Sports/hydration drinks are being heavily marketed to kids but can be harmful to their health.
Construction of the new Portage Regional Health Centre is hitting significant milestones and seeing peak activity with an average of 400-450 workers are on-site each day. The project has officially surpassed an impressive 1,000,000 labor worker hours, pushing the project forward as we see the completion of many exterior components and significant progress on interior installations.
Key highlights of the construction progress include:
Completion of the building is on track for early 2026. The project focus will then shift to installing equipment and furniture and staff training and orientation prior to opening day.
Northeast view: concept vs January 2025 progress
Southeast view: concept vs January 2025 progress
It is with mixed emotions that we inform you that Jane Curtis will be leaving the role of Chief Executive Officer for Southern Health-Santé Sud, effective immediately. Jane has accepted the interim role of CEO of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
Over the past 8 years, Jane has led our organization with unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and a commitment to excellence in healthcare, all values that will serve Manitobans greatly in her new role. During her tenure, Jane has overseen significant advancements in our services, expanded our reach to more families, patients and communities, and fostered a culture of innovation and compassion.
We are grateful for Jane’s contributions and the positive impact she has had on our organization and the communities we serve. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping Southern Health-Santé Sud into the sustainable, respected and thriving institution it is today. As Jane embarks on a new chapter, we extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for her future endeavors.
The Board of Directors will soon commence the search for a new CEO who will continue to build on the strong foundation laid by Jane. In the interim, Dana Human, Regional Lead – Community & Continuing Care will serve as the acting CEO to ensure a smooth transition and maintain the continuity of our operations. We are confident in her ability to lead our organization during this period of change.
The Manitoba government is launching a three-month pilot project that will see Long Plain First Nation Safety Officers (FNSO) stationed at Portage District General Hospital to enhance safety and security for patients and front-line workers, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe when they are accessing health care,” said Asagwara. “This is an incredible opportunity to work with our partners in Long Plain First Nation to enhance safety for the front lines, patients and the broader community. During the listening tour, we heard directly from the front-line workers about the challenges they are facing in terms of safety and security. We are responding to those concerns by increasing safety officer presence in health-care facilities throughout the province.”
Through the initiative, First Nation Safety Officers from Long Plain First Nation will patrol the hospital and its surrounding campus, parking lots and properties on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., added the minister.
“The safety and security of Long Plain First Nation members and businesses has always been of paramount importance to leadership,” said Chief David Meeches, Long Plain First Nation. “Years ago, we took it upon ourselves to form a security team with the best interest of the nation in mind. What started as a handful of band security officers quickly evolved into Arrowhead Security. Our nation is proud of the expansion and growth of our FNSO/security program.”
As peace officers trained in public safety, crime prevention and de-escalation techniques, the FNSOs will perform duties that enhance safety and security including:
Institutional safety officers were first introduced at Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Winnipeg in April as part of the Manitoba government’s efforts to respond to safety concerns reported by staff during the front-line listening tour, noted the minister, adding the program has since expanded to a total of 105 funded positions located at HSC Winnipeg, St. Boniface Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Brandon Regional Health Centre and Selkirk Mental Health Centre.
Bethesda Regional Health Centre is proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the new renal dialysis unit, which officially opened its doors on October 16, 2023. The province committed $4 million to the new unit which has already made a significant impact in the southern health region, offering residents access to high-quality dialysis treatment without the need to travel long distances.
Located on the main floor of the Community Services Building, the six-station dialysis unit operates Monday through Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. The unit serves up to 12 patients per day, providing essential care to individuals with chronic kidney disease. This critical service not only saves patients valuable time and money but also keeps them close to their support networks of family and friends, ensuring a higher quality of life during their treatment.
The new dialysis unit is part one of a significant expansion of inpatient services currently underway at Bethesda Regional Health Centre. Phase two of this project will see 15 additional acute -care medicine beds, eight new surgical beds and three new state-of-the art operating theaters. This expansion will increase the facility’s capacity to provide inpatient services and enhance its role as a regional hub of care.
The renal dialysis unit at Bethesda Regional Health Centre exemplifies the commitment to improving health care services for the people of Steinbach and surrounding communities. As the region’s health care needs continue to evolve, the new unit stands as a testament to the facility’s dedication to providing accessible, high-quality care.
