National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual event in August. It serves to highlight the importance of immunizations throughout the lifespan.
The theme for 2025 is Don’t let history repeat itself. Protect your future. Get immunized!
Prairie Mountain Health continues to offer childhood and adult immunizations regularly through scheduled appointments, walk in and outreach events. Contact your local Public Health office to schedule an appointment today or to inquire about what vaccines you are eligible for.
If you have immunization records from another province or outside of Canada, please submit a copy to Manitoba Health by accessing Immunization Update Request Form
A group enjoys a traditional powwow as part of the Men’s Resource Center Wellness project in Brandon
Healthy Together Now (HTN) is a community-led, regionally coordinated and government supported, grassroots program to help prevent chronic disease in Manitoba. In PMH, the program is implemented through a combination of a community granting program and a Health Promotion led action plan. Grants and projects are approved separately in each of the three zones of PMH (North, South, Brandon) by committees comprised of health promotion staff and community stakeholders local to each zone. Through HTN, Health Promotion staff work with community to build capacity and foster growth in individuals and the communities they live in by supporting community-led health promotion activities, bringing together groups to promote health and address chronic disease and giving communities knowledge, skills and support needed to develop and offer health promotion programs.
In 2024-25, 66 community groups in over 32 different communities and all Brandon districts received HTN funding, demonstrating the extensive reach and wide-ranging impacts of the HTN program in PMH.
Health Promotion staff, together with community partners, assess trends in grant applications, observe needs in PMH communities and research promising practices in health promotion and disease prevention to identify and develop health promotion led projects aimed at addressing these needs while respecting community readiness. In 2024-25, 15 health promotion led HTN projects occurred throughout PMH.
If you are part of a community group with an idea to help improve health consider applying for a Healthy Together Now grant. Grant applications are accepted 4 times per year with the following intake deadlines: May 1, Aug 1, Nov 1, Feb 1. Visit https://healthytogethernow.net/ to review the guidelines and complete an application. Questions about the program can be directed to program leads. Brandon: Nikki Dean [email protected] 204 578-2194 South: Tara Smith [email protected] 204 328-6215 North: Deb Wilson [email protected] 204 937-6277. See poster for details.
A group enjoys learning some new cooking skills in the Cooking with Betty project in Swan River.
Left to Right: Jeanette Logan (Occupational Therapist, Health Services Manager – Regional Therapy Services); Based in Swan Valley Health Centre: Rhiana Clelland (OT Student at the University of Manitoba); Based in Grandview Health Centre: Kaidyn Brasch (OT Student at the University of Manitoba)
In partnership with Discover Health Careers Manitoba, Prairie Mountain Health Therapy Services welcomed six students in July. Students are at various stages of their training to become Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists and Physiotherapists.
The students are working to develop and finalize training tools for Rehabilitation Aides working in Long Term Care across the region. Rehabilitation Aides will utilize the training manuals and videos to implement various exercise and mobility programs for residents across all sites.
“I’m really excited for the work these students will be completing. Rehabilitation Aides will be utilizing the tools they create to provide safe, quality programming to residents to help them maintain their strength, range of motion, function and mobility,” says Jeanette Logan, Health Services Manager – Regional Therapy Services. “Once we have our tools, training will take place for all Rehabilitation Aides on the programs in the fall of 2025”.
Since 2022, Prairie Mountain Health has begun expanding the role of Rehabilitation Aides across all long-term care sites as part of its Personal Care Home Quality Initiatives Project. Rehabilitation Aides are tasked with carrying out programming as assigned from a regulated health professional, often a Physiotherapist or an Occupational Therapist. Nursing has been collaborating with Therapy Services to understand the role of Rehabilitation Aides. It will also be introduced to the new programs, enabling them to assign care to residents safely and effectively.
Based in the Brandon Regional Health Centre, Left to Right: Julie Van Den Bussche (SLP student at Minot State University); Abigale Sneesby (Kinesiology student at the University of Manitoba); Georgia Tepleski (SLP Student at Minot State University); and Lauren McCausland (OT student at the University of Manitoba)
Georgia Tepleski is a returning student to Prairie Mountain Health. She says, “This position has provided me with such a wonderful opportunity to gain experience and insight into the medical side of therapy services while also making meaningful contributions to their professional development projects. I have truly enjoyed observing the SLPs here in Brandon, as it has strengthened my passion for going into the field of speech-language pathology.”
