snapshot 2012
DESCRIPTION
Yearly newsletter from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge.TRANSCRIPT
spring 2012 | vol 5 issue 1 | www.ulethbridge.ca/healthsciences
snapshotUNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
For southern Alberta businessman
Dr. Tom Droog (LLD ’06), there is no
secret to success – it is simply the result
of hard work and determination.
Droog, along with his wife and business
partner Emmy, vaulted to the forefront of
consumer snacking success in 1990 when they
introduced Spitz, a line of roasted sunflower
seed snacks. The couple worked together to
build their business while raising two children,
daughter Christy Strom (BN ’03) and son
Randy. In 2008, the Droogs sold Spitz to
PepsiCo.
On March 15, 2012, the University of
Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences
announced a $2-million endowment enabled by
a $1 million donation from Droog. The gift is in
honour of his late wife Emmy, who lost a long
battle with cancer in 2010.
“When doctors mention the word cancer,
people stop listening,” says Droog, who was
devastated by his wife’s diagnosis in 2006.
Over the next several years, the couple worked
together investigating various health-care
options that would help improve Emmy’s
quality of life as she battled her illness.
“Emmy really believed in the alternatives,”
says Droog, who was Emmy’s strongest
advocate. “All she ever asked for was that I
lovingly support her decisions. I didn’t always
do it lovingly, but I always supported her.”
Droog’s donation will allow the U of L to
establish the Emmy Droog Professorship in
Complementary and Alternative Health Care,
enabling evidence-based research to explore
the issues and care practices associated with
complementary and alternative medicine.
“I believe in education and alternative healing
and I’m happy to be able to support them
both through this gift,” says Droog. “I believe
that ideas come from ideas and I think this has
awesome potential.”
Mark Pijl Zieber, a Faculty of Health
Sciences nursing researcher, says that
complementary and alternative health hasn’t
always been complementary or alternative –
at one time it was the norm. Even today,
statistics show that more than 75 per cent
of Canadians access complementary and
alternative health care.
“Humans have been delivering health
care throughout history, and before western
medicine, these were the therapies people
used,” says Pijl Zieber. “It’s only since the
development of western medicine that
traditional beliefs have been labeled alternative.
While we certainly do benefit from the
advances made by western medicine, we’ve lost
many of the other options.”
Pijl Zieber says that providing effective
health care is not always about a cure,
especially when considering chronic diseases
like diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
“Sometimes these diseases can’t be beaten,
but they can, and need to be, managed – it’s
about maximizing a person’s quality of life. This
is at the heart of the Droog gift. It’s not about
abandoning the institution of western medicine,
it’s about facilitating a broader approach to
health care.”
Dr. Christopher Hosgood, the dean of
the Faculty of Health Sciences, is looking
forward to the opportunities afforded by this
significant gift, which will benefit all programs
in the Faculty.
He adds that, as the largest individual
donation to health sciences programming at
the U of L, Droog’s gift represents a vote of
confidence in the Faculty and helps set the stage
for future growth.
“It is very encouraging for our Faculty to
know that we have such a strong, committed
individual working alongside us. We are
honoured to have been chosen as the recipient
of this gift and are committed to using the
resources we’ve been entrusted with wisely,”
says Hosgood.
The U of L will look to hire someone for
the Professorship position in 2014. In the
meantime, the funds will be used to support
the creation of research partnerships between
scholars and practitioners in the field of
complementary and alternative health.
“I believe in education and
alternative healing and I’m
happy to be able to support
them both through this gift.”
Dr. Tom Droog
A Personal Connection
Dr. Tom Droog (LLD ’06)
Southern Alberta businessman Dr. Tom Droog honours his late wife through a gift to the U of L Faculty of Health Sciences.
Emmy and Tom Droog in 2007.
Dr. Tom Droog was awarded an honourary degree from the U of L in 2006.
Droog (centre) tours Faculty of Health Sciences facilities.
A Year in Review
I am delighted to report on another
successful year for the faculty, staff and
students in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
It has been an extremely busy year with
many highlights.
Our students continue to provide us with
remarkable stories. This past fall saw the
graduation of the first cohort of after-degree
bachelor of nursing students. I think we all
agree that the after-degree program has quickly
become integral to the Nursing Education in
Southwestern Alberta (NESA) partnership with
Lethbridge College; it was a delight to witness
the family celebrations at the reception after
the convocation ceremony. It is exciting for us
to recognize the impact of our graduates, from
all of our programs, on health care and policy
in the province and beyond. Congratulations
to Alisa Takahashi, B.N. with Great Distinction,
who was the recipient of our Faculty of Health
Sciences Gold Medal for 2011.
We continue to develop new opportunities
for students at the undergraduate and graduate
level. For example, we have partnered with the
Faculty of Management to offer a new Bachelor
of Health Sciences – Public Health/Bachelor
of Management combined degrees program,
beginning in the fall of 2012. We have also
recently approved a new major in Aboriginal
health that we hope to bring forward within
the next few years. At the graduate level,
we are working on an innovative master of
nursing program and have entered into a new
partnership with the Faculty of Education to
offer a stream within the masters of education
counselling program, in mental health and
addictions. We have a full complement
of students starting this program in the
summer of 2012. Congratulations to Dr. Gary
Nixon and his colleagues for developing this
important educational opportunity.
