News

FROM JO-ANNE'S DESK

A Safe and Caring Culture

Our first story this month is a very important one.  In April of last year, VON lost two of our own front-line employees in the tragic shooting that took place in Nova Scotia. The events of that day, and of the following days, have had a profound effect on all who worked with Heather O’Brien and Kristen Beaton, as well as on all of us at VON.  The repercussions continue to this day.  

Investigating “incidents” is an important part of VON’s safety practices.  Investigating things that go wrong at the workplace, and preparing a report detailing the events, gives an organization valuable information needed to prevent similar incidents in the future.  While we could not have prevented what happened that day, we learned things through the investigation that will contribute to the safety of our employees in the future.  

Between April 29 and May 31 of last year, VON’s Human Resources (HR) and Practice, Quality and Risk (PQR) teams worked closely with our management and front-line team in Nova Scotia to undertake a review of VON’s in-the-moment response to this critical incident. A working group began to take action on the recommendations from VON’s review, and they have been hard at work since – focused always on bringing important safety improvements to all of us at VON. The group is led by Irene Holubiec, Senior Director, Practice, Quality and Risk, and includes members representing nursing, home support, the Client Service Associate (CSA) group, Occupational Health and Safety, and Quality and Risk Management. Members are named in the story below as well.

The group’s four main areas of focus are:

• Exploring opportunities to create external linkages for Emergency notification
• Developing a communication-escalation procedure
• Developing further education to support a culture of safety
• Reviewing and revising the Disaster and Emergency program related to personal safety code and including drills

The first story below details some of the work to improve our own internal notifications/communications in the event of a major incident.  All of you should be involved in drills to test our new fan-out procedures in the coming month, so please take note.

The working group has also explored the use of technology to provide quick alerts to staff. Our existing systems cannot do what we need, so the group has reviewed systems that could be used to get emergency notifications to everyone’s mobile device if and when needed. Their recommendation is in the process of being implemented by our IT team, and we will have more news to come on that.

They have created a new emergency response code, “Code Silver”, to describe management and staff roles and responsibilities during an emergency.  They are consulting the organization now for feedback, and will roll this out once it is finalized.

On a personal note, I want to say how proud I am of my colleagues who led the investigation, prepared the recommendations and are now acting to bring them to reality. I am so proud too of the rest of the team in Colchester East Hants, who have shown remarkable strength, commitment and focus on others throughout a very challenging year.  To this day you continue to find new ways to support each other, and the families of Kristen and Heather.  

More work is underway, and more news is to come.  I have also spoken often in this column about the Safety Initiative work underway in Nova Scotia.  This work will be featured in our next Blueprint.  All of these efforts are of critical importance to our organization. Ensuring that we have the tools in place to remain safe while at work is a commitment we all share. And for each of you, keeping safety top-of-mind, and understanding your role in your own safety and the safety of others, is just as important.  

Very special thanks today to all who remain so focused on keeping everyone at VON safe. Just know how grateful I am to all of you for the care you provide to our clients in the community and to one another.

FROM THE FIELD

Communication Escalation Program – Staff Safety at VON

Safety is critical to every aspect of the work we do at VON. In the era of COVID-19, we tend to associate safety most closely with our infection prevention and control practices and with PPE, but our preparedness for other emergencies is just as critical. Having solid plans in place for when rare emergencies and disasters happen protects our safety and preserves our peace of mind. 

One aspect of emergency and disaster preparedness is information sharing – getting timely and important information from the point of incident to anyone and everyone who needs to know about it. This was the focus of a recent round of education on Communication Escalation for Threats to Personal Safety and Fan Out at VON. These sessions, which were hosted six times over the last several weeks by Adrienne Klenck, Quality, Risk and Accreditation Manager at VON, have engaged about 320 VON staff members.

The education details a clear process to communicate to all staff when there is a threat to personal safety. It includes guidance on when to call 911 and how to properly set up, use and regularly test team fan-out lists. The education and standard process applies to Operations and Corporate Services, meaning everyone at VON is following the same approach to the flow of information. 

“We want everyone at the organization to feel empowered that they know what to do in the rare event of an emergency or disaster – because all staff have a role to play in this work,” said Adrienne. “A tried, tested and true fan-out list is an important starting point for everyone’s preparedness.”

The communication escalation education was developed by a cross-functional safety working group, which emerged following the tragic shootings in Nova Scotia last spring. They also consulted with other members of the VON team, including members of the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees, to ensure that the principles of the escalation procedure and fan-out list guides would work in many scenarios and for all sites. However, Adrienne noted that testing of your fan-out list is essential to knowing if your preparedness plan is effective in real-time. 

A recording of the education will soon be available on the intranet (a communiqué will be issued with those details shortly). The PowerPoint and all accompanying guides for managers around communication escalation procedure and resources to set up your site fan-out list is available on the intranet under Quick Links > Disaster and Emergency Program. 

