CKHA Innovation Grants help staff, volunteers make good ideas real

From the Whoot Whoot Wagon to a “Trans Health” program, local hospital staff and volunteers with good ideas are getting money to implement them.

After a few years absence, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Innovation Grants made a return this year as voted on by the WeRCKHA staff engagement council.

There were five $10,000 grants and seven $1,000 grants.

“This is something I really cherish at CKHA,” said president and chief executive Lori Marshall.

The program offers “staff, physicians, volunteers and patient advisers the opportunity to bring forward their great ideas about how we can make changes at CKHA that either benefit our patients or benefit the quality of workplace for colleagues,” she said.

For the first time, the CKHA made one of its $10,000 grants available to its community health team partners, Marshall said. “That is our way to provide support to them to really help us.”

That grant went to Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team for subsidized respite care for dementia-appropriate patients to manage avoidable visits and admissions to CKHA. More tools and resources will be provided to improve assess and treat clients the Alzheimer’s Society of Chatham-Kent (ASCK) serves within the Chatham and Wallaceburg day programs, and in-home respite community clients. Applicant: Brandon Ball, ASCK

The other $10,000 grant recipients include:

Wearable BiPAPs: A form of non-invasive ventilation therapy used to facilitate breathing, is being implemented to assist with patient flow within CKHA and enhanced care for patients. Applicants: Jaime Shields and Shelley Stroud

Functional Electrical Stimulation: A non-invasive alternative treatment for foot drop, which occurs when there’s weakness in the muscles or lack of voluntary control within the ankle and foot dorsiflexion, causing toes to drag and the foot to drop during the normal gait pattern, greatly increasing the risk for falls. Applicant: Maureen McKerrall

Phantom Blue IV Training Block: Intravenous access is a critical bedside clinical skill for pediatricians and neonatal nurses. Obtaining IV access can be extremely challenging, usually due to the size of available and visible vessels in tiny premature infants. This training block will provide an opportunity for staff education and will improve patient care. Applicant: Dr. Yasser Soliman

Development of a “Trans Health” program: The program is designed to support trans and gender diverse individuals ages 16 and up in Chatham-Kent, working from a gender-affirming and informed consent approach. Services provided will include: ongoing psychiatric care; physical health needs addressed with clinic nurse practitioner; surgery referrals; brief treatment therapy referrals; access to RAAM (Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine) clinic and withdrawal management services; Gender Journey Support Group and Trans Mental Health Hotline. Applicant: Dr. Rizwan Rafiq

The $1,000 grant recipients include:

Recognition cart: Called the “Whoot Whoot Wagon,” this cart of kindness, recognition and spirit will travel the hospital randomly recognizing our staff, volunteers and physicians. Applicant: Melissa Sorrell

Geomatrix gel accessories for bed and wheelchair: This provides support to enable pressure redistribution, increase patient comfort and support and reduce injury. Applicant: Becky Shea

Indigenous art for Wallaceburg and Chatham: Two separate grants to commission a local artist to enhance the organization’s physical spaces. This will “exemplify a culture of empathy, compassion and inclusivity.” Applicant: Catherine Tyndall

Comfortable chair for bedside care partners: Given the importance of family-centered care and support during the end-of-life experience, it’s meaningful for relative to be comfortable during this transition. Family members will benefit from a comfortable recliner chair or cot to rest on. Applicant: Heather Thomas

Artwork for pediatric waiting room: Create a cheery and calm environment for children waiting. Applicant: Juliette Bechard

Gel surface for flesh: This will assist in patient comfort and well-being during dialysis treatments. Applicant: Lisa Broad

“All of these are one-time funding in nature, so it’s not intended to be additional staffing for different things that would carry over,” Marshall said. “They really are one-time initiatives that people identify.”