This fall we celebrated Dr. david Gregory’s
time with us by presenting him with our
annual Friends of Health Sciences Award. david
is now Dean of Nursing at the University of
Regina, but he left behind a legacy of excellence
in graduate studies – and many friends. We
also inaugurated a program to recognize our
practice partners who support our students by
acting as preceptors, supervisors and mentors.
Our programming could not operate so
successfully without their investment in our
students and we look forward to recognizing
more of these friends in the future.
This year we welcomed Dr. Shannon
Spenceley and Dr. Cheryl Currie. Dr. Spenceley
was appointed as an assistant professor in the
nursing program. As a U of L alumna, she
has occupied a number of senior positions in
Alberta Health Services and is very well
known in the community. More recently,
Dr. Currie was appointed as an assistant
professor in public health. She joins us from
the University of Alberta where she recently
completed her studies.
Finally, I am delighted to report that on
March 15, 2012 we announced the creation
of our first endowed chair as a result of the
generosity of Dr. Tom Droog (LLD ’06). To be
known as the Emmy Droog Professorship in
Complementary and Alternative Health Care,
our goal is to support research and integrate
knowledge of such treatment into our various
curricula. In order to build partnerships with
the practice community, we have initiated a
research competition to create opportunities
to develop research and practice teams in the
field. We anticipate appointing our first Emmy
Droog Chair in 2014.
We remain busy! We are currently
developing a Faculty Strategic Plan, which will
align us closely with the strategic goals of the
university. My colleagues are active in their
research and professional practice, developing
partnerships that demonstrate our health
leadership role.
Best wishes,
Christopher Hosgood, PhD
Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Lethbridge
Dear friends of the Faculty of Health Sciences,
Program UpdatesMaster of Science in Health Sciences
The master of science in health sciences (nursing, addictions and public health)continues to remain a popular and successful program. Currently, we have approximately 25 health sciences graduate students, from a wide variety of backgrounds, conducting research in a number of interesting applied health areas. Several students have received prestigious awards and/or scholarships, a number are presenting (or have presented) the results of their master’s research at various conferences, and a few have been accepted for doctoral studies in the fall.
There are also a number of exciting changes in graduate studies that are taking place in the Faculty of Health Sciences. In conjunction with the Faculty of Education, we are very excited that our very first cohort of students in the master of counselling psychology (specializing in addictions and mental health counselling) will be starting this program in July 2012. This three-year part-time master’s program is an exciting opportunity for people with addictions and mental health degrees or backgrounds to obtain further experience and knowledge in their field, and we anticipate this being a very popular and successful program.
In addition, a hard working planning committee within the Faculty of Health Sciences – with considerable support from the School of Graduate Studies – has now submitted (for approval) a proposal for a
masters in nursing degree. This proposed program would offer nurses an accessible and flexible master’s degree – using a blended approach of electronic and face-to-face course offerings – and allow students to specialize in either nursing education or clinical nursing practice. While the approval process may take a while to complete, we are remaining hopeful that we can start offering this program in Fall 2014.
Finally, the Faculty of Health Sciences, in collaboration with the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy and the School of Graduate Studies, has recently submitted (for approval) a proposal for a PhD in population studies and health. This program would allow doctoral students to study health-related topics at the population level, and we anticipate there being considerable demand and employment opportunities for graduates of this program.
As usual, this is a very exciting time for graduate studies in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and we look forward to continuing to work with our students, collaborating colleagues and community partners.
Demonstrating our commitment to excellence in nursing education, over the past year the Nursing Education for Southwestern Alberta Bachelor of Nursing programs (NESA BN programs) embarked on an Academic Quality Assurance Review process. Integral to this process was a systematic evaluation to monitor and review performance, identify quality outcomes and recommend improvement of the academic units and programs at the University of Lethbridge. Review findings indicate that the NESA BN programs are “of top quality” in that “they meet or exceed the recognized benchmarks established for nursing education” in this country. In addition, faculty, staff, students, alumni and practice partners are currently working on several initiatives including: reconstituting our Program Advisory Committee, undertaking a review of our current curriculum and aligning our strategic plan with the institutional strategic goals.
Currently, more than 600 students are enrolled in the NESA BN programs. These programs remain in high demand and the footprint that is being created by these BN student cohorts, no doubt, will lead the way for others who are interested in pursuing these leading edge degrees.
NESA BN students continue to make substantial contributions within our community and beyond. For example, community health students work
collaboratively with community agencies and businesses to address a variety of population health issues. Students have worked with numerous groups including the vascular risk assessment programs at the City of Lethbridge and the University of Lethbridge, the “Do Bugs Needs Drugs” and “Teaming Up for Tobacco Free Kids” programs in local schools, and the annual mass influenza clinics with public health, as well as various agencies and stakeholders that provide support for seniors’ health and the homeless population.
Our students are also making a difference within local, provincial and national arenas. For example, Indrah Kerrison, a third-year NESA BN student, became the director of career and leadership development with the Canadian Nursing Student Association (CNSA). The CNSA represents the voice of 30,000 nursing students across Canada. Working at the national level, Indrah will be helping nursing students gain access to resources and supports that will enable them to develop leadership skills.
