner Regional Hospital (DECRH), is Design and layout: Hudson Creative Agency Look Who’s Shining photographed outside the ED in Top 10 Printed by: Advocate Printing mid-January. Please send comments and/or story ideas to [email protected]. A welcome DECRH ED nurse shares experience caring note from the editor for vulnerable patients with Canadian Red Cross Ashley Young is an Emergency Department Arriving at the field hospital I was always so (ED) nurse at Horizon’s Dr. Everett Chalmers moved to see the kites – made of torn bags Regional Hospital (DECRH). She recently travelled – flying in the sky. Many children have been to the Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria as a orphaned as a result of the ongoing conflict. It triage nurse with the Canadian Red Cross, in always put a smile on my face to see some of the partnership with the International Committee children still found time to play and just be kids. of the Red Cross, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent During the day my time would be spent and the Norwegian Red Cross field hospital. juggling Triage, the needs in the Emergency Welcome to the 20th edition of the Horizon Star! The camp hosts around 76,000 people who Rooms, as well as coordinating patient flow Dear Staff, Physicians and Volunteers, are either refugees or internally-displaced and ambulances arriving with patients. The The 2020s are upon us and it’s both an interesting and exciting time to be part We’re now a few weeks into a new year, a new decade. individuals and families, most of whom are days were long, and the hours varied depending of health care! How are your resolutions going? women and children. on how many surgical cases we might have The camp has been in operation since the and what emergencies might present. Like many of you who have been working in health care for many years/ If they’re not going well, you’re not alone. decades, I am constantly amazed by the advancements I have seen throughout early nineties, with a new wave of people One of the big differences is the demographic; my career. Research shows 60 per cent of people make New Year’s starting to arrive in Al-Hol in December 2018. the majority of those being treated are women resolutions, but less than 10 per cent are successful in achieving Within the camp there is limited access to and children who are weapon wounded. The exciting part is I don’t believe the pace of this improvement will be slowing them. health care due to ongoing hostilities, lack of Though it is such a different environment, down anytime soon. medicine and damaged or destroyed health Maybe that’s because the resolutions we often make are too rigid there are similarities, too. Most notably I response. This also could pose challenges In addition, Horizon has been leading the or unattainable. Even the definitions of resolution (something facilities. The field hospital is assisting patients would say the assessment process, whether with some of the equipment; for example, we charge by performing “first of its kind” that is resolved; firmness of resolve) and resolute (marked by wounded in war or suffering from illness. in Canada or at the field hospital in Syria had an X-ray machine, but due to the heat it surgeries in both the country and Atlantic firm determination; bold, steady) are quite stringent. Here, Ashley shares her experience. are similar. I would meet with the patient, could shut down at times which could impact Canada. We’re also part of some ground- take record of their symptoms and injuries availability and assessment. But, often, life doesn’t allow elaborate resolutions to work out. How did you get involved with the Canadian 4 breaking research on many fronts. Together, 5 Instead, smaller, daily changes are the kind of resolutions that Red Cross? Was this your first time working and recommend next steps. As well, another How did your skills and experience as a these surgeries and research are leading stick. in this type of setting? similarity was the close collaboration with Horizon ED nurse help you? to better patient outcomes in the most From a very early age I worked towards doctors to provide patients with the best As an ED nurse you need to be ready and extraordinary ways. These are exciting In professional settings, we often look at SMART goals: goals that becoming a medical professional so I could possible care. prepared to tackle whatever comes through developments for both Horizon and our are Specific,M easurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Why deliver humanitarian aid to people who needed Share one of your most heartwarming your department’s door. This readiness and patients/clients, and it’s a trend I hope to see not try this kind of planning for your resolutions? it most. The Red Cross Movement is the largest interactions with a patient. ability to assess your patients in a high-stress continue. And maybe you’re thinking: that’s way too much planning, but humanitarian organization in the world and I I was very fortunate to have met so many environment while maintaining composure In saying this, it’s important to understand that it doesn’t have to be, and you don’t have to completely change always aspired to be part of their operations one inspiring individuals during my time in Syria is an invaluable skill to have while working in to advance we must change and/or improve your ways to practice self-improvement. day. When I felt I had acquired the appropriate and was specifically moved to see the resiliency the field. the way we are currently doing things. Instead of resolving to lose weight, try cooking one new healthy nursing skills and knowledge that could be and hope in so many of the children we treated. What skills – clinical or otherwise – did you utilized in this context, I knew without a doubt We have all read the headlines in the media, dish and trying a new workout every month. Want to read more The majority of people living in the camps are learn and have incorporated into your care? while implementing healthier choices? Listen to audiobooks on I wanted to apply to the Canadian Red Cross. and changes to New Brunswick’s health care Karen McGrath women and children, and an interaction with Working in the field, it is vital to provide your phone instead of watching a show two days a week while system are inevitable. Change is needed to President and CEO This was my first time deploying to a camp to one young boy stands out to me from my time culturally appropriate care and maintain clear on the treadmill. Need to get better at asking for help? Start with grow, and I look forward to our organization support displaced people. Previous missions there. I remember the day one of our little communication with colleagues and patients. delegating small chores at home or approach a colleague for with the Red Cross have taken me to Lebanon guys, who had suffered a weapon wound and For example, we would use translators to working with our health care partners to develop a plan that will lead to better support at work. access to health care services for our patients, clients and their families. and rural South Sudan. had been coming into the hospital for dressing communicate with patients who didn’t speak Haven’t made a resolution for 2020 yet? Maybe you’ll find some What was your role at the field hospital? changes, came to see us for a physiotherapy English.