Miramichi Blog

Miramichi Regional Health Authority displaying community programs

The Miramichi Regional Health Authority (MRHA) is reaching out to the public this weekend as it displays several of its community wellness programs at the Miramichi Lifestyles 2007 show.

A ‘healthy living expo’ is a new component this year to the long-running lifestyles show happening at the Miramichi Civic Centre from April 27-29. This expo will feature displays from the Miramichi Regional Health Authority, City of Miramichi Recreation and Wellness, Culture and Sport.

“The focus of the expo is active living and wellness,” says Clarissa Whitlock, Community Health Promotion Coordinator with the Miramichi Regional Health Authority. She, along with David Sisk, City of Miramichi Recreation Supervisor and Rene Pelletier, a Consultant for the Dept of Wellness, Culture and Sport have been meeting for the past several months to organize displays for the expo.

“The MRHA will be represented by 10 community programs that will display health promotion and prevention information. We will have Addiction Services, Methadone Stakeholders, Community Mental Health Services, Mango, Regional Diabetes Program, Healthy Learners, Breast Screening, Women’s Wellness and MRHA’s Workplace Wellness.

“For example, our breast screening program will be promoting its digital mammography services and showing the public digital images, along with providing females breast screening information; our Addiction Services program will focus on information for parents and teens on today’s issues of marijuana and crystal meth. All the programs have worked really diligently to organize their displays to get the best health information together for the public.”

This MRHA’s involvement in this expo maintains its commitment to the wellness of the community it serves. The public is encouraged to make plans to attend the Miramichi Lifestyles show and the Healthy Living Expo this weekend.

Labels: event, health, hospital, wellness

World Asthma Day will be celebrated

World Asthma Day will be celebrated on May 1. The day is an opportunity to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. This year’s theme is “You can control your asthma”. The theme emphasizes that effective asthma treatments exist and, with proper diagnosis, education, and treatment, the great majority of asthma patients can achieve and maintain good control of their disease.

The staff of the Miramichi Regional Health Authority’s Asthma/COPD clinic will be marking World Asthma day by holding an information session at the Douglastown Shoppers Drug Mart located in Northumberland Square on May 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Respiratory therapist, Angela Thomas and registered nurse Linda McKinnon will be available to perform lung function and oxygen tests as well answer any questions related to asthma. They recommend that individuals bring their puffers and devices with them to assist in the education process.

Labels: event, health, hospital

David Adams Richards at Frye Festival in Moncton this Weekend

Renowned New Brunswick author David Adams Richards will present the second Antonine Maillet - Northrop Frye Lecture on Saturday, April 28 from noon to 1 pm. The theme of the lecture will be “Playing the Inside Out”. The event will take place during the Frye Festival at Moncton City Hall in the Council Chambers at 655 Main Street. The conference will be in English with simultaneous interpretation.

Born in 1950 in Newcastle, N.B., David Adams Richards currently writes in Toronto. He is known for his almost mythic vision. The Vancouver Sun calls him “perhaps the greatest Canadian writer alive”. His latest book The Friends of Meager Fortune was published in 2006 by Doubleday Canada.

In his lecture, David Adams Richards will consider the intellectual, emotional and imaginative strength required to stand by one’s convictions as a writer of fiction.
“A writer must never compromise his imaginative vision in order to be accepted. The result will be an erosion of his art,” explains Paul Curtis, English Professor at the Université de Moncton and one of the organizers of the event, in reference to Richards’ talk.

The writer will also observe how writers in the Maritimes have long been outside the economic and political centres of power, but not the cultural centre. “From this relatively marginal position, the attraction to modify one’s vision in order to be accepted appears all the more powerful,” says Curtis.

These themes of the outsider as well economic and political centres of power are very much in evidence in Mr. Richards latest and perhaps most powerful novel The Friends of Meager Fortune.

