DoM Monthly Newsletter – June 2023 | |
I hope you all will find time to take a well-deserved break this summer. Make sure you are planning some time away from work and finding opportunities to slow down a bit. Have a great summer! | |
Take care everyone!
Christine
Christine Short, MD, FRCP(C), FACP
Associate Professor & Head/Chief, Department of Medicine
Dalhousie University / Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health
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June 2023
- Tuesday, June 27 – DoM Awards Extravaganza (Zoom; 8-9am)
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June
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Tammy Zoccole joined the central DoM Administration Team as Administrative Coordinator on June 5, 2023. Tammy moved from the Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation as Division Assistant.
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Amie Smart joined the Division of Infectious Diseases on June 19 as administrative assistant.
July
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Dr. Cassidy Brothers joins the General Internal Medicine DGH team with an academic appointment on July 1.
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Dr. Ashley Davidson transitions to an AFP appointment in Medical Oncology on July 15.
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Dr. Mark Downing will join Infectious Diseases on July 1 in the AFP.
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Dr. Ali Hillani will join the Division of Cardiology on July 17 in the AFP.
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Dr. Connor MacMillan will join General Internal Medicine on July 1 as an AFP locum for one year.
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Dr. Ceilidh MacPhail will do a two month locum with Medical Oncology before leaving to complete a fellowship in Vancouver.
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Dr. MIchael Sun will join Geriatric Medicine on July 1 in the AFP.
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Dr. Colin Turner will complete a locum with General Internal Medicine from July 21 to March 31.
August
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Dr. Ciorsti MacIntyre rejoins the Division of Cardiology in the AFP on August 1.
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Dr. Curtis Marcoux returns to the Division of Hematology in the AFP on August 1.
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Dr. Alana McEvoy will complete a locum from August 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024.
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Dr. Zardasht Oqab joins the Division of Cardiology in the AFP on August 7.
September
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Dr. Luke Chen joins Hematology in the AFP on September 1.
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Dr. Nicole Drost joins the DGH Respirology group on September 1.
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Isha Seth leaves the Department of Medicine on June 9, 2023. She joined the Department in August 2020 and during her time in the Department has been Education Coordinator (Postgraduate) and Project Manager, Strategic Planning & Communications. She has proficiently worked through numerous tasks and roles. She will be greatly missed and we wish her all the best in her new role as NSH Physician Recruitment Consultant - International Recruitment.
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Dr. Timothy Benstead will retire from his AFP position with the Division of Neurology following a 37-year career with the Department of Medicine on June 30, 2023. He will continue teaching through a post-retirement appointment with Dalhousie. Dr. Benstead has had a career that epitomizes excellence in education, clinical care and research. His dedication, over the years, to mentoring members of the DoM and his positive influence within our department will continue for many years to come.
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Patricia Wyman retires from the Department of Medicine after 40 years of service on June 30, 2023. She is a dedicated, patient and trustworthy worker holding roles such as Team Lead in Infectious Diseases and Administrative Assistant in Digestive Care & Endoscopy. Her institutional knowledge will be missed! Thank you for all your service and contributions in the Department of Medicine. We wish Patricia all the best in her retirement.
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Sandy Porter retires from the Department of Medicine this summer. Sandy worked with the hospital from 1983 to 1990 and then periodically from 1990 to 2003 depending on the vacancies and opportunities available. In 2003, Sandy returned to work full-time. She’ll retire from her Team Lead position in the Division of Digestive Care & Endoscopy in August. Thank you for all your hard work and administrative leadership.
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To help further the work of the strategic plan, we are focusing on strengthening our toolkit to improve culture and conflict in our workplace. Content submitted by Diane LeBlanc, Basia Solarz and Brennan Dempsey. | |
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Humble Inquiry
“Inquire with humility” is the second of the Simple Rules developed by the Department of Medicine executive team. This tip will explore that concept and how it can help leaders excel.
Edgar Schein - one of the foremost scholars of organizational culture - suggests that in Western settings, leaders are conditioned to believe that leadership involves telling people what to do. Schein suggests that a practice of “vulnerable discovery” is more effective in developing teams, solving problems, building relationships, and creating a healthy workplace culture.
This “Humble Inquiry” is both an attitude and an art:
- as an art, it can draw others out and strengthen relationships,
- while the attitude is one of deep listening, thoughtful responses, and personal vulnerability.
