GBGH puts safety first as team receives their annual flu shots

Gail Hunt, president and CEO of Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) and Nicole Kraftscik, executive director of the GBGH Foundation, each did their part to protect patients by receiving their flu shot during the first days of the hospital’s annual influenza campaign. During the first two days of the campaign, more than 150 immunizations were given to the GBGH team. Photo (from left) – Gail Hunt; Lana Whittaker, RN, Occupational Health & Safety (OHS); Nicole Kraftscik; and Judy Schell, manager, OHS.

October 24, 2019 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) launched its annual influenza immunization campaign this week in the hospital’s efforts to ensure patient, visitor and staff safety during the upcoming flu season. During the campaign staff, credentialed staff and volunteers are encouraged to receive their flu shot at the hospital to protect patients, themselves, their loved ones and their colleagues.

“Our annual flu shot campaign is an important part of GBGH’s commitment to patient and our team’s safety,” says Judy Schell, manager, Occupational Health & Safety (OHS), GBGH. “We are committed to ensuring the highest safety precautions are in place to protect patients. We make vaccination a top priority every fall at our hospital so our team of staff, credentialed staff and volunteers don’t pass along the flu virus to our patients and are healthy enough to provide care to patients when they need us the most.”

To make receiving their immunization as convenient as possible, GBGH’s OHS team is visiting departments and running clinics to ensure as many of its team members as possible receive a flu shot during the next five weeks.

“Flu season is a challenging time of year for hospitals as patient volumes rise due to the flu,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “This fall we’re already seeing patient volumes well over the number of beds we have at our hospital. With flu season approaching, the need for hospital beds will become even greater. To help ease the impact of the flu season, we are not only encouraging our team to be immunized, but asking the public to consider doing the same. Vaccination has a positive impact on reducing flu activity in the community, and therefore in our Emergency department and throughout the hospital.”

All GBGH patients will be screened for symptoms of influenza upon arriving at the Emergency department (ED) or at registration as part of enhanced safety precautions during the upcoming flu season. Patients with flu-like symptoms will be required to wear a mask and be isolated when possible. GBGH’s new ED includes an isolation waiting room which will be utilized for these patients.

The public is asked to not visit the hospital if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms such as cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fever, chills and sweats, headache, and muscle and joint pain. All visitors should practice hand hygiene on arrival and exiting the hospital to minimize virus transmission throughout the year and particularly during flu season.

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Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Communications Officer, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177
moorejen@gbgh.on.ca