Labels: arts, event

Smoke Free Property Policy to be implemented next week

Beginning May 1, all Miramichi Regional Health Authority properties including the inside of vehicles parked on the property will be smoke free. “This policy supports the health authority’s vision of healthier people and healthier communities and will provide a safe environment for both staff and patients,” says Gary Foley, president and CEO.

He says that patients will be offered support during their hospital stay and smoking cessation programs are available to staff. Information available to patients include a “Quit Kit” that contains information about how to quit smoking and available resources. Patients admitted to hospital will also be offered nicotine replacement therapy.

“On May 1 we will join other health authorities in New Brunswick and across Canada by demonstrating our commitment to health promotion and disease prevention.” He says that the health authority has been preparing to implement this policy for over a year.

“As a health care organization, we have a duty to provide leadership in health policy and practice,” says Russell Whitney, board chairperson. “Although we recognize there will be challenges along the way, we are committed to health promotion and disease prevention within our region. This policy is a positive step forward in building both a healthier work environment and a healthier region.” The Miramichi Regional Health Authority’s Board of Directors accepted and approved the Professional Advisory Committee’s recommended smoke free properties policy for the organization. Through the assistance of Health Canada, a coordinator and administrative support personnel were hired to coordinate the implementation of this important health policy under the direction of the Quality Improvement Environment Team and Smoke Free Properties committee.

Dr. Michael Dickinson, chairperson of the Medical Advisory Committee also endorses the policy. “As physicians we applaud this policy as tobacco use is an addictive behavior and plays a major role in contributing to negative health outcomes for the citizens of our region.” He says that tobacco use is considered the single most significant cause of preventable death in Canada and any effort to prevent this is positive.

“This policy also addresses the increasing number of complaints, concerns, and health incidents relative to people smoking near the building entrances,” says Jean-Guy Richard, vice president of administration and chief financial officer. “This policy is important in reducing the risk to non-smokers being exposed to second hand smoke that has been proven to cause cancer as well as reduce the risks to those with allergies, environmental sensitivities and expectant mothers. He says the smoke free committee under the direction of the Environmental Services team has been working hard to put this healthy policy in place.

Labels: health, hospital

National Immunization Awareness Week to be celebrated

National Immunization Awareness Week will be celebrated the week of April 22 to 28 The theme of this year’s week is “Immunization: Are you up to date?”. Miramichi public health professionals will be marking the week by holding an information display in the Miramichi Regional Hospital lobby during the week of April 16. Public health nurses will be available to answer questions from the public on Wednesday, April 17 in the morning and Friday, April 20, in the afternoon.

“This week is an opportunity to inform the community about the importance of vaccinations for all ages,” says Jeanne Comeau, Miramichi Public Health Nurse - Immunization Coordinator. She says that immunizations are not just for infants and children. “It is important for all individuals to be up to date with their vaccinations.” She recommends individuals speak to their family doctor or public health office about immunizations.

“Few measures in preventative medicine are of such proven value and as easy to implement as routine immunization against infectious diseases.” She says immunization carried out as recommended will provide good basic protection against serious diseases.

For more information about immunizations, call the Miramichi Public Health office at 778-6102.

Labels: hospital

Frye Festival Schedule of Events

Now in its 8th year, this five-day celebration of words officially opens April 25 on a quest to promote the pleasure and discovery of reading. Canada's only bilingual literary festival boasts appearances by almost 300 award-winning authors to date, an annual economic impact of $2 million plus on the greater Moncton region. This year its school visits will double, with some 8,000 schoolchildren throughout New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island to welcome authors into their classrooms. The not-for-profit, volunteer-driven festival attracted 10,000 people to its events, donated $4,000 worth of new books to local schools (increases to $6,000 this year), and gave out $2,800 in prize money to new and young writers (this year's amount will also more than double).

