What’s New

Join us in celebrating Christmas this year by helping the R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home light its tree with bulbs dedicated to love. This is the 26th year that our “Lights of Love” Christmas tree will be lit to honour individuals in whose name donations have been made. Those honoured do not have to be Residents of the R.K.

You can dedicate a bulb in memory of a deceased loved one or honour someone presently in your life. There is no limit to the number of bulbs you can purchase. In addition to a tax receipt for your donation, you can receive a card to send to anyone you have honoured.

Your donation will be used to “Support the Everyday Needs of the Residents” which are not covered by the day to day operation of the facility.

The Lights of Love Service is at 2:00pm on Sunday December 3, 2023 and the Lights of Love tree will be lit during the service. Following prayers, dedications and carols, refreshments will be served in the R.K. Dining Room. All dedications will be entered in a “Lights of Love Memorial Book” that will be on display in the R.K. Chapel throughout the upcoming year.

Visit the Lights of Love Campaign page to donate today!

This Core Values Video was created with the intention to remind us as an RK Community of the importance of living our Core Values each and every day in support of our mission and vision.

We are proud to bring you this window in the operations and work behind-the-scenes that helps keep the RK MacDonald a healthy, safe, and vibrant community for our residents.

• RK Newsletter Oct 18 2023: ROP Suicide Prevention Spotlight

Oct .9th – 13th

Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) are part of a dedicated team of individuals committed to providing high quality care. Every day the CCAs enhance the lives of our residents.

Thank you all for the valuable and important work you do.

This month is a time to recognize and celebrate the commitment to quality care and compassion by all the employees delivering care to our residents of the
R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home and across Nova Scotia.

To Families and Visitors,

We have one resident confirmed positive for Covid-19, this case is in Brambleberry care area.

We have implemented the necessary precautions to prevent spread and are being proactive with screening, testing and implementing additional precautions when applicable.

Visitors are still allowed to visit residents but with some restrictions. These restrictions are only for the Brambleberry care area and MapleRidge care area and does not apply to the other care areas in the Home.

• Masks should be worn at all times and not removed while on the care area.
• Frequent handwashing and social distancing is absolutely essential in preventing spread.
• Residents must stay on the care area and avoid other care areas.
• Residents not on isolation are allowed to go for offsite visits and essential appointments with consent of the person being visited.
• Non- essential visits should be postponed.
• If a resident is on isolation and a visitor still wishes to visit, they must wear the appropriate PPE.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to our Infection Prevention and Control Nurse, Nolan Leger, at nolan.leger@rkmacdonald.ca or Assistant Director of Clinical Services, Michelle Tinio, at michelle.tinio@rkmacdonald.ca.

– Nolan,
Infection Prevention and Control Designate, RN

The following NSCC sites still have CCA seats available for September term. Please share this information with your communities and networks this week to encourage folks interested in the CCA course and working in your facility to register.

• AVC
• Burridge / Digby
• Cumberland / Amherst
• Kingstec
• Lunenburg
• Marconi
• Pictou
• Shelburne

https://www.nscc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/plandescr.aspx?prg=HHCR&pln=CONTCARE

On June 12th the RK MacDonald Nursing home was proud to recognize the many years of dedicated service provided by our employees.

Chair of the Board Camilla Benoit (left) and CEO Terry MacIntyre (right) present Kim MacDonald her 30 Years Award

Chair of the Board Camilla Benoit (far left) and CEO Terry MacIntyre (far right) present Joanne Vacheresse (left) and Fran Bowie (right) their 10 Years Service Award

Chair of the Board Camilla Benoit (far left) and CEO Terry MacIntyre (far right) present Laura Young (left) and Camille Berkvens (right) their 15 Years Service Award

Lee Kelly, Director of Clinical Services (far left) and Chair of the Board Camilla Benoit (center) present Robert MacArthur (left), Joanne Taylor (right), and Lori Barkhouse (far right) their 25 Years Service Award

Assistant Director of Clinical Services Michelle Tinio (far left), Chair of the Board Camilla Benoit (left), and Lee Kelly, Director of Clinical Services (far right) present Carolyn White (right) her 30 Years Service Award

Director of Environmental & Food Services Mark Chisholm (left) and Chair of the Board Camilla Benoit (center) present Jacqueline Delorey her 30 Years Award

It has been a busy year for the RK MacDonald Nursing Home Board of Directors. As I write this, our Home continues to address and live with the challenges of a post Pandemic. Now more than ever it is so important to thank the staff of the RK for their dedication, support and the incredible care provided during these challenging times.

