April 19, 2024
See the Health Workforce Strategy highlight on nursing students
AHS offers opportunities for nursing students and new graduates to gain experience, and to begin rewarding careers in healthcare. (more...)
Engagement informs wildfire preparation
More than 430 staff, physicians and volunteers participated in wildfire information sessions March 18 and 20. (more...)
Regional Advisory Council recruitment begins
Public recruitment for the 12 new Regional Advisory Councils began this week. (more...)
Measles staff FAQ now available
Measles cases have increased across the globe. A measles FAQ is available to help our teams prepare. (more...)
Access online cognitive behavioural therapy support
Our Employee and Family Assistance Program offers online cognitive behavioural therapy to address depression and anxiety. (more...)
Mental Wellness Moment — Healing Through Compassion
Dr. Nicholas Mitchell talks about the healing power of compassion. A Call to be Kind is the theme of Mental Health Week, May 6-12. (more...)
New staff scheduling system launching this summer
AHS and our partner organizations are adopting a new staff scheduling system, MySchedule. Implementation will begin in August. (more...)
What you need to know about AHS’ new Shared Commitments
Shared Commitments is AHS’ standard approach to patient rights and responsibilities. Everyone has a role in bringing them to life. (more...)
IPC launches suite of new IPC Risk Assessment resources
Module 2 of the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Risk Assessment educational resources has launched. (more...)
Revised Third-Party Advocates Policy available
The policy provides AHS representatives with direction on managing relationships with third-party advocates involved in patient care. (more...)
AHS shared drives moving to SharePoint Online
Over the coming year, all AHS shared network drives will be moving to SharePoint Online, a cloud-based file management system. (more...)
Discover allied health career paths
Allied Health Career Pathways offers insight into roles in education and research to leadership in practice and operations. (more...)
Register for upcoming Disaster Rounds sessions
Register for Disaster Rounds lunch ‘n’ learn sessions on emergency preparedness and business continuity management. (more...)
Reflect on worker safety for National Day of Mourning, April 28
Creating safe workplaces requires a collective effort. Keep safety top of mind by focusing on worker health, safety and wellness. (more...)
April 19, 2024
AHS offers a range of opportunities for nursing students and new graduates to gain important skills and experience, and to begin rewarding careers in healthcare.
As students begin looking for work experience for the summer months, managers are encouraged to explore many opportunities available to hire students.
The Undergraduate Nursing Employee (UNE) program enables students to work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Nursing students may also be hired to other supporting positions, including porters, unit clerks and, where appropriate, healthcare aides.
Students and new graduates are AHS’ primary source of new nursing talent and a key talent pipeline. Investing in quality learning experiences for students is important to shaping future healthcare delivery in our province, and supports the Health Workforce Strategy goal to utilize innovative solutions to reach potential candidates and develop robust pipelines of top health professionals committed to growing their careers at AHS.
More than 430 staff, physicians and volunteers participated in wildfire information sessions March 18 and 20. Participants expressed a desire to access more tools to plan and prepare for wildfires, and the need for increased communication during disasters. The experiences and perspectives staff shared are guiding the development of tools and processes aimed at improving our response to wildfires and other natural disasters. One of the new resources is an updated evacuation response toolkit, which includes a web-based patient evaluation tracker and Excel spreadsheet backup.
Along with the staff sessions, 152 community leaders and partners from across the province attended two external engagement sessions. We heard there’s a need to better understand AHS’ role – and what’s outside of our responsibility. The decisions the healthcare system needs to make, and the limitations we have, would be helpful for our community partners to understand. AHS is now actioning recommendations to improve communication and enhance collaboration during future wildfire responses.
Watch for more wildfire information sessions in the coming months, as well as updates with links to resources and supports available to staff, as requested in those conversations.
As part of health system refocusing, the Government of Alberta committed to listen to regional advice and support local decision-making. This week, public recruitment for the 12 new Regional Advisory Councils began.
To learn more about the role of the new regional advisory councils, eligibility and application steps, please visit Advisory councils.
The Regional Advisory Councils aim to better reflect local voices, bring forward local priorities and provide input on how to improve the healthcare system. Council members will advise government and the new primary care, acute care, continuing care, and mental health and addiction organizations, on clinical service planning, capital planning and workforce planning.
The Regional Advisory Councils will reflect the makeup of communities in a region, and members will represent a wide range of backgrounds and diverse experiences. This includes Albertans receiving healthcare services as well as healthcare workers, community leaders and municipal representatives.
The AHS Health Advisory Councils will continue to meet until the end of June.
While no cases have yet been identified in Alberta in 2024, measles cases have increased across the globe and are confirmed in Canada.
Measles is highly transmissible. Cases, if not identified early, can potentially expose many other people to the virus with serious consequences. This can span throughout a care environment if measles is not suspected early, and controls are not put in place.
To help prepare our teams, Measles: Frequently Asked Questions is available for all AHS and Alberta Precision Laboratories staff, physicians, midwives, students, volunteers and contracted service providers to learn more about measles and understand if they are immune.
Learning more about measles and taking proactive steps to prepare will help keep our staff, patients and their families safe.
