uAlberta | nursing

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Faculty FOcuS

undergraduates experience community learning

PhD graduates making a difference worldwide

FacultyFocus_Spring2011.indd 1 6/1/11 3:38:15 PM

Dear alumni and FriendsAfter this long winter, I hope that you are enjoying a bit of warmer weather.

We here at the Faculty of Nursing have much to look forward to in the

coming months: warmer weather, the beginning of a new academic year,

and then a move to a new building (Edmonton Clinic Health Academy).

In this issue of Faculty Focus, we are highlighting the PhD program in

Nursing at the University of Alberta and the successes of our students

and graduates. Overall, between 2001 and 2007, the University of Alberta

produced 27% of the PhD graduates in Canada, and the impact is huge.

When I look across the country and indeed around the world, I see many

of our PhD graduates in significant leadership positions, such as Dr. Joy

Johnson, Dr. Raisa Gul, and Dr. Flo Myrick, all of whom are featured in

this issue, influential nurse scholars and leaders who graduated from the

University of Alberta. We currently have 97 doctoral students registered in

our program and continue to be the largest of the 15 doctoral programs in

nursing in Canada.

The Faculty of Nursing recently undertook a review and evaluation of

the PhD program, with the assistance of Science Metrix. Surveys and

interviews were conducted with faculty members, students, alumni, and

employers of the graduates. A bibliometric analysis was conducted of

research publications. Four comparable institutions (two in Canada and

two international) were identified and comparisons were made. Overall, the

findings indicated that the PhD program has numerous strengths including

a high research profile and a healthy reputation, effective management

by administration and support staff, a high number of research chairs,

and success at obtaining research funding. Some suggestions included

addressing heavy faculty workloads, lack of funds to support student

research, and questions regarding the benefits and challenges associated

with flexible delivery. A PhD Review Committee within the Faculty of

Nursing reviewed the recommendations and is making plans to ensure the

continuing strength of the program. We are proud of the influence of the

Faculty of Nursing PhD program on nursing education, research, health care

delivery and policy. We continue to strive for excellence in all that we do.

We appreciate your many contributions to our various programs. Your input

on how to strengthen any aspect of the Faculty of Nursing is also valued.

Thank you for your engagement and support!

Sincerely

Anita E. Molzahn, RN, PhD, FCAHS

Dean and Professor

MESSaGE FROM tHE DEaN

University of Alberta, Faculty of Nursing �


thinking about genderalumna Joy Johnson leads the cIHR Institute of Gender and HealthWhen asked about being named

by the Vancouver Sun newspaper

as one of the 100 most influential

women in British Columbia, Joy

Johnson (MN 1988, PhD 1993)

responded, “My mom and dad were

really pleased!” She went on to say,

“But when I got the news that

I was on the list I kept thinking

that I wished I really did have

the influence.”

Johnson, a professor in the Faculty

of Nursing at the University

of British Columbia, is being

modest about the scope of her

influence. As scientific director of

the Canadian Institutes of Health

Research (CIHR) Institute of

Gender and Health (IGH), she has

considerable influence on health

research and policy in Canada.

IGH is one of the 13 institutes

that make up CIHR, and under

her leadership it awards more

than $8 million in grant funding

to Canadian researchers annually.

Leading an institute with a mandate

that encompasses all domains of

health research also puts Johnson

in a unique position to influence

policy. “IGH played a key role in the

federal government health portfolio

having a policy on gender and sex-

based analysis, which recognized

that all policy and research needs

to think about sex and gender

issues.” Additionally, she notes that

IGH was “successful in having

questions on the open operating

grant competitions forms asking

people if they are considering

sex and gender in their research.

These little things really do make

a difference.”

While the scientific

community may easily

comprehend the relationship

between gender and health, it

might not be as obvious to the

general public. But, she says, “as

soon as you start to give a few

examples the light bulb goes

on very quickly. They see their

children, the boys and girls they

raise, they see their partners, their

grandparents, and they understand

that one size doesn’t fit all and that

we need to think about these very

important differences.”

One of Johnson’s favourite

examples of health-related gender

differences is how men and women

differ in their interaction with the

health care system. “Men tend to

seek primary care less often than

women do,” she points out, “and

that’s probably not biologically

driven, it is based on what is

socially expected of men. And even

our institutions are set up in very

gendered ways. Doctor’s offices

tend to be very feminine spaces

that are probably not as welcoming

to men as to women.”

Johnson is clear to make a

distinction between sex and gender;

the former describes males and

females by biological features such

as hormones or body structure,

while the latter is socio-cultural,

identifying women and men by

the social roles and expectations

ascribed to them. There are

situations, however, where both

come into play, such as in Johnson’s

research on smoking. “I’ve done a

lot of work in the area of addictions

and tobacco use in particular, and

we know that men and women

smoke cigarettes for very different

reasons,” she says. “There’s a

biological component in terms of

their addiction and some reasons

why women might actually tend

to become addicted to nicotine

quicker than men, but there’s also

other social factors at play that

are gendered.”