Frye Festival Schedule

Tuesday, April 24

6-8 pm: Soirée littéraire - An evening to promote the fun of reading for kids and their families (in French). École Marée Montante, 49 College St., Saint-Louis-de-Kent

7-8:30 pm: Frye Symposium: Pop et Frye - "Anxieties of Identity: Popular Potboilers, Gothic Literature and Stories of the Self". Robert Lapp and Deborah Wills from Mount Allison University discuss popular literature past and present, with a focus on horror, literature of the macabre, and the Gothic (in English). Free admission. Moncton City Hall, 6th floor, 655 Main St

Wednesday, April 25

Writers in Schools - Beginning at 8:30 a.m. and continuing throughout the school day

9:30-10:30 am: Frye Symposium: Lecture by Jean O'Grady - "Revaluing Values". Simultaneous translation. Free admission. Moncton City Hall, Council Chambers, 655 Main St.

11 am: Official Launch of the Festival, Moncton City Hall, Lobby, 655 Main St.

12:00 noon: YMCA Literacy Luncheon. Proceeds to the YMCA's Youth Tutor Club. Guest Speaker: Lesley Choyce. Tickets are $25 per person or $200 for a table of 8. To reserve, call the YMCA at 857-0606. Ramada Plaza Hotel, Crystal Palace, 499 Paul St., Dieppe

1:30-3:30 pm: Frye Symposium Roundtable. Authors discuss the topic: "Ways of Understanding Popular Culture". Moderator: Hélène Destrempes. Panelists: Brecken Rose Hancock, Serge Morin and Tony Tremblay. Simultaneous translation. Free admission. Moncton City Hall, Council Chambers, 655 Main St.

3-5 pm: Workshop for Adults Writing for Children with Lesley Choyce (in English). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Registration fee: $10. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St


5 pm: Entre Nous, Rogers Television Frye Festival Special with Manon Levesque (repeated at 10 pm)

5-7 pm: A Tribute to Jean O'Grady. L'Auberge, Delta Beauséjour Hotel, 750 Main St.

7-9 pm: Reading and Discussion with Lorette Nobécourt, sponsored by Alliance Française and the Consulate General of France. Alliance Française, 241 St. George St.

7-9:30 pm: Aliant Café Underground - Performances by high school students of their own poetry, prose and songwritingMentors: Emily Pohl-Weary and Dano LeBlanc. Free admission. Empress Theatre, Robinson Court (adjoining Capitol Theatre, 811 Main St.)

Thursday, April 26

Writers in Schools - Beginning at 8:30 and continuing throughout the school day

9-11 am: Bilingual Postcard Story Workshop with Jo-Anne Elder - "I'm writing to tell you..."
To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Registration fee: $10. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

9:30-10:30 am: Frye Symposium Lecture by Robert D. Denham - "Frye's Magnum Opus: Fifty Years After". Simultaneous translation. Free admission. Moncton City Hall, Council Chambers, 655 Main St.

12-1 pm: Dialogue - Jean Fugère in conversation with Lorette Nobécourt (in French). Free admission. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

1:30-3:30 pm: Writers Federation of New Brunswick Readings, hosted by Lee Thompson. Readers include Tammy Armstrong, Elizabeth Blanchard, Noeline Bridge, Kelly Cooper, Laurie Glenn Norris and Ed Gates. Admission: $5. Mexicali Rosa's, 683 Main St.

5 pm: Entre Nous - Rogers Television Frye Festival Special with Manon Levesque (repeated at 10 pm)

6 pm to 7 pm: Dialogue - Patrick Lane in conversation with Bernice Eisenstein (in English). Free admission. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

8 pm: Soirée Frye - Readings by Karen Solie, Georgette LeBlanc, Marilyn Lerch and Bryan Perro
Musical Guests: Isaac & Blewett with Les Païens. Award Presentation to the winners of the State Farm Essay Contest. Admission is $5 at the door. Reception to follow. Capitol Theatre, 811 Main St.

10 pm: Night Howl - Featuring George Fetherling and Brigitte Harrison with musical guest Marc-André Léger. Admission: $5. Kramer's Corner, 702 Main St.

Friday, April 27

6-8:40 am: CBC Information Morning - Festival Broadcast. CBC Moncton's Information Morning will air an entire show on the Festival. The program is broadcast on CBC Radio One.