General background on the measles virus, immunization and recommendations for you and your family are also available at ahs.ca/measles.
Our Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) offers online cognitive behavioural therapy to help address mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy, focuses on the links between your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Sentio provides 20 treatment goals and a wealth of resources to help you change your thought patterns and improve your mood.
Visit Homeweb.ca to access CBT. Complete a brief online self-assessment for a customized path based on your needs, interests and goal(s). There are interactive modules and exercises to help you learn new skills and apply them in everyday situations.
For additional help or issues, call the EFAP intake line 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 support.
Questions? Contact wellness@ahs.ca.
In this Mental Wellness Moment, Dr. Nicholas Mitchell — Provincial Medical Director for Addiction and Mental Health with AHS — talks about the healing power of compassion. A Call to be Kind is the theme of Mental Health Week, May 6-12.
AHS and our partner organizations are adopting a new staff scheduling system, MySchedule. The first system implementation will begin in August with various groups across the Calgary Zone. Training will begin this spring. Our previous scheduling system, Environment for Scheduling Personnel (ESP), will be discontinued next year.
This new system has improved functionality, automation and access to real-time updates. In addition to scheduling staff for regular rotations and relief shifts, it provides a wide range of information about hours worked and shift swaps in an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly format. An improved system can free up more of your time, so you will be able spend that time where it matters – with patients and their families.
To ensure an easy transition, a dedicated support team will be available. Find out when we will be training and implementing the new system in your area. Visit Insite to learn more.
AHS launched Shared Commitments, aimed at improving the healthcare experiences of Albertans by engaging them in their care, including ensuring they know how to bring forward concerns, while helping providers build strong and trusting relationships with patients. These Shared Commitments reaffirm and formalize many actions staff and physicians already take to support those in AHS care. All AHS staff, physicians and leaders have a role in bringing the Shared Commitments to life—just as our patients and families do.
Your understanding of the Shared Commitments and your commitment to demonstrating them are important to their success. You can learn more about Shared Commitments during an upcoming information webinar.
If you have questions about this work or how to implement them in your practice, please check out the resources on Insite or contact shared.commitments@ahs.ca.
Module 2 of the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Risk Assessment educational resources has launched on AHS.ca and MyLearningLink.
IPC Risk Assessment (formerly known as Point of Care Risk Assessment) is a fundamental principle that ensures the safety of our patients and ourselves during every encounter, whether it be with a person, task, or environment where exposure to infectious agents is a possibility.
The pandemic experience has underscored the importance of continuously enhancing our knowledge and skills in IPC. Module 2 offers all staff members the opportunity to reinforce what they have learned and put their knowledge to the test through real-life scenarios and revisions.
Visit the IPC Routine Practices webpage for more information.
The Interactions Between Alberta Health Services and Third-Party Advocates Policy has been revised, updated, and is ready to access. The policy continues to provide AHS representatives with clear direction on effectively engaging and managing relationships when the patient or family requests the involvement of a third-party advocate. A key update includes a new section outlining mechanisms for conflict resolution when a third-party advocate is involved.
Visit Patient Relations page on Insite.
Over the coming year, all AHS shared network drives will be moving to SharePoint Online, a cloud-based file management system.
IT will copy all documents and folders saved on your team’s shared network drive to SharePoint Online and advise once the process is complete. Look for an email from IT with additional details, including when your team’s shared drive will be moved and how to access SharePoint Online.
Before the migration, please review shared drive folders and files that you regularly access and work with other users of the shared drive to delete any files that are no longer required.
SharePoint Online offers several benefits over shared network drives, including the ability to co-author and edit documents in real time, plus stronger version controls and access permissions to protect your information.
Learn more on Insite.
Allied Health Career Pathways help staff discover where they can take their career in AHS, from roles in education, research and innovation to leadership in practice and operations.
Each pathway provides:
See the pathways on Insite. Join the Practice Wise on April 30 from noon to 1 p.m. to learn more.
You’re invited to upcoming Disaster Rounds online lunch ‘n’ learn sessions, where you’ll hear experts share their knowledge and expertise regarding healthcare disasters and how they are managed.
Crossover Conditions: The Intersection of Wildfire and Healthcare Facilities
Register for a discussion about the multiple evacuations of Edson Hospital and Continuing Care patients during the 2023 wildfire season, on May 6 from noon to 1 p.m.
Learning from a Residential House Explosion
Register for a discussion on experiences and learnings following a residential house explosion in March 2023. Event is on May 9, from noon to 1 p.m.
Environmental Public Health Considerations in Re-entry Planning
Register for a discussion on what has been learned about site re-entry planning through years of experience dealing with some of the most significant disasters in Canadian history. Event is on May 14 from noon to 1 p.m.
National Day of Mourning is on April 28. Let’s pause to reflect and remember our colleagues who have faced illness, injury or lost their lives due to work-related incidents.
In their honour, Canadian flags will fly at half-mast across AHS sites, and we encourage you to join us and observe one minute of silence at 11 a.m.
At AHS, safety is at the centre of our decisions. By working together, we can maintain a safe and healthy workplace for ourselves and our peers.
Learn more and see Insite for ways to get involved.