The interest in gender issues dates

back to Johnson’s master’s research

at the University of Alberta,

looking at differences in men’s and

women’s experiences following

myocardial infarction. “I became

impressed with the really important

differences in men’s and women’s

health behaviours, how they engage

and what they are willing to do,

the barriers that they experience,”

she says.

� Faculty Focus | SPRING 2011


She chose the University of Alberta

after extensive homework on the

choices of nursing graduate schools

in Canada. “I decided to go to the

University of Alberta because it was

clearly a research intensive faculty.

They had hosted an international

nursing research conference and

were really emerging with a strong

profile in research, and I was

interested in that. So I decided to

move from Vancouver to Edmonton

and start my master’s degree and

loved it.”

While in the master’s program,

Johnson got “the research

bug” and went directly into doctoral

studies as one of the cohort of

three ‘special case students’ piloting

the Faculty of Nursing’s new PhD

program. She fondly remembers

that “it was a very exciting time. It

was terrific because there was this

small group of us, and the program

was being developed under our

feet. I feel like I was at the right

place at the right time,” she says

of her time here. Pointing out

the influence of faculty members

such as Peggy Anne Field, Phyllis

Giovanetti, June Kikuchi, Jan Morse,

and Shirley Stinson, Johnson refers

to that time as one of the many

highlights of her illustrious career.

Johnson feels that PhD-prepared

nurses, whether in academic or

I originally came

to Edmonton in

1981 after having

completed a

BScN program

at the Université

de Montréal.

Two years later

I returned to Eastern Canada to

study at McGill University where

I obtained MSc(A) in Nursing.

Immediately prior to beginning

the PhD program I was a sessional

instructor in the Faculty of

Nursing at the University of

Alberta. The focus of my doctoral

dissertation was on the history of

the Edmonton General Hospital,

an institution founded by the Grey

Nuns of Montreal. My doctoral

supervisor was Dr. Janet Ross Kerr.

After completing my doctoral

studies, I remained at the University

of Alberta in a tenure track faculty

position. For a number of years,

I served as the Assistant Dean,

Undergraduate Programs and then

as Associate Dean, Academic

Planning and Undergraduate

Programs. While in these positions,

I played an instrumental role in

the development of the BScN After

Degree Program, and took the lead

in designing the BScN Bilingual

Program/Baccalauréatès sciences

infirmières. In a recent external

evaluation the Bilingual Program

has been described as innovative

model of nursing education that

creates a unique space in Canada,

where students learn in both

French and English.

My research has been focused

on nursing education and on

the history of nursing in Canada.

Currently, I am working on the

history of nursing education and

research at the University

of Alberta.

Through my research and teaching,

I have developed considerable

expertise in curriculum

development and evaluation. I

am regularly asked to evaluate

both undergraduate and graduate

programs across Canada, and am

currently Chair of the Accreditation

Bureau of the Canadian Association

of Schools of Nursing.

With co-authors Drs Rene Day and

Bev Williams, I am also about to

begin to work on the third edition

of the Canadian best seller Brunner

& Suddarth’s Textbook of Canadian

Medical Surgical Nursing.

Pauline Paul, PhD, RN Associate ProfessorFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta

There were three students in the first special cohort of doctoral students at the Faculty of Nursing. Joy’s fellow There were three students in the first special cohort of doctoral students at the Faculty of Nursing. Joy’s fellow students in the program were Pauline Paul and Joan Bottorff. We asked them to reflect on their careers.students in the program were Pauline Paul and Joan Bottorff. We asked them to reflect on their careers.



I came to the University of Alberta

to complete a doctoral program in

nursing after working as a nurse

educator in Australia for six years,

confident that this faculty would be

one of the first in Canada to offer a

doctoral program. This confidence

was bolstered by my familiarity

with some of the outstanding work

of faculty and students, and my

knowledge of the dedicated efforts

that were underway by members of

the faculty to launch this program.

During the two years that I

waited for the program to start, I

completed the Master of Nursing

program, and began to work with

Dr. Jan Morse as a research assistant.

These two years reinforced my

commitment to doctoral education

in nursing and began a research

training experience that I was able

to continue throughout my doctoral

program. Working out of Jan

Morse’s research lab provided an

incredibly rich training opportunity

and, along with her supervision

of my dissertation research, was

instrumental in launching my own

research program.

Being part of the first group of

doctoral students in nursing at

the University of Alberta, faculty

members took a special interest in

our progress and supported our

learning in so many ways. Today

looking back on this, I realize how

very lucky I was to have been in

the right place at the right time.

After finishing my PhD in 1992, I

took up a faculty position in the

School of Nursing at the University

of British Columbia. In the next

few years, I was joined by two

other graduates of the doctoral

program, Dr. Joy Johnson and Dr.

Pamela

Ratner.

Sharing

similar

research interests, we supported

each other in establishing research

programs. We co-lead the Nursing

and Health Behaviour Research

Unit in the UBC School of Nursing,

and NEXUS, an interdisciplinary

research team interested in the

social context of health behaviour.

I am now at UBC’s Okanagan

campus and lead the Institute

for Healthy Living and Chronic

Disease Prevention to support

the development of health

research on this new campus.

