Suicide Awareness

Suicide is tragic and distressing. Families, friends and communities are deeply affected following a death by suicide. This reinforces the urgency for a better understanding and prevention of suicide. In 2022, Statistics Canada reported that approximately 4,500 people die by suicide every year. We also know that for every 1 suicide death, there are 7–10 people profoundly affected by suicide loss.

Dr. James Bolton, Medical Director of Shared Health Crisis Response Services and Health Sciences Centre Emergency Psychiatry, said it best, “As difficult as these statistics are to read, they serve to highlight the magnitude of the impacts of suicide in our community and why it’s imperative to remember that, however uncomfortable it can be to discuss suicide, it’s a conversation we need to have.”

People at risk of suicide are often seen in healthcare settings – we want to have that conversation. We want to connect with you and will ask about your mental and physical health.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out. We are here to listen and help.

If you or your loved ones need help, please reach out to the below suicide prevention resources.

PMH Crisis Line (over age of 18) – 1-888-379-7699
PMH Crisis Line (under age of 18) – 1-866-403-5459
Manitoba Suicide Line 1-877-435-7170
Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1-888-292-7565
Klinic Crisis Line 1-888-322-3019
Farm & Rural Stress Line 1-866-367-3276
Reason to Live –reasontolive.ca

Help is available; you are not alone.

PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM ANNOUNCED FOR NEEPAWA

Prairie Mountain Health was excited to learn of the province’s investment in a one-time, 25-student cohort for its practical nursing diploma program in Neepawa. The Manitoba government is providing $2.1 million in combined capital and operating funding to Assiniboine Community College (ACC) to offer the practical nursing program in Neepawa.

Advanced Education and Training Minister Sarah Guillemard and Health Minister Audrey Gordon say the one-time offering in Neepawa will provide students with training close to home, allowing them to study, work and strengthen health care in the region.

“Nurses from rural communities are more likely to stay or return to rural health settings and graduates of this program will be eligible to fill positions at the new hospital under construction in Neepawa scheduled for completion in 2025, “ Gordon stated.

“We are pleased to be able to contribute to training people for careers in health care throughout the province. Nursing is Assiniboine’s largest single program and our graduates have a track record of getting jobs and staying in Manitoba.” said Mark Frison, president, ACC. “This welcome investment by the Manitoba government allows us to respond to needs in Neepawa and we look forward to working with the community to expand access in this growing region of the province.”

At nearly four times the size of the existing Neepawa Health Centre, the new hospital will include:

63 acute care inpatient beds, an increase from 38 at the current site;
an expanded emergency department designed to best practice standards that includes assessment and treatment rooms, a trauma room, stretcher bay and ambulance bay; and
enhanced space for a number of programs such as surgery, diagnostics and palliative care, as well as various outpatient services including chemotherapy, ambulatory care and an eight-station dialysis unit.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) CEO Brian Schoonbaert says the region continues collaborative efforts with the province and education institutions like Assiniboine to further strengthen the health-care workforce in the region.

“Training nurses close to home allows them to learn in a familiar environment and have the opportunity to learn about and apply for jobs in their community upon graduation,” said Brian Schoonbaert CEO of Prairie Mountain Health. “It also helps meet the high demand for nurses in PMH. We are pleased to work with Assiniboine and our stakeholders to offer learners in the health region this opportunity.”

The investment in Neepawa further aligns with the provincial Health Human Resource Action Plan, which launched in November 2022 with a commitment to add 2,000 health-care providers, invest $200 million to retain, train and recruit health-care staff across Manitoba, and eliminate mandated overtime.

CancerCare Closing the Care Gap

World Cancer Day is recognized globally every February 4 to raise awareness about cancer, improve access to cancer education, and promote personal, collective and government action for cancer control. World Cancer Day is a worldwide positive movement for people to connect and come together in support of accessible and equitable cancer care for all (www.worldcancerday.org).

In 2023, the World Cancer Day theme was “Closing the Care Gap”. Watch these videos, presented on World Cancer Day by CancerCare Manitoba, to learn about Nurse Navigators and what to expect on a cancer journey.

CancerCare Nurse Navigators

A video highlighting the role of Nurse Navigators, and a patient’s perspective on being supported by a Navigator.

Webinar: Closing the Care Gap – What to expect on your cancer journey

This webinar touches on cancer surgery, radiation and systemic therapy, what care looks like for pediatric patients, and psychosocial supports such as counselling which is available to patients and their loved ones.

Neepawa Eats Healthy – Meal In 30 Project

The Neepawa Eats Healthy Committee is excited to be introducing the Meal in 30 Project – A partnership with local community groups, agencies, Prairie Mountain Health and the Neepawa Gladstone Co-op and Neepawa Safeway Grocery stores.

March is Nutrition Month and Neepawa Eats Healthy is launching “Meal in 30” kits on March 1st, 2023 at the participating grocery stores. Shoppers can look for the featured “Meal in 30” recipe, try it at home, tell the committee what they think by answering a short questionnaire and have a chance to win a grocery prize pack at the end of each month. The project will also run during the months of April and May.