“It’s great to see students coming from our region and wanting to come to work with Prairie Mountain Health. We have such an opportunity in our region for future professionals to pursue meaningful careers upon graduation. The result of these students’ work will benefit residents in Long Term Care for many years to come,” says Jeanette Logan.
PMH hosts bus tours for students with interest in health care
PMH hosts bus tours for students with interest in health care
As far as retro radio goes, Paul Simon had a hit song which, among other things, indicated you could “Hop on the bus, Gus!”. It continued, ‘There’s no need to be coy, Roy,’ and added, ‘There’s no need to discuss much!’
On May 27, Prairie Mountain Health’s recruitment team felt there was indeed much to discuss and essentially highlighted a version of 50 ways to ‘rediscover’ by hosting students on two separate bus tours, which promoted the many benefits of working and living in rural Manitoba.
The first bus tour from Winnipeg to Brandon on May 26 involved 11 Year 1 Pharmacy Tech students and an MITT instructor. They arrived at Brandon Regional Health Centre, where they were provided information about working in PMH Pharmacy areas. Students participated in rotating tours throughout the facility to see the various aspects of ‘pharmacy in action.’
“The students were very pleased with the opportunity to see much of what they were learning in the theory portion of their program. The group reconvened and were provided insight by staff and management as to why they enjoy living and working in Brandon and rural areas,” stated Larissa Kominko, PMH Recruitment Manager.
For fun, the group was treated to a pizza-making and cookie-decorating activity at Brandon’s Chez Angela Bakery & Café.
From a pharmacy course instructor who was part of the tour: “PMH offered an excellent, hands-on experience to understand how the pharmacy team works to provide safe, effective medications to the hospital. The roles are varied and diverse, never a dull moment!”
Following the tour, one of the students expressed interest in a vacant Pharmacy Tech Summer Student position, and she was a successful candidate.
Dietitians participate in two-day tour
The second bus tour from Winnipeg on May 29 involved 17 students from the University of Manitoba in their final year of the Masters of Applied Human Nutrition (MAHN). Their first stop was Dauphin, where students enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant, Corrina’s on Main. Later, PMH dietitians answered healthcare job questions and led a tour of Dauphin Regional Health Centre and Community Health Services.
PMH promotes its ‘good nature,’ so students went to Northgate Trails just outside Dauphin and near the north side base of the Riding Mountain National Park escarpment, where they enjoyed a scenic hike. In the evening, students enjoyed Clear Lake, which included overnighting at Elkhorn Ranch.
Fresh cinnamon buns from the Whitehouse Bakery & Restaurant in Wasagaming greeted the group in the morning before the second-day trip to Brandon was underway. During the journey, staff noted the communities along the way, including Erickson, Minnedosa and Rivers.
Brandon’s first stop was the Town Centre to tour the various programs and services offered to the community. Staff provided tours and insights into their roles to help the students better understand what opportunities are available to them. The group went to the Brandon Regional Health Centre, where they enjoyed lunch prepared by the Nutrition Services staff and later toured the health centre. The Renal Unit and Cancer Care were a couple of the highlights.
One final activity before it’s time to load the bus home. The students, along with PMH staff, participated in a cookie decorating activity led by Hillbilly Hills Cookie Decorating.
From one of the participating students:
“The PMH tour was informative and fun! It opened my eyes to rural services, which I had no clue about as most of my work has been in the WRHA. It’s great to see how the different health regions operate, and all the Registered Dietitians and support staff were so nice and inviting! Also, the cinnamon buns were so good.”
PMH thanks all staff members who were involved in the tours. Also, thanks sincerely to all local businesses participating in the meals and fun activities during the initiative.
Parkland Family Medicine Residency Unit welcomes new group
Parkland Family Medicine Residency Unit welcomes new group
Pictured (l-r) are Jennifer Setlack, Sumaya Tasneem, Nikita Gonnade, Adesola Alade, Sheryl Diana Moralde, and Abieyuwa Agada.
Canada Day marks notable achievements across the country and province. And this year, six new residents were proud to begin their two-year training period July 1 with the Parkland Family Medicine Residency Unit based in Dauphin. This new crop of residents includes
Jennifer Setlack, Sumaya Tasneem, Nikita Gonnade, Adesola Alade, Sheryl Diana Moralde, and Abieyuwa Agada. They will graduate in June 2027.
