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Safety comes first at Riverview Health Centre

“Were we safe today? Are we going to be safe tomorrow? Do we have any safety concerns?” Cherie-Ann Sheppard says those are the questions often asked at the beginning of staff safety huddles at Riverview Health Centre Inc. in Winnipeg. The daily huddles, lasting 10-15 minutes, allow staff to come together and discuss safety issues, share best practices and identify areas for improvement.

Set on a beautifully landscaped 24 acres, Riverview provides specialized inpatient, outpatient and outreach services, including rehabilitation, palliative care, dementia care, complex respiratory care, personal care and adult day programs. As safety coordinator, Sheppard works with staff to create awareness about any hazards and address any concerns that arise, as well as dealing with policies and procedures to make sure Riverview follows all legislative requirements and standards for safety.

Preventing injury is key. Typically, musculoskeletal injuries occur when staff are lifting and transferring patients or residents from their beds or wheelchairs. Additionally, jobs in housekeeping and shipping require bending and lifting, so it’s very physical.

“We fit the job to the employee, not the employee to the job,” says Sheppard. “We try to remove any hazards and bring in lifts or portable stands where we can to reduce strain. We also provide employees with training on using proper body mechanics and safe work practices, and post signs in a fun way as reminders just to keep on top of it.

“If there’s a specific issue, it’s written down on a ticket so we can follow up, and most importantly, so staff can see the action that was taken to address that safety issue.”

Riverview was recently recognized by SAFE Work Manitoba with a SAFEty Culture Award and became Safe Work Certified with Manitoba Association of Safety in Healthcare (MASH). Riverview has also implemented a Commitment to Safety statement signed by CEO Kathleen Klaasen. Sheppard attributes an important part of the success of the safety culture at Riverview to the commitment and support of leadership.

“Senior leadership has been a blessing,” she says. “It really helps when our senior leadership team is readily available to all staff.”

CEO Klaasen believes leadership commitment and investment in safety need to be in every part of the organization.

“Safety is so important,” she says. “As health-care professionals, we care about the people we serve, but we have to focus on our own safety too. When you come to work, you shouldn’t go home hurt that day.

“Another risk that we don’t often talk about is how our mental health can be impacted when caring for those in difficult health and end-of-life situations. It’s important to talk about it, so when staff have their daily huddles, they’re not just speaking of physical injuries.”

Staff have mental health support available through Riverview’s employee assistance program and wellness resources, as well as opportunities to take part in specialist-led group sessions after a critical event, such as when people pass away in palliative care.

“After journeying alongside that person and family, staff also experience grief and loss,” says Klaasen. “So we take time for the team to celebrate everybody that they’ve provided care for who has passed in that last month, and share memories. The opportunity to celebrate those experiences and participate in a memorial event really matters.”

Celebrating Riverview’s 900 staff is a top priority as well.

“Tonight we’re going to a comedy club for our annual long-service awards where we recognize and celebrate staff who have been here for many years, as well as those who are retiring,” says Klaasen. “We’ll share lots of fun and laughter together.”