October 24, 2014

Good afternoon!

Well what a week this has been! Not only are we having to come to terms with global threats of

illness coming to Canada, but now, we also must face the reality that our sense of security and our

innocence regarding terrorism in this country has to change.

At times like this, it is becoming even more important for us to stick together, support one another

and be ever vigilant to signs of stress and overwhelm in ourselves, our children, our colleagues and

communities.

It is difficult to watch some of the images we have been seeing in the media, to hear the stories and

watch the tributes as they come to us on TV, radio and all forms of social media.

Just like we have been telling our kids for years…. “limit your screen time”…instead of staying glued

to the media outlets for more information about disease and terrorism that can have such depressing

effects on us, go for a walk, talk about it with someone, clear the air with your kids – find out what

they have heard and what they are afraid of…get the facts from reputable news sources and continue

to support each other through these tough trying times.

For some excellent tips on dealing with stress personally and helping your friends, families and

children to cope I refer you to the Centre for disease Control (CDC) web-site

…http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/coping_with_stress_tips.html

And for a little more about the reasons to stop paying attention to the media….

Fear-Mongering & Ebola There is nothing better for cable news networks or online news sites than

to whip up a storm about an outbreak of a deadly disease.

This one’s for all my fellow nurses who are always there - on the front lines as we’ve seen over and

over again these past few weeks with the EBOLA crisis and this week when the young soldier was

gunned down….

Rick Mercer and his recent rant on the nursing profession

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7qVdKlckSLQ

London-Middlesex Suicide Prevention Council (LMSPC) is currently offering… ASIST: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

When: Friday November 7th & Saturday November 8th @ 8:30am – 5:00pm

Where: London Public Library Central Branch, 251 Dundas Street, Stevenson Hunt Rooms, A&B

Cost: $220/p or early bird rate $200/p (lunch and materials included)

As an ASIST -trained suicide intervention caregiver, you will be better able to:

Identify people who have thoughts of suicide;

Understand how your beliefs and attitudes can affect suicide interventions;

Seek a shared understanding of the reasons for thoughts of suicide and the reasons for

living;

Review current risk and develop a plan to increase safety from suicidal behavior for an

agreed amount of time;

Follow up on all safety commitments, accessing further help as needed.

ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

Teaches PAL Pathways to Assisting Life using videos, small group discussion and skills practicing in an adult learning environment.

Why become a suicide intervention caregiver?

Persons thinking about suicide want help to stay alive

Suicide does not discriminate; there is an estimated 1 suicide death every 40 seconds

worldwide

BECAUSE YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

For more details and to register please visit: http://lmspc.ca/how-can-i-help/asist-by-livingworks/

or email Lynda at: safeTALK@lmspc.ca

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

Shiftwork, Sleep & Staying Healthy.

The Sarnia Lambton Workplace Wellness Committee invites you to attend a FREE

workshop Monday, November 17th titled Shiftwork, Sleep & Staying Healthy.

The term shiftwork covers a wide variety of work schedules and this session will help you understand the potential health and safety effects of shiftwork and identify organizational approaches to reduce the effects of shiftwork.

The workshop is suitable for employers, business owners, managers, health and safety leads, wellness committee leads, occupational health nurses, etc. from all business sectors - large or small workplaces.

Location - Lambton College Event Centre - A continental breakfast will be available at 7:30 a.m. and the presentation will begin at 8:00 a.m.

Register for this workshop at www.shiftwork.eventbrite.ca Questions? Contact Rose at Rose.atkins@county-lambton.on.ca

Stay Ahead of the Game with WSPS Safety Group

Safety groups can help your company improve workplace health & safety, lower risk and earn you a

potential rebate of up to 6% on your WSIB premiums.

In 2012, WSPS Safety Group members shared in $6.3-million in premium rebates and reduced lost-

time injury rates by 12%.

Registrations are now being accepted for 2015 WSPS Safety Group. Register before October 31st,

and take advantage of the Early Bird discount!