The residents will work with a variety of preceptors over the two years in a variety of clinical settings and in the community of Dauphin, Ste. Rose, Grandview, Brandon and Winnipeg (for four specialty rotations).
Graduates from the last two-year program have started working in Manitoba and Ontario, with the exception of one who is taking a third-year of residency focusing on care of the elderly.
The Parkland Unit began in July 1991 and therefore has a long-standing history of training rural family medicine residents. The success rate of graduating residents who practice in a rural setting is 83%. Strong dedication from the local physician group to teach along with interprofessional staff and a community that is open to trainees are the main reasons of the continued success of this program.
Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, but too much sun can be dangerous for your health. Whether going for a walk, swimming at the lake, or just sitting in the sun, it’s important to know how to protect yourself from heat and harmful UV rays.
Why Sun Safety Matters
The sun gives off ultraviolet (UV) rays that we can’t see but can still harm our skin and eyes. Too much UV exposure can cause sunburn, skin damage, eye injuries, and even increase the risk of skin cancer.
UV rays are strongest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., even on cloudy days. Pay attention to the UV Index in your local weather report.
Temperature and UV index are NOT the same thing. UV rays can be intense with a high UV Index on a cool day. Always check the UV Index with the temperature before going outside so you can plan accordingly.
Understanding the UV Index
The UV Index is a number that tells you how strong the sun’s rays are on a given day. The higher the number, the greater the risk of harm to your skin and eyes, and the more you need to protect yourself. Here’s what the numbers mean:
0–2 (Low): Minimal risk. Enjoy being outside, but don’t forget sunscreen.
3–5 (Moderate): Take precautions like wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
6–7 (High): Protection is needed. Seek shade during midday hours, wear protective clothing, and reapply sunscreen often.
8–10 (Very High): Extra protection is essential. Avoid the sun during peak hours.
11+ (Extreme): Take all precautions. Unprotected skin can burn in minutes.
Protect Your Skin
Wearing protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses with UV protection to shield your skin and eyes is the best defense against UV rays.
If wearing clothing that exposes skin, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Sunscreens that state “water resistant” or “sport” tend to stay on better if you are in the water or sweating. Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours or sooner if you’re sweating or swimming. Always reapply after being in the water. Don’t forget about your lips; use lip balms with SPF.
Stay Cool and Hydrated
Drink lots of water on hot days, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they can make your body lose fluids.
Take breaks in the shade or go indoors, especially during peak sun hours. If you’re exercising or working outside, slow down and rest often to avoid getting overheated.
Watch for Signs of Heat Illness
It’s also important to recognize when your body is getting too hot. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious health risks.
Heat exhaustion symptoms include:
Heavy sweating
Weakness or dizziness
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Signs include:
High body temperature (over 40°C)
No sweating
Confusion or fainting
Rapid heartbeat
If someone shows these signs, move them to a cool place, give water if they’re alert, and seek medical help right away.
Enjoy Summer Safely
Getting outside is good for your health, but being sun-smart helps keep you safe. By checking the UV Index, staying cool, and protecting your skin, you can enjoy everything summer offers while keeping your body healthy. To learn more about staying safe in the sun, visit Sun Safety – Canada.ca
Provincial summer student initiative continues to prove popular in PMH
PMH has sponsored 10 medical student positions this year for the Discover Health Careers initiative. Pictured are Jeffrey Li and Dr. Kelsey Connelly who are participating this year in Brandon.
It’s summertime, and for some eager students, early exposure to health care careers can be a valuable experience that influences their future decisions. Discover Health Careers Manitoba (formerly the ‘Home for the Summer’ program) offers term positions to students within the health region to provide a ‘hands-on’ experience in clinical, hospital or healthcare site environments that apply to their areas of training. The program initially started with medical students and extends to nursing and allied healthcare students (including career areas like public/community health nursing and pharmacy). PMH and Shared Health cost share the initiative.
PMH offers 26 approved positions this year in Pharmacy, Primary Care, Mental Health, Therapy Services, Acute Care, Public Health, and Nutrition Services. For first and second-year medical students, PMH has sponsored 10 positions in Neepawa, Virden, Deloraine and Brandon (in Brandon the areas include Anesthesia, Obstetrics-Gynecology, General Surgery, Psychiatry, Radiology, the Western Manitoba Cancer Centre, Nephrology, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology and Hospitalists).
