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*Required FieldSJHH / Coronavirus/ Information for our staff physicians volunteers and learners/ Clinical Updates
Clinical / Operational Updates
By providing on-site support to inpatient clinical teams as well as Caregivers and Support People to enable Caregiver presence. We know that caregivers and support people are part of a patient’s healing journey; providing care as well as social and emotional support.
Where: Charlton Campus
When: Started Wednesday, April 28, 2021
How to reach us: CaregiverSupport@stjoes.ca or 905.522.1155 ext. 34937
How we help:
- Connect with staff and Caregiver/Support people, problem solve any difficulties that arise, and answer questions about current visiting guidelines
- Make daily rounds on inpatient units, ensuring each patient who would like a caregiver to visit has provided contact information
- Respond to phone calls from inpatient units related to caregiver/support person queries
- Respond to any issues that may arise related to our visiting guidelines
- Call Caregivers and Support People of newly admitted patients to review current visiting guidelines
Patient Privacy and Our Values
Last Updated March 13, 2020 at 8:00 p.m.
St. Joe’s is known for showing compassion and support to our patients and to each other. Respect and confidentiality are essential parts of that. We remind everyone that patient privacy remains paramount during this time, and not to discuss a patient’s condition, COVID-19 related or otherwise – beyond the circle of care.
As an employee of St. Joe’s, we remind you to also follow all social media policies and privacy regulations in which confidential patient or employer-related information must not be shared. Thank you again for the work you do, the courage you bring to work everyday, and the kindnesses you give to our patients, and each other.
Tips for Providing Compassionate Care During COVID-19
Last updated January 31, 2020 at 5:05 p.m.
We want to thank everyone for all of their compassionate work every day. It is particularly important during times when many may be feeling anxious to continue to be kind and respectful to others.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, says “This is the time to focus on fact, not fear; science, not rumours; and solidarity, not stigma.”
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, recommends:
- Don’t make assumptions about people or use stereotypes
- Be careful of the language you use
- Go to trusted and verified information sites
COVID Command Centre Update
Last Updated March 4, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.
The COVID Command Centre continues to actively support healthcare workers in responding to urgent and emergent issues related to:
- quality/safety
- staffing and redeployment
- patient flow
- supply shortage review and contingency planning
- access to staff mental health and well-being supports
- support with patient and family concerns
Effective Friday, March 4, Command Centre calls will be answered jointly between Quality staff and West 5th Supervisors. Quality will continue to monitor calls for themes and trends and provide reports to ELT and more broadly as appropriate. A reminder that the Command Centre no longer has a physical location, but it remains operational in a decentralized model.
All healthcare workers are reminded to call the Command Centre in an urgent situation when they are unable to reach their supervisor, manager or director.
- For urgent inquiries, please phone 289-779-6855.
- For non-urgent inquiries, please email COVIDcommand@stjoes.ca.
We will continue to assess the need for the Command Centre and transition its activities in response to the environment.
Effective immediately, PCR testing will be only be required for the following Perioperative Program patients:
- Patients with planned admissions
- Patients who are symptomatic or have had a known exposure to COVID-19
- Patients who are unvaccinated (PCR testing must be completed 48-72 hours before surgery/procedure)
The new requirements will ensure PCR testing is still completed for patients in higher risk scenarios to reduce risk of patient complications post-surgery and prevent transmission of COVID-19 in hospital.
If a patient who is symptomatic, has a known exposure to COVID, or is unvaccinated, needs an urgent/emergent surgery that cannot be safely deferred, their surgery will proceed without waiting for a PCR test result and the OR team will take the IPAC precautions necessary for treating a COVID positive patient.
Reintroduction of therapeutic passes within acute and post-acute care programs
Last Updated March 14, 2022 at 10:10 a.m.
Since the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, SJHH introduced a phased approach to the reduction and re-introduction of therapeutic passes guided by the provincial and local public health safety measures.
Due to the current levels of transmission, there is opportunity to implement the following immediately:
- Off unit, off premises passes within acute and post-acute programs will now be permitted as per discussion with manager, MRP and MRP order. These will continue to be re-evaluated as needed.
Level 3 unaccompanied therapeutic passes within the Mental Health and Addiction Program (MHAP) were reintroduced as of January 31 [LINK] and Level 4 unaccompanied therapeutic passes within MHAP were reintroduced as of February 16 [LINK].
On Monday, August 9, 2021 St. Joe’s reduced restrictions for visitors in inpatients areas and the Satellite Health Facility. Patients and/or caregivers/support people may identify up to three additional people who are able to visit, but there must be no more than two people at the bedside at a time. The number of designated Caregivers/Support People remain consistent at two designated individuals, for a total of five people allowed to the visit the patient.
Based on additional feedback from clinical managers as they implement the changes on their unit, the caregiver/support person letter has been updated to include visitors. Please click here to download the updated letter.
This letter must now be provided to all five identified caregiver/support people/visitors and they must present it to COVID Screeners upon entering the hospital. Previously a letter was only required for caregivers/support people.
For more information about the changes to the visitor policy please click here to read a Frequently Asked Questions document.
Virtual Care for Long-Term Care
Updated April 8th, 2020 at 9:45 p.m.
This week, we worked with long-term care homes, the Nurse Led Outreach Team, and Hamilton Health Sciences to successfully launch Virtual Care for Long Term Care. The program connects patients in long-term care throughout Hamilton with on-call emergency physicians (and if required consultants) who provide them with virtual assessments in the comfort of their homes. The program will help reduce the number of patients transferred to hospital during the pandemic, while preventing the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring the right care is delivered when needed. Virtual Care for Long Term Care is just one of the many ways St. Joe’s is ensuring capacity for the acutely ill in response to the pandemic. Thanks to all who took swift action to get this program up and running.
Additional
Virtual Visits Program
St. Joe’s is pleased to offer Patient and Family Virtual Visits to connect patients and their loved using video calls when the no-visitor policy is in place during the pandemic. Through the program, inpatients have access to hospital-supplied iPads to keep in touch during their stay in the hospital.
Devices are loaded with Zoom video-call software (formally supported by St. Joe’s) as well as Skype, Facebook Messenger and Viber applications to be used at the patient’s own risk
This hospital-wide initiative, which aims for one device for every 10 patients, was made possible with support from the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation, which provided more than $60,000 toward the purchase of the program’s devices.