Northumberland Hills Hospital reminds local high-school students of the Feb. 15 deadline to apply for this year's Health Professions Scholarship.
The hospital introduced the scholarship in 2003 in support of West Northumberland students who are pursuing a career in the health-are sector, with the hope that these young people might one day choose to return to their home community to practice.
Evaluations are made on the basis of academic achievements, extracurricular activities, a testimonial explaining applicants' interest in their chosen profession, and written references. All applicants must be enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) in a full-time study program in a health field at a post-secondary institution.
The 2019 scholarship is $1,000 for each student selected, and the presentation will be made at a spring meeting o the hospital's board of directors.
Full details (including a downloadable application form) are available on the Careers tab at nhh.ca.
Be careful out there, NHH warns
Stuck in the heart of winter, as all of us are, Northumberland Hills Hospital warns patients and visitors to take extra care when walking outside.
The potential for slippery conditions exists in and around the hospital, president and chief executive officer Linda Davis said in her report to the February board meeting. And the extreme cold can cause sudden shifts in pavement and walkways, resulting in uneven surfaces.
Davis echoed a message Occupational Health Services RN Ellen Douglas shared earlier this winter in extending the reminder to take extra care when walking outdoors.
“We can minimize the chance of dangerous slips and falls by wearing appropriate footwear, ideally winter boots with nonpslip rubber soles with a tread,” Davis's report said.
“NHH's grounds contractor does a great job keeping parking lots and sidewalks salted and safe. But when temperatures dip very low, even salt can have a difficult time melting the ice. Caution is always recommended, and it is always better to avoid tricky situations by being prepared.”
Piccini welcomed back at NHH
Northumberland Hills Hospital president and chief executive officer Linda Davis received assurances from Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini that he would continue to meet with them on local health and health-care priorities,
In her report to the February board meeting, Davis reported that he had come through.
The pledge was made in December, as Piccini announced a temporary boost in bed capacity in response to flu season. Since then, she said, he has met with staff, management, physicians and patients on three separate occasions.
The first of these was on Christmas Day, when Davis escorted him on a walkabout through the hospital, where he met with both patients and their families.
On Jan. 30, Piccini attended a working lunch with physician leaders and the senior management team that Davis recalled as “a welcome opportunity for two-way dialogue around health-care priorities ranging from funding stability to alternative-level-of-care partnerships.”
Later that day, in conjunction with Bell Let's Talk Day, the MPP also paid a visit to the hospital's Community Mental Health Services office at 1011 Elgin St. W., where he talked with staff and managers (from both NHH and Four Cast) to learn more about regional mental-health services, opportunities and gaps.
Davis said they look forward to more such meetings, the next one of which is expected to be a demonstration of the successful M-HEART service. This stands for Mental Health Engagement and Response Team, and it is a street-level collaboration between NHH Community Mental Health and area police services launched a year ago.