Our faculty continues to lead the way as they bring new knowledge and innovative teaching practices to the teaching and learning environment. The enthusiasm for teaching and learning that has been generated by both nursing students and faculty is palpable. Indeed, we are excited about future prospects for attaining our preferred nursing education future within our University community and beyond.
Nursing (NESA BN Programs)
Dr. Christopher Hosgood
Public Health
Starting with three students in the fall of 2008, the public health program has now grown to 55 students. Our undergraduate health science degree in public health is unique in Canada, as most programs in public health are taught at the graduate level. The Faculty of Health Sciences undergraduate degree is designed to provide students the flexibility to pursue public health practice, graduate studies or a professional degree upon graduation by bringing together three distinct perspectives on public health: epidemiology, health promotion and the social sciences.
The public health degree is a course-based program, with practicum or thesis options. To date, students have had the opportunity to take part in many interesting practicum placements, focusing on areas such as health promotion, injury prevention, infection control and Aboriginal health among others. Moving forward, students will also have the opportunity to explore new areas of focus, including mental health promotion and community development. Our program works with provincial and national health organizations, municipal governments and non-governmental organizations to offer students opportunities to learn skills within real-life settings.
“A number of our students have been hired straight out of practicum placements into jobs within their area of focus,” says Sharon Yanicki, co-ordinator of the Bachelor of Health Sciences in Public Health degree program. “Employers are taking note of our students and have told us that our students ‘get it’.”
In addition to the many successful practicum placements, in the summer of 2011, our first student completed an undergraduate thesis based on research conducted in Malawi.
With such a breadth of experience at the undergraduate level, public health graduates are easily transitioning – not only into the workplace, but also into graduate programs. Students have expressed interest in pursuing graduate studies in public health, global health, health policy and public health law.
Starting in Fall 2012, the Faculty of Health Sciences will also offer a new combined degree with the Faculty of Management. This is one of very few degree programs in Canada to blend public health and the Faculty of Management, and the only one to offer the degree at an undergraduate level. The program combines public health theory and practice with organizational behaviour, information technology, accounting, marketing, management policy and human resources management.
We are very excited with the continuing development of new courses and new options within the public health program. We appreciate the support of both faculty partners and our colleagues in practice.
Supportive Services for Aboriginal Students in Health Sciences
It has been another remarkable year for Support Services for Aboriginal Students in Health Sciences (SSASHS). The Faculty of Health Sciences’ commitment to First Nations, Métis and Inuit students remains a central feature of our programming. The Faculty strives to maintain relationships that are positive, mutually respectful, culturally appropriate and productive.
SSASHS continues to support students as they navigate their post-secondary experience. Our goal is, not only to support students in pursuit of successful completion of their degrees, but also to improve cultural sensitivity and cross-cultural education which complements the growing interest in the ways that traditional protocols influence contemporary practices.
This past year, many of our students have received scholarships, from organizations, such as Canadian Nurses Foundation, AADAC, Alberta Health and Wellness, RBC, AstraZeneca, Treaty 7 Health Management Corporation and the University of Lethbridge.
At the Spring 2012 Convocation, a total of 10 Blackfoot and Métis nursing students received their bachelor of nursing degrees and five Blackfoot, Cree, Métis and Inuit students received their bachelor of health sciences addictions counselling degrees. After graduation, many students intend to work within their home communities. Marcia White Quills, a U of L nursing alumna says she is looking “forward to being a role model for all mothers, especially the young mothers. I want to help them create their own opportunities by continuing their education. I feel the only way our Aboriginal communities are going to gain strength is through healthy child development and education.”
In addition, Marilyn Lamb (learning facilitator) recently received national recognition for her work with SSASHS and its impact on First Nations, Métis and Inuit learning at the Ashoka Changemakers Summit in Gatineau, QC.
Education is a critical factor in ensuring that First Nations, Métis and Inuit people are successful in the workforce. This new generation of health care professionals will address health issues and provide health services to families living on the nation’s reserves and in its urban centres. Increasing the number of Aboriginal health care professionals is crucial to enhancing the capacity of communities, and positively influencing effective and efficient health care delivery. We are so proud of the students and their achievements and look forward to celebrating their continued successes.
Addictions Counselling
We are very excited for our first cohort of master’s students in counselling with an addictions and mental health specialization starting this July. This is an innovative collaborative program between the Faculties of Health Sciences and Education in which students will receive a master of education degree after completing a three-year part-time 12-course program, which will give them the graduate courses they need for registration as a psychologist. This program is specifically designed to focus on the interplay between addictions and mental health issues and will have a strong clinical focus incorporating evidence informed theoretical perspectives and interventions. As part of their training, students in the program will be taking advantage of the state-of-the-art counselling lab facilities in Markin Hall. As expected, demand for admission was high.