I am often reminded of experiences

during my PhD as I try to create

opportunities for research training

for students and help others

establish research programs.

Joan L. Bottorff, PhD, RN, FCAHS Professor, School of Nursing

Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC’s Okanagan CampusDirector, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention

UBC Distinguished University Scholar

clinical settings, have a “unique

contribution to make in terms of

knowledge development. A great

advantage for us is that we have

one foot in the social sciences

world and one foot in the biological

world, and if you can go across

these two spheres and have a

basic working knowledge of

both of them, I think that you

are in a very good position to

provide leadership.”

And, she says, the time is

right for nurses to step up

to that leadership position: “I

think that we have to dream

about where we want to go

and what contributions we

want to make and to be bold

about that and put ourselves

out there.”

Dr. Joy Johnson with colleagues in China.

There were three students in the first special cohort of doctoral students at the Faculty of Nursing. Joy’s fellow students in the program were Pauline Paul and Joan Bottorff. We asked them to reflect on their careers.



Publication Mail agreeMent nuMber 40065232 return undeliverable canadian addresses to:Faculty oF nursing, 3rd Floor, clinical sciences buildinguniversity oF alberta, edMonton, alberta, canada t6g 2g3

It is a testament to the Faculty of Nursing’s commitment to excellence in nursing education that Florence Myrick is the current Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning.Myrick is widely recognized as

one of the stellar researchers and

teachers in nursing education, as

evidenced by her having been

named the inaugural Pat Griffin

Nursing Education Research

Scholar by the Canadian Association

of Schools of Nursing (CASN)

this year.

Myrick is a specialist in the

area of preceptorship, and

states “Over the years, I have been

heavily involved in clinical teaching,

and I know how important it is to

teach well in the clinical setting,

not just in the classroom and the

laboratory settings. They are all

equally important.”

To that avail, Myrick has developed

a number of educational programs

for the RNs who precept our

fourth-year students.

Over the past 7

years, a series of on-

site preceptorship

conferences have

been attended by

more than 1300 Registered

Nurses who provide one-on-one

clinical teaching with a student.

“We address topics such as the

intergenerational workplace setting,

teaching and learning styles,

giving and receiving feedback, and

strategies that are most effective for

different kinds of learners,”

she explains. “We also provide a

session on cultural competence

and safety. And, naturally, there is

going to be conflict when dealing

with people, so we also provide

sessions on resolving what we call

‘learning challenges’.”

The material from these

conferences, derived from research

evidence, has been adapted

for flexible delivery, allowing

preceptors to take the program

online over 13 weeks and,

according to Myrick, some even

opt to engage in both forms of

preparation. This online program

has proven to be so popular that

Health Canada has requested

permission to use it. “We’ve

recently made it accessible to them

in the province of Alberta,” Myrick

says, “Subsequently they have asked

for it to be made accessible to their

nurses nationally. We’re really

proud of that.”

Myrick is a pioneer of

preceptorship research.

“When I started,” she says, “there

had been three studies conducted

on preceptorship and none were

on precepting students. In my

first study, I examined the clinical

competence of students who were

being precepted when compared

with students who were being

taught in the traditional instructor

model of clinical setting.”

Myrick thinks that a positive

preceptorship experience can be

critical to shaping the student into

a good nurse. “It all begins with

that one educator who motivates

you,” she says. “There is a great

advertisement I’ve seen a couple

of times recently on television that

states ‘Behind every nurse, there

is a nurse educator’, and every

one of us has someone who stands

out for us.” For the educator, she

thinks, “that is a huge responsibility

and privilege.”

a life-long passion for teaching and learningDr. Florence Myrick honoured for her commitment to nursing education



Those inspiring people can

emerge at various times

in one’s education; Myrick met

one during her doctoral studies

at the University of Alberta. “I

worked with Dr. Olive Yonge in

my doctoral program. She’s a

phenomenal teacher, role model

and mentor and she just allowed

me to fly rather than hold me

back.” Subsequently, the two have

been research collaborators over

the years, conducting research

that has culminated in numerous

articles, scholarly presentations,

international symposia, and

a preceptorship book that is

nationally and internationally

renowned and that is provided to

all conference attendees

Myrick began her nursing career

in Newfoundland, and worked

throughout Canada in various

practice environments, as well as

teaching. Eventually, she pursued

a Masters degree at the University

of Western Ontario, focusing

on nursing education, to “gain

knowledge about teaching, so I

wouldn’t be flying by the seat of

my pants.” Following a decade on

faculty at Dalhousie University,

she decided it was time to return

to school again – this time for a

PhD. At the time, there was only

one Canadian nursing faculty with

a doctoral program. Many people

in the same situation tended to

enrol in other programs, such

as sociology or education, but,

Myrick says, “I wanted to stay in

nursing. I really had a very strong

commitment to nursing education.”

Citing its reputation as a pioneer in

doctoral-level nursing education in

Canada, Myrick came to Edmonton

“to study with the best.”