Writers in Schools - Beginning at 8:30 and continuing throughout the school day

9 am-5 pm: Writing for Film and Television Workshop with Randy Pearlstein (in English). Effective techniques for both advanced and beginning film and television writers. To register call 859-4389 by Monday, April 23. Registration fee: $35 - Simultaneous translation. Théâtre l'Escaouette, 170 Botsford St.

9-11 am: Poetry Workshop with Karen Solie (in English). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Registration fee: $10. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

9-11 am: Creative Writing Workshop with Georgette LeBlanc (in French). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Registration fee: $10. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

12-1:30 pm: Roundtable - Authors discuss the topic: "The Graphic Novel Grows Up"
Moderator: Jean Fugère, with Bernice Eisenstein, Dano LeBlanc, Harvey Pekar and Michel Rabagliati. Simultaneous translation - Admission: $10. Moncton City Hall, Council Chambers, 655 Main St.

1:30-3:30 p.m.: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop with Patrick Lane (The Memoir) (in English). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Registration fee: $10. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

5 pm: Entre Nous - Rogers Television Frye Festival Special with Manon Levesque (repeated at 10 pm)

5-6 pm: Book Signing by Harvey Pekar, United Book Store, 347 Mountain Road

5-6:30 pm: Mostly Fiction - Readings by: George Fetherling, Gilles Gougeon, Lorette Nobécourt and Elaine McClusky. Admission: $10. Creek Restaurant, 107 Robinson St.

8-9 pm. Harvey Pekar Live. Admission: $10. Théâtre l'Escaouette, 170 Botsford St.

10 pm: Night Howl - Featuring Emily Pohl-Weary and Serge Patrice Thibodeau with musical guests Urban Café. Admission: $5. Kramer's Corner, 702 Main St.

Saturday, April 28

9 am-12 pm: State Farm KidsFest for children 2 to 12 and their families. Author readings, book signings, workshops, comic strip writing, contests, etc. Free admission. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St. KidsFest schedule includes:

9 am: Michèle Laframboise - Reading
9:30 am: Jeremy Tankard - Reading
10 am: Coro Atlantica - Performance of excerpt from Seussical the Musical
10:30 am: Lesley Choyce - Reading
11 am: Marie-France Comeau - Reading
11:30 am: Dano Leblanc - Signing by Acadieman Creator


10-11 am: Comics in the Library Workshop for Students Aged 8 to 10 with Scott Tingley (in English). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Free admission (www.comicsintheclassroom.net). Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

10-11 am: Writing Workshop for Students Aged 6 to 9 with Marie-France Comeau (in French). " Sur la trace des sens - avec Diego l'escargot ". To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Free admission. Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St.

10 am- 12 pm: Special Festival Broadcast: "Anne et compagnie". Host: Anne Godin. Radio-Canada Atlantique. www.radio-canada.ca/atlantique

9:30-11:30 am: Creative Writing Workshop with Arlette Cousture (in French). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Presented by Université de Moncton’s Alumni Association, Moncton Campus. Registration fee: $10. Dieppe Public Library, 333 Acadie Ave.

10-11:30 am: Saturday Brunch and Books. Brunch begins at 9:30, with readings at 10 by Laura Byrne Paquet, Gilles Gougeon, Brigitte Harrison and Elaine McCluskey. Admission: Cost of the meal. Kramer's Corner, 702 Main St.

11:30 am: The "Association France-Canada Moncton" Hosts Author Lorette Nobécourt. On the menu: Acadian Fricot - Admission: $15 (not included in Festival Pass). Registration: Ronald Cormier, 383-8563 or rcormier8563@rogers.com. Rotary Pavilion - St. Anselme Park, Dieppe

12-1 pm: The Antonine Maillet - Northrop Frye Lecture - Lecture by David Adams Richards entitled "Playing the Inside Out". Simultaneous translation. Admission: $10. Moncton City Hall, Council Chambers, 655 Main St.