Neepawa Eats Healthy is a group of dedicated partners representing local organizations and community members working together to improve healthy eating outcomes in the community.

“The goals of this project are to encourage local community members to cook and prepare healthy, budget friendly meals at home, build food skills, eat healthy and shop local” commented, Amanda Naughton Gale, committee member of the Neepawa Eats Healthy group.
During the next 3 months, shoppers in Neepawa can look for a recipe of the month that is quick and easy, includes vegetables and/or fruit, has easy substitutions (based on some basic shelf ingredients) and is budget friendly!

Brittney Bartecki, Registered Dietitian from Prairie Mountain Health is also part of the Neepawa Eats Healthy committee and is also excited about the project. “We are encouraging our community to find ways to cook more at home, experiment with new recipes and have some fun in the kitchen! Hopefully helping to take some guess work out of meal planning by helping to add a few new meal ideas into your week.”

Here is how everyone can get involved:

Pick up the monthly featured recipe at Safeway or the Neepawa Gladstone Co-op
Look for the Tagged food Items with the Neepawa Eats Healthy Logo on the grocer shelves
Take home and cook up your tasty meals / once you are done….
Scan the recipe QR code to complete a short survey for a chance to win a free grocery pack drawn each month.

By picking up the Meal In 30 recipe card and purchasing at least 3 of the featured items, people will also receive a Neepawa Eats Healthy Reusable Grocery Bag (while supplies last!)

The committee is excited to have the participation of the Neepawa Titans supporting this project. Players from the local hockey club spent a day in the kitchen acting as guest cooks for the 3 recipes that will be featured on the local Access 12 station, helping to create awareness and encourage everyone to get involved. “Their participation has been lots of fun and we hope the community will get behind the project and will try the featured recipe over the next 3 months,” commented Bartecki.

For any questions about this project please contact Sherrill-Lee Hyra, Health Promotion Coordinator, Prairie Mountain Health at [email protected] or call 204-578-2192.

March is Nutrition Month

The theme for 2023 is Unlock the Potential of Food: Find a Dietitian. Many people are confused about food and nutrition; daily, they are bombarded with conflicting messages about this topic. Dietitians are here to help people unpack the research around nutrition, make sustainable changes in their eating behaviours, and understand their relationship with food. However, many people also don’t know where to find a Dietitian or how to schedule an appointment.

Dietitians work in many roles, including managing food service operations, media and journalism, clinical roles in hospitals or long-term care facilities, public health and health promotion, cancer care, grocery stores and pharmacies, primary care clinics, sports teams, etc.

Some Dietitian services are covered through Manitoba Health, while others have a cost to them and are only covered by private insurance like an employee benefits plan. Unfortunately, not all employee benefit plans cover Dietitian services, however, Dietitians of Canada is advocating for more coverage for Canadians, and you can too! Whether you are an employee or an employer, you can advocate for Dietitian coverage on your insurance plan; for more information, go to Dietitians of Canada – Coverage and Access to RD Services.

If you are struggling with a chronic health condition, food allergies, your relationship with food, or any other aspect of your nutrition, make an appointment with a dietitian today!

Book an appointment with a Dietitian:

Prairie Mountain Health Central Intake 1-877-509-7852.

Learn more about the roles of Dietitians in Prairie Mountain Health by visiting here.

Private Practice | College of Dietitians of Manitoba

Sweet Potato or Yam?

Did you know? Sweet Potatoes and yams are completely different vegetables.

The orange tapered potatoes commonly called yams are in fact sweet potatoes, while many people have probably never tried a yam before. Yams are brown with a bark-like skin and are not very common in North America. Yams can also grow to be much bigger than sweet potatoes. There are a couple different varieties of sweet potatoes which vary in colour such as rose coloured skin with orange flesh, pale copper/tan skin with white flesh, red skin with dry white flesh, as well as purple skin and flesh.

The nutrition profiles of yams and sweet potatoes are similar, however yams are starchier, while sweet potatoes are sweeter. Sweet potatoes have more Vitamin A while yams have more Vitamin C and potassium. Yams and sweet potatoes can both be prepared by roasting, steaming, boiling or frying. Substituting yams in a sweet potato dish would be like using potatoes instead of sweet potatoes in the recipe—it would work, but the end result would taste very different.

Check out these tasty sweet potato recipes

Cancer Unit expansion at Russell Health Centre nears

Construction on a $2.5 million building addition to Russell Health Centre for an expanded cancer care unit is set to begin this April. General Contractor Jacobson Commercial has been awarded the construction tender, and if all goes well, construction on the expanded facility should be completed by the end of 2023.

Through dedication, commitment and passion for the project, the Expanding Community Cancer Committee, represented by 15 area communities surrounding the Russell-Binscarth area, raised over $1.8 million of the $2.5 million needed to move ahead with construction. In May 2022, the province announced that it would contribute the remaining $700,000 so the expansion could proceed.

