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

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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

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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

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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

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Janice Glays, Entrance Screening

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

“I was told that MHC was like a family; I see that first-hand now. I’m honoured to greet all the staff coming into work each morning – they are all so lovely,” says Janice Glays from her screening post on the Misericordia Health Centre overpass above Sherbrook Street.

Janice was retired, but when she heard that MHC was looking for assistance dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to step out of retirement and up to the plate.

“I’m just so glad I’m able to help during this time! I signed up to take COVID-19 screening calls in Health Links – Info Santé,” says Janice, “and then transitioned to door screening when that started. I already knew all the screening questions from my time at Health Links.”

Janice has taken all the changes associated with screening at entrances in stride. First she was asking patients screening questions. Then she was asking staff screening questions. Nowadays she’s wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) while taking staff members’ temperatures.

“I’m happy to be part of keeping everyone safe. I’m familiar with the PPE process from working at St. Amant years ago,” she says with a smile, recounting her years as a health-care aide.

Janice is thankful staff are so pleasant as they are getting screened. “Everyone understands how important this is.”

Janice shares a personal tidbit about her first connection to Misericordia: “My daughter Kris was 18 days overdue and I was supposed to give birth at St. Boniface Hospital, but they had an emergency so I was re-routed to Misericordia. And now my daughter works here!”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

Mirna Alberto, Volunteer Services

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

As a Volunteer Services Coordinator at MHC, Mirna Alberto is used to working closely with about 250 active volunteers throughout a year.

Due to COVID-19, all volunteer participation at MHC has been put on hold as a safety precaution.

“The volunteer services’ offices went from being a beehive to being very quiet,” says Mirna, who has been working at Misericordia for almost 22 years.

Volunteers at MHC perform important roles like help with way-finding, deliver ice-water and newspapers to residents, email residents’ families, run the gift shop, help with spiritual care and recreation activities – and so much more.

Mirna and others at MHC are now working to cover some volunteer roles, as well with new roles like the COVID-19 screening at entrances for health-centre staff.

As for her MHC volunteers, Mirna wishes for them all to, “just stay safe and well and healthy and socially distanced, for sure.”

She also has a message of gratitude to MHC volunteers—and an eye to the future:

“Thank you for continuing to be part of the Misericordia family. You are missed, and we recognize the difference you make. We will welcome you with open arms once this is all over.”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

Kris Gladwell, MHC Foundation

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

“It’s truly an unprecedented time to be working in health care,” says Kris Gladwell, Executive Director of the Misericordia Health Centre Foundation, on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In my 15 years so far working in health-care facilities, I’ve never experienced anything quite like this,” says Kris.

Kris was busy creating the strategic plan for the Foundation when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. She knew that the Foundation as a team would have to pivot, and take on some new responsibilities to support MHC during this time.

In addition to her Foundation role, Kris is organizing and implementing entrance screening stations. She is working alongside clinical and security team members to ensure screening stations are staffed and running smoothly.

As the COVID-19 situation continued to unfold, Kris saw the need to launch a fundraising campaign to support areas of need at Misericordia.

“With visitor restrictions in place for long-term care, I saw the need to help prevent social isolation in older adults at Misericordia Place and Transitional Care. We’re raising money to purchase iPads for residents to FaceTime their loved ones.”

Along with long-term care as a main area of need, the volume of calls Health Links – Info Santé receives daily has increased almost ten-fold since COVID-19. And there’s a need to upgrade the call centre’s technology and provide education to new Health Links – Info Santé staff. 

Last, but not least, the demand on MHC health-care heroes is continually evolving.

“Front line staff at MHC are working for us, for the community at large. And they need our support more than ever. Right now, we are focusing on raising funds to keep them nourished.”

The COVID-19 Relief Fund supports all of these three greatest areas of need: long-term care, Health Links – Info Santé and our health-care heroes. 

