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Videos promoting Terrace & new MMH
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We've created videos promoting the new hospital and working in Terrace to help recruit staff and physicians!Three's three versions of the video:
- Video promoting working in Terrace (1 min 26 secs)
- Video promoting working at the new hospital (1 min 44 secs)
- Video promoting Terrace & the new hospital (2 min 40 secs)
The videos are on Northern Health’s Youtube, as well as on Let’s Talk MMH, on the right side of the page under ‘Videos’.
Thanks so much to Northern Health staff Emily Leblond, Greg Dashper and Lisette Calkins for starring in the videos.
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Meet Northwest Recruitment and Retention Ambassador: Eva Visscher
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Here’s Eva biking in Deventer in The Netherlands, her home country. Eva Visscher is new to Kitimat and new to Northern Health. She joined the Northwest BC team in June 2023 as the Recruitment and Retention Ambassador for the region.Learn a little bit about Eva and why she’s passionate about her new job and promoting careers in health care.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
I’m originally from the Netherlands and I came to Canada in 2005. I graduated from the University of Alberta in 2019 with a degree in Political Science and German but struggled to find work that would allow me to use my degrees.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit I went back to school. I completed my certificate in Human Resources Management from the University of Alberta in March of 2023. In that same month, my partner and I packed up our lives in Edmonton and moved to Kitimat.
As for me, a few things I love are soccer, reading classic novels, and travelling. I recently travelled to Australia and New Zealand.
What are you most excited about your new role?
I’m excited to work with many different people and communities. I love that I’m working with different teams in the region on how to best support recruitment and retention activities.
What are you most excited about moving to and now living in Northwest BC?
When they aren’t working, Eva and her husband Adam enjoy cross country skiing at the Onion Lake Ski Trails between Terrace and Kitimat.
We were looking for a new adventure. We wanted to get out of the big city. We really wanted a change of scenery, to be closer to nature and spend more time outdoors. We have not been disappointed. This is such a beautiful part of British Columbia. I can’t believe I’m able to see mountains from my office window! We feel completely at home.
What are your plans to reach out and connect with community in your new role?
Building connections with local communities is very important to me. This position is still very new, so I want to make sure I’m very visible and available for our community members. I’m currently working on sending out introduction emails to various key stakeholders and community groups, and I’m hoping to begin in person visits shortly. In-person conversations can be so impactful and meaningful, so I really want to prioritize meeting with people in person as much as possible.
Why do you think a career in health care is worth pursuing?
Working in health care is so rewarding. You can really make a difference in someone’s life. You are supporting your community and supporting others in their journeys and empowering them. There’s also so many different options and so much opportunity to grow.
Reach out
If you are interested in a career at Northern Health in the Northwest, check out job postings on the NH Careers website.
If you see Eva in your community, make sure you to say hello, or email her at eva.visscher@northernhealth.ca.
Passing the torch
Brad Leier of Terrace initially started in the NW Recruitment and Retention Ambassador position in 2022 but moved into a different role at Northern Health. He is now the Manager of Northwest Specialized Services (Mental Health & Substance Use), Acute & Tertiary Care.
During her first week of work, Eva spent time learning the ropes from Brad. Their paths will continue to cross going forward too, as Eva helps recruit and retain employees for the new Terrace hospital and Seven Sisters, a facility that Brad manages.
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Staff, physicians and specialists needed!
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Join the team at the new hospital
Download the Mills Memorial Hospital Employment flyer.
Job opportunities at the new hospital include
- Care Aide
- Diagnostics Imaging Technologist
- Dietitian
- Facility and Maintenance workers
- Food Services woker
- Health Information Professional
- Housekeeper
- Imaging Technician
- Indigenous Patient Health Assistant
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Medical Laboratory Clerk & Technologist
- Medical Office Assistant
- Mental Health Clinician & Staff
- Nurse Unit Clerk
- Occupational & Physio Therapist
- Patient Reception Staff
- Pharmacist & Pharmacy Staff
- Physician
- Registered Nurse
- Respiratory Therapist
- Social Worker
- Stores Attendant
In addition to family practitioners contracted to work at the hospital, various specialists will also be needed for the new hospital, such as:
- Orthopedic surgeon
- Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist
- Psychiatrist
- Urologist
- Anesthetist
- Gynecologist
- Pediatrician
Recruitment underway
Recruitment has already begun for new staff and physicians to work at the new hospital. Unfortunately, staffing shortages for medical and support positions are a current reality for all of BC and Canada; there’s simply not enough trained health professionals to fill all the positions and needs. Our aim is to work closely with our partners and be creative in our recruitment efforts.