After completing her PhD,

Myrick worked at the

University of Calgary then returned

to Edmonton and a faculty position

at the University of Alberta. In

2009, she was appointed Associate

Dean, Teaching and Learning, a role

perfectly suited to her expertise

and passion for education. Among

her duties is leading the Teaching

and Learning Office. “It is primarily

a professional support role, to

support faculty and tutors, all

the instructors, with regard to

anything related to teaching

and learning,” she explains. “We

engage in monthly Teaching

and Learning Moments, lunch-

time discussions on topics that

are critical to teaching. And we

launched the Teachers’ Café this

year, which we hold on Fridays.

It’s an informal get-together of

faculty, bring your lunch and

come to discuss teaching and

learning. The Café has proven to

be quite successful.”

Myrick has obviously thought a

lot about teaching and learning.

Summing up her philosophy

of teaching, she says “It is a

presupposition that you bring

your expertise, otherwise why

would you be in that role? But

students want authenticity, and

that you are truly there for their

best interests, to set them up for

success. As for what it takes to

be a good teacher, I think it is

described best by the educational

scholar Stephen Brookfield, who

states teachers have to learn that

the sincerity of their intentions

does not guarantee the purity of

their practice. I keep that thought

uppermost at all times. It keeps me

reflective and honest as a teacher

and indeed as a human being.”

Citing its reputation as a pioneer in doctoral-level Citing its reputation as a pioneer in doctoral-level

nursing education in Canada, Myrick came to nursing education in Canada, Myrick came to

Edmonton “to study with the best.”Edmonton “to study with the best.”

Flo Myrick enjoying a moment with her mentor and colleague, Olive Yonge.� � Faculty Focus || SPRING 2011


The BSCS is a non-profit social

service agency just north

of Edmonton’s downtown that

provides a variety of services to

community members who face

social and economic barriers. The

agency has an open-door policy

recognizing that every person

deserves respect and dignity

and is entitled to basic human

needs; there is high value placed

on the strengths and abilities of

community members.

The community garden idea has

been floating around the agency

for some time according to Geoff

Villbrun, the former volunteer

coordinator, but staff is so busy

with day-to-day programming and

client services there is little time

to devote to additional projects.

Here was a perfect service learning

opportunity where the students

could take an idea and help make it

a reality. In addition, the placement

provided a rich learning experience

where students could interact

with the community members and

see first-hand the broader societal

impacts on people’s health. For

many, this experience would be

eye-opening, as the life situations

of members of the Boyle Street

community would be unfamiliar

to the students. They would meet

and interact with people who

were homeless or struggling with

addictions, and as a result would be

forced to confront their own biases

and perceptions of people living on

the streets.

Being placed at Boyle Street for

clinical was such an amazing

experience. Being able to work out

of my comfort zone and with so

many different people taught me

many things and is something that

will always affect my practice as

a nurse, and I am so thankful for

that. —Ashley Benoit

Community-based projects are time

consuming and require a lot of

work, which was a concern given

the already heavy workload of

the students. I soon found out my

concerns were unfounded as the

students embraced the idea with an

infectious enthusiasm that buoyed

the project during the highs and

lows. Each week, students facilitated

a community garden meeting and

worked hard to generate interest

among community members, which

proved challenging during the

winter months.

The students approached several

local businesses for donations

and were successful in securing

much-needed materials that would

ensure the success of the project.

They participated in early planting

and building of garden boxes, and

also organized a garden naming

contest. Over time, students began

to realize how much skill and

From the Ground upBy Melanie Meardi, Faculty lecturer

this past winter, I was fortunate to supervise two groups of 1st year

nursing students at the Boyle Street community Services (BScS). they were

completing their first clinical rotation in a community setting where they

participated in a community practice project that saw them working together

with community members to plan BScS’s first ever community garden.

provided a rich learning experience

to realize how much skill and



knowledge community members

have; one man, for example, spent

his youth working in his parent’s

greenhouses and had a wealth of

horticultural knowledge. All of this

collaborative work served to break

down stereotypes of poverty and

homelessness, which was one of

the goals of the clinical experience.

Working with the community

members at Boyle Street

Community Services on the

community garden was an eye

opening experience. To see all

the community members come

together with a common goal and

a few take on quite a leadership

role taught me so much about how

these people are regular people

with a passion just like you and I.

—Amy Neubauer

If the students became caught

up in the tangible aspects of the

garden, I would gently remind them

to focus on the most important

aspect of the garden, which was

the process and not necessarily the

actual yield. Through the planning

stages, students learned the value

of working with community groups

and how it was important for them

as nurses to take a step back and

let group members make decisions.

Through personal reflection and

reviewing the literature, students

learned how community gardens

positively impact health by

increasing physical activity and

access to nutritional foods, as

well as strengthening community

cohesion. The students recognized

how the planning process

helped increase individual and

community capacity through

fostering ownership over a project

community members have a vested

interest in. This opportunity also

gave the students a chance to

deepen their understanding of

first-year theoretical concepts,

such as health promotion strategies

and the social determinants of

health, where they could make

a tangible connection between

theory and reality.

