After a year of planning, research, consultation, and collaboration, SHN’s Women and Children’s program is heading into a busy autumn, as we gear up to develop centres of excellence for paediatrics, obstetrics, and neonatal intensive care.
From renovations, to enhanced education and skills training, the team is in the final stages of the program redesign. They are the first SHN team to transform care through clinical services planning.
Through this transformation, the program will provide children, babies, and expectant parents in our community with the care they need, when they need it, right here in Scarborough.
October 30 – the big move!
On Wednesday, October 30, we take a big step toward transformation. We will smoothly transition the birthing, inpatient paediatrics, and neonatal intensive care units from Birchmount hospital to the Centenary and General hospitals.
Our top priority is our patients’ safety, particularly during this time of transition.
SHN physicians, nurses, and clinical interprofessional staff have developed comprehensive and evidence-based safety protocols for the October 30th transition, and the ongoing care for our patients and their families.
Skills training for nurses
The Women and Children’s team recently put SHN’s strategic direction of “empowering and inspiring our people” into action by hosting skills-building workshops to support emergency and paediatric nurses.
The workshops – which continue into October – are an exciting educational opportunity to bring staff from all three hospitals together to meet each other, learn together, and share their experiences in caring for children, babies, and expectant parents.
By the end of October, more than 300 emergency and paediatric nurses will have enhanced their skills through this training.
High-risk situation simulations
Nurses aren’t the only ones sharpening their skills. In mid-October, SHN physicians, midwives, and allied health professionals will join colleagues from the Sunnybrook Canadian Simulation Centre for an accredited simulation activity.
The simulations will focus on high-risk health scenarios for children, babies, and expectant parents who need care at SHN’s Emergency Departments or need to be transferred between SHN hospitals.
SHN, in partnership with Sick Kids Simulation Program, is also working to build an in-house simulation team.
Hard hats please!
As we count down to the big move, renovations and upgrades are in progress at all three hospitals.
Refreshing and upgrading the Family Birthing Centres and Neonatal Intensive Care Units is underway at the Centenary and General hospitals. And the brand new paediatrics unit and Kids Clinics at the General hospital are taking shape.
Continuing our commitment to patient-and-family centred care, we are also creating specific child- and family-friendly spaces in all of SHN’s Emergency Departments and opening a new Kids Short Stay Clinic at Birchmount hospital.
Want to know more about the care we provide for children, babies, and expectant parents in Scarborough? Check out these quick guides:
Kids Care Services
Maternal & Newborn Services
If you have questions about SHN’s care for children, babies, and expectant parents, please email communications@shn.ca at any time.