November Newsletter: Honouring, Supporting, and Staying Strong

Honouring Remembrance Day

This month, we observe Remembrance Day on November 11th—a time to reflect on sacrifice and resilience. We honour those who fought with bravery and even sacrificed their lives, so we could have a better future. Working as a healthcare professional also demands strength, as you help others through their most difficult and vulnerable moments. Take a few minutes this month to reconnect with why you chose healthcare. Reflecting on your purpose can provide new motivation and resilience as you continue to make a difference.

Handling Grief and Avoiding Burnout

Supporting patients through loss is a deeply challenging part of healthcare. Here are a few resources designed to help you manage these experiences without becoming overwhelmed:

Free Course: Grief Learning Hub

The Canadian Virtual Hospice offers self-paced, online modules to help healthcare professionals build their skills in grief support without becoming emotionally overwhelmed. These modules provide practical strategies tailored to long-term care and palliative settings. Explore the course here for practical, evidence-informed tools.

Book Recommendation: "The Art of Comforting" by Val Walker

This book offers practical advice on being a source of comfort for grieving individuals without becoming emotionally entangled. It's a great read for healthcare workers who want to offer empathy while safeguarding their well-being. Here’s a link to the book: https://a.co/d/8PbdTYA

Quick Read: "How Do Nurses Deal with Grief and Loss?"

This article on NursingEducation.org provides insights into typical grief responses like sorrow, guilt, and helplessness, with strategies to manage these emotions. It’s a quick, valuable read on balancing compassion and boundaries to maintain mental health. Read the article here​: https://nursingeducation.org/

Reminder: Immunization Updates are Essential

Maintaining up-to-date immunizations is critical, especially during flu season. Immunizations protect you, your patients, and your colleagues by preventing the spread of infections. Regular immunizations not only safeguard personal health but also ensure a safe healthcare environment for everyone. Please remember to submit up-to-date immunization records to New Horizons so we can ensure a quick placement.

Important Update: Submit Your Serology Reports Online!

To ensure all healthcare professionals meet necessary requirements for placements, we’re asking everyone to submit their updated serology reports. You don’t need to visit a clinic to complete this step—simply access virtual services to send in your reports. This option is secure, and convenient, and streamlines the submission process.

How to Submit Your Serology Reports Online:

1. Book a virtual appointment with a healthcare provider to discuss your needs.
2. Check with your healthcare provider to obtain a digital copy of your serology report.
3. Email New Horizons Staffing a copy of your report to chelana@nhstaffing.ca

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Here are some resources to help you access virtual services:

eVisitNB – For those in New Brunswick, eVisitNB provides virtual access to nurse practitioners for lab requisitions and other health services, available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at no cost with a New Brunswick Medicare card. https://www.evisitnb.ca/

Virtual Clinics – Available for residents of BC, Alberta, and Ontario at no cost, Virtual Clinics allows patients to book lab requisitions and receive results online. It’s also accessible in other provinces with a starting fee. Explore VirtualClinics

VirtualCareNS: Through a partnership with Maple, VirtualCareNS provides free virtual care for Nova Scotians. Those on the "Need a Family Practice Registry" can access comprehensive virtual appointments, including lab requisitions. https://www.nshealth.ca/

eHealth Saskatchewan: While Saskatchewan currently does not offer a dedicated free virtual care platform for lab requisitions like Nova Scotia, patients can access telehealth services through eHealth Saskatchewan’s Virtual Care services. These services provide virtual consultations with healthcare providers, who can guide you on accessing lab work or submitting results online. https://www.ehealthsask.ca/

Updated reports are crucial to securing a placement, so we appreciate you staying on top of this!

Healthcare Hero of the Month: Celebrating Excellence!

This month, we’re thrilled to spotlight Joel, a true healthcare hero! Known for his dedication and unwavering commitment to patient care, Joel has made an incredible impact in the ER, where he’s consistently brought a calm and caring presence, even during the busiest times. Beyond his clinical expertise, Joel goes above and beyond for his fellow travel nurses, always making time to help new arrivals adjust and feel welcome. His adaptability, intelligence, and openness to new challenges embody the spirit of a travel nurse. We’re so lucky to have Joel on our team – thank you, Joel, for all you do!

Healthcare Humour (Brace Yourself for the Cheesy Jokes!)

How do nurses keep track of their patients?

They take it “pulse” by “pulse.” 

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