In working with the development

of the community garden, I have

learned that it is quite possible

to make a difference. When you

are first confronted with the idea

of adding to a community, it is

very overwhelming. However,

collaborating with the many

resources we reached out to

helped to minimize the feeling.

As a student nurse, I feel I have

already positively impacted lives

& promoted health. Now that’s

what I call a successful first year.

—Amy Sutherland

On May 27, 2011, the Boyle

Street Community Services

garden was planted with the help

of returning nursing students,

community members and BSCS

staff. There was a celebration of

planting to acknowledge all of

the people who helped make

the garden a reality. The garden

is named From the Ground Up,

so appropriate considering the

grassroots nature of how it

came to be.

positively impact health by



In the Faculty of Nursing, students

are taught the importance of

connecting with the community,

and nursing professor Vera Caine

has come up with a way for

students to not only learn about

working in the community, but also

to actually be a part of it.

The idea came about after Caine

visited a body mapping art display

hosted by HIV Edmonton. Caine,

whose research interests include

working with Aboriginal women

with HIV, was immediately struck

by the display. Her immediate

reaction was that her students

simply had to engage with the

artists and body maps, after a

conversation with HIV Edmonton

community educator Lynn

Sutankayo, the project was born.

“It gives the students an

understanding of who they are in

relation to those living with HIV,”

said Caine. “The whole course is

around community-health nursing

and living in the community, so

this project helps that process,

particularly in teaching about a

highly stigmatized disease.”

The partnership

between the faculty

and HIV Edmonton

offers first-year

nursing students

a truly hands-

on learning

experience

through body

mapping, Caine

says. Students

participate in the

half-day session as

part of their clinical

hours in Nursing 191.

HIV Edmonton uses

body mapping, which is a creative

approach to inquiring into life

experiences through art. It is a

treatment information and support

tool, a process of self-discovery and

a means of building community.

Sutankayo leads the sessions for the

students in collaboration with HIV

Edmonton community members.

The process begins with the

students drawing an outline of

the shadow that represents

the support in their

lives. Then the body

mapping artist has

their body traced by

a peer, resulting in a

body outline and a

shadow.

Students then write

the names of the people in

their support network within

the shadow, which represents their

family, friends, medical professionals

who are important to them.

Sutankayo then asks the students to

draw two symbols within the body

map: one represents the journey

between the faculty

hours in Nursing 191.

students drawing an outline of

the shadow that represents

the support in their

lives. Then the body

mapping artist has

their body traced by

Students then write

the names of the people in

their support network within

Putting HIV knowledge on the map By Sandra Pysklywyc

This article previously appeared in the University of Alberta ExpressNews.University of Alberta, Faculty of Nursing 10


they’ve taken to that point; the

second, represents what indentifies

them and where they gain their

power from.

Throughout the process

community members living

with HIV will also share their

personal experience and will work

with students to understand their

personal journeys.

The finished product is a full-size

body map that is a descriptive and

personal work of art.

As teaching tool, Caine sees the

value in having the students place

themselves in the role where

they disclose who they are. “The

students are asked some very

personal questions and are asked

to represent themselves on paper,”

said Caine. “It’s a role reversal—as

health-care providers, we are

typically the askers of the questions

and in this situation the questions

are being asked of us as well.”

Caine says this is the first time

this project has taken place at the

University of Alberta and she hopes

to share this teaching with others.

Feedback from both the students

and the participating community

members has been very positive.

“It’s been a healing experience

to be able to give back to the

community,” said Sutankayo. “Our

members seem to feel hopeful

when they hear about the future

aspirations of the students and

what the experience means to

them.”

For the students, it’s truly eye

opening, Caine says. ”The whole

experience really gives them an

opportunity to think about health

care from another perspective,

and I hope this stays with them

throughout their careers.”

11 Faculty Focus | SPRING 2011


Dilmi aluwihare-Samaranayake Supervisor: Dr. Greta CummingsI chose the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing’s PhD program because of its solid reputation in the nursing education community and I wanted to experience learning in a high quality faculty. I am fortunate that the program at the University of Alberta enables me to study from Sri Lanka, which makes it possible for me to juggle learning with family life. I would sum up my impressions of the program so far as being an intellectually challenging and enjoyable learning experience. It has given me the freedom to explore and to find my way, and has driven me to outdo myself. When I came into the program I felt I knew exactly what I wanted to get out of the program and what my research was going to be about. However, going through the course work and meeting with my committee have taught me to be more open to new learning and to thinking out of the box. In addition, I have learned that I am not required to set my research path in stone. Rather, I must be open to reading and learning because if I have a general idea as to what I am interested in then the research path will emerge. My reading has led me to a keen interest in nurse migration, policy, decision-making, and leadership. I hope to develop a framework for shared decision and action at the macro level to improve participation and collaboration of nurses in decision-making and the evidence-based management of internal and external nurse migration. I anticipate taking this further to the development of a policy framework to guide nurse migration and participating in collaborative research at national and international level.

