While Lorna Jefferis’ primary focus is on nursing issues and programs at the Northern Health Authority’s Northwestern area hospitals, she recognises that nursing and surgery go hand-in-glove.
And she brought cheering news on the latter to this month’s Kitimat Health Advocacy Group meeting.
Jefferis told the group that in meetings she had had about surgical development at the regional level, “the line that I hear over and over again is what we need to do is maintain strong, vibrant, sustainable surgical programs at all sites.”
And as far as she was concerned, “We need to do that, we need to be able to do a C-section if we need in here.”
That in turn meant ongoing programs that covered anaesthesia, surgery and care. “That’s my belief and that’s what I am working at.”
She said the Northwest had to have a strong voice about what it needed to do for the Kitimat General Hospital and in Terrace.
In terms of Kitimat, Jefferis pointed out, “The orthopaedic regional call is the huge backbone of our surgical program here and of our nursing care and the hospital.”
She also pointed out KGH had been approved to do non-metal replacements for those who are allergic to metal.
“That’s really great that we can offer care closer to home” rather than sending people to Vancouver or Prince George.
As for general surgeon Willem Lombard, Jefferis pointed out that although he has been on a fellowship, he had been getting up here whenever he could and, once his studies were complete, was talking about coming back.