The undergraduate program in addictions counselling continues to produce students who can make an impact in the addictions field after graduation. A pivotal part of the program is the full-term senior internship in the students’ fourth year. In the fall of 2011, a program record total of 40 senior students were placed locally, nationally and internationally. Within Canada, students enjoyed training opportunities in addictions treatment centres, community-based counselling agencies, mental health services and prevention programs. Furthermore, students received experience and training towards serving youths, adults and specialized at-risk populations. Sites were located in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario. Notably, on a national level, our students were placed at a number of innovative and renowned treatment centres including Edgewood Treatment Centre in Nanaimo and the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. Internationally, students had the unique opportunity to be placed in some particularly dynamic locations, including the Goldbridge Rehabilitative Services on the gold coast of Australia, which offers a residential therapeutic community approach to the treatment of addictions. Additionally, several students completed their internship at the Priory Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, which offered experiences in three major treatment areas, including eating disorders, mental health and addictions from a medical context. The feedback from many of the site supervisors has indicated that the U of L students are well-prepared and ready for career entry. Overall, it is evident that these national and international internships offer students a groundbreaking, life-changing opportunity to experience different cultural and theoretical perspectives, while accelerating their own personal and professional development.
Program Updates continued
On February 22, 2012, the University of Lethbridge’s Nursing Education in Southern Alberta (NESA) program hosted the Western and North-Western Region Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (WNRCASN) Conference. More than 100 nurse educators, registered nurses and students gathered for a two-day conference devoted to sharing and discussing nursing education research and teaching innovations.
This year’s conference theme was Winds of Change: Diversity and Divergence. Dr. david Gregory launched the conference by exploring the challenges nurse educators and programs have and continue to face within complex educational and health service environments. Dr. Barbara Paterson ended the conference by providing the delegates with some tools for surviving the hurricane of change. More than 30 presentations were
offered – many by U of L faculty and students. Topics that were presented and discussed ranged from classroom teaching strategies (like using the Prezi program) to supporting students, preceptors and faculty in the clinical setting. Many of the presenters challenged the audience to critically analyze teaching strategies and how they influence the student learning experience. Poster presentations helped to round off this rich experience of dialogue and
sharing. While all of these presentations were spectacular, the highlight of the conference was the opportunity to connect with old friends and to meet new aquaintances. The conference reinforced that as nursing education continues to change, nursing educators must continue to work together to advance the profession.
2012 Western and North-Western Region Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing Conference: Winds of Change: Diversity and Divergence
Faculty Review
Dr. Cheryl Currie
Exploring protective factors for Aboriginal health in cities
More than half of all Aboriginal Canadians live in
cities. Little is known about factors that promote or
detract from their health and well-being. Dr. Cheryl
Currie, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Health
Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, recently
completed a project that examined several social and
cultural factors that might predict addictive disorders
in this population.
To conduct this work collaboratively, Currie
organized an urban Aboriginal Advisory Committee
to set study priorities and provide oversight on how
the study would be conducted. Data collection then
took place using in-person surveys and interviews with
441 urban Aboriginal and Métis adults in Alberta.
Aboriginal and Métis cultural practices were key
factors that protected urban Aboriginal peoples
against alcohol, illicit drug and prescription drug
problems. Currie reports the empirical findings were
statistically significant and the protective effects were
large. Urban Aboriginal peoples described cultural
practice as participating in Aboriginal ceremonies
and cultural events; smudging; sharing what one
has with others; valuing spirituality and family; and
respecting oneself, others, and the earth. As stated
by one participant in the study: “When I engage in
ceremony I find balance in life, in school. Ceremonies
connect you to your culture. You feel comfortable
there with your own people all trying to unite and
become healthier in the traditional way.”
Interestingly, this was not the case for Canadian
acculturation, which is the degree to which
Aboriginals identified with, felt a sense of pride
for, and integrated the values and practices of
mainstream Canadian culture into their lives.
“The research suggests negative treatment from
mainstream society made it difficult for urban
Aboriginal peoples to feel they were part of Canadian
culture and society; which may explain why
Canadian acculturation had no protective effects for
them,” says Currie.
She is currently in the process of bringing these
findings back to the urban Aboriginal community in
Alberta for interpretation and dissemination. “These
results support the growth of programs and services
that enable Aboriginal peoples to maintain their
cultural traditions within the urban setting,” she says.
Currie is also planning for her next study. “The
research results suggest participating in Aboriginal
culture increased the self-esteem of urban Aboriginal
peoples. This helped to explain why engaging in
Aboriginal cultural traditions was protective. But
statistically, increased self-esteem did not explain
the protective effect entirely. Aboriginal culture was
also protecting urban Aboriginal peoples through
additional mechanisms that remain unknown.
Determining what these additional mechanisms
are, in collaboration and partnership with urban
Aboriginal communities in Alberta, will be a key
focus of my future research. To improve urban
Aboriginal health, we need to start asking different
questions, and to start looking for different
answers that are grounded in the knowledge of the
community itself. “
James Sanders (BA ’05) came to realize the need
for greater research in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder (FASD) by interacting directly with
people affected by the disorder. As a behavioural
consultant who provided strategies and resources
to parents of young children with disabilities, he
began to notice complex challenges in working
with those parents.
“My research interest in FASD began in the
context of these parents’ experiences, and I
wondered about the complex dynamics between
non-birthparents (adoptive, foster, extended
family) and birth mothers. FASD is unique from
other neuro-developmental disorders because the
cause of the disability can be attributed to birth
mothers drinking during pregnancy. This can
create a great deal of tension amongst non-birth
parents and community members, particularly
when the complex social challenges that many of
these mothers experience are not recognized or
acknowledged,” says Sanders.
