March 18, 2022
Employee Advisory Council Officially Launched

We are pleased to announce the selection of the following staff to the first ever Employee Advisory Council. These 23 individuals will represent front-line staff’s perspective in ongoing workplace change initiatives, and will carry new and innovative ideas forward for consideration.
Scott Sturgeon
Nizam Farah
Rob Groom
Aidan Balignasay
Douglas Allen
Pamela MacLennan
Shelley Moore
Theodore Wallace
Samantha Lamplugh
Trevor Fougere
Matthew Johnson
Hisanobu Komoto
Chris Renaud
Tyler MacCuspic
Dane Huntley
Chad Creed
Lesley Jordan
Jason McDaniel
Brittany MacSween
Emily Harris
Kevin Carey
Jordan Stevenson
Kelly MacDonald
The ​Council will hold its first meeting March 18th, so watch for upcoming communications, and profiles of EAC members, as work begins. 
We encourage everyone to connect with the member representatives in their respective areas with ideas and suggestions as we move forward together.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ron Stewart, Colin Flynn, Derek LeBlanc, Sarah Morris​
MFR Community Hub Goes Live

We are happy to announce the responder and agency registration component to the MFR Community Hub website is now up and running.
 
The nearly 3,500 EHS medical first responders can now access the site, which features enhanced capabilities for communications, applying for the program, online education and more.
 
This new platform allows for:
  • New MFR’s to apply to the program;
  • The ability to update your contact information and change agency affiliation, or be associated with multiple agencies;
  • More timely communications from the MFR program and auto-reminders of upcoming re-registration deadlines;
  • The ability to register for in-person training sessions (ETA spring 2022);
  • The ability to complete online education sessions within the platform (ETA spring 2022).

 Check it out here: https://ehsmfr.ca/.
Annual Vacation Request Heat Map
 
Seniority Vacation approvals are now complete. This year marked the highest level of submissions ever with over 78 per cent of our team submitting requests. We are pleased to share more than 75 per cent of those requests have been approved totaling nearly 70,000 hours, more than half of which are during the summer months.
 
As illustrated below, for the months of July and August, and the dates of Dec. 20 - 31, we have reached the maximum number of vacation approvals. We ask that further vacation requests be submitted outside of these time periods. For additional time off during the above mentioned dates, please consider shift switches.
 
Below is a heat map of the vacation year. This will assist you in submitting non-seniority first-come-first-serve vacation requests. If you have questions, please connect with your manager.
Continuing the Amazing International Women's Day Profiles
Denine Wood
What started as a temporary job placement has turned into a long and fulfilling career for Denine Wood.
In April, she will celebrate 20 years with Emergency Medical Care Inc. and she couldn't imagine being anywhere else.
Read more on the Pulse.
Jane Mabbett
After more than two decades in the banking world, Jane Mabbett was in need of a change.
After working administrative and customer service roles in banking for 22 years, she decided the time was right to move in a different direction.
Read more on the Pulse.
Wendy Boutilier
The last two years has been tough for a lot of people, but Wendy Boutilier credits the team around her for helping them navigate through it.
As call volume increased steadily from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with protocols and public health measures in constant flux, Boutilier says the entire TeleHealth team worked hard to support each other and Nova Scotians.
Read more on the Pulse.
Michelle Brown
As a fan of lifelong learning, becoming a critical care paramedic was the next logical step for Michelle Brown.
She entered paramedicine 16 years ago, the last seven of which was as senior operations paramedic and then as a supervisor. 
But she jumped at the opportunity to apply for the new Critical Care Paramedic Program - a collaboration between multiple partners.
Read more on the Pulse.
March Success Story

Olyvia is from Nine Mile River, Nova Scotia and graduated from Camp Courage class of 2017, Medavie Health Ed Paramedicine Program in 2021 and is a Paramedic and Volunteer Firefighter.

She is one of many young women who graduated from Camp Courage: First Responders Society over the years and went on to a career in paramedicine. We are excited and looking forward to upcoming camps and welcoming the next generation of women paramedics into the field. Visit campcourage.ca for more information.

Hello everyone,

Nova Scotia’s Office of Public Health recently announced a movement into Phase Three of reopening, lifting all COVID-19 restrictions as of March 21 in most settings of the public sector. Working and living in a declared state of emergency for the past two years, this will be welcome change for many and a source of possible concern for others.

EMC however, is classified as a ‘health care setting’ and as such, Public Health considers us a high-risk organization – along with Nova Scotia Health and Continuing Care. EMC is approaching changes to current practices with an abundance of caution.

Below please see a chart indicating what changes can be expected as of March 21.
*Employees will be required to self-assess before arriving at work and NOT report to work if unwell as always.

**Vaccine mandates for our organization and employees remain in effect.

For administrative environments, each division will assess their own teams and report their new proposed numbers to the Safety Department and COVID-19 working group. Questions should be directed to immediate leaders who will respond, track themes and report trends to both Safety and local OHS committees.