We can expect some additional education when a mass communication software (which is currently being explored) is rolled out with the support of the Business Optimization Lean Team (BOLT) team, but in the meantime, managers are encouraged to review the escalation procedures, ensure that all staff have a copy of their fan-out list and complete a test of their fan-out list by the end of March. 

The communication escalation education is one of four pillars that a cross-functional safety working group is focused on. Together they are working on advancing: links for emergency notification with community partners; a culture of safety at VON through education; the review of VON’s disaster and emergency program; and VON’s communication-escalation procedure. 

This working group is chaired by VON’s Senior Director of Practice, Quality and Risk, Irene Holubiec, and includes Janet Watt, Adrienne Klenck, Jennifer Chapman, Lorna Blair, Nick Fall, Vicky Patriquin, Sarah Decoste, and Samantha Cormier. Executive Sponsors of this work are Sharon Goodwin and Wendy Steele.  Special mention goes to Louisa Yue Chan who shaped the work of this group prior to her retirement in December. Many thanks go to this working group for all their efforts to ensure VON staff are supported and safe. 

FROM THE FIELD

VON Launches the SANE Service in NS

Survivors of sexual assault now have access to specialized, community-based care across Nova Scotia with the expansion of services offered through VON in Colchester, Cumberland, and East Hants. 

VON was awarded a contract in 2019 to expand Nova Scotia’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program to areas that had previously had less capacity to offer specialized support to survivors of sexual assault. VON is proud to have launched the SANE program in Colchester, East Hants and Cumberland in February of this year. In the coming weeks, VON’s SANE team in Cumberland and Colchester will also provide this support in the Eastern Shore region. 

With VON now filling these regional gaps, the provincial SANE program is now providing sexual assault care in all areas of the province.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners are registered nurses who have specialized training and expertise to provide advanced medical and forensic response within seven days of a sexual assault. Currently VON has 15 RNs who have received their training and education to work as on-call SANE nurses, 24 hours per day, seven days a week – allowing clients to receive emergency care quickly in their community. 

“Sexual assault nurses play a very important role in the community – they help bridge the gap between the medical and legal systems and provide holistic support to survivors, including medical, forensic and psycho-social care,” said Carol Rock-Altenhof, Manager, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program, Northern Zone, VON. 

SANE nurses ensure that clients are made to feel as safe as possible and are treated with gentle, compassionate care that is needed after a traumatic situation. 

“Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners ‘move at the speed of trust’, giving the client as much time as they need when receiving care and providing them with as many options as they want, helping them to restore control – something that would have been taken away from them during their trauma,” said Carol.

Assault survivors have the option to have forensic evidence collected and stored for up to six months, while they take time to decide whether they want to report the offence to the police. In many cases, survivors don’t have the time or capacity to process all the information and options presented to them. If reporting to the police is a possibility, SANEs will collect and store evidence, which often leads to more clients reporting incidents of sexual assault than not. 

Prior to launching the program, the VON SANE project team engaged Fund Development to support a request for donations of essential supplies for SANE nurses, such as mini-fridges and freezers for specimen storage and three portable tool chests which will be used as SANE supplies carts.

VON SANEs are also trained to support clients in their recovery by connecting them with community resources, such as women’s centres, local police and prosecutors, counselling services, prescribed treatment, and more. “Building an integrated community response is an important component of the sexual assault recovery process. We are forming a network of resources to ensure that clients have access to a wide range of support close to home during their recovery” said Carol.  

The implementation of VON’s SANE program was led by Becky Druhan, Regional Transformation Lead, Tracy Jennex, Lean Coach, and Carol Rock-Altenhof, with support from: VON Senior Leadership, Practice Quality and Risk; Legal; Operations; Workforce Management; Finance; Human Resources; Employee Services; Labour Relations; Fund Development and IT.

VON is proud to be providing this specialized trauma-informed, community nursing care, while also building a continuum of care for survivors with community organizations and responders.

SPOTLIGHT

Faces of VON: Jennifer Page, PSW, Assisted Living Program, Kingston

How long have you been working with VON?
I have been with VON for almost two years. I work full time as a PSW. 

Why did you choose a career in home care/nursing?
I have been working in healthcare for over ten years now. I worked in a retirement home for the majority of those years, and I thought I loved my job. But, as time went on I knew that there had to be something out there that satisfied me more, and that would help me feel like I was given a purpose in my career. I decided to apply to VON, not realizing this was going to be the best decision of my life. What I love most about homecare is how personal it really is. 

