Antonio Grossi, Rehabilitation Services

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our world and health-care professionals are on the front lines.

Rehabilitation continues to be an important component of care to new clients admitted to the transitional care units.

Tony Grossi works full time as a physiotherapist on MHC’s transitional care units, alongside a team of interprofessional rehabilitation specialists.

“When a new client is admitted, we need to assess mobility and transfers. We’re still doing this during COVID-19 but there are restrictions in what we can do in order to prevent the spread,” says Tony.

He notes that social distancing is being maintained, where possible, and staff are wearing the required personal protective equipment. The rehab team has worked collaboratively to find solutions that fit the COVID-19 restrictions.

“Some new things we’ve been implementing include creating exercise handouts for clients, so they can do exercises independently in their rooms,” says Tony.

Additionally, some “other duties as assigned” have been added to Tony’s days. And he’s happy to be able to assist keeping clients in touch with their families at this time.

“We’re the eyes and ears for clients’ families,” says Tony on coordinating phone calls, FaceTime visits and sending photos.

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

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Reghan Scaletta, Human Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our world and health-care professionals are on the front lines.

“I’m not only doing my ‘normal’ job,” says Reghan Scaletta, MHC’s director of Human Resources, trying to describe the COVID-19 impact.

As “Planning Chief” in Misericordia’s Hospital Incident Command System (HICS), which was activated when the pandemic was declared, Reghan is responsible for site staffing planning and Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health support and protocols. All of Misericordia’s Senior Leadership Team have key roles in both ensuring site safety and implementation of Shared Health/Public Health directives.

Reghan was actually in Arizona on a family vacation when the virus started to impact Manitoba.

“I arrived home the day the province issued mandatory 2-week isolations,” she recalls. “It was definitely challenging having everyone at home all at once, but it helped being together and I was grateful to be able to explain to the kids what was happening in real time.”

With COVID-19 changing workflows dramatically, the HR team has been extremely busy on-boarding new Health Links – Info Santé and entrance screening staff, organizing and transitioning redeployed and return-to-work staff, reporting staff illnesses, supporting volunteer services and much more.

“I want to thank the staff who have stepped up above and beyond to help MHC out during this pandemic,” says Reghan. “Staff who have flexed hours, helped out in other areas that aren’t their usual area of work and doing anything that is required to ensure our patients and residents continue to receive the best care.”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

Roxanne Reich, Health Links – Info Santé

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our world and health-care professionals are on the front lines.

Roxanne Reich trained at MHC to be a nurse in the 90s, and then left for 20 years.

“I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to make my way back into Misericordia, and then I did in 2014.”

She spent three years after her return working on an Interim Care Unit, and for the past three she’s been helping Manitobans over the phone at Health Links – Info Santé.

With COVID-19 boosting call volumes, the Health Links – Info Santé staff has been reinforced with people from a variety of places. Nurses from different facilities, other areas of MHC, nurses who were retired, and even nursing students almost graduated from the University of Manitoba have joined the team answering calls on the dedicated COVID-19 lines.

For Roxanne, who handles the more complex health calls, it’s been an interesting time of reconnecting with people from her past or people from around MHC who she otherwise seldom sees.

“It’s like that saying about Winnipeg being a very small place and we all see each other around.”

When Roxanne trained at MHC it felt like a family, and she says that feeling remains true today.

Her newly enlarged family at Health Links – Info Santé are also feeling the love and appreciation of their wider Winnipeg family.

“A lot of wonderful people who give us a call are just so thankful and appreciative of all the efforts everyone’s making in the health-care system. And they voice that, which is really, really nice.”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

Baruch Akbashev, Biomedical Engineering

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our world and health-care professionals are on the front lines.

It’s safe to say Baruch Akbashev helps keep things buzzing at MHC.

The electronic technologist in biomedical engineering, part of Plant Services, will maintain or repair just about any electronic device in the health centre, including laser thermometers, blood pressure units, patient monitors, surgical microscopes, anesthesia machines, defibrillators, slit lamps—you get the idea. And if Baruch can’t fix something, “I call the guys from the company,” he says.

COVID-19 has not changed how he does his job, except that now he wears eye protection and a mask if he enters an area with patients. Baruch says COVID-19 has increased everyone’s focus on patient and staff health and well-being.

“Everybody is responsible for patients and the whole team’s health. We support each other and it’s working well.”

In fact, Baruch says, it’s working so good he’d rather be at work than grocery shopping.

“I think, in the health centre, it’s more safe than in a store somewhere.”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

Tanya Kapelus – Operating Room to Health Links – Info Santé

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our world and health-care professionals are on the front lines.

Nurse Tanya Kapelus has left the operating room (OR) to help fight COVID-19.

Before the pandemic, she worked in one of MHC’s five ORs where various eye and pediatric dental surgeries are performed. With non-essential operations now postponed, the nurse of two years is using her expertise to help field calls as an “extender,” part of the Health Links – Info Santé team.

The provincial health call centre increased staff to handle extra volume during the pandemic, and Tanya says in the weeks since she began the numbers of calls and the wait times have both gone down.

She’s grateful for the people she’s working with, including some of her fellow OR nurses who share duties.

“When one of us gets a rough call we all sit and talk about it and talk about the advice we gave. It’s really supportive. It’s great.”

Tanya says people are sometimes dealing with flu-like symptoms for weeks.

“A lot of people are describing their symptoms as, ‘it’s different, it’s not like anything that I’ve ever had before.’”

It underlines the importance of staying home, she says, especially considering that some people can have COVID-19 and show very mild symptoms, or none at all.

“It just takes one person. That one person who thinks they have a regular cold, or think they’re over whatever they had, and they go out. That could cause a wave (of infections).”

An online COVID-19 self-assessment tool is available to help Manitobans experiencing symptoms determine if they should contact Health Links – Info Santé or seek other medical advice. 

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19