All links are best viewed in Google Chrome. Estimated read time: five minutes | - Staff Safety Talk - risks from complacency
- Hand hygiene auditing updates
- What is spirometry testing and why is it important?
| - Reminder: Transitioning from Webex to Microsoft Teams
- Accountability and Performance Plan - focus on impact, not just activity
- Submission deadline for 2025 health and dental benefits claims is April 30
- Code of the Month: Code Green - Evacuation
- LifeSpeak - an inclusive workplace
- Deadline approaching: Women Leading Philanthropy $100,000 Grant
| - Thank you for supporting the 2025-26 Fall Immunization Program
| - Training opportunity: Anti-racism training - Regina
- Webinar: Crafting a Strong Innovation Award Nomination
- Presentation: Stories of Resiliency and Reconciliation
- Webinar: Belonging, Diversity and Inclusion - Understanding Intersectionality
- Session: Social Work and Evidence Based Practice
- Workshop: Fundamentals of Fetal Health Surveillance
- Workshop: Acute Care of the at-Risk Newborn (ACoRN)
| Staff Safety Talk - risks from complacency When working on autopilot it can become easy to miss hazards, ignore important cues, or have delayed reaction times that can cause us harm when we are performing our tasks. Having strategies to recognize when our minds are drifting and bringing our attention back to the work at hand is an important step in keeping ourselves and others safe at work.
Read this week's Staff Safety Talk and post/share the injury saving tips with your teams. | Hand hygiene auditing updates December 31, 2025 marked the end of the first full year of hand hygiene auditing since the SHA officially launched the Clean Hands System. Congratulations to the SHA for maintaining an overall hand hygiene compliance rate of 86 per cent.
Thank you to our staff for helping achieve the following: - 686 auditors that collected hand hygiene observation across the SHA,
- 170 facilities (325 units) met the minimum number of observations needed to create a compliance report,
- 121, 828 observations were collected!
Additionally, the Clean Hands User Manual and Troubleshooting Guide have been updated to include examples of emails that auditors would receive to indicate FormAudits were successfully or unsuccessfully processed. See report below for more information. | What is spirometry testing and why is it important? Spirometry testing is a common lung function test used to diagnose and monitor respiratory conditions like asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and other lung diseases. The test measures how much air a person can inhale and exhale, as well as how quickly they can do so. It is performed in hospitals, clinics, and some primary care offices across the province. Spirometry is a crucial tool for evaluating lung health and is considered the gold standard for diagnosing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. During the test, patients breathe into a spirometer, which records airflow measurements. Results help health-care providers diagnose conditions early, track disease progression, and adjust treatments. Spirometry is particularly important for monitoring lung health in individuals exposed to environmental factors like agricultural dust, wildfire smoke, and occupational hazards. Spirometry testing is available through the Saskatchewan Health Authority and private clinics, but you need a referral from a physician. People in Saskatchewan will get better care for lung conditions. This includes a quicker diagnosis, treatment for flare-ups, and support for long-term care and rehabilitation, all close to home. | Reminder: Transitioning from Webex to Microsoft Teams As part of eHealth’s ongoing efforts to streamline communications and improve collaboration across the organization, the transition from Webex to Microsoft Teams is now underway. As of March 2, Microsoft Teams is the recommended platform for chats, virtual meetings, and boardroom meetings. On March 30, all new meetings should be scheduled in Microsoft Teams. On April 20, Webex will be fully decommissioned. Training resources and support are available on the eHealth Learning Portal. Thank you for your cooperation as we work toward a single collaboration platform. | Accountability and Performance Plan - focus on impact, not just activity The intent of the Accountability and Performance Plan (APP) is to allow you to identify three to four goals that are most important to you and/or the work you do. With so many demands on time and attention, your APP goals serve as an anchor to help prioritize the contributions that matter most.
Setting goals at the start of the fiscal year means you can pursue small wins along the way that can add up to big results at the end of the year.
Take some time to reflect on your APP goals for the year and consider the impact you have had this year on the team you are a part of, on the broader organization, with the patients, families, and with the communities that you serve.
Employees should complete their portion of the APP by March 31, so that managers can focus on year-end review meetings and submissions before the April 30 deadline. | Submission deadline for 2025 health and dental benefits claims is April 30 We want to make sure all Saskatchewan health-care workers get reimbursed for health benefit expenses.
The deadline to submit 2025 health and dental claims to Canada Life is April 30. To be considered for reimbursement, health and/or dental expenses incurred from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, must be received by Canada Life or post-marked on or before April 30.
Claims for expenses incurred in 2025 that Canada Life receives after April 30 will not be considered for reimbursement.
For more information and guidance on the best way to submit claims, visit 3sHealth website. | Code of the Month: Code Green - Evacuation March Code of the Month highlights Code Green - Evacuation, which is activated when it is necessary to move patients, residents, staff, and/or visitors to a safer location due to an internal or external threat. Staff are reminded to follow site-specific evacuation procedures, prioritizing life safety, patient needs, and clear communication. Evacuation may be partial or full, depending on the situation, and coordination across teams is essential. Please review the Code of the Month poster and take time to familiarize yourself with your site’s evacuation procedures and routes.
