December 3, 2025

A fun time was had by all who attended the Dutch Grower's Christmas party event.  Thank you to the planning team for organizing.  Some beautiful decorations for the holiday season!

No parking

White's Pharmacy has asked that we avoid parking in their parking lot as it is impacting their client's ability to find parking.  Please be a good neighbor & find parking on the street.  

Rachael Says

There have been quite a few maternal & infant stats not filled out.  The OAAs are NOT responsible for looking through the chart to fill this in.  These stats help to support the work we do and are VERY IMPORTANT when writing documents to advocate for things like increased staffing or demonstrate acuity.  

Rachael says please take the time to fill stats out.  

Kerry is asking less politely because this is an ongoing problem!! 

Lab result reporting for NICU Discharges

The Work Standard for reporting TSB results to physicians has not changed.  It states the following:

Report TSB results only if in, or close to treatment range based on risk factors (20-30 µmol/L) and /or if clinical concerns based on nursing assessments.

a.       Newborns discharged from MCC: Phone and/or text the MRP or designate. I.e. “A baby in your care has a high bilirubin result close to treatment threshold. Please reply ASAP to discuss”

b.       Newborns discharged from NICU: Consult with on-call neonatologist via System Flow Coordination Centre (SFCC) 1-866-766-6050. *Note: the current on-call neonatologist may be different than the attending neonatologist during admission.

c.       Newborns discharged from Pediatrics: Page the discharging Pediatrician through switchboard (for continuity of care as requested by the Pediatrician team).

If unable to reach the MRP or designate within 45 min, contact the Pediatrician on-call via System Flow Coordination Centre (SFCC) 1-866-766-6050 (# saved in H&H cell phones).

There was an instance over the weekend where the neonatologist was upset that we didn't go through System Flow.  I know it is outside of our normal process - but this is the request they have made as they want the call recorded for 'documentation of the advice and clinical plans provided during the call'.   

BFC Kleenex

We have purchased some higher quality tissues for the tears that often fall in the BFC.  The boxes are stored in the cupboards above the sink.  Please notify Rachael when we get to the last box. 

New Online Therapy Courses

This Course was developed in response to the widespread need for accessible mental health treatment for new and expecting parents as outlined in the Government of Saskatchewan’s Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions 2023-2028. Many people who have depression and anxiety never seek treatment, but do have access to the Internet.    

The Wellbeing Course for New and Expecting Parents is made up of 5 easy to understand lessons. Lessons consist of educational materials based on cognitive behaviour therapy that are accessed online. Clients are encouraged to work on various activities during the week; this often takes 1 hour to review. Throughout the course, clients will receive automated emails with important reminders and prompts. 

More information and links to their other courses is available HERE

Doctors Accepting Patients in Saskatchewan Facebook Page 

The “Doctors Accepting Patients in Saskatchewan” Facebook page is a great resource for families in Saskatoon and surrounding area that do not have a family doctor and are actively looking for one.  The page provides this valuable, up-to-date information in a way that is accessible and convenient for many families.  

1.      TcB Update: Rate of Rise

The Rate of Rise has been a topic of discussion more recently, so here is a review of how to calculate it and why it’s important. Rate of Rise shows how fast the serum bilirubin is rising over a specific period. It helps clinicians decide whether to discontinue or escalate treatment.

To calculate Rate of RISE take 2 sequential TSB or TcB measurements at least 3   hours apart divided by the time elapsed between the two samples.

        If the rate of rise of serial TSB’s is too high (> 5 µmol/L/h in the first 24 hours OR > 3.5        
        µmol/L/h thereafter) you must consider the possibility of hemolysis.
        **Hemolysis is a neurotoxicity risk factor and MUST be considered when entering data   
        into the hyperbili.com tool.

Example:

                A newborn with suspected hemolytic disease has a TSB of 120 µmol/L at 4 hours of 
              age. By 8 hours of age, the TSB has risen to 160 µmol/L.

                The rate of rise was (160 µmol/L – 120 µmol/L) ÷ 4 hours = 10 µmol/L/h

 Y    You might be asked by a physician to calculate the rate of rise as a double check. This   
can be easily done on the hyperbili.com tool.

• Ø  Enter the TcB/TSB along with the date & time that the 1^st screen/sample was taken
• Ø  Click on “Add/Del Row” and choose “Add Row Below”
• Ø  Enter the TcB/TSB along with the date & time that the 2^nd screen/sample was taken
• Ø  Click on “Submit” to see your results (including rate of rise & recommended actions)