1:30-2:30 pm: Dialogue - Tony Tremblay in conversation with David Adams Richards (in English). Admission: $10. Moncton City Hall, Council Chambers, 655 Main St.

2-4 pm: Comic Book Workshop for Students 12+ with Jeremy Tankard (in English). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Registration fee: $10. Sponsored by Read's (all proceeds to Laubach Literacy). United Book Store, 347 Mountain Road.

2-4 pm: Comic Book Workshop for Students 12+ with Jimmy Beaulieu (in French). To register call: 382-3015 or fryeworkshops@hotmail.com. Registration fee: $10. Sponsored by Read's (all proceeds to Laubach Literacy). United Book Store, 347 Mountain Road.

3-3:30 pm: Book Signings with Allan Cooper and Others! Festival Bookstore and Café, Lobby, Delta Beauséjour Hotel, 750 Main St.

3-4 pm: Dialogue - Gilles Gougeon in conversation with (to come) (in French). Admission: $10. Moncton City Hall, Council Chambers, 655 Main St.

3-4:30 pm: Aliant Budding Writers, Grade 5 to 8 students read their own work
Mentors: Emily Pohl-Weary and Paul Roux. Free admission. Riverview Middle School, 45 Devere Road, Riverview.

4-6 pm: The 'Not Just Another Book Launch' Event - Goose Lane Editions and Éditions Perce-Neige present their new titles, including works by Laura Byrne Paquet, Lesley Choyce, Tammy Armstrong, Georgette LeBlanc and others. Hosted by Goose Lane Editions' Susanne Alexander and Éditions Perce-Neige's Serge Patrice Thibodeau. Free admission. Reception to follow. Moncton City Hall, Lobby, 655 Main St.

8-11 pm: Frye Jam - An extravaganza of readings of all kinds, music and a comic jam.
Hosts: Les Païens. Musical Guests: Suzanne Léger, Sean Booth & ParaNerd, Pascal Lejeune and pAn. Admission: $10. Aberdeen Cultural Centre, 140 Botsford St.

Sunday, April 29

10-11:30 am: Brunch and Books - Readings and musings on the writing life with (to come) and Arlette Cousture. Also includes the Greater Moncton Literacy Advisory Board's annual "Adult New Writers Contest Awards". Tickets are $20 and must be purchased by April 27 through the Capitol Theatre Box Office or by telephone at 856-4379 or 1-800-567-1922. Delta Beauséjour Hotel, Mezzanine, 750 Main St.

1-2 pm: Poet flyé Says Bye Bye! Paul Bossé reads his Poet flyé epic creation. Unveiling of the Northrop Frye commemorative plaque. Free admission, food, music and parking. Greater Moncton International Airport, Destinations Lounge, 2nd Floor, 777 Aviation Ave., Dieppe.

Labels: arts, event

Living with Stroke Program

Beginning May 2, 2007, a program providing support and information will be available to stroke survivors as well as their partners at the Miramichi Regional Hospital.

The Living with Stroke program was developed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick and is designed to help participants increase their understanding of their stroke and enhance recovery by learning various techniques. The six week program will be delivered by various health care professionals from the Miramichi Regional Health Authority that includes a nurse, clinical nutritionist, occupational therapist, pharmacist and social worker.

The program has limited seating and registration is requested on or before April 25th. For more information or to register, please call the social work department at the Miramichi Regional Hospital at 623-3185.

Labels: health, hospital, program

Summary of March 26, 2007 Board Meeting


The Miramichi Regional Health Authority Board of Directors held its monthly meeting March 26, 2007 at the Miramichi Regional Hospital. The following are highlights of the meeting:

1. Health Authority experiencing overcrowding in the ER

Through the Medical Advisory Committee’s report, Dr. Michael Hayden, chief of emergency medicine reported that the continuing problem of patients awaiting admission to hospital and being cared for in the emergency department for prolonged periods of time is causing concern. The situation is directly related to the consistent high occupancy rates of medical beds available in the hospital. “This is very demanding and stressful for emergency department staff and provides a less than ideal setting for patient care,” said Dr. Hayden. The pressures this is causing include greater than normal wait times due to a lack of space to assess and treat incoming patients, increased risk to patients as the department is not designed to care for inpatients, and a greater level of stress placed on the department’s staff and physicians. The number of patients waiting in the emergency department for a hospital bed varies from 0 to as high as 11.