What is the best piece of advice someone has given you or that you could give someone else about providing caring support to clients?
The best piece of advice I have received, and truly allowed it to be applied to my work perspective, is: life is short, don’t take it for granted. I know it sounds simple, but it goes beyond words; in this industry, the connections you make with your clients are extremely sentimental. Something we have to remember is tomorrow is never promised. This advice allows me to make the most of every visit, each and every day. 

What do you like to do for fun outside of work?
When I’m not working, my fun usually consists of getting outside, whether that’s taking my dog for a walk or just getting some fresh air. Prior to COVID, I enjoyed traveling and spur-of-the-moment road trips especially with family and friends. In the summer if you can’t reach me, I’ll most likely be by the beach. I also love to cook, and my daughter and I try to dabble with new recipes every now and then…sometimes they can be a fail, but that’s what makes them fun. 

What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? Do you have any big dreams or goals you’d like to accomplish?
One of the most courageous things I have ever done was leaving my career at the previous facility I worked at to join VON full-time, without knowing what homecare truly had in store for me. A goal that I would love to accomplish would be to travel more and see what the world has to offer. 

Can you think of a time or moment that stands out that brought a smile to your face at work?
I simply could not just pick one moment, it would have to be the daily morning greetings from each of my clients. They always welcome me with “open arms” and big smiles. Every day is not going to be perfect, however knowing that I am there to make a difference serves me more purpose than one moment could ever make up for. 

What do you find is the most rewarding part of your role at VON, or being part of the VON team?
As I have mentioned, VON has truly become the greatest team I have had the pleasure of working for. VON offers an incredible support team that does not go unrecognized and knowing that they have my back at the end of each day is very rewarding. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more content with my career than I do now, working for VON. I didn’t find VON – VON found me.

PHILANTHROPY FILES

Scheinberg Fund Supports Reassurance Calls Framework at VON

Last year, VON received one of the largest donations in its 124-year history from The Scheinberg Fund, which contributed $2M to VON’s COVID-relief efforts. This donation is contributing to efforts that support elderly clients at VON, reduce food insecurity among our clients and support VON’s enhanced safety and security practices, including the procurement of protective equipment.

An important pillar of the Scheinberg Fund’s support is empowering VON’s front-line staff and volunteers to provide best-in-class virtual support to the elderly. Reassurance Calls have been introduced across VON as a virtual way for staff or volunteers to connect with Community Support Services (CSS) clients who may be missing the in-person connection of a program or who may be facing other barriers. Providing enhanced training and tools to make VON’s Reassurance Calls program even more successful is happening thanks to this donation. 

Helping to bring this work to life is Rola El Moubadder, Practice Education Development Consultant at VON. Rola joined VON’s Practice Quality and Risk team in January 2021, under a contract funded by the Scheinberg Fund’s donation. Rola is helping to develop a formalized and streamlined approach to VON’s Reassurance Calls program. 

Currently, she is assessing how the program works, including how many calls are happening every day, what process volunteers and staff are following and whether clients receiving the calls feel we are meeting all their needs. Looking at these details will help Rola and a supporting Working Group make some recommendations on a framework, which will include streamlined program processes, policies and evaluation. 

“I have been very impressed by the way VON’s staff and volunteers quickly adapted to deliver Reassurance Calls to continue the relationships they had with clients,” said Rola. “By building a framework, we are helping to ensure that we are all following the same process and policies to deliver Reassurance Calls in a safe and effective way. And further down the road, that staff and volunteers are empowered through consistent education and tools.”  

The empowerment of VON volunteers and staff through education and training will give them confidence to assess risk levels, properly report and escalate emergency situations and better support clients virtually with coping. 

“When I think about reassurance, something I picture is a hand reaching out to hold another – signs of comfort, kind gestures and non-verbal cues that are conveyed when offering compassionate care to an anxious client,” explained Rola. “By going virtual, we are working to find the right strategies that re-create that feeling for our clients; building volunteer and staff capacity is an important part of our strategy.” 

The framework and education for VON’s Reassurance Calls will be implemented in the summer of 2021, but first, they will be piloted in select areas where CSS programs are delivered. This will give everyone supporting this important work – clients and families, volunteers, staff – the opportunity to consult and engage to build a true community of practice around Reassurance Calls. 

Thank you to the Practice, Quality and Risk team, Rola, and all Working Group members advancing this project on behalf of the Scheinberg Fund donation to better support our clients, volunteers and staff through virtual support.

HAVE YOUR SAY

VON Week 2021 Theme

VON Week is May 23rd – 29th and we want to hear your thoughts on our 2021 theme. Every year, VON Week provides us an opportunity to raise VON’s profile in the communities we serve. Now more than ever, we will use this week to recognize the positive impact VON has in our communities. 

Participate in the VON Week Survey.

Hearing your thoughts is important because we want to capture and reflect the feelings of our team in all our VON Week efforts, wherever possible. Help us make VON Week 2021 one to remember with meaningful recognition for our colleagues.