For more information about staff positions at the new hospital, contact: eva.visscher@northernhealth.ca
For more information about physician and specialist positions, contact: jacquelyn.marko@northernhealth.ca
New facility is appealing to work at
Thankfully, the chance to work at a new facility is a major draw for potential hires. The new hospital will have a variety of amenities, just for staff and physicians working there, such as:
- Wellness and exercise area
- Changerooms, showers and lockers
- Lounge with kitchen, comfortable seating, TVs and work computer stations
- Breastfeeding and pump room
- Secure, outdoor storage locker for bikes
- Staff garden
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Cassie Hall students learn about health careers at new hospital
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Substitute teacher Dustin Quezada models some personal protective health care clothing. Project Liaison Sarah Artis had the chance to teach some very enthusiastic Grade 3 and 4 students at Cassie Hall Elementary School last week about the many jobs that will be at the new Mills Memorial Hospital.
Part of the class curriculum this year is careers. As the school is located immediately next to the new Terrace hospital construction site, teacher Nancy Jay said it made sense for the kids to learn about jobs at the new facility.
Jay said the students have loved watching the hospital go up.
"The kids were super keen and had so many questions. It was really inspiring," said Sarah. "At the end of our hour together a lot of them spoke about jobs they could see themselves doing one day in the hospital."
So kids could get a sense of what it felt like to dress like some health care workers, Sarah brought an assortment of protective clothing and equipment for them to try out.
"Getting geared up was definitely the students’ favourite part of the presentation," Sarah said. "Dressed in hair nets and booties, wearing masks and gloves, a couple of them even yelled out 'This is the best day ever’."
With the hospital more than doubling in size there will be a significant increase in staff and many opportunities for people interested in careers in the health sector.
Northern Health is engaging in a variety of recruitment and retention strategies for the new Terrace hospital and the region as a whole.
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Recruiting and retaining staff
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Brad Leier, NH’s new NW Recruitment and Retention Ambassador, lives in Terrace on a farm with his wife Dena and their two kids Jackson and Melanie. Last year, Northern Health created a new position, a Recruitment and Retention Ambassador for Northwest BC, to assist with staff recruitment and retention initiatives for facilities throughout the region. Brad Leier was hired into the position in November 2022 and a big part of his role is focused on recruitment for the new facilities planned for Terrace: the new Mills Memorial Hospital and Seven Sisters.
The recruitment aspect of Brad’s role is centered around building recruitment capacity in the Northwest through establishing and maintaining partnerships with community partners including the local schools and school districts, Indigenous employment and training offices, community service groups, WorkBC centres, and post-secondary institutions. Brad’s day-to-day work includes conducting school visits, recruitment presentations, helping prospective staff navigate the application process, participating in career fairs, as well as working with career and employment councillors to increase their awareness of the many careers available with Northern Health.
The other aspect of Brad’s role – retention – sees him supporting initiatives aimed at creating the best work environments possible across the Northwest.
Brad lives in Terrace with his wife Dena and their two children, Jackson and Melanie. Moving from Alberta 12 years ago, he now calls BC home. Brad has over a decade of experience in healthcare and has worked in a variety of positions within both the health and post-secondary sectors. When he’s not working, you will find Brad on his small farm – Graham Acres Homestead – where he and his wife are in the process of launching a creamery, thanks to their growing herd of dairy goats
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Planning for patient care at the new hospital
Share Planning for patient care at the new hospital on Facebook Share Planning for patient care at the new hospital on Twitter Share Planning for patient care at the new hospital on Linkedin Email Planning for patient care at the new hospital linkThe construction and design of the new hospital and Seven Sisters are still an important focus of the Mills Memorial Replacement project. However, we are also ramping up planning and work around patient care and operations at the new facilities.
Staffing and recruitment plans underway
We are currently working to determine the exact staffing levels that will be needed for both new facilities. With an increase in services, a significant increase in the number of staff in various positions will be necessary. Staffing plans must consider many factors, including who to hire, and how to balance the duties and workloads of different staff in different departments.
Anne Chisholm, Transition CoordinatorTransition Coordinator hiredGetting the facility ready for patient use includes preparing physical space, equipment, and technology. But people need to be ready too. New space and technology mean new ways of working for staff, physicians, and managers who need to be supported with training and development to provide care and service with the new workflows, new equipment and new technologies. Patients and families and the broader community will also need to be supported to get to know the new hospital.
Anne Chisholm has joined the project to help coordinate and support staff, physicians, and managers to become ready to provide care, services and supports in the new hospital and Seven Sisters. She has over 35 years of experience in health care, first as a staff nurse followed by many years of management and leadership work in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. Two of her recent projects include the establishment of the Primary Care Medical Unit at UHNBC and the Urgent Care Centre in Prince George. Anne is excited by challenges and successes that come with working collaboratively to solve problems. She will quickly become a familiar face around the hospital. Say hello when you see her!
