All links are best viewed in Google Chrome. Estimated read time: seven minutes | - SHA to deploy metal detectors in urban emergency departments to strengthen hospital safety and security
- Government of Saskatchewan launches independent review to strengthen hospital safety and security
- Online booking for lab appointments to be available in Nipawin, Melfort and Tisdale
| - Resource Spotlight: Straight to the point of care with BMJ Best Practice
- Hazardous Medication procedure training period
| - Staff Safety Talk - distracted walking
| - Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology program - endoscopy scope fleet ribbon cutting
| - Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) sessions
- Prince Albert Med Gala - award recipients announced
| - Clinical Standards status report
| Public Service Annoucements and News Releases | SHA to deploy metal detectors in urban emergency departments to strengthen hospital safety and security The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is strengthening hospital safety and security by expanding the deployment of metal detectors in urban emergency departments. | Government of Saskatchewan launches independent review to strengthen hospital safety and security The Government of Saskatchewan is launching an independent, third-party review of hospital safety and security at the request of the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). The Ministry of Health will lead the work to select a qualified expert capable of undertaking it as quickly as possible. The review will examine current practices and provide recommendations to help improve safety for patients, visitors and staff across all SHA facilities. | Online booking for lab appointments to be available in Nipawin, Melfort and Tisdale: The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) continues to expand its online Patient Booking System for lab appointments to book blood and urine collection, electrocardiograms (ECGs) and glucose tolerance testing online, where available. Nipawin, Melfort and Tisdale will be the latest communities to have access to the Patient Booking System. | Resource Spotlight: Straight to the point of care with British Medical Journal (BMJ) Best Practice BMJ Best Practice is an evidence-based clinical decision support tool structured around the patient consultation. It provides health care providers with step-by-step guidance informed by best evidence and expert opinion.
A standout feature is the Comorbidities Manager, which allows users to create tailored treatment plans by selecting from a range of common comorbidities.
The tool includes a wide range of content, including 37 specialties, 1,000+ monographs, 6,700+ searchable diagnostic and treatment guidelines, and 3,000+ images, and is integrated with the global drug information resource Martindale.
BMJ Best Practice is available via desktop and as a mobile app. Visit the Library online for more resources and services, or contact the SHA Clinical Library for help. | Hazardous Medication procedure training period The Hazardous Medication Procedure (SHA-08-010P6), questions and answers document, and implementation checklist are available for training purposes on the SHA Policy and Clinical Standards document finder. The pre-implementation period allows time for team training and preparation before the procedure takes effect on February 20, 2026. It is not expected that everything will be in place on the effective date of a new procedure. For many areas this will be a work in progress. The implementation checklist is a tool designed to help operational managers or clinical designates and educators facilitate the transition to the new procedure.
For information on the release of upcoming Medication Management procedures, see the Approved Medication Management Status Report on the policy resources webpage below.
| Staff Safety Talk - distracted walking Have you ever bumped into a person, object, or even a wall because you were distracted while on the move? Distracted walking may increase the risk of falls, collisions with equipment, and serious injuries like sprains, fractures, or head injuries by diverting your attention from hazards around you. Read this week’s Staff Safety Talk to learn how to prevent injuries from distracted walking. | Recognition and Appreciation | Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology program - endoscopy scope fleet ribbon cutting Thanks to the generous donors and Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation (JPCHF) the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Program (GI), within the Maternal and Children's portfolio, was able to replace their endoscopy scope fleet at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital. This project was nearly a year in the making and was successfully rolled out in December 2025.
Working with our vendor, Vantage Endoscopy, they were able to provide the latest technology that Fujifilm has to offer. Providing a significant improvement in image quality that allows the physicians to see the images more clearly; meaning more timely diagnosis and subsequent treatment. With this new equipment, our pediatric team is also able to provide care delivery consistent with our adult counterparts.
In addition to the new equipment, we added two new slim therapeutic gastroscopes. The unique gastroscope size provides a slimmer diameter gastroscope with a larger working channel that will help with treating bleeds and other therapeutic procedures. In addition, two purchased endoscope towers have replaced the older one, which doubles program and operating room accessibility to scope towers. This was a collaborative effort to improve accessibility to patient care while offering safe, effective and timely access to diagnostic testing.
We are very grateful for the support of the foundation to enable our physicians and nurses to live our CARES values and provide the patients and families in the province the best possible care experience. | Ribbon cutting for new endoscopy equipment in Operating Room 4 at the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital. From left: Wendy Fehr (Nurse Practitioner); Shawna Chappell (Clinical Coordinator); Dr. Rabin Persad (Pediatric GI Division Head); Martie Davies (Children's Subspecialty Program Manager); Cheryl Labbie (Pediatric GI Procedure Nurse); Dr. Fatima Hussain (Pediatric GI physician); Patti Firby (Clinical Coordinator); Ashley Joyal (Vantage Endoscopy Representative); and Mary Ann Trazo (Clinical Coordinator) | Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) sessions All Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) sessions will be delivered virtually through Zoom with no cost to participate. Upcoming dates include: - February 21 and 24, 2026
- March 17, 18 (Paramedic), 24, and 26, 2026
If you are interested in a specific course, fill out the date of the session you are interested in. Do not use todays date in the form. Please note that submitting the form does not enroll you in the course. Registration details will be sent directly to the email address you provide. Ensure you are giving an email address (work or personal) that you check often. Registrants must have approval from their manager, if applicable. | Prince Albert Med Gala - award recipients announced The Boreal Healthcare Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2026 Med Gala Awards, celebrating individuals and teams whose dedication, expertise, and collaboration continue to strengthen patient care across Prince Albert and northern Saskatchewan. Recipients were selected through a community nomination process. Nominations submitted by community members, patients, and colleagues played a meaningful role in shaping the final selections and highlighting the impact of care delivered across the region. The 2026 award recipients are: - Dr. Edmond Royeppen, recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Healthcare Award, recognized for his commitment to surgical care, clinical leadership, and patient-centred practice.
- Jaclyn McDonald, recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award, recognized for her work in maternal and newborn care as a lactation consultant in Victoria Hospital’s Obstetrics Unit.
- Victoria Hospital Laboratory Services Team, recipients of the Collaborative Care Award, recognized for their essential contributions to diagnostic services and patient care across the region.
The Med Gala will take place on March 27, 2026. See below to purchase tickets or learn more about the event. | Clinical Standards status report The Clinical Standards Status Report is a live resource providing up-to-date information on provincial clinical standards document development. It is accessible to both SHA staff and external partners. Hosted in Smartsheet, the report includes details such as the development phase, document type, related education materials, and anticipated publication timelines. Leadership, educators, and point-of-care staff are encouraged to review the report regularly to support implementation planning and training awareness.The Interprofessional Practice team and Document Development leads update the report at least once a month to ensure the information remains current. For more information, visit the Clinical Standards webpage or contact clinicalstandards@saskhealthauthority.ca. | TO PRINT AND POST: Just print this email. DO YOU HAVE A SUBMISSION? See our guidelines here. DID YOU MISS AN ISSUE? See our archives. | Need help with something related to communications? Check out the new communications
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