April 5, 2024
April 5, 2024
See the HWS Highlight on the Q3 Report
The Health Workforce Strategy (HWS) Q3 report is now available on Insite. Learn about our progress over the last quarter. (...more)
AHS, Red Deer Polytechnic sign reciprocal agreement
AHS and Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) have signed an agreement that will benefit nursing students, nursing staff and healthcare as a whole. (…more)
Addiction and Mental Health announcement
The creation of Recovery Alberta, announced earlier this week, will mean a greater focus on mental health and addiction. (…more)
Take charge of your mental well-being with headversity
Download this resilience app, designed to support you and your family with the resources, tools and guidance to navigate challenges. (…more)
Mental Wellness Moment - ADHD in adults
Dr. Nicholas Mitchell explains why more adults are being diagnosed with ADHD, and how it presents differently in adults and children. (…more)
Use new Fit Test lookup tool
Workplace Health and Safety created a lookup tool to make it easier for you to check your Fit Test status. (…more)
New tool empowers allied health preceptors
The Allied Health Preceptor Centre offers a growing suite of resources for preceptors to provide the optimal learning experience. (…more)
Innovations and best practices in nursing and virtual health
Join this upcoming Virtual Health webinar where we’ll discuss the role of nurses in using virtual health innovations and best practices. (…more)
April 5, 2024
The Health Workforce Strategy (HWS) Q3 report is now available.
Our primary focus for Q3 was addressing our ability to fill vacancies, including expanding our work to recruit and retain international nurses and other newly licensed talent.
AHS’ vacancy rate has been declining since March 2023, and ended the quarter at 12.6 per cent; the lowest rate seen since November 2020 (AHS’ total position count has increased six per cent since that time).
Other highlights from the Q3 report include:
Read the full report on Insite.
AHS and Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) have signed an agreement that will benefit nursing students, nursing staff and healthcare as a whole.
Under the agreement, AHS nurses can take on RDP clinical instructor placements on a temporary basis when RDP is unable to recruit a qualified instructor. This joint appointment fills RDP’s need for instructors while students are completing their placements and, at the same time, enables AHS to preserve its valuable and experienced nurses.
RDP has created 192 more spaces in its nursing program through 2022-2025 as part of the Government of Alberta’s investment in more seats for post-secondary programs across the province.
The Myron Thompson Health Centre in Sundre is the first site to host the new agreement, which began this past September.
The creation of Recovery Alberta: Mental Health and Addiction Services, announced earlier this week, will mean a greater focus on mental health and addiction.
It is anticipated all AHS Addiction & Mental Health and Correctional Health Services (AHS AMH and CHS) staff will transition to the new mental health and addiction organization this summer, pending approval of the new Act by the Alberta Legislature. Over the coming months, AHS AMH and CHS staff will be engaged in conversation about next steps in the transition; however, the day-to-day work of staff will not change.
Taking care of your mental well-being is an essential part of self-care. Download the headversity app, available to you and your family, to learn valuable skills and explore practices that can help strengthen your mental health.
To get started, search headversity on the App Store or Google Play. To sign up, use the invite code AHSHWH. Family members can register using the code AHSFAM.
Alternatively, our Employee and Family Assistance Program offers additional support for your mental well-being. Contact the program at 1-877-273-3134. Physicians can contact the AMA Physician and Family Support Program, a confidential 24/7 support line, at 1-877-SOS-4MDS for options and assistance.
Questions? Contact wellness@ahs.ca.
In this Mental Wellness Moment, Dr. Nicholas Mitchell — AHS Provincial Medical Director for Addiction and Mental Health— explains why more adults are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and how ADHD presents differently in adults and children.
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) created a lookup tool to make it easier for you to check your Fit Test status.
Anyone can access this convenient tool to see their Fit Test status, which reduces time spent on administrative tasks.
With one click, leaders can also see their entire team’s Fit Test status allowing them to plan for N95 respirator fit testing, or in the case of an outbreak, know immediately which staff have a valid Fit Test. The ability to access this information will save you time by no longer needing confirmation from WHS.
The look up tool is available on Tableau.
To find a Fit Test clinic schedule, see Insite. Questions? Contact your WHS Business Partnerships (BP) advisor. APL staff can email aplsafetyteam@albertaprecisionlabs.ca.
The Allied Health Preceptor Centre offers a growing suite of resources to empower preceptors in their roles and provide the best possible learning experience for students.
Preceptors will find everything they need in one place, from training and orientation materials to opportunities to connect with peers provincewide.
Visit the page, dive into the resources available and let us know how we can refine this dedicated space to ensure it serves your needs.
Please join the Virtual Health team for our upcoming webinar with AHS Nursing Professional Practice.
We will discuss the role of nurses in using virtual health innovations and best practices. We will emphasize the importance of technology in healthcare and how nurses have adapted to virtual consultations, Telehealth and remote monitoring to provide efficient and safe care to patients.
The presentation will also highlight the challenges faced by nursing in implementing virtual health, such as technical limitations, privacy concerns and navigating regulation requirements.
Date: Wednesday, April 24
Time: 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