As a researcher, that translated to an interest in
improving the diagnostic process for FASD, as well
as prevention and intervention. Sanders is also
interested in aspects of other neuro-developmental
disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Sanders, who joined the University of
Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences in 2011,
is about to complete a PhD in educational
psychology at the University of Alberta. He is also
a registered psychologist in Alberta, and has a
master’s degree in educational psychology from
the University of Alberta and a bachelor of arts
from the University of Lethbridge. In addition,
he serves as the psychologist with the Lethbridge
FASD Diagnostic Clinic.
Sanders says being in Lethbridge positions him
to enhance his community connections. “Working
at the University of Lethbridge allows me to work
with community agencies and groups, including
those involved in FASD service provision, so that
my research here can contribute directly to the
lives of those affected by the disorder,”
says Sanders.
“There are many FASD-related services offered
throughout Alberta, thanks in part to the creation
of the Alberta FASD Cross-Ministry Committee,
formed from a partnership of government
ministries and provincial and community
organizations.” In the Lethbridge area there is
now a diagnostic clinic team, partnerships with
youth and adult justice, coaching and mentoring
for individuals with FASD, outreach support for
at-risk moms and an FASD certificate program at
Lethbridge College.
Going forward, Sanders intends to continue his
research into FASD and its diagnosis. “Currently,
our diagnostic guidelines speak very little to how
an individual client will function day-to-day
and convey limited focus as to the client-specific
strengths and weaknesses,” says Sanders. “These
aspects of functioning are critical when informing
recommendations and intervention efforts.
Taking a functional approach to diagnosis may
also help to clarify the neurocognitive profile
associated with FASD, which is currently not
well understood.”
The Faculty of Health Sciences proudly welcomes three new faculty members.
Providing a new voice in the diagnosis of FASD
“Taking a functional
approach to diagnosis
may also help to clarify
the neurocognitive profile
associated with FASD,
which is currently not
well understood.”
James Sanders
James Sanders
Dr. Cheryl Currie
Research Update: Understanding Resiliency
“The notion of resiliency describes
the ability of a community to not
just bounce back but to actually
function at a higher level, despite
the adversity they faced.”
Dr. Judith Kulig
Dr. Shannon Spenceley (BN ’84) loves everything
about the start of a new school year: the freshly
sharpened pencils, the falling leaves, the longing
for cozy sweaters and the anticipation that comes
with a new group of students. So, last fall when she
returned to teaching at the University of Lethbridge
after being away for 18 years, accepting the role as
an assistant professor of nursing in the Faculty of
Health Sciences felt like a homecoming.
“I love new beginnings. New challenges to face,
new puzzles to unravel, new people to meet that
are dreaming of better futures,” says Spenceley.
“It’s been so much fun coming back. It’s a really
vibrant, dynamic environment. The faculty at
the University is wonderfully supportive, and
has created a welcoming, diverse and scholarly
community that I feel honoured to join. Add
to that the opportunity to interact with our
wonderful students, and you have the makings, I
think, of the best job in the world.”
Spenceley has spent most of her career working
in health services. She most recently served as
executive director, system redesign for Alberta
Health Services in the primary care/chronic disease
portfolio and is currently president-elect of the
College and Association of Registered Nurses of
Alberta (with a membership of almost 34,000 RNs).
Now, with a return to the classroom, Spenceley is
also turning to new research endeavours.
“In my experience, registered nurses tend to be
very divergent, big-scale thinkers. Sometimes, that
makes it hard to focus, but I’ve tried to focus on the
things I’m most passionate about,” she says.
One of the issues close to her heart is the
relationship between registered nurses caring for
those living with dementia, as well as access to
primary care and the necessary supportive services.
For Spenceley it’s a very personal topic as her own
mother suffers from Lewy Body dementia.
“I couldn’t even hazard a guess how many times
we needed prompt primary care for mom, but even
though they are working hard to try and make it
more accessible, there were always delays in getting
her the care she needed,” recalls Spenceley. “We have
a lot more work to do in making care accessible for
some of our most vulnerable folks. Our population
is aging and the incidences are only increasing.”
As part of her research, Spenceley hopes to look
at the morale of nurses who care for people living
with dementia in residential care environments.
Also in the area of primary care, Spenceley is
embarking on a separate study with a team that
is looking back at the Taber Integrated Primary
Care Project that took place a decade ago. As
one of the first big pockets of reform in primary
care in Alberta, it involved a restructuring of the
primary care system in the southern Alberta town.
Spenceley’s research team is looking at what the
critical factors were for achieving and maintaining
the success of the project over the past decade.
“Our hope is to better inform primary care
renewal as we move forward in Alberta. We want
progress to be as well informed as possible, and we
think there are important lessons from the past that
have not received the attention they deserve.”
With the combination of community
involvement, teaching and research, Spenceley has
a lot on her plate, but it doesn’t seem to faze her.
“As registered nurses, we thrive on challenges that
would topple the fainter-of-heart,” she says. “I have
a full life. I’m very lucky.”