Please know the appropriate internal teams are engaged to continuously monitor the epidemiology in our province. These teams will advise on next phases of easing of internal restrictions within our organization including non-clinical mask use and other items, which we will communicate when ready.

Additional Resources:
Nova Scotia’s Reopening Plan (continuing care and healthcare sectors)
EMD Registration Reminder

A reminder to all EMDs expiring this year, please ensure you have completed all components required for your re-registration before March 31, 2022. All applicable CDEs must be entered and both OUTEC and your EMD exam must be successfully completed for your re-registration to be considered complete.

If you have any questions please:
  • Speak with your Supervisor
  • Contact Elysha Lavin-Goudey.
Prescribed In-Service Reminder

Prescribed in-services began on March 8 and continue into May throughout the province. We are excited to be back in the classroom and have welcomed a number of new Field Training Paramedics to the team!
There are still a number of people who have yet to sign up for an in-service date. Please email [email protected] to determine what dates are still available or if you have any questions about the prescribed in-service.
Payroll Pension Benefits Restructure Announcement

We are pleased to announce some upcoming changes to the Payroll, Pension and Benefits team. As payroll, pension and benefits continue to grow in volume and complexity, we recognize the importance of increased support and oversight for the team and our organization as a whole.
 
As a Medavie Health Services (MHS) shared service, the team currently supports a total of nine collective agreements, nine pension/RRSP plans and two benefits providers covering service areas in the Maritimes, Ontario and Western Canada.
 
To help ensure enhanced service delivery and greater support to the team, a Senior Manager will oversee the day-to-day operations and a restructuring of the department to distinguish between, and provide greater oversight of, the payroll and pension/benefit functions.
 
Effective March 21, 2022, the following changes will be made to key positions within the team:
  • Amy Pike, Senior Manager, Payroll and Financial Analysis
  • Marti Maguire, Manager, Pension and Benefits
  • Sandy Fawson, Manager, Payroll
 
The team will continue to be part of the EMC Finance department, reporting to Director of Finance, Becky Mullowney. MHS Director of Finance, Nikki Hilton, will further support the team for oversight regarding non-EMC operating companies.
 
We would like to congratulate Amy and Sandy as they begin their new roles, recognizing the wealth of knowledge they bring to their portfolios. We would also like to thank Marti for her continued support of the team and hard work during complex times.
 
Going forward we ask that matters regarding payroll be directed to Sandy Fawson, and matters regarding pension or benefits be directed to Marti Maguire.
 
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
​2021 Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal:
Call for Nominations & Bars for Subsequent Service

The Nova Scotia EMS Exemplary Service Medal Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Exemplary Service Medal.
 
The deadline to nominate a professional in the provision of pre-hospital emergency medical services is April 7, 2022.
 
Important: Air Ambulance Flight Crew members (nurses/pilots) are now eligible to receive the EMS Exemplary Service Medal based on the qualification criteria noted below.
 
The EMS Exemplary Service Medal, created on July 7, 1994, is awarded by the Governor General of Canada. The medal recognizes professionals in the provision of pre-hospital emergency medical services to the public. Recipients are those who have performed their duties in an exemplary manner, characterized by good conduct, industry and efficiency.
 
To qualify:
  • Recipients must have been employed with emergency medical services on or after October 31, 1991.
  • Have completed 20 years of exemplary service in emergency medical services, including at least 10 years in the performance of duties involving potential risk.
  • Those with at least 10 years of service with emergency medical services may include, in the 20 years of service, service completed in another profession, provided this service has not been recognized by another long service, good conduct or efficiency decoration or medal awarded by the Crown.
  • The Medal may be awarded posthumously.
 
 To fill out a nomination form and for more information, view the complete package here. 

The content for this weeks CTGIF: Post Arrest Care Bundles. Some of the issues to address in this are: [1] what is ROSC?, [2] what do we do when we have ROSC and [3] how can I remember what to do (a checklist or something to that effect).

The document I am referring to is the ‘Healthcare Provider Post-Arrest Care Algorithm. It was first floated up in 2010 and then again in 2015 as to the pentad of Oxygenation/Ventilation, Hemodynamic, Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Neurological things that we should be doing if we have achieved return of spontaneous circulation. Regardless of the cause of cardiac arrest, the hypoxia, ischemia and reperfusion that occur during and after the resuscitation phase result in damage to multiple organ systems. This condition, called post-cardiac arrest syndrome, comprises four major components.
Equipment Advisory - Respirator Pick Ups

Please be advised that we will be collecting your 7500 model respirators after your in-service fit testing.

We have fully transitioned to N95 respirators in the system and looking to recall all 7500s. After deep cleaning, we will store and hold in reserve.

Respirator drop off containers will be available at all in-services. There will also be a container at the following locations for you to drop your respirator off if you forget to bring it to your scheduled in-service.
Locations:
  • Wilkinson
  • Coldbrook
  • Kentville
  • Yarmouth
  • Bridgewater
  • Truro
  • New Glasgow
  • Amherst
  • Antigonish
  • Port Hawkesbury
  • Sydney
Please know that during this round of fit testing, if the N95 is not a match for an employee, then that employee will be re-tested on the 7500 model and will retain their issued item as not to be without protection going forward.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Gordon Parker at [email protected].
TAC Annual Scientific Meeting and Conference

On April 7-8, 2022, the Trauma Association of Canada (TAC) is hosting their annual scientific conference.