“I urge everyone who is able, to make a donation. I’m thrilled to announce that the entire MHC Senior Leadership Team has made a gift to the COVID-19 Relief Fund,” says Kris.

To learn more about how you can support ongoing COVID-19 efforts at MHC, visit misericordiafoundation.com

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

Tania Maryalaya, Transitional Care

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

Tania Maryalaya is expecting her third child in August, and the first two children are excited, though their reasons differ slightly.

“My boy wants a brother, and my girl wants a baby sister,” she says.

They want something else, also, especially now that COVID-19 is keeping them home from school.

“They would prefer me to be home with them.”

Tania is a Resident Care Manager at MHC’s Cornish 5 Transitional Care Unit.

She’s been busy organizing the response to COVID-19 on her unit, including keeping her clients and staff safe and freeing-up respite beds. Usually 16 of the 39 beds on her unit are used for respite care. By making them available, Tania’s unit is poised to respond if the virus hits Winnipeg harder.

“If needed, an acute-care site can free up their beds (for COVID-19 patients) by sending their TCU-appropriate patients to our site.”

Her staff have been adapting and are up-to-speed on all the new procedures and health-care directives, which sometimes change hourly, Tania says.

And they’ve been especially looking out for her well-being.

“I have great staff who are supporting me throughout the pregnancy. The doctor on my unit has also been very considerate and supportive.”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

David Carroll, Ambulatory Care

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

David Caroll’s years of experience in the health-care field hold him in good stead in dealing with COVID-19.

“There’s a lot of confidence in how we’re taught to approach patients and take care of situations. We’re well-supported in that way,” says David. “There’s not a sense of fear, just a sense of responsibility. Do what you’re taught to do.”

As an orthopedic technologist in MHC’s Ambulatory Care Clinic, he does things like casting limbs, splinting and diabetic wound care.

“Also, basically assisting the doctors … taking stitches out, removing staples, preparing patients to see the doctor.”

COVID-19 means more hand washing, and cleaning, masks, goggles, and reading and carefully following new health-care directives.

“Beyond that, you just have to relax,” says David. “You’ve done your vigilance with patients and between patients.”

David’s philosophy at work is something like a worldview that many people strive for in their lives: “You’ve controlled as much as you can control, so there’s a security in that.”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19

Brenda Rapinchuk, MHC for Lungs

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

MHC for Lungs is an outpatient program at Misericordia, providing education to people with chronic lung conditions. The goal of the eight-week group sessions is to give clients the knowledge and resources they need to self-manage.

“Things have really changed since COVID-19. Normally, I’d see people in person to do an assessment,” says Brenda Rapinchuk, a respiratory therapist at MHC for Lungs.

Now that clients aren’t coming on-site due to COVID-19 measures, Brenda is faced with the challenge of re-configuring MHC for Lungs programming. Her goal is to continue to be able to provide education and support for all clientele.

“A lot of clients don’t have the technology to video chat. We’ve been sending correspondence via mail or email,” says Brenda.

Currently there are two group sessions Brenda is working with, and referrals are continuing to come in. Brenda notes that one of the biggest challenges is teaching over the phone.

“Some of the concepts are difficult to teach in person and can be even harder over the phone. Having a group together is beneficial for people to learn from one another,” she says.

Another concern that’s been on Brenda’s radar is spring cleaning. Cleaning products can be very harsh on lungs, even for people who don’t have a chronic lung condition. Everything can become an irritant.

“With people staying home, bored, they’re feeling compelled to organize and spring clean. So my job is to help educate clients on what’s safe for them to do. They need to take precautions and reduce exposure,” says Brenda. She follows up: “Especially bleach is nasty any time, for anyone.”

Brenda and the MHC Lungs team are here to help current and past clients with questions about their condition given COVID-19. These individuals already deal with respiratory symptoms.

“We’re moving forward all the time – COVID-19 or not.”

Keep COVID-19 informed by visiting: covid19manitoba.ca

#mhcfamily #healthcareheroesMB #COVID19