Dr. Sydney McLaughlin is preparing to start her first year of Residency in Neepawa based out of the Beautiful Plains Medical Clinic. In 2022, she spent eight weeks through the program at the clinic in Neepawa. In 2023, she participated in various locations including Dauphin, Ste. Rose, Killarney and Neepawa. She spent time seeing patients with a preceptor in a variety of clinical situations, and appreciated opportunities to advance her education.
“I found the experience to be very rewarding and a great way to continue my learning over the summer in order to further prepare myself for my clerkship years in medical school. ‘Home for the Summer’ gave me the opportunity to explore my career options while also earning an income that helped to pay for my medical school. This is something that I am very thankful I had the opportunity to pursue,” McLaughlin stated.
Students must be enrolled in a healthcare training program that fits a future need for PMH. The duration of sponsored positions varies depending on the type. Medical students’ positions are up to a maximum of six weeks. The maximum duration for nursing, allied health, and other positions is 10 weeks. The program requires an agreed-upon time commitment; students do not start or finish simultaneously.
More information on this program, as well as other Discover Health Careers initiatives, can be seen at healthcareersmanitoba.ca or Students.
Question & Answer with Dr. Sydney McLaughlin
Dr. Sydney McLaughlin holds her University of Manitoba diploma.
Dr. Sydney McLaughlin, who is preparing to start her Residency this summer in Neepawa answered some questions for us with her insight of the Discover Health Careers program. She previously participated in the Discover Health Careers (formerly known as Home for the Summer Program) in 2022 and 2023.
Can you elaborate on where you participated in the (formerly Home for the Summer) program, what you did during those weeks, and generally how you found it?
I participated in the Home for the Summer (HFTS) program during the summers of 2022 and 2023. In 2022, I spent all eight weeks of my employment at the Beautiful Plains Medical Clinic in Neepawa. During my second summer, I spent time at various locations throughout Manitoba, including Neepawa, Killarney, Ste. Rose du Lac, and Dauphin.
During these weeks I spent my time seeing patients with my preceptor in a variety of clinical situations. A typical week would include spending time in the clinic, shifts in the emergency department, seeing inpatients, helping with obstetrics, and spending some time in the operating room, either as an assist during surgical procedures or working with the anesthesia team.
I found the experience to be very rewarding and a great way to continue my learning over the summer in order to further prepare myself for my clerkship years in medical school. HFTS gave me the opportunity to explore my career options while also earning an income that helped to pay for my medical school. This is something that I am very thankful I had the opportunity to pursue.
Did anything stand out to you during that “Home for the Summer” experience? Any key learnings? Any preceptors that should be acknowledged?
HFTS taught me many things, not only about clinical medicine, but also about life in medicine and how to cope with the challenges that come with pursuing a career in medicine. I had a variety of preceptors throughout my time in HFTS that offered advice on work life balance and how to build a rewarding career. It also gave me the opportunity to further develop my procedural skills, as I gained more confidence in suturing, emergency room procedures, and management of obstetrical cases.
Dr. Sandra Wiebe was my preceptor in Neepawa for both of my summers. She provided me with lots of guidance not only for furthering my clinical medicine learning, but also my bedside manner and professional development. I am very grateful for the summers I got to spend with her and look forward to learning from her more in the future.
Dr. Brian Milligan also provided me with lots of guidance and was very great at involving me in any procedures that came up around the hospital and gave me the opportunity to learn from him whenever possible!
How have you turned that previous experience into furthering your career path? Where are you now in your health care career journey?
HFTS solidified my interest in rural medicine. I knew when I started medical school that I wanted to practice in a rural community, but having the opportunity to participate in HFTS allowed me to experience the scope of practice of a rural family physician and further strengthened my decision to pursue rural medicine as a career choice. I am now just about to start my residency in rural family medicine in my home community of Neepawa. I am looking forward to returning home and giving back to my community and continuing to learn from so many amazing physicians!
Any other comments about the initiative you feel would be worth mentioning?
HFTS is a great initiative for not only exposing medical students to rural medicine, but also giving health regions an opportunity to recruit medical students that are soon to be participating in the CaRMS match! I would highly recommend that any student pursuing a career in medicine give the program a try as it can open doors and create opportunities for learning and career advancement. It also offers great exposure to rural medicine, which may help some students to realize a career in rural medicine is perfect for them!