For more info on the WSPS Safety Group program, visit wsps.ca/safetygroups or call 1 877 494 9777

ext. 0

The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) invites students of nursing and

health sciences to attend a FREE Smoking Cessation Champions Workshop. Please forward this information to any contacts related to nursing or health science education.

Date: Saturday November 1, 2014 from 8:30 am to 4:30pm EST

Location: Four Points by Sheraton, 3530 Schmon Pkwy, Thorold, ON L2V 4Y6

Presenters: Jennifer Bouwmeester, Smoking Cessation Coordinator, RNAO & Alison Behring of Leave the Pack Behind, representative from Smokers’ Helpline as well as a current RNAO Student Champion. Description: Are you a nursing student or a student in the health sciences who is interested in

promoting better health for your clients? If so, you are invited to a free one day educational workshop

to assist you in helping your clients go tobacco-free. Learn how to approach the topic of tobacco

cessation with your clients, increase your familiarity with smoking cessation best practices, learn

more about current trends in tobacco use, and increase your knowledge about various tobacco

cessation products on the market. Hear from a student smoking cessation champion about her role in

promoting tobacco cessation with clients and peers alike. Learn more about the campus smoking

cessation initiative Leave the Pack Behind, as well as community and provincial smoking cessation

resources such as Smokers’ Helpline. All attendees will receive a copy of the RNAO’s Smoking

Cessation Best Practice Guideline and a toolkit filled with smoking cessation resources and

information designed to help you build your skills in smoking cessation intervention. Breakfast, lunch

and snacks are provided free of charge. Come join us for this fun, educational and interactive

workshop. Looking forward to seeing you there! For more information: http://rnao.ca/events/rnao-ontario-smoking-cessation-champion-student-

workshop

REGISTER HERE

Humor at Work ISSUE 556 - Oct.

15, 2014

Humor at Work YouTube Channel

All the way from Turks and Caicos, Mike shares a thought on the importance of

Breaking a Rule to Stand Out With Your Customers

Inspiring Reading

Mike is quoted in the Business Insider article:

13 Things Successful People do in the First Ten Minutes of The Workday

3 TED Talks that can Get You Inspired and Motivated Again

Written by Carla Rieger on October 11, 2014. Posted in Change Leadership, Communication & Conflict

Resolution, Making a Difference, Stress & Transition Management

Feeling down and uninspired? Here is a quick way to help turn that around. Pump yourself up with a good dose of inspiration brought to you by people who have gone through a crisis and came out the other side. Hear how they got through and conquered their fears and turned them into motivations to be even better. Check out these short talks that can help you feel stronger to take on life's challenges. Even if you've seen these TED talks before, watching them again might

bring new insight and renewed inspiration. Consider them as food for the soul. Continue

reading here.

Take the test, reduce your risk, and you could win $5,000 1 out of every 33 Canadians has diabetes and doesn’t know it.

That’s risky.

This Diabetes Awareness Month, visit DontBeRisky.ca, and find out if you’re at risk by filling out

the online CANRISK diabetes test.

By taking the test you could also win a $5,000 or one of two $2,500 Money for Life experiences*,

and you’ll be helping countless Canadians reduce their risk.

The contest is now open*, so visit DontBeRisky.ca and help reduce the risk of diabetes for all

Canadians* Contest closes Monday, December 1st, 12:00 A.M. EST.

"BREAST" CONVERSATION”

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we need your help to spread the word

about breast cancer screening! Get the girls together and encourage those over 50 to book a mammogram or talk to

their doctor about screening.

It could be the BREAST conversation you ever have!

Call your girlfriends, mother, daughters, aunts, or sisters and encourage those over 50 to book a mammogram or talk to their doctor about screening.

Bust out your camera and send us a photo that illustrates what being a BREAST friend means to you.

Like us on Facebook and Upload your picture to our Facebook page. YOU COULD WIN A DAY AT THE SPA!