The Board of Directors take their responsibilities in ensuring that our direction is captured on our Vison Statement creating “An alive and vibrant community built on meaningful relationships that celebrate and encourages a uniqueness of spirit and character” and is sustained by our Mission Statement in “Providing loving, dignified quality and enabling all people to live full and abundant lives“.

As a Board we are kept well informed of RK business. Our committees including Executive, Quality Safety & Governance, Building &Grounds, Finance and Infrastructure Renewal Steering Committee work closely with Senior Leaders providing monthly reports. In addition, reports from the CEO, Director of Clinical Services, RK MacDonald Foundation, Family Council and Resident Council are presented at our monthly Board meetings.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to personally thank our former board members Sister Stella Chaff, Sue Ellen McCarron, and Mary MacLellan, who we can all agree had a big impact during their tenure on the Board.

A special welcome is extended to our newly minted Board members Sister Catherine Ann MacGillivray and Gerald MacDonald – (representatives for the Congregation of the Sisters of St Martha) and Harris McNamara, (Municipality of the County of Antigonish, District 9 County Councilor).

Key Board Focus Areas:

• Preparing for Accreditation Canada Surveyors in the fall of 2023.
• Promoting a supportive role for the RK MacDonald Foundation, Family and Resident Council.
• Establishing community relationships with our Indigenous partners
• Developing ongoing role descriptions for our Directors, Executive members and Chairs of Committees.  Delivering a variety of education sessions for our Board of Directors
• Supporting the promotion of cultural diversity, equity and inclusion within the RK community
• Supporting our Infrastructure Renewal Steering committee as we journey towards the new RK MacDonald Nursing Home and ensuring the inclusion of all stakeholders into the design of the new RK MacDonald Nursing Home
• Continuing and promoting collaborative relationships with our external partners such as St Francis Xavier University, Town and Municipal leaders and representatives.

The success of our Board is directly linked to the contribution and hard work from Terry MacIntyre CEO, the Senior Leadership Team and the Administrative Assistant,

I would like to extend heart full thank you to all for an excellent year and look forward to up a coming year.

Respectively,

Camilla Benoit,
Board OF Directors Chair

The full Annual Progress Report (2022-2023) can be read here.

NEW GRAD RNS & STUDENT NURSES
Nursing Students to work as CCA’s (Continuing Care Assistants) or as RNS

WE LOVE TO SEE NEW FACES ON OUR TEAM!

The R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home is a 136 bed Nursing Home located in the center of the Town of Antigonish with connections to the Town and County.   We are looking for Nurses to support our team in providing the best person centered care to our valuable residents.

Things we can provide you:

• We can pair you with skilled RN’s or CCA’s to give you a great orientation to the Home
• Provide assignments to use your skills and gain new ones
• Provide you with opportunities to work with our RNs or CCAs and gain experience within our (4) Care Areas
• Develop Leadership and Care skills in Geriatric Care
• Competitive pay rates and other benefits
• Form lasting relationships with residents & families and staff

INTERESTED?

Let’s schedule an interview as soon as possible, and start the paper work process.

Please get in contact with Jacqueline Delorey, Human Resource Coordinator by forwarding your resume to email: jobs@rkmacdonald.ca

For your Successful hire we will need the following:

• Resume
• Void cheque (banking information)
• Social Insurance #
• Health card #
• 2 References from former employers/ or clinical placement supervisor
• Copy of your Criminal records Check with Vulnerable Sector (Police Check) dated within 6 mos. (request is required by HR to get request a new one at RCMP)
• Proof of Double Vaccination (Covid-19) (As per the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Protocol in High-Risk Settings, Nova Scotia Health requires all team members to be fully vaccinated by November 30th, 2021.)
• Confirmation Letter enrolled in Nursing Program or License to work as RN

We look forward to meeting you and having you join our team!