If you have any questions, please contact the Health Emergency Management (HEM) team at SHA.HEM@saskhealthauthority.ca. | LifeSpeak - an inclusive workplace An inclusive workplace fosters a culture where every individual feels respected, valued, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. When people feel they belong, collaboration strengthens, innovation grows, and organizations perform at their best. Learn more through the following resources:
Visit the Well-being and Resilience webpage for more information and resources to support your well-being.
| Deadline Approaching: Women Leading Philanthropy $100,000 Grant (2026–2027) Royal University Hospital (RUH) Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Women Leading Philanthropy Grant, awarding $100,000 to support innovative, women-led health-care initiatives at the Royal University Hospital.
The Women Leading Philanthropy program empowers female physicians, practitioners, and researchers to bring forward bold ideas that advance patient care, drive innovation and shape the future of health care in Saskatchewan.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, this grant helps accelerate transformative projects while championing women’s leadership in health. Together, we are transforming health care through the leadership and generosity of women. | Recognition and Appreciation | Thank you for supporting the 2025-26 Fall Immunization Program Sent on behalf of Jessica Campbell, SHA Executive Director of Primary Health Care Northwest, and Lee-Ann Palazzo, SHA Immunization Outreach Coordinator
Each fall, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), in partnership with the Ministry of Health, promotes the seasonal immunization program to protect individuals and minimize the spread of respiratory illnesses such as influenza and COVID-19. Receiving these vaccines is one of the best ways to prevent getting sick and reduce the severity of illness and the impact of influenza and COVID-19 on the health-care system.
Teams from across the province came together to make annual immunizations available to everyone aged six months and older in Saskatchewan.
This program would not be a success without your efforts.
As the 2025-26 fall immunization campaign nears its end, we extend our deepest thanks to everyone who played a part in supporting this important work. Thank you! | Webinar: Crafting a Strong Innovation Award Nomination Date: March 11
Time: 12 - 12:45 p.m.
Location: Virtual The SHA Innovation Awards provides the chance for you to nominate and recognize teams and individuals leading innovative work across the province. If you need more help with creating a strong nomination, join our next lunch and learn event on March 11. Our presenters will walk you through the key nomination questions, share insider tips on what makes a standout application, and answer your questions. Whether you are nominating for the first time or looking to refine your approach, this session will help you showcase innovation with clarity and impact.
Deadline for nominations is March 20. Register for our next lunch and learn event with the link below. | Presentation: Stories of Resiliency and Reconciliation Date: March 12
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Auditorium, Regina General Hospital, Regina SK or Virtual Join the Department of Surgery's Grand Rounds for a presentation on stories of resiliency and reconciliation presented by Kevin Chief. Learn more from Kevin on how to: - foster meaningful connections with others and build understanding;
- reflect on how the ideas and stories shared can inform personal growth and professional development;
- develop actionable steps—small or large—to strengthen ongoing relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities.
Contact surgery.dept@usask.ca to join virtually through Zoom. | Webinar: Belonging, Diversity and Inclusion - Understanding Intersectionality Date: March 17 and 18, April 21 and 23
Time: 12 - 1 p.m.
Location: Virtual
All staff are invited to attend a lunch and learn training session focused on intersectionality. These sessions introduce intersectionality as a practical framework for understanding how people's identities, lived experiences, and how roles intersect and shape how people experience care, the workplace, and health outcomes. Participants will explore how increased awareness of these intersections supports more compassionate, respectful, and equitable care for patients and families, while also strengthening team relationships and psychological safety.
Note: March 19 event was rescheduled to March 18. The session time remains the same. If you registered for March 19, your invite will automatically be updated. | Session: Social Work and Evidence Based Practice Date: March 24
Time: 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual The SHA Registered Social Workers Community of Practice (regardless of job title) will be exploring evidence-based practice within Social Work, presented by SHA Librarian Mark Mueller. This session explores the use of evidence-based practice, exploring Social Work information needs and learn about new resources. This will also be an opportunity to take part and have your voice heard on the redesign of the SHA Library Social Work Resource page. Contact Brina Down, Manager of Professional Practice, Social Work if you have any questions. View the SharePoint site below for more information. | Workshop: Fundamentals of Fetal Health Surveillance Date: March 27 and 28
Time: 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual The course is intended for practitioners (nurses, physicians, registered midwives) with clinical experience as part of their regular review of fetal health surveillance knowledge, skills and clinical decision making as well as new obstetrical care pro-viders as an adjunct to their facility orientation program. | Online module: Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care Paramedic
There are spots available for Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) Paramedic course offered on March 18. There will be approximately 8 hours of self-learning online modules that must be completed prior to attending the facilitated virtual class on December 16. These modules can be done at your own pace. There is no cost to attend and is open to all paramedics in the province. Please forward to those you feel might be interested.
| Workshop: Acute Care of the at-Risk Newborn (ACoRN) Date: April 15 and 16
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: La Loche Health Centre, La Loche, SK The Acute Care of the at-risk Newborn (ACoRN) workshop provides health-care professionals with the knowledge and skills of neonatal resuscitation, assessment and management of the at-risk newborn. Participants must complete an on-line exam prior to the in-person component. The workshop utilizes simulation based education and debriefing to support team-based approach to care. For more information, contact jenna.lockert@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. | | | | |
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