Returning to the classroom provides new opportunities Dr. Shannon Spenceley
Dr. Judith Kulig
Dr. Shannon Spenceley
It has been more than a year since fires
ravaged the Slave Lake region of northern
Alberta and while many wonder how the
community is coping with the devastation,
Dr. Judith Kulig, a University of Lethbridge
researcher, believes the answer lies in the
resiliency of the community itself.
“The notion of resiliency describes the
ability of a community to not just bounce
back but to actually function at a higher
level, despite the adversity they faced,” says
Kulig, a former public health nurse who
has spent the last decade examining what
happens in rural communities when disaster
strikes. “Understanding what this community
goes through will be informative for other
communities that experience wildfires and
other disasters.”
Approached by the former Assistant Deputy
Minister, Research and Innovation, Dr. Ron
Dyck, to work on the project, Kulig is the only
academic researcher commissioned by the
province to investigate how the people of Slave
Lake are recovering. Her work is funded by the
Government of Alberta, Advanced Education
and Technology.
The information Kulig and her team
gather will be published independently
and will be freely available to communities
conducting disaster planning, communities
that have experienced a major adverse event
or community members interested in learning
more about helping their community recover
from a disaster.
For more information on Kulig’s work in
Slave Lake, visit www.ruralwildfire.ca.
Student Success
Megan Heroux (BHSc ’12) loves her job as a
Health Promotion Facilitator with Alberta Health
Services in Lethbridge. She’s doing exactly the
kind of work she’s always wanted to do, and says
she wouldn’t be where she is if not for the public
health program at the University of Lethbridge.
Heroux transferred into public health after
completing two years in the nursing program
at the University of Saskatchewan. She quickly
discovered that her interests lay more in the way
of prevention as opposed to treatment. Once in
public health, Heroux knew immediately that
she’d made a great move.
“There’s a sense of camaraderie among
faculty and students,” says Heroux of the U of L’s
program. “Class sizes are small – everyone gets
to know each other, and there’s a lot of personal
attention from professors. They do everything
they can to help you succeed and give you unique
opportunities to learn.”
Heroux’s degree program included an
applied study with the South West Alberta
Community Loan Fund, which sparked an
interest in assisting low-income families. In the
fall of 2011, Heroux began a full-time, four-
month practicum with Alberta Health Services
Population Health in Medicine Hat, Alta.
Among her duties were food security projects
and helping with Project Homeless Connect.
“It was a totally invaluable experience,” says
Heroux of the practicum. “I learned so many
things that you can’t learn in school. It definitely
helped me to get the position I’m working in
now. I’m so thankful to Sharon Yanicki, the
program co-ordinator, for finding that placement
for me. Sharon goes above and beyond to make
sure students always land in places that will be a
great fit and benefit them most in the long run.”
Heroux served as co-president of the Public
Health Students’ Association for 2010/2011, an
opportunity that she says allowed her to generate
awareness and excitement for a program that she
feels incredibly lucky to have been a part of.
“My education in public health gave me all the
tools I needed to create the career I truly wanted.
The U of L was very accommodating with my
transfer, giving me as much credit as possible for
all the education that I’d already completed. I
always felt fully supported in the program and I
felt completely prepared to enter the workplace
after graduation.”
Heroux’s focus at Alberta Health Services in
Lethbridge includes smoking cessation and injury
prevention programs for populations across
southern Alberta.
The Start of a Healthy Career “Class sizes are small – everyone gets to know each other, and there’s
a lot of personal attention from professors. They do everything they
can to help you succeed and give you unique opportunities to learn.”
Megan Heroux
When most people think of nursing, images
of scrubs, stethoscopes, charts and sterile
examining rooms spring forward. A place
where seniors gather to socialize, play games,
listen to music, work out and socialize seems
like an unlikely training ground for the next
generation of nurses.
However, as our health system has evolved,
the University of Lethbridge nursing program
has kept pace. While nursing graduates remain
equipped to work in traditional practice
settings, the classroom has expanded to also
prepare students for a variety of roles related to
health promotion, prevention and protection
– many of them in unexpected locations like
senior centres.
As part of a practice rotation in community
health, nine third-year U of L nursing students
spent a large portion of their fall semester at
the Nord-Bridge Senior Centre in Lethbridge.
Initially, Sarah McElravy, one of the students
assigned to work at the centre, was skeptical.
“When I first heard about my placement, I
wondered how it would relate to anything we
were learning in the classroom. I have to admit,
none of us knew what to expect. We had a fear
of the unknown, I guess,” recalls McElravy.
However, as the semester progressed, the
students gained clarity and confidence as they
spent time with the seniors at the Nord-Bridge
Senior Centre. They also worked with the
seniors to identify potential learning needs:
topics ranging from elder abuse and brain
fitness to blood pressure and fall prevention
were identified as priorities. Recognizing the
opportunity to provide health promotion,
prevention and protection education, the
nursing students developed and delivered
information sessions which were all very
well attended.
“Once we started talking to the people at the
centre, we realized they really wanted to learn,
and we actually had a lot of information to
offer them,” says McElravy.
In addition to the education sessions, the
students organized a full-scale health fair that
was free of charge and open to the public.