As an example, Shein describes his son’s visit to a corporation’s senior management meeting. During a conversation about promoting someone to vice president, he asked “What does the VP of Administration do?” After some impatience and a bit of patronizing, this simple and humble question sparked a deeper conversation about what the role had to include, and how new and creative solutions could be found.
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Although we tend to default to a “telling” mode, adopting a humble attitude tends to engender positive feelings in others, such as openness and trust. It is also an excellent way of surfacing new information or new perspectives. Even simple questions, powered by sincere interest, can build knowledge and lead to novel solutions. And during periods of change, humble inquiry can help us manage learning anxiety and suppress survival anxiety.
North American work cultures are often competitive and individualistic, and often value task outcomes over relationships. These factors tend to be compounded by promotion, reward, rank, and hierarchy. But if we work against these inclinations and adopt a more humble and curious stance, we can make work - and our lives in general - more positive and effective.
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Quality Day - May 30, 2023
On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the Quality Improvement Steering Committee (QISC) hosted its first in person and second annual Quality Day. Dr. Ferhan Siddiqi, Quality Director and QISC Chair was the emcee and led attendees through the half-day event featuring a keynote presentation by Dr. Sander Veldhuyzen van Zanten of the University of Alberta and 6 podium presentations, as well as 8 poster presentations focusing on quality initiatives in the DoM subspecialty areas.
Dr. Sander van Zanten, whose primary focus of academic research has been the use of Quality Improvement Science in Gastroenterology and Hepatology care, presented the keynote speech.
He delivered his talk, “Strategic Clinical Networks: Vehicles for Quality Improvement” and kicked off Quality Day. Thank you for everyone who presented and participated in this event.
See a full list of abstracts [PDF] presented at Quality Day.
(link will be available for one month; deactivated in July 2023)
Congratulations to the Quality Day 2023 Award Winners!
Best Podium Presentation – Resident/Trainee
Dr. Braydon Connell, PGY4 Neurology
“Management and Assessment of Seizures on the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit: A Quality Improvement Project”
Best Podium Presentation – Faculty/Allied Health Professional
Heather Neville, Allied Health
“Medication assessment of sedative-hypnotic drug use to reduce risk of falls in selected inpatient areas of Nova Scotia Health: Pilot Study”
Poster Presentations
Dr. R. Lee Kirby, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
“Wheelchair Service Delivery within the Central Zone of Nova Scotia Health: A Quality-Improvement Project”
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Respirologist suggests Nova Scotians stay inside to protect lung health from wildfire smoke - Halifax Examiner | |
As wildfires continue to burn in the province, Halifax-based respirologist, Dr. Meredith Chiasson, is advising Nova Scotians to stay inside whenever possible and to take steps to help protect their lung health. A Government of Canada resource page notes that the dense smoke produced by wildfires can be a major source of toxic air pollutants.
Published May 31, 2023
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Research Nova Scotia Investing an Additional $1.1 Million in Infection Control Research in Long-Term Care Facilities | |
Research Nova Scotia is investing an additional $1.1 million to test whether UV lights installed in long-term care (LTC) facilities will reduce respiratory viral infections (RVI) among LTC residents. "The foundational work completed as part of a pandemic response has established Nova Scotia as a leader in this area.
Published June 7, 2023
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Dr. Cynthia Kendell successfully defends PhD
We would like to congratulate Dr. Cynthia Kendell, our Research Implementation Scientist, who successfully defended her PhD thesis last week.
She has been a wonderful new resource to our Department and we look forward to all she will continue to bring to our research, clinical systems and quality mandates.
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Palliative Care Week Profile - Central Zone | |
This is final article in the series profiling some of Nova Scotia Health's palliative care staff and volunteers, in recognition of National Hospice Palliative Care Week 2023.
In their own words, four members of Central Zone's palliative care division (including Dr. David Dupere) give voice to a fundamental understanding of what palliative care is all about: A multidisciplinary team approach to patient-centered, life-affirming care.
Published: May 13, 2023
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Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal
Congratulations to Dr. Chad Williams, Gastroenterologist and member of the Department of Medicine, who recently received the Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal. Well-deserved recognition!
Photo courtesy of Dr. Williams
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QUICK REFERENCE /
RECURRING CONTENT
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COVID-19 Protocols at Nova Scotia Health | |
Mental Health & Well-Being | |
When you take care of yourself, you take care of others. | | | | |