There are several residents of the Country Meadows Personal Care Home in Neepawa, who’s longevity deserves some acknowledgement.
Back Row: Rose Labuik age 103 (Jun 3), Dorothy Kilburn age 101 (102 on Aug 23), Dudley Lee 102 (May 22), Joe Dutko 101 (Feb 27), Ada Buksovich 101 (102 on Sep 17)
Front Row: Jean Lewis 100 (101 on Dec 21), Annie Dobush 110 (111 pm Sep 14), who is the oldest living resident in Manitoba!, and Treva Gorrie 105 (106 on Sep 27)
Fifteen communities participate in U of M “Rural Week”
An enthusiastic bunch of first-year medical students from the University of Manitoba’s (U of M) Max Rady College of Medicine (Rady Faculty of Health Sciences) got a first-hand look at the sights and sounds of the vibrant rural communities within Prairie Mountain Health ({PMH) region. Students noted the lifestyle opportunities, attractions and experiences in rural areas and, through feedback, provided many positive reviews, including some from participants who were learning of life outside the Manitoba perimeter for the very first time.
Some 46 medical students participated in ‘Rural Week’ within the region from May 26 – May 30 and June 2 – 6. The medical students were assigned to visit 15 participating communities this year, including Brandon, Carberry, Dauphin, Deloraine, Glenboro, Grandview, Hamiota, Killarney, Neepawa, Roblin, Russell, Souris, Ste. Rose, Swan River and Virden.
Rural Week— coordinated annually by the Department of Family Medicine, Shared Health, Health Care Recruitment and Retention Office, and rural, regional health authorities enlist community stakeholders to assist with planning the lifestyle tours and events. Students also participate in various rural physician practices and tours of healthcare sites.
PMH Regional Lead of Medical Services and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Adrian Fung added:
“This exposure is as much about rural lifestyle as it is about rural medicine. Rural Week is an exciting time, as it allows us as a region to highlight our communities, staff, and facilities to the medical students while also giving the students a chance to see how rewarding and fulfilling rural practice can be.”
For example, four students in Ste. Rose provided this overview, which noted the variety of care some family physicians offer in rural areas.
“There are four physicians in Ste. Rose who serve a broad community of patients from multiple other communities such as Rorketon, Ebb and Flow, Kinosota, etc.; many patients have to drive quite far from other places in the catchment area. Dr. Blais, a Metis physician who lives in Dauphin, also drives to Ste. Rose’s hospital to work there. She also does one or two days a week at the Health Center in Ebb and Flow. She is the only physician who works at the Ebb and Flow Health Center, an action that directly serves to bridge the health inequity of access to medical care.”
PMH thanks all physician preceptors, healthcare professionals, and community volunteers whose dedication makes Rural Week successful. This important Week would not have been possible without the commitment and enthusiasm of the communities, who generously share their time and spirit to showcase all they have to offer.
Anticipated Date of Discharge (ADD) Whiteboard project
Anticipated Date of Discharge (ADD) Whiteboard project
If you have recently visited an acute care site in Prairie Mountain Health, you may have noticed an addition to our patient rooms. This spring, Prairie Mountain Health started the roll out of Anticipated Date of Discharge (ADD) on patient whiteboards in our acute care sites.
Anticipated Date of Discharge (ADD) is the date each patient is expected to be discharged from hospital. This is a projected date used for planning and will be adjusted based on the patient progress and response to treatment.
At the bedside, each patient will have a white board that will identify the patient’s daily progress and care journey during their stay in the hospital. Information displayed on the white board, which will be updated daily, will include:
Patient’s name
Upcoming tests / diagnostic exams (eg. Xrays or scans)
Name of the patient’s medical care provider and health care team
Patient’s care plan
Patient’s goals of care
Patient’s anticipated discharge / transfer date
There are many benefits to utilizing Anticipated Date of Discharge in hospital settings. ADD involves patients and families in planning for their discharge at the earliest possible point and allowing time to make any necessary arrangements such as home adaptations or simply arranging a ride home from the hospital.
Patients and families who have had the opportunity to experience the new ADD process have many positive things to say:
“We appreciate seeing updates daily and knowing the plan”- family member
“I read it every day and look for changes”- patient
“I like knowing my nurse’s name as I forget after they tell me”- patient
“I know the date of discharge is estimated but it does help us plan” – family