Several organizations geared toward the senior
population participated, including Building
Healthy Lifestyles, Population Health, the
Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Network and
the Alzheimer’s Society; as well as a denturist,
a hearing specialist and a personal trainer
specializing in seniors’ wellness. Also available
were other U of L nursing students, who
provided information on hand washing and
influenza, as well as student massage therapists
from Lethbridge College.
“The students really nailed the health fair on
the head. There was something for everyone,”
says David Ng, Seniors Programmer at Nord-
Bridge Senior Centre. “What’s more, the
students really meshed well with our culture,
atmosphere and members. You could see they
had formed real relationships with the seniors.
It was an awesome experience for us.”
For McElravy and the other students, the
feelings were mutual.
“We learned a lot about teaching strategies for
older adults and effective communication and
organization of time and resources,” she says.
“With community health, it is hard to see
immediate results from the work you do, but
just the thought of preventing a fall, a heart
attack or an abusive situation is very rewarding.”
Caring for the Community
“With community health, it is
hard to see immediate results
from the work you do, but just
the thought of preventing a fall,
a heart attack or an abusive
situation is very rewarding.”
Sarah McElravy
(l-r) Jordan Smart, Penni Wilson, Timothy Wells, Laurie Koopmans, Sarah McElravy, Rianne Vanderburg, Simone McKay, Lorna Marshalsay, Karly Frank and Shane Burton.
Megan Heroux
A group of University of Lethbridge nursing
students came back from the Canadian
Nursing Students’ Association (CNSA) annual
conference all fired up.
“It’s an overwhelming feeling to be there,”
says Indrah Kerrison, a third-year nursing
student. “Conferences make what you’re
learning seem more real and give you new focus
and energy. You meet nursing students from all
over the country – people that are energetic and
passionate about what they’re doing; people that
want to give back; people just like you. There’s
an amazing sense of community.”
It wasn’t the first time she attended the event,
but by all accounts this year’s conference was
every bit as exciting and enriching for Kerrison
as the last. As the official U of L CNSA delegate,
Kerrison had a vested interest in getting as much
out of the 2012 conference (held January 25-28
in Saskatoon, Sask.) as she could. It was a task
that she was happy to undertake.
“There was so much going on. I was able to
gather a ton of timely information and bring it
back to the U of L.”
The theme of the 2012 CNSA Conference
was Overcoming Challenges, Harmonizing
Our Voices – a fitting premise, given that one
of the hottest topics was the transition of
the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination
to an online exam handled by an American
company. Kerrison says the theme gave the
more than 500 attendees motivation to voice
their concerns.
“We think it’s vitally important that our
opinions are heard and that the next generation
of nurses has a united voice,” says Kerrison.
Kerrison was one of 14 U of L nursing
students that attended this year’s conference,
largely thanks to sponsorship through the
Faculty of Health Sciences Annual Fund. The
fund covered each student’s $170 registration fee
and provided $1,500 toward accommodation.
“If it weren’t for funding, a lot of students
wouldn’t have been able to go,” says Kerrison.
“With everything we learn and all the
inspiration we get from being there, it’s worth
it. It’s not paying the way, it’s investing in the
future of better caregivers.”
To learn more about the Faculty of Health
Sciences Annual Fund or to make a gift, visit
www.uleth.ca/giving/annual-funds or call
1-866-552-2582.
CNSA Conference 2012
“We think it’s vitally important
that our opinions are heard
and that the next generation of
nurses has a united voice.”
Indrah Kerrison
Standing (l-r): Meghan Holman, Olunike Ajayi, Daniel Kerrison, Indrah Kerrison, Ally Kopp and Brooke Govrley. Seated (l-r): Clair Tolton, Tammy Wong, Danny Christie, Mandie Reamer, Jasmine Clark, Sandra Dickie, Kayla Williams and Nicole Gunning.
A lot of people that know Madison
Holtner (BHSc ’12) will tell you that she
was born to be a counsellor. Holtner tends
to agree, but she’s quick to point out that
the addictions counselling program at
the University of Lethbridge gave her the
skills and experience she needed to turn
a natural ability to help others into a
rewarding profession.
“Being in the addictions counselling
program has been the most incredible
and valuable experience of my life,” says
Holtner, who entered the program in the
fall of 2008. “I started with the intention
of learning how to help others, but in the
process I also learned how to help myself.”
Originally Holtner thought earning a
degree in addictions counselling would be
very much the same as earning a degree in
any other discipline: go to classes, study,
write exams and graduate. While practical
study is an important component of the
program, what Holtner discovered is that
learning to be a good counsellor also
involves a lot of self-reflection.
“You can’t expect someone to bare
their soul to you when you haven’t dealt
with your own issues,” says Holtner. “The
program doesn’t let you slide by. You have
to work on yourself. Even if I never work
a single day as a professional counsellor,
what I learned about myself and what
I gained as a person made the program
worthwhile.”
Holtner says that the program’s labs
and practicum placements are also highly
effective in preparing students for clients
in the real world.
“You train in sessions with real people,”
says Holtner. “It’s very raw, and exactly
what you’re going to experience when
you begin your career. Professors and
supervisors are totally hands on. They keep
you on the right track so you’re ready to
work with people when you graduate.”
Holtner graduated this spring and hopes
to find work in Lethbridge. She plans to
earn a master’s in counselling psychology,
and dreams of one day of opening a
holistic counselling centre in the Rocky
Mountains.