More supports
- A Recruitment and Retention Ambassador position specifically for Northwest BC has been created. The role will play a big part in recruitment efforts for the new facilities in Terrace.
- A Physician Lead position, who will help with the transition and recruitment of physicians for the new facilities, is in development.
- A company that specializes in healthcare facility transitions will support the physical move from the current hospital to the new one.
More info
For a list of potential employment opportunities read the post: FAQ: How many new staff will you hire?
Job listings and more info about working for Northern Health can be found at: https://careers.northernhealth.ca
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What We Heard: your feedback & questions answered
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In the fall of 2021 the Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement project released draft designs of the new hospital and Seven Sisters facilities currently under construction in Terrace, BC. We asked for your thoughts and if you had any questions.It’s time to share what we heard and answer some of the questions we received.
Check out the MMH What We Heard: Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement Project Feedback and Questions booklet.
Hint! You gave us feedback and insightful questions on all kinds of topics – including whether the new hospital will have a café, a bigger emergency department, bike racks, regional art, lights that kills bacteria and viruses, and much more.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the designs. Your feedback will help the new Mills Memorial Hospital do the best possible job of serving the people of Northwest BC.
The new hospital will offer a smoother, safer and more welcoming patient journey, as well as support the recruitment and retention of much-needed health care workers.
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Local and regional workers and businesses employed on MMH site
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A Terrace Redi-mix truck and employee on the MMH site. In less than a year, since the start of construction of the new Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace, more than 80 regional suppliers and contractors, with the majority being local, have secured worked on the site.
A list of the regional contractors to date has been added to this MMH Let's Talk site under Documents and under the Links sections.
Work contracts have been diverse, from trucking to equipment rental, air quality monitoring to food and building supplies, paving to flagging, steel work to geotechnical services, and more.
Workers on site
While the number of workers on site fluctuate regularly depending on what work is being completed, currently there are approximately 130 workers are on site.
The percentage of local and regional workers also fluctuates. Currently, just over 40% of workers on site are from the region. In November 2021, it was more than 60%.
The majority of the workers from the Terrace area are employed by PacAlta, a subsidiary company of PCL. Others are working for subcontractors on site.
Just under 20% of workers on site are apprentices. And 5% of workers on site identify as Indigenous.
As the project progresses, the number of out-of-town workers on site is expected to increase as more specialized skills, not always locally available locally, are needed.
An Allnorth employee from Terrace stands next to his truck and a West Fraser truck on the MMH construction site. Work and contract opportunities
Before construction began, PCL participated in networking sessions with local and regional First Nations and companies to explore the possibilities of working together. PCL and their subcontractors continue to, advertise employment opportunities on and in various platforms such as Linkedin, Kijiji, and regional newspapers.
Businesses interested in working on the Mills Memorial Project site are encouraged to contact PCL with information about services they could offer.
Email 2220057millsmemorial@pcl.com
Individuals interested in work can submit resumes online at: https://careers.pcl.com/ca/en
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Local worker profile: Kelly Lufkin
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While numbers fluctuate regularly, approximately 60% of the workers currently on the Mills Memorial Hospital construction site are from the region. In addition, more than 20 local businesses have been contracted for a variety of services throughout the past five months of construction.
Kelly Lufkin, PCL Administrative Assistant and Document ControllerKelly Lufkin has lived in Terrace on and off for 27 years, settling here permanently in 2004 to raise her two children, Tyler and Olivia, with her spouse Raegen.
“We enjoy spending time in our yard, exploring all the hidden gems Terrace has, family game nights, watching movies, travelling, and spending time with our friends and family,” Kelly said.
Kelly started working for PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. (PCL) as the Administrative Assistant/Document Controller for the Mills Memorial Hospital Replacement Project on September 1.
Kelly was a stay-at-home mom for about 10 years. She graduated from college at age 35, then eased back into work at her kids’ school as a Special Education Assistant. She then worked at Mills Memorial Hospital in a couple different positions, first, booking surgeries and later on, working in the diagnostics department.
“I applied at PCL because I felt like the position suited me and would work well for my home life,” Kelly said.
In her new position, Kelly supports PCL’s project management team.
“The company and people have been instantly welcoming,” Kelly said. “I think the project is coming along great. It’s exciting to watch the progression and be part of it. I have no experience in construction, so it’s been a great learning experience. I was surprised how quickly things move.”
In addition to general administrative tasks, Kelly maintains PCL’s project documents, ensuring they are accurate and distributed appropriately.
“I like that the job changes. And it’s exciting to see the progress of the hospital being built,” Kelly said. “I’m extremely happy for our community. This is something we’ve needed for a long time.”