Enter today on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/South-West-Regional-

Cancer-Program/587097208067204

Contest closes at midnight October 31st!

Creating a Healthy Workplace Culture Strategies and free services to cut employee costs and boost your business’s performance!

WHEN? Thursday November 6, 2014, 9:00 a.m. – 2:30p.m.

WHERE? Mitchell Golf and Country Club, Mitchell

WHO should attend? Employers, Business owners, Managers, Health and Safety Leads, Wellness Committee leads

SPEAKERS and TOPICS: Shannon Edmonstone (Dietitian PDHU) – Is Willpower Enough? The Role of Workplace Environments in Healthy Choices Nancy Mulroney (Principal Sandbox Facilitated Solutions) Civility and Respect: Keeping those Bullying Behaviours at Bay Register by October 27th

Just $30 and lunch is included!

Register Now by calling Kerry Price 519-271-7600 ext. 778 or email at kprice@pdhu.on.ca

This event is being provided to you by Perth District Health Unit and Huron County Health Unit Workplace Wellness programs

www.leadershipcenter.osu.edu Vulnerability is Power From: Sobel, A. and Panas, J. (2014). Power Relationships: 26 Irrefutable Laws for building Extraordinary Relationships

"The idea of being vulnerable is anathema to many. If you're a man, you may feel you're expected to be strong. Showing vulnerability is not what you signed up for. On the other hand, if you're a woman, you may be consciously trying to avoid the stereotype that woman are more emotional than men. Being vulnerable doesn't have to mean collapsing in a heap or admitting to everyone around you that you feel inadequate. For example, all of the following 15 actions are very appropriate and productive ways of demonstrating emotional openness and the vulnerability that can accompany it:

1. Say you're sorry. 2. Admit you're wrong. 3. Empathize. 4. Ask for help. 5. Talk about how you feel-not just what you think-about an important issue. 6. Compliment someone. 7. Admit to a failure. 8. Ask for advice. 9. Use humor-joke about yourself. 10. Share problems. 11. Express heartfelt condolences if needed. 12. Share personal issues as appropriate. 13. Help someone else succeed. 14. Be honest. 15. Acknowledge others' contributions (pg. 101). "

Ebola Update from Dr. Chris Mackie MOH at MLHU

Background: Ebola is a viral disease which is transmitted by symptomatic individuals via contact or droplet exposure. Indirect contact through contaminated needles is also associated with significant risk of transmission. Ebola is not an airborne infection. Ebola is highly infectious during the later stages of the disease when infected individuals are very sick with high fever, vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding. It is not transmitted through contact with infected individuals during the incubation period and the risk of transmission through casual contact remains low during the early stages of the disease before severe symptoms begin.

The lack of asymptomatic spread makes Ebola the perfect disease for public health measures to contain. Transmission parameters are known, so appropriate infection prevention and control measures can prevent spread.

Screening can identify and isolate cases, and contact tracing and education/quarantine can prevent spread. Here is a story of how Nigeria and Senegal recently stopped this same Ebola outbreak and were declared Ebola-free.

A nice summary is available here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/ebola-how-to-stop-the-disease-dead-in-its-tracks/article21159394/ Risk in Middlesex-London: At this point, Canada remains Ebola-free, thus the risk of Ebola remains very low in Middlesex-London for the general public. The risk is greater for the health care workers in the acute care setting (e.g. emergency rooms) and first responders (e.g. EMS), as they would be most likely to treat an index case if Ebola comes to Canada. Preparations in the Health Care Setting: Considering the limited resources in smaller hospitals, the Ministry of Health designated 10 hospitals in Ontario as regional centres. LHSC was designated as a regional hospital for all of Southwestern Ontario and all suspect and confirmed cases of Ebola from this region will be directed to LHSC. MLHU has been working with LHSC and other stakeholders to ensure the safety of the community and health care workers. Our annual Infection Prevention and Control conference for local long-term care facilities included an update on Ebola from Dr. Bryna Warshawski, who has taken a leadership role on this at PHO. A multi-stakeholder planning meeting with representatives from the hospitals, LHINs, fire and police, EMS, community physicians, and others will take place this week.