As a result of this continuous problem and its impact, the Medical Advisory Committee passed a motion that the emergency department will only be holding a maximum of four patients waiting for a hospital bed. When this number is exceeded, patients will be disbursed to overflow beds within the hospital.

Gary Foley, president and CEO indicated there are many causes to the problem, although it is recognized that alternate level of care patients awaiting nursing home placement are occupying medical beds in the facility that could be used for acute patient care. “In past years, we experienced these pressures during the flu season however there are no longer relief periods. This is a consistent and continuous situation.” Over the last ten months a total of 20 to 25 patients have been occupying medical beds while waiting for either an assessment or placement to a nursing home. The Board unanimously passed a motion for the Board chairperson to write a letter to the government endorsing Mount Saint Joseph’s proposed expansion of 25 beds in which they have their own capital funding.

Foley informed the Board that stakeholders have been meeting on a daily basis to review appropriate bed utilization. He will be meeting with the deputy ministers of Health and Family and Community Services later this week to discuss the impact of this issue on the Miramichi Regional Hospital and possible solutions.

2. Financial Summary

It was reported that at the end of January 2007, the Miramichi Regional Health Authority had a ten month operating deficit of $1.2 million. Contributing factors of the deficit include costs associated with physician locums, recruitment, high occupancy rates of patients in the emergency department waiting for a hospital bed, and high patient days in the operating room and outpatient clinics.

3. Recruitment Update

Gary Foley, President and CEO provided the committee with a recruitment update. He was pleased to inform them that anesthetists, Dr. Morales and Dr. Rai had arrived. Their arrival completes the full complement of anesthetists. He was also pleased to advise them that Dr. Mahfoudi, psychiatrist also had arrived bringing the complement of psychiatrists to four of which two are bilingual. Discussions with an urologist have been successful and he is expected to begin work in August. Active discussions are ongoing with internists and family doctors.

Foley thanked Dr. Carl Hudson for his contribution to the organization over the last number of years as the vice president of medical services. Dr. Hudson will be leaving the position at the end of March to pursue his family practice full-time. He indicated that discussions are ongoing to fill the position.

In other areas of recruitment, Foley was pleased to inform the board that 15 graduate nurses had been recruited to join the float team upon graduation in the spring. He said a physiotherapist and medical radiation technologist had also been recruited. The First Nations Liaison position interviews have been completed and are in the selection phase.

He reported that a new structure will be implemented for Maternal Child Health Services that will have one nurse manager responsible for the pediatric and obstetrics nursing units. A resource nurse will be hired to support the staff in their clinical and professional development in order to improve patient care standards. This change is based on the recent resignation of the pediatric nurse manager and recommendations made from the Nursing Leadership review in early 2006.

4. Mango awarded grant

In her report to the Board, Marilyn Underhill, vice-president of professional services was pleased to announce that Mango had been awarded a grant from the National Collaborating Center for Healthy Public Policy based in Quebec. The grant will be used to fund a part-time position that will be responsible to develop healthy public policy that addresses obesity in the region. Miramichi is one of four sites across the country that was chosen to receive this funding.

Labels: hospital

Easter Bunny Hops into the Mall this weekend

The Easter Bunny will be at the Northumberland Square mall!
Date: April 5th & 7th, 2007
Location: Northumberland Square mall, 2441 King George Hwy., Miramichi (Douglastown)

The Easter bunny will have Easter colouring books, crayons and Easter treats for all the kids. Children can have their own photo taken with the Easter bunny for free.

Event dates & times: Thursday, April 5th ● 2-4 p.m. ● 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, April 7th, ● 10 a.m. - 12 noon ● 2-4 p.m..

Labels: event