“The addictions counselling program
has helped me flourish as a professional
and an individual,” says Holtner. “It’s
given me the confidence and ability to
follow my passion, and create a life and
career that is truly fulfilling.”
A Journey of Learning and Self-Discovery
“Professors and supervisors are totally hands on. They keep you on the
right track so you’re ready to work with people when you graduate.”
Madison Holtner
Madison Holtner
Una Ridley had a lot on her plate when she
accepted the position as director and dean of
the former University of Lethbridge School of
Nursing in 1989. She didn’t know it before she
got there, but one of the first things that needed
to be done was to get everyone and everything
into a different location.
“In those days the school was way down
in the deep levels of University Hall,” recalls
Ridley. “Everyone sat in cubicles and the
faintest sounds reverberated loudly up and
down the corridor. It wasn’t an environment
conducive to learning or productivity. We had
to relocate so the school could thrive.”
Creating a positive learning environment
was always at the top of Ridley’s priority
list. She knew firsthand the difference that a
supportive environment could make because
she experienced one as a young nursing student
at Kingston Public Hospital in Jamaica.
“It wasn’t the kind of hospital you see today,”
says Ridley. “It was the 1950s. There were long
open wards back then with large sinks in the
middle. Trainees like me would follow behind
doctors on rounds, carrying a basin so they
could wash up between patients.”
Ridley accompanied a physician by the name
of Dr. Wilson in those days, a man that she says
was “a born teacher who inspired confidence
and curiosity, and gave me every opportunity
to learn.” Her experience at Kingston Public
was in stark contrast to Ridley’s early days as a
nursing instructor.
“When I started teaching I saw practices
that I didn’t care for very much,” says Ridley.
“Students were often treated badly. I remember
one colleague who used to shriek at students
and belittle them, and of course that isn’t
good for anyone. You need to have a caring
situation in health-care education. You can’t
mishandle students and expect them to be
caring practitioners. People tend to give what
they get.”
After graduating in Jamaica in 1954, Ridley
moved to England and completed a midwifery
program. From there she immigrated to
Canada and earned a bachelor of nursing
degree in 1963. She completed a master’s in
education at Michigan State University in 1971,
and began her administrative career as head
of the Nursing Department at St. Lawrence
College in Kingston, Ont. Ridley served as dean
of the College of Nursing at the University of
Saskatchewan from 1980-89 before accepting
the position at the U of L. Once at the School
of Nursing, Ridley immediately set about
creating the Southern Alberta Collaborate
Nursing Education program (SACNE).
Developed in conjunction with Medicine
Hat College and later with Lethbridge College,
SACNE (now NESA – Nursing Education in
Southwestern Alberta) offers a unique four-
year baccalaureate nursing program within
an academic environment. It’s one of Canada’s
most popular nursing degree programs to
this day.
“It just made sense,” says Ridley of
establishing SACNE. “Giving new nurses the
opportunity to seamlessly transfer into an
academic degree program benefits everyone in
the long run.”
Creating new opportunities for health-
care students is an ongoing theme in Ridley’s
career. In 1995 she led the development of
the addictions counselling program, which
propelled the School of Nursing forward to
become the School of Health Sciences in 1997,
and in turn facilitated its transformation
to a Faculty in 2009. Ridley also laid the
groundwork for healthcare education
initiatives for First Nations students across
Canada, travelling to every nursing school in
the country to establish a conglomerate of
programs that would address the concerns and
requirements standing in the way of getting
native peoples into the field of health care. All
in all, Ridley’s curriculum vitae reads like a
what’s what of positive growth and change – a
point that she takes characteristically in stride.
“I just did what needed to be done to address
the needs of students and the community,” says
Ridley. “There’s no point in creating something
if there isn’t any need for it.”
Ridley retired in 1999, and is the longest
serving dean and director of the Faculty to
date. Reflecting on her time at the U of L,
Ridley says she’s very proud of today’s Faculty
of Health Sciences (now located in Markin
Hall), and is particularly thrilled with the
lecture series named in her honour that it hosts
each year.
“I’m very proud of what they’ve
accomplished, and heartened by what it’s
become,” says Ridley of the Faculty. “The lecture
series is a highlight of what I envisioned all
along – a place that allows the public to learn
about health-care issues that impact us all.”
“Giving new nurses the opportunity to
seamlessly transfer into an academic degree
program benefits everyone in the long run.”
The 2012 Snapshot is produced by the Faculty of Health Sciences in conjunction with the Office of Communications at the University of Lethbridge.
Editor: Katie Young
Design: Sarah Novak Design
Feature Writers: Suzanne Bowness Natasha Evdokimoff Jana McFarland Kali McKay
Photography: Rob Olson PhotographyContributors: Bob Cooney Asheley Cowie Trevor Kenney
Correspondence should be addressed to:Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive WLethbridge, AB T1K 3M4Tel: 403-329-2699 | Fax: 403-329-2668E-mail: [email protected]
For more information onall the health sciences programs, visit:www.ulethbridge.ca/healthsciences
To stay up-to-date on what’s happening with the U of L and the Faculty of Health Sciences,
visit: www.ulethbridge.ca/unews
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UNA RIDLEY
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