Sports/hydration drinks are being heavily marketed to kids but can be harmful to their health.
Sports/hydration drinks are being heavily marketed to kids but can be harmful to their health.
One of the beautiful things about dialysis nursing is that we have the privilege of connecting with our patients and their families on a deeper level. Seeing them three times a week allows us to form relationships, build trust and care for them more holistically, often discovering issues sooner and finding solutions to their medical problems faster. – Tanya Blatz, Clinical Resource Nurse, Dialysis Unit, BTHC
As a young woman Tanya Blatz considered many careers, and among her top choices were dietitian, teacher, or nurse – like her mom. She didn’t know it then, but years later Blatz would discover a job that encompassed all of those roles.
The role of a dialysis nurse includes nursing, educating patients on their kidney conditions and treatments, and extensive instruction on the strict and complex dietary requirements of dialysis patients, commonly known as the “dialysis diet.”
Dialysis nursing was a perfect fit for Blatz, and for the last seven years she has worked as the Clinical Resource Nurse for the dialysis unit at Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC), overseeing the unit’s staff and acting as a medical hub for the health centre’s dialysis patients.
“I do anything and everything on the unit including organizing specialty appointments for our patients, attending the weekly nephrology rounds, collaborating with other members of the medical team like social workers, pharmacists, and dietitians, and even troubleshooting the dialysis machines when they break down,” said Blatz. “I have a wide spectrum of work in this role and I absolutely love it.”
Along with the variety of work, the ability to care for the same patients every week over many years is very rewarding for Blatz and her colleagues. Having that continuity of care can also result in better health outcomes as staff can monitor their patients regularly and notice changes in their health sooner.
“One of the beautiful things about dialysis nursing is that we have the privilege of connecting with our patients and their families on a deeper level,” said Blatz. “Seeing them three times a week allows us to form relationships, build trust, and care for them more holistically, often discovering issues sooner and finding solutions to their medical problems faster.”
BTHC has the capacity to serve up to 34 dialysis patients each week, with patients coming to the health centre from areas across the Southern Health-Santé Sud region including nearby towns like Morden and Winkler, to further towns like the Roseau River Reserve and Saint Jean Baptiste.
Historically, nurses who were interested in applying for the dialysis course to become a dialysis nurse needed a minimum of five years of nursing experience in other areas, such as long-term care or acute care. This requirement was due to the complex nature of providing care to dialysis patients.
“The patient’s heart affects their dialysis treatment, any acute problems, infections, or chronic conditions affect their dialysis treatment, and their diet and levels of various minerals all affect their dialysis treatment,” said Blatz. “This work requires you to troubleshoot, problem solve, and think critically, and those skills are strengthened with experience.”
Today that five-year minimum requirement no longer exists and newer nurses are eligible to apply for the dialysis course. Blatz recommends dialysis nursing to any student or existing nurse who is exploring the wide range of nursing professions.
“I didn’t know about this role until many years after I entered the workforce and wish I had learned about it sooner,” said Blatz. “Whenever an educator asks to bring students in I never say no because there might be one in the crowd that goes, ‘hey, this looks really interesting’ and decides they want a career in dialysis nursing.”
Nursing Week runs May 6-12 this year and is a time to recognize the incredible accomplishments and contributions that nurses bring to health-care teams and the delivery of services across the province.
Menzies Medical Centre, C.W. Wiebe Medical Centre, along with Southern Health-Santé Sud hosted first and second year medical students through the Rural Interest Group for a weekend workshop aimed at promoting the benefits of practicing medicine in rural communities. Approximately 30 University of Manitoba medical students participated in the event that took place on March 9, 2024. Students were able to participate in clinical workstations that were located at Boundary Trails Health Centre where students put their skills to the test doing everything from sutures, intubation techniques, women’s health and ultrasound. A tour of the regional health centre was provided to students highlighting the many opportunities and benefits the communities of Morden and Winkler can offer physicians looking for rural medicine opportunities.
We would like to acknowledge the investment in recruitment and retention efforts from Menzies Medical Centre, C.W. Wiebe Medical Centre, staff, physician leaders and community members.
Thank you!