A mock patient room was set up in the cafeteria during Canadian Patient Safety Week (October 24-28) to remind all of us about patient safety. The room had a wide variety of safety issues hidden for a search and find activity. These ranged from simple ones that children could identify to more challenging ones requiring some medical knowledge. There was a great response from staff, physicians, patients and families for this activity. We look forward to next year's challenge!

Alberta Children’s Hospital is committed to keeping children and youth safe while they are receiving care. Patients and families also have an important role when it comes to safety. When everyone works together, there are better health outcomes and experiences for the child and family.

For some families, it can be challenging to speak up about a potential safety issue or concern. You might be worried about offending a healthcare provider or impacting the care provided. However, by speaking up, you can help to prevent potential harm and promote safety. Your voice matters. Trust your intuition and knowledge about your child and calmly express your observations and concerns. If you feel your concerns are not being adequately addressed, speak with the charge nurse or the unit manager.

You can also acknowledge the safety practices of healthcare providers. Thank them for listening to you and responding to your questions and concerns. Express appreciation when you observe their safety practices such as doing procedural checks, confirming medication and dosages, and having conversations with you about symptoms and behaviors to watch for. 

Most families that receive care at Alberta Children’s Hospital are not aware of the safety issues that could potentially happen. It is your role to create the space and environment to encourage safety conversations with families. Start by openly encouraging and valuing the family’s involvement as part of the care team. Listen to their observations and concerns and encourage questions. Share with the family what they need to know to be a care partner such as what symptoms or behaviours to monitor and what to do if the child deteriorates.

When a family expresses a concern, be curious and open. Explore with them the options to keep their child safe. Thank them for bringing up a potential safety concern so they will feel confident to do it again if something else should arise. 

Plans are underway to introduce a new advisory council at ACH focused on safety. This council will provide the patient and family perspective for the site's Safest Together work and other safety projects. Safest Together focuses on creating a strong safety culture at the hospital to eliminate hospital acquired harm. To do this well, they need to hear from patients and families. The safety advisory council will meet on the first Thursday of the month starting in February 2023. Meetings will be in the evening, online. Youth and parents/caregivers are invited to apply.

Please email the PFCC Team if you are interested in finding out more.

Staff and Physicians - if you know a youth or family member who may be a potential member, please share this information with them.

The recording is now available from the PFCC Week webinar "It's the Little Things: PFCC is how you do your thing!". The webinar presents an inspiring series of personal stories that illustrate the value of paying attention to the little things in healthcare. This session was part of the Grand Round series by the Calgary Zone PFCC Committee.

Check it out here.

When Patients Experience Emotional Harm: How Trust can be Rebuilt - Webinar happening on November 30th from 12:00-1:00pm. Patient Relations’ captures the voice of patients and families and how their experience of emotional harm can erode trust and damage patient-provider relationships. Together we can take steps to prevent harm and learn strategies to rebuild trust.

The Wheel of Engagement - recorded webinar highlighting the AHS Wheel of Engagement - a tool for understanding the different ways to include patient and family voices in everything we do.

Moving PFCC Forward: Opportunities for Partnership to Promote Healing and Transformation recorded webinar with Bev Johnson, President and CEO of the Institute for Patient and Family Centred Care and Erin Day, Patient and Family Advisor

Transforming Health Care Through Partnerships: A Vision for the Future of PFCC - recording of the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Institute for Patient and Family Centred Care highlighting achievements in the field and exploring the future of patient and family centred care.

100 years from now, what we know to be today’s modern healthcare system will be a distant memory. ACH would like to provide tomorrow’s generation with a glimpse at the myriad of experiences and insights we have today, as well as our hopes and dreams for the future. The hospital is creating a time capsule to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Alberta Children’s Hospital, to be opened in 2122.

There are two themes for the time capsule:

First - A snapshot of healthcare as we know it – a chance for future caregivers to hold a moment of time in their hands and feel what it was like to walk into ACH in 2022. From personal messages to hand drawn pictures, or a keepsake you find personally meaningful, patients, families, staff, physicians, and volunteers are asked to submit something that encapsulates the ACH we all know and love today, for future generations to enjoy tomorrow.

Second - What do you think pediatric healthcare will look like in 2122? What are your hopes and dreams for future generations of children and youth?

You are welcome to choose one or both themes.

To submit an item for the time capsule, for either theme, please email: ACH100@ahs.ca.  All written submissions should be 400 words or less. The deadline is December 31 2022.