The Vulcan Community Health Centre is a one stop shop for medical services for residents of Vulcan and Vulcan County. It houses a hospital with a 24/7 Emergency Room, 23 bed combined Acute/LTC unit, the Medical Clinic, Home Care and Public Health. In addition, it offers a full array of inpatient and outpatient services:

Nursing Services

• The Hospital is managed by the Site Manager with a Patient Care Coordinator directing the daily work force which includes:

•  2 RNs, 1 LPN, and 2 HCAs available on the day and evening shifts.
•  1 RN and 1 LPN on nights to cover the entire facility.
• A second RN is on call for emergencies and the ambulance crew will respond to help in the ER if necessary.
• We also employ unit clerks, registration staff and an administrative assistant.

Clinical Nurse Educator:

Our educator has a .6 FTE and  offers a wide range of relevant and current education to all the nursing disciplines in Emergency, Acute Care, and LTC including Emergency Labor and Delivery sessions, NRP, and ACLS.   She is responsible to ensure all nursing staff have a thorough orientation, on-going mandatory education as well as assisting the learner with personal development and other courses such as TNCC. She also helps arrange for continuing education for the medical staff when needed.

Vulcan Medical Clinic RN

• A Primary Care RN works out of the Medical Clinic, which is located in the Vulcan Community Health Centre, Monday to Friday
• The Primary Care RN works with complex care patients and those requiring Chronic disease management.
• The RN works directly with these patients to provide counselling, education and treatment and is the Referral Clerk.
  
• The Medical Clinic also employs an Office Manager, receptionist, and Medical Office Assistants.

Diagnostic Imaging Services

• Outpatient work is done from 0800-1700 Monday- Sunday but we have DI staff on site from 0800-2315 for ER and Acute patients and on call during the night..
• We have a portable x-ray machine and all patients can be X-rayed on the emergency stretchers if they can’t be moved to the x-ray department.
• Our Radiology Department provides 24 hour Holter ECG Monitors as well as 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
• We employ x-ray technicians and CLXT's.

Laboratory Services

• This service provides a comprehensive range of routine and specialized lab testing and clinical consultation.
• The lab is fully equipped and our technicians are able to do many tests on site.

Lab services available include:

• blood and body fluid sample collection
• biochemistry and toxicology
• urinalysis
• transfusion medicine
• hematology                 
• coagulation studies

Lab hours

• Open for Out patients: 0830-1700 Monday-Friday
• We have lab staff on site for ER and Acute patients from 0700-2300 and on call from 2300-0700.
• We have staff on site on weekends from 0800-2300 and then on call.
• Our staff includes Lab Technicians and CLXT's.

Physical Therapy Services

• Our physiotherapist and a physio assistant work Monday-Friday 0830 to 1630.
• Our physio department is equipped with parallel bars, treadmill, stationary bike, stepper, wall pulleys, reciprocal pulleys, arm egonometer, free weights, and treatment mat.
• Wheelchair assessments can be done on uncomplicated clients and lower leg assessments are offered.
• The PT is an AADL authorizer

Occupational Therapy

• We have OT services in the hospital 2 days/week and there is also a community based OT available 2 days/week.
• The OT offers cognitive assessments, swallowing assessments, home assessments and lower leg assessments.
• The OT also fits clients with home adaptive equipment.

REHABILITATION SERVICES ( Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy) now occupy an more spacious area on the main floor of the new addition.

Recreation Therapy

• We have a recreation therapist in a 0.5 FTE and a recreation assistant in a 0.63 FTE.
• Their services and programs are focused on our long-term care population.

Respiratory Therapy

• A respiratory therapist comes in weekly for Pulmonary Function Tests.
• Outpatients are referred through your doctor.
• Referrals are available for inpatients as well.

Pharmacy:

• The Vulcan Community Health Centre has a pharmacist onsite 3 days a week as well as a pharmacy assistant onsite 3 hours per day. Among their other duties, the pharmacist provides clinical counselling to inpatients
• There is always a pharmacist on 24 hours call.
• Pharmacists in the two drug stores in the Town of Vulcan fill prescriptions Monday to Saturday 0900 to 1800.
• We have a site-specific hospital formulary which physicians can access from any of the RNs.
• We also have access to the Calgary Health Region formulary.
• There is also a Pharmacy in the Village of Arrowwood.

Health Records:

• Health Records is staffed Monday to Friday 0800 to 1630.

Mental Health

• We have a mental health clinician available most weekdays covering a variety of hours. The hospital receptionist has a schedule of her hours.
• She is a Registered Social Worker.
• This individual provides assessment and counselling for a wide variety of conditions and addictions, as well as financial assistance and counselling.
• As a registered social worker, this individual takes self referrals was well as referrals from other health care providers.
• Counselling services include smoking cessation, grief support, alcohol and drug addictions, financial planning, dealing with depression, coping skills,  and advanced care planning.

Psychiatrist

• A psychiatrist service can be accessed
• Appointments are booked through the medical clinic.

Geriatrician 

• A consulting geriatrician is on site every other month or she is available for phone consults.
• Referrals are made by the family doctor and appointments are booked through the medical clinic.

Dietitian 

• The dietitian is available in Vulcan 2 days/week.
• She consults with our Acute and LTC patients and see Outpatients on an appointment basis
• She will take doctor referrals and self referrals
• Appointments are booked through the Hospital Registration Desk 403-485-3333

Palliative Care Services

• Staff are trained in the latest Palliative Care treatments
• We have next day access to the Calgary Region's Palliative Care Team for consults
• We have a dedicated space within the hosptial for Palliative Care patients.

Home Care Services

• Based out the Community Health Centre, Home care provides nursing assessments, bath help, medication assistance, and dressing changes to those residing in the community
• We employ RN's, LPN's, and HCA's who are certified.
• We also employ a Community Social worker.
• We run an Adult Day Support Program out of our new addition.

Public Health

• We provide health education to school populations, immunization clinics to the general public, newborn and postpartum assessments, well baby clinics and a variety of public health education to the general public
• We employ Registered Nurses

Tuck Shoppe and Volunteers

• The VCHC Ladies Auxiliary provides a retail outlet service with clothes, personal care essentials and gifts.
• It's located in the foyer adjacent to the Nursing Station and is open Mon-Wed-Fri 1000-1500. 
• It is run by Volunteers from the Auxiliary
• Vulcan Community Health Centre also utilizes volunteers in the Recreational Therapy program.

Other Disciplines employed and recruited by VCHC include:

• Maintenance Workers
• Dietary/ Food Services Workers
• Environmental Services Staff (Housekeeping).