Once completed, the expanded cancer unit will be nearly four times the size of the current area, with a separate entrance to the facility, seven treatment bays, and a waiting room and physician’s office.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) CEO Brian Schoonbaert says the region has collaborated with health partners and stakeholders to plan for the necessary building parameters, construction costs and associated timelines for this important capital project. PMH will contribute annual operating costs for the expansion, including staffing and supplies.

“We are grateful for the hard work, dedication and commitment of the Expanding Community Cancer Committee and local support from the entire area,” said Brian Schoonbaert, CEO of PMH. “With the support of Manitoba Health, this much-needed new building addition will better serve patients in this part of our health region and provide a better physical environment for our staff to provide care.”

Expanding Community Care Committee President Gloria Tibbatts can’t wait for construction to begin, and adds that fundraising efforts will continue to contribute to additional equipment and other possibilities.

Shoal Lake Yellowhead Clinic secures Nurse Practitioner services

The Yellowhead Community Clinic in Shoal Lake welcomes Nurse Practitioner (NP) Cathy Scofield-Singh, who will begin seeing patients on March 13. Scofield-Singh will be joining the Shoal Lake Medical Team on a permanent basis. Cathy will also provide coverage to the personal care home while NP Tanya Radford is on maternity leave. Once Tanya returns from maternity leave, the two NPs will work in Shoal Lake.

The Clinic will also be served by Hamiota physician Dr. Chris Brenneman, who will work some itinerant shifts starting in May to continue to provide services to Shoal Lake and area residents. Dr. Heather Gooden, who practices full-time in Hamiota, will remain to oversee patients within the Shoal Lake Transitional Care Unit.

Nurse Practitioners work independently and can provide many services, including:

Completing assessments and physical exams, including pap tests and pre-natal exams;
Diagnosing and managing common issues and chronic conditions;
Prescribing medications and therapies;
Ordering diagnostic tests like blood work, x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans and MRIs;
Performing minor procedures like suturing, biopsies, wart and mole removal; and
Referring to other health providers, including specialists.

Schofield-Singh comes to the Shoal Lake Clinic after working at the Ste. Rose Primary Health Care Centre, where she started with Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) in 2018.
Cathy did a short locum in Shoal Lake in the fall of 2022, and the clinic staff and board were so happy with her services they approached her about a move to Shoal Lake. This worked for Cathy personally, so it is a positive move for both the community and Cathy. She will be a welcomed addition to the medical services team in Shoal Lake.

As an NP since 2013, Cathy has over 30 years of experience as a Registered Nurse (RN) with a diverse nursing career. She graduated from the University of Manitoba’s Masters of Nursing NP program in October 2013. Before becoming an NP, she also had an opportunity to work in remote northern communities as a Primary Care Nurse for over ten years.

PMH Primary Health Care Manager Diane Ciprick says the Region was pleased to facilitate conversations with Scofield-Singh, allowing her to move into the opportunity in Shoal Lake.
The health region continues to be very active in Nurse Practitioner recruitment and retention efforts. To date, 23 NPs provide service within 27 communities, which include shifts on the Mobile Clinic, services at medical clinics and in the 7th Street Health Access Centre.

BRHC Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Temporary Relocation

As part of the Brandon Regional Health Centre (BRHC) expansion project, pile driving of posts into the ground close to the north wall of BRHC will start to take place. This will require the relocation of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which is expected to occur near the end of the week of February 6th and continue into the following week(s).

Due to noise and vibration during pile driving close to the hospital wall, NICU babies and their moms will be moved to 200 Surgery (2nd floor) after delivery. Visitation in the NICU may also be limited to one person per baby due to space. If the NICU is at capacity, you and your baby may be transferred to Winnipeg.

In addition, some maternity patients and their babies may also be transferred to 200 surgery after delivery. Patients moved may have to share a room with other moms, and the space may not accommodate a support person overnight.

This part of the construction phase is expected to be completed the second week of March but is subject to change.

Please continue to check our website or follow us on social media for updates.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during the construction phase.

Western Manitoba Cancer Centre Expansion Project Scheduled to Begin Will Require Parking Changes

The expansion and renovation of the Western Manitoba Cancer Centre (WMCC) will soon be underway. This project will see a 7,000 square feet addition and renovation of existing space, including exam rooms, treatment spaces, and the Centre of Hope being constructed on the east side of WMCC.

Construction fencing will start going up February 21st, blocking off WMCC’s parking lot. Six-hour parking meters and accessible parking spots have been relocated close to the facility along Frederick Street and the Nurse’s Residence to accommodate this change. There are also 2-hour parking meters along Park Street east of WMCC. We ask patients to allow enough time to park for their appointment.

The front entrance drive-through will remain open for drop-off and pick-up only. Please do not park there for any extended period of time. The front entrance will also be used for patients coming to WMCC by ambulance.

Continue to check our website or follow us on social media for updates and possible changes.

News