DOctORal StuDENt PROFIlES

Geoffrey M. Maina Supervisors: Dr. Judy Mill and Dr. Vera Caine

I chose the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing doctoral program because of the shared

research interest with my supervisors, Dr. Judy Mill and Dr. Vera Caine, its immense reputation as a

pioneering doctoral program in Canada, and its international reputation. Coming to the University,

I have been further impressed by the high level and quality of nursing scholarship within the

Faculty as demonstrated by the research days organised, the number of research chairs, research

outputs, as well as authoring of books. I also have been greatly impressed by the level of support

that graduate students are accorded by the supervisors and the faculty at large in order to succeed.

I am working for a CIHR-funded research project entitled “A Clinical Mentorship for Canadian Nurses in AIDS Care.”

This project is inspiring me to develop my own research using narrative inquiry to document the lived experiences of

people with HIV. My thesis is tentatively called “Negotiating Identities, Changing Stories: A Narrative Inquiry Lived

Experience of People with HIV in Canada.”

My goal is that by understanding lived experiences of people with HIV, therapeutic relationships between them and

health care providers can be greatly enhanced, which can translate into quality patient care and patient support. I am

using this research as a foundation of my own future program of research in HIV.

I worked as a lecturer at Moi University, Kenya before coming to Canada. I intend to use my PhD to enhance my

research skills and academic work both locally and internationally. I hope to do postdoctoral work in the area of HIV

and AIDS as well. I also intend to network with researchers and scholars to foster collaborative exchange of ideas,

expertise, and research in HIV.

Dilmi

I would sum up my impressions of the program so far as being an intellectually challenging and enjoyable learning experience. It has given me the freedom to explore and to find my way, and has driven me to outdo myself. When I came into the program I felt I knew exactly what I wanted to get out of the program and what my research was going to be about. However, going through the course work and meeting with my committee have taught me to be more open to new learning and to thinking out of the box. In addition, I have learned that I am not required to set my research path in stone. Rather, I must be open to reading and learning because if I have a general idea as to what I am interested in then the research path will emerge. My reading has led me to a keen interest in nurse migration, policy, decision-making, and leadership. I hope to develop a framework for shared decision and action at the macro level to improve participation and collaboration of nurses in decision-making and the evidence-based management of internal and external nurse migration. I anticipate taking this further to the

Hannah O’Rourke Co-Supervisors: Dr. Kimberly Fraser and Dr. Wendy Duggleby

The research training and mentorship that I received as an

undergraduate honors nursing student at the University of

Alberta set the stage for my decision to pursue a master’s

degree. After one year in the Master of Nursing program, I

transferred into the doctoral program in September, 2011.

The many faculty members within the Faculty of Nursing

who encouraged me to pursue doctoral studies, and the strategic

advise that they offered, was a signal that this was an environment rich in both

support and opportunity.

My area of research interest is in knowledge translation as a mechanism to

improve well-being for older adults with dementia, and there are a number of

Faculty of Nursing researchers with expertise and research programs in these

areas. Within the Faculty of Nursing, I knew that I would have the opportunity to

apply for competitive, national-level funding and that my supervisors would be

able to provide a supportive environment where I could focus on advancing my

research skills.

My doctoral research focuses on quality indicators used in long-term care settings

across Canada. These quality indicators represent the proportion of residents

within a long-term care unit or facility that experienced a particular problem, such

as pain, falls, or depression, during the last three months. There are 25 indicators

and most facilities can focus on improving just one or two indicator areas per

year. In my research, I will observe residents with dementia to determine which

quality indicator areas contribute most consistently and intensely to resident well-

being. These indicator areas may be seen as higher priority, providing guidance for

clinicians to use the indicators to improve quality of resident care.

My goal is to become an established researcher who remains ultimately responsive

to the needs of persons with dementia. The honor of receiving a Vanier Canada

Graduate Scholarship and the resources available to me as a doctoral student

within the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta have made this goal all

the more attainable.

The research training and mentorship that I received as an

undergraduate honors nursing student at the University of

Alberta set the stage for my decision to pursue a master’s

degree. After one year in the Master of Nursing program, I

who encouraged me to pursue doctoral studies, and the strategic

I chose the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing doctoral program because of the shared

research interest with my supervisors, Dr. Judy Mill and Dr. Vera Caine, its immense reputation as a

pioneering doctoral program in Canada, and its international reputation. Coming to the University,

I have been further impressed by the high level and quality of nursing scholarship within the

that graduate students are accorded by the supervisors and the faculty at large in order to succeed.

University of Alberta, Faculty of Nursing 1�


Dilmi aluwihare-Samaranayake Supervisor: Dr. Greta CummingsI chose the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing’s PhD program because of its solid reputation in the nursing education community and I wanted to experience learning in a high quality faculty. I am fortunate that the program at the University of Alberta enables me to study from Sri Lanka, which makes it possible for me to juggle learning with family life. I would sum up my impressions of the program so far as being an intellectually challenging and enjoyable learning experience. It has given me the freedom to explore and to find my way, and has driven me to outdo myself. When I came into the program I felt I knew exactly what I wanted to get out of the program and what my research was going to be about. However, going through the course work and meeting with my committee have taught me to be more open to new learning and to thinking out of the box. In addition, I have learned that I am not required to set my research path in stone. Rather, I must be open to reading and learning because if I have a general idea as to what I am interested in then the research path will emerge. My reading has led me to a keen interest in nurse migration, policy, decision-making, and leadership. I hope to develop a framework for shared decision and action at the macro level to improve participation and collaboration of nurses in decision-making and the evidence-based management of internal and external nurse migration. I anticipate taking this further to the development of a policy framework to guide nurse migration and participating in collaborative research at national and international level.