The Public Health Ontario website remains the best place in the province to look for guidance documents: www.publichealthontario.ca/ebola

WANT MORE?… The "Life and Times of Ebola"

Watch PHO’s Dr. Vanessa Allen and Dr. Brian Schwartz discuss the

current Ebola outbreak on The Agenda with Steven Paikin.

QUICK FACTS

According to recent statistics, over 45 per cent of drivers killed in Ontario were found to have drugs or a combination of

drugs and alcohol in their system.

If current collision trends continue, fatalities from distracted driving may exceed those from drinking and driving by 2016.

Pedestrians represent about one in six motor vehicle-related fatalities on Ontario roads — 41 per cent of which occurred

at intersections.

The proposed legislation would build on existing measures Ontario has introduced to improve road safety, including

making booster seats mandatory, ensuring every person wears a seatbelt, introducing stiffer penalties for street racing,

bringing in tougher impaired driving laws, and banning hand-held devices while driving.

LEARN MORE

Road Safety

Making Ontario's Roads Safer

Pedestrian and Cycling Safety

CONTACTS

Patrick Searle Bob Nichols Ministry of Transportation

Minister’s Office Communications Branch http://www.ontario.ca/transportation

416-327-1815 416-327-1158

News Release -Ministry of Transportation - October 21, 2014

Improving Road Safety

Province Introducing New Legislation to Make Ontario’s Roads Safer Ontario is introducing legislation that, if passed, would help keep the province's roads among the safest in North America by reducing collisions, injuries and fatalities. If passed, the proposed legislation and supporting amendments to the Highway Traffic Act will make highways and roads safer by:

Increasing fines for distracted driving from its current range of $60 to $500 to a range of $300 to $1,000; assigning three

demerit points upon conviction; and adding distracted driving to the existing list of novice driver conditions.

Applying current alcohol impaired sanctions to drivers who are drug impaired.

Introducing additional measures to address repeat offenders of alcohol impaired driving.

Requiring drivers to wait until a pedestrian has completely crossed the road before proceeding at school crossings and

pedestrian crossovers.

Increasing fines and demerits for drivers who door cyclists, and requiring all drivers to maintain a distance of one metre

when passing cyclists, where practicable.

Helping municipalities collect unpaid fines by expanding licence plate denial for drivers who do not pay Provincial

Offences Act fines.

Ensuring Ontario's roads and highways are safe is part of the government's economic plan for Ontario. The four part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people's talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives, and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire.

What does Work – Life Balance mean to you? Read this article to

consider “9 Different Definitions on The Meaning of Work-Life

Balance”….

By Vivian Giang

What does "balance" mean, and can we ever have it? Entrepreneurs who've made their

work their lives weigh in.

Ever since technology enabled us to work around the clock if we choose to, separating

work and personal life has become tough for the best of us.

If we all have 24 hours in a day to spend and we’re all putting in extra hours to build a

better product, company, or brand, then how do we come up with another set of “extra”

hours to “balance” our life?

The concept of balancing your work and life seems simple, but what makes “can we

have it all?” so hard to answer is that work-life balance means something different to

everyone.

In this article nine business leaders share how they achieve their version of work-life

balance. http://www.fastcompany.com/3037096/9-different-definitions-on-the-

meaning-of-work-life-balance

Have a wonderful weekend! I hope you have a chance get outside and enjoy the

beautiful fall weather coming our way!

Sandy Richardson R.N. B.Sc.N. CCHN (C.) Public Health Nurse Health at Work 4 All! Program Coordinator Middlesex London Health Unit 50 King St., London On N6A 5L7 Phone: 519-663-5317 ex 2412 Workplace line: 519-663-5317 ex 3333 Fax: 519-663-9276

http://www.healthunit.com/workplace-health

Celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed (Mia Hamm)