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: health.sciences@uleth.ca

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

Recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer fiber.

UNA RIDLEY

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