This year’s theme is: “Inequity in Trauma Care: We are Not Immune.”
 
EMC has a number of registrations available for the virtual conference and would like to provide registration costs for selected EMC staff who work in front-line clinical roles. You will have access to the sessions for a number of days after April 7, so are not required to be available for the entirety of the conference on those 2 days specifically.

Interested? Apply by emailing [email protected] with TAC 2022 in subject line. Please include a short explanation on why you are interested in attending the TAC conference. If we receive more interest than spots available, we will divide applicants into regions then draw names (to ensure provincial representation).
For more information regarding TAC 2021, visit traumacanada.org. The agenda is not yet published. We will communicate it when available. 
iTacit Password Reminder

On March 15, 2022, iTacit changed their password policy to be more in line with MHS password policy, eliminating the need to reset the password every few months.

If the password was not updated between March 1st and March 15th to meet this criteria, the account was automatically locked. These employees will be receiving an email from iTacit on how to proceed. If you require access to iTacit before you receive the email please contact [email protected] to have your account unlocked and a temporary password assigned.
 
Medavie Health Services password requirements:
  • Passwords must be a minimum of 10 characters, are alphabetic characters only but must contain at least one upper case character and will not expire unless the account is suspected of being compromised. 
  • For ease of committing to memory and decrease the risk of password guessing, users should consider a passphrase. 
  • Users are not to create a password based on keyboard patterns (e.g. “Qwertyuiop”) or obvious word constructs (e.g. “MyPassword”). 
 
For any questions or issues related to iTacit, please contact Clinical Services by emailing [email protected].
Submit your photos for Canadian Paramedicine's annual 'Women In' edition

Canadian Paramedicine magazine is looking for photos for a mosaic spread for its annual 'Women in' edition.

The deadline to submit an image for the 4th edition of "Women in Canadian Paramedicine" magazine is March 31, 2022.

To submit, please fill a form and upload your image following the guidelines below:
  • Minimum 300 pixels/inch resolution
  • File format of .jpeg or .pdf only
  • ENSURE THE FILE NAME OF YOUR UPLOADED IMAGE INCLUDES YOUR NAME
  • Submissions in portrait orientation are preferred (due to shape of magazine cover)
  • If submitting a photo in uniform or with identifiable EMS service names (encouraged if applicable), it is your responsibility to ensure you have approval for the image to be used for this purpose
  • If submitting a photo with multiple individuals, it is your responsibility to ensure you have permission from those in the image for it to be submitted and used for this purpose
  • One submission per form - you can submit multiple images, however a new form will be needed for each


By submitting an image, you are granting release for its use on the cover or elsewhere in the issue at the discretion of the guest editor. You are also granting permission for us to contact you via email if we need to follow up on the photo provided - we will not be publishing names or services.

If you have any questions or issues, please email Cheryl at [email protected].
Education Calendar

  • The CPNS licensure portal is now open. Ensure you have the credits you need for re-licensure! Check out the education calendar for upcoming events. We still have a few more virtual sessions coming up before the start of prescribed in-services.
  • We will be starting in-services on March 8 as previously communicated. Ensure you have signed up for a date if you have not yet been assigned one. If you have any questions about the prescribed in-service, please email [email protected].

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." - John Wooden

The Performance & Development education calendar highlights important dates and opportunities for clinical education. Be sure to check back weekly to review upcoming presentations, webinars, podcasts and more!

View upcoming clinical education opportunities here.
Job Opportunities

Log on to The Pulse to view the latest internal job opportunities with EMC. You can also view our external job postings on Career Beacon.

Union:
 
Non Union Management and Administrative Positions:
Profile #2: Nathalie Boudreau, Manager of Finance at Medavie Blue Cross

Meet Nathalie Boudreau, Manager of Finance at Medavie Blue Cross. She is sharing her story here as part of our month-long International Women’s Day tribute to those who inspire us at Medavie.

Describe your role at Medavie?
My role at Medavie involves leading an amazing group of people that provides core financial services. These range from processing pay for employees to paying vendors and external brokers, as well as treasury functions, in addition to financial analysis and reporting to different parts of the organization. In the end, our role in Finance is to make sure that we have the information we need as an organization to make the right business decision.

What is the most gratifying part of your role?
A number of years ago answering this would likely have been more around the technical work relating to finance, working with numbers essentially. As I’ve gained experience, I now find it’s really the coaching part of my role that’s the most gratifying. Being able to understand people’s strengths and ensure their role aligns with those strengths. Seeing team members find how they add value to their role, their team and within Medavie ― that’s what really energises me!

To read more, click the link below.
Visit the Medavie Messenger website for more!
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