As the first PhD-prepared nurse

from the Pakistani province

of Khyber Pakthtoohkhawa, Dr.

Raisa Gul (PhD 2007) was recently

awarded a medal

by the Provincial

Nurses Association

Khyber

Pakthtoonkhawa

(KPK) in

recognition of

her exemplary

academic and

professional

achievements as

a nurse scholar

in the Province

of KPK and her

“services, loyalty,

dedication and commitment

to the profession of nursing

in Pakistan.”

Gul is an associate professor at Aga

Khan University School of Nursing

(AKU-SON) in Karachi, Pakistan,

where she has worked since

1999. Following her initial nursing

education at Lady Reading Hospital,

Peshawar in KPK, she completed

a BScN at McMaster University in

Hamilton in 1990. After completing

her master’s degree in Australia,

she was working as an educator

at Aga Khan when she decided to

continue on with doctoral studies

at the University of Alberta.

Nursing education is very much in

transition in Pakistan. Gul thinks

that “for effective nursing education

and evidenced based practice in

nursing, we need

a critical mass of

nurses with doctoral

and postdoctoral

preparation.” This

level of education isn’t

yet available there

however. The first

baccalaureate nursing

degree was initiated

offered in 1988 and,

according to Gul, “the

first MScN program

in Pakistan was

established in

2001 at AKU-

SON, and it

remained the

only graduate

program.”

Gul is doing her part in advancing

nursing education in Pakistan

through her teaching and

research. Her doctoral research,

co-supervised by Joanne Olson

and Pauline Paul and published as

Competence of Graduates of the

Four-Year BScN Programme at Aga

Khan University: Experiences and

Perceptions, involved evaluating

the AKU-SON baccalaureate

program. Since then, she has

continued to publish 2 or 3 articles

annually, many of them focusing

on issues in nursing education in

Pakistan. She is currently leading

a multidisciplinary team of

researchers on critical thinking in

nursing education at 16 institutions

in Pakistan.

Gul credits much of her success to

her training in Alberta. “Although

I have had some exposure to

conducting research before my

doctoral studies, I had never

published. I began to publish

during my studies at the University

of Alberta,” she says. “My doctoral

education has enabled me to

conduct research independently.”

But it isn’t just the research

component that she says

was enhanced by her Alberta

experience. Already an educator

when she came here, Gul feels

that her “confidence in teaching

at the graduate level was certainly

enhanced with doctoral education.”

Through teaching courses in

curriculum development, research,

and nursing theory, as well as

supervising numerous graduate

students working in the field

of nursing education, Gul is

committed to bettering nursing

education and, ultimately, practice

in Pakistan.

an education system in transitionDr. Raisa Gul is making an impact on nursing education in Pakistan

first MScN program

in Pakistan was

established in

only graduate

1� Faculty Focus | SPRING 2011


aluMNI

Victoria & area University of Alberta Alumni Brunch, on Saturday, April 16th.

Back Row L to R: Sheila MacDougall (Nu [Dip] 1947), Mary Van Alstine (Nu [Dip] 1948, BScn 1949)

Anita Molzahn, Dean, Faculty of Nursing, Angeline Joss (Nu [Dip] 1958, BScN 1959), Alma Keenan,

(Nu [Dip] 1948), Marion Barlow (BScN 1988), Mildred Chisholm (Nu [Dip] 1952, BScN 1953), Carol

Stewart (Nu [Dip] 1967, BScN 1989), Nikki MacKenzie (Nu [Dip] 1948).

Front Row L to R: Diane Patterson (Nu [Dip] 1958, BScN 1959), Beverley Holmes (Nu [Dip] 1945),

Dorothy Shortreed (Nu [Dip] 1945).

On May 1, a group of Vancouver area University of Alberta Hospital and University of

Alberta alumni held a lunch a the Arbutus Club. Dr. Alex Clark discussed inventions and

health measures from Scotland and directly compared findings with Canadian outcomes.

L to R: Grace Evans (Nu [Dip] 1954), Marjorie Ewing (Nu [Dip] 1946), Patricia Long (Nu

[Dip] 1958), Ruth Lewis (Nu [Dip] 1948), Lorna Emslie (Nu [Dip] 1948), Professor Alex

Clark, Mable Bloemhof (Nu [Dip] 1951), Irene Doyle (Nu [Dip] 1948).

