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To all staff and physicians
Current situation
As of today, April 1, Nova Scotia has 173 confirmed cases of COVID-19. While most cases in Nova Scotia are connected to travel or a known case, as reported previously, there is one confirmed case of community transmission and more cases are expected to present.
Of the 26 new cases of COVID-19, one is a staff member at the Magnolia residential care home in Enfield. That makes three staff members and two residents of the Magnolia who have tested positive. The residents are in isolation and staff members are isolating at home. All residents are being monitored for symptoms of COVID-19. To date, two other nursing homes in Nova Scotia each have one staff member who has tested positive. They are isolating at home and appropriate infection prevention and control measures are in place at facilities across the province. Read the release here.
The individuals affected range in age from under ten to over 80. Five individuals are currently in hospital. Eleven individuals have now recovered and their cases of COVID-19 are considered resolved. Cases have been identified in all parts of the province. There have been 6,591 negative test results. Testing numbers are updated daily at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus.
Our response
NSHA Inpatient MAiD Visitor Policy
The limitations on visitors to hospital is very difficult for everyone, especially for patients and families. A compassionate approach for MAiD patients and their families must be balanced with public and staff safety. Click here for NSHA’s Inpatient MAiD Visitor Policy.
NSHA parking for patients, staff and physicians
Parking for staff and patients at NSHA sites has been made free. This is in recognition of the extra commitment to patient care of staff and physicians during COVID-19.
NSHA staff that currently pay for parking by payroll deduction will not have further deductions, beginning with the upcoming pay, until further notice. Their last deduction was pay period 7, with a pay date of March 26. Physicians who have not already paid for April parking will not receive a bill for this month or need to pay.
Central Zone staff and physicians that pay for parking by credit card had their March payment automatically processed on March 26, and all further automatic parking payments have been suspended until further notice. Staff and physicians who already prepaid for their parking from April onwards will have a credit reflected on their account.
If NSHA staff and physicians would like to redirect their parking payroll deduction to one of Nova Scotia’s health care foundations, please visit http://webapps.nshealth.ca/FoundationsPayrollDeductions to learn more about payroll deduction giving.
A reminder that NSHA staff in HRM can park for free at the following offsite lots:
- South Street (5846 South St. - across from IWK South Street entrance)
- NS Natural History Museum (1747 Summer St. – only access off of Summer St.)
- Citadel High School (1855 Trollope St. access off of both Trollope St. and Ahern Ave.)
- College Street Lot (access off of College St.)
Voicemails for office landlines
With many administrative and support staff working from home, you may wish to update your office landline recording to advise callers ofhow to reach you. Here’s a possible message:
“Hello. You’ve reached (INSERT name) at NSHA (INSERT DEPARTMENT). Like many people, I’m now working from home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. You can reach me at (INSERT CONTACT INFO). Stay healthy!”
Telehealth Zoom for virtual patient care
To help support patient care and health care providers in the current COVID-19 pandemic, Telehealth Zoom has been approved as a virtual care platform for use on an interim basis for all health care providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals and staff). For information about how to access this service or for resources, please visit Telehealth Zoom. Here are the latest documents that have been shared on this site:
NSHA Booking and Registration Instructions
Registration – Virtual Care Information for Non-Physicians
Registration – Virtual Care Information for Physicians
New COVID-19 Finance email account
An email address has been established to respond to Finance questions specific to the COVID-19 pandemic. Inquires can be directed @email.
REMINDER: Dalhousie University printing services reducing hours of operation
Due to the present situation with COVID-19, Dalhousie University printing services has reduced its hours of operation to one day per week – Wednesdays – effective March 20. Stock of the most commonly ordered NSHA items has been increased. Requisitions for those forms will be packaged and delivered to respective mailrooms on Wednesdays of each week until further notice and could take up to two weeks to reach remote sites. All other printing will be completed on a case-by-case basis, but turnaround times for these items will be affected. Learn more.
Occupational Health/People Services/Talent and Organizational Development
Updated Occupational Health information & guidelines for NSHA healthcare workers
We continue to receive many of the same inquiries and feel it is important to reinforce some commonly asked questions along with their answers. The updated guidelines are here.
Employee Supports
Supporting our staff and their families is more important than ever before. We will continue to provide our team members with information, resources and various forms of support and encourage you to follow this daily update for the latest on an ongoing basis.
Good Samaritan Bulletin Board
We understand the demands of balancing work and family life can be challenging in the best of times, and during times of uncertainty, we all may need additional support and information to help manage the changes to our usual routine, schedules, and responsibilities. The Good Samaritan Bulletin Board is designed to serve as an online space where you and your teammates may offer help, information and resources to support each other during these uncertain times. This bulletin board will allow NSHA team members to come together and offer solutions, resources and assistance or seek assistance from fellow teammates. Please ensure you are logged in to post new items.
Note: all suggested postings will be approved and officially posted by a site administrator Dana Jakeman. Please contact Dana with questions, comments or concerns at @email
Upcoming staff support events and activities
DAILY:
Leadership Café: The Coach Is In (Group) - Weekdays 12-1 p.m.
Drop-in virtual group coaching session for leaders to explore the issues of the day with their peers and coaches and consultants from the Talent & Organizational Development team who bring expertise in: diversity and inclusion; serving vulnerable populations; resilience and reducing empathic distress; communication, conflict competence; managing high conflict people and situations; holding courageous conversation; and respectful workplace. Click here to join.
WEEKLY:
MicroMindful: Guided mindfulness practice to reduce empathic distress (10 minutes) Join in this session of a guided, evidence-based mindfulness practice for reducing empathic distress. This practice is essential learning for people who care for others. Live sessions are offered every Monday at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. Click here to join the session.
Recordings of the latest MicroMindful session and related resources will be available online soon.
UPON REQUEST:
MicroCoaching (Individuals)
Brief (15-20 minute), focused, just-in-time coaching for individual leaders.
Email: @email to request this service.
New/updated guidance documents and resources
COVID-19 Quick Reference for Primary Care Providers in Family Practice (updated: April 1, 2020)
Staff Guidance on Visitor Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic (updated: April 1, 2020)
Do’s and Don’ts for MDR Staff During COVID-19 Outbreak (New: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Letter – CH – colour (updated: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Letter – CH – bw (updated: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Legal – CH – colour (updated: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Legal – CH – bw (updated: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Letter – AR – colour (updated: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Letter – AR – bw (updated: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Legal – AR – colour (updated: April 1, 2020)
Visitor Restriction Sign – Legal AR – bw (updated: April 1, 2020)
Hearts for health care
We’ve been hearing some truly positive and up-lifting stories these past weeks, and we wanted to take this opportunity to share some of them with you.
“On Monday, inpatient Mental Health received a call from the porters requesting us to come to the main lobby. The lobby had a table arrayed with several flower bouquets for each unit in the hospital. Staff selected the envelop for Mental Health. The attached card read, ‘Thank you for doing such a great job! Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce.’” - Lance MacIsaac, manager, Inpatient mental health addiction services. South west.
Links/contacts
As a reminder, staff and physicians can engage a trained interpreter via Language Services to support patients and clients who do not speak English fluently or understand it fully. VisitLanguage Services for tools and information that will help you determine when and how to access an interpreter.
For up-to-date information, please visit the COVID-19 information Hub.
Questions can be directed to @email.