University of Alberta, Faculty of Nursing 1�


It is with great sadness that we report the death of Jocelyn Dye-Grech, a student in our PhD program. Jocelyn passed away unexpectedly on March 6, 2011. She was within weeks of defending her doctoral dissertation, which focused on In Vitro Fertilization and Selective Abortion:

Ethics, Moral Distress and Family Adaptation. Her degree was awarded posthumously at a special ceremony on June 1, 2011. Jocelyn was a committed neonatal nurse, a favourite and much-loved teacher, and a dedicated scholar. We will miss her.

Sister Helen Levasseur BSc in Nursing, 1953

March 29, 2011

Mrs Mary Forster Diploma in Nursing, 1960

BSc in Nursing, 1961February 5, 2011

Mrs Anita Oluk Diploma in Nursing, 1969

BSc in Nursing, 1972April 12, 2011

Mrs Lorna Jay (nee Chisholm)Diploma in Nursing, 1931

February 5, 2011

Ms Avis Gallagher Diploma in Nursing, 1952

April 30, 2011

Mrs Raymonde Milner (nee Penrowley)Diploma in Nursing, 1945

April 1, 2011

Mrs June Chen (nee Smith)Diploma in Nursing, 1968

November 3, 2010

Mrs Elizabeth Francis (nee Wyntjes)BSc in Nursing, 1982

April 19, 2011

Ms M H Joan McNeice Diploma in Nursing, 1966

BSc in Nursing, 1969April 27, 2011

Mrs Hazel Peterson Diploma in Nursing, 1952

February 11, 2011

Mrs Isabelle English (nee Reesor)Diploma in Nursing, 1941

BSc in Nursing, 1942January 30, 2011

Mrs Gladys Kramer (nee Fiddes)BSc in Nursing, 1983

April 3, 2011

Mrs Stella Chandler (nee Wallace)Diploma in Nursing, 1945

July 7, 2010

Mrs Dorothy Otto (nee Steedman)Diploma in Nursing, 1943

BSc in Nursing, 1944July 24, 2010

Mrs Lou-Anne Dallison (nee Carscadden)

Diploma in Nursing, 1960November 12, 2010

Ms Cher Winter BSc in Nursing, 2001

February 28, 2011

Ms Margery A. Fenske Diploma in Nursing, 1982

March 28, 2011

If you are interested in setting up a memorial fund, please contact Jessica Twidale, Director of Development and Public Relations, at (780) 492-5804.

The Faculty of Nursing invites all alumni to attend the Nursing Alumni Lunch and reminisce with

classmates, connect with our faculty and make new friends. Come join us as we celebrate a nursing

program that goes back to 1918 and holds such distinctions as having the first graduate program in nursing in Alberta (1975) and the first nursing PhD program in Canada (1991). We look forward to

seeing all of you at the brunch.

Date: Saturday,Date: Saturday,SeptemberSeptember24,24,20112011Location: PetroleumLocation: PetroleumClub,Club,1111011110108108Street,Street,EdmontonEdmontonABAB

Time: 10:00Time: 10:00amam––1:001:00pmpmRegistrationRegistrationisisatat10:0010:00amamProgramProgramatat11:0011:00amamLunchLunchservedservedatat11:4511:45am.am.

Cost: $35/personCost: $35/person

To register go to www.ualberta.ca/alumni/weekend.You will be able register on-line or print off a form that can be mailed or faxed to Alumni Affairs. For assistance with registration or for more information please contact Fiona Wilson at 780.492.9 71 1or email [email protected]

Reunion Weekend Reunion Weekend Nursing Alumni Nursing Alumni

Brunch Brunch

In Memoriam

1� Faculty Focus | SPRING 2011


I would like to make a donation to support a:

❑ Bursary ❑ Scholarship

❑ Nursing Research Chair in Aging and Quality of Life

❑ Nursing Chair in Public Health Research ❑ Other.

❑ I would like information on how to leave a legacy gift to the FON.

❑ I have made provision for the FON in my estate plan (will, trust, etc.).

❑ I would like to be contacted about making a donation.

I want to show my support of the FON now with a total gift/pledge of

$___________________ .

If you wish to send your donation by cheque, make your cheque payable to the University of Alberta.

❑ VISA ❑ MasterCard

Card No _______/________/_______ Expiry ___/___

Date _____________ Signature__________________

Make your gift online supporting the Faculty of Nursing at www.giving.ualberta.ca.

You will receive your electronic charitable receipt the same day.

40065232

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

Faculty of Nursing 3rd Floor, Clinical Sciences Building University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6G 2G3

Ph: (780) 492-9171 Fax: (780) 492-2008 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nursing.ualberta.ca

03720

Name _______________________________________________________

Phone (____) _____________________ Email _______________________

Address _____________________________________________________

_____________________________ Province __________ PC __________

Faculty Focus Published by Faculty of Nursing University of Alberta 2–143 Clinical Sciences Building Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3 Website: www.nursing.ualberta.ca

Writers: Dan Given, Sandra Pysklywyc, Melanie Meardi

Photographs by/courtesy of Michael Holly, Sandra Pysklywyc, Melanie Meardi, Raisa Gul, Joy Johnson, Jessica Twidale, Richard Siemens, Dilmi Aluwihare Samaranayake, Joan Bottorf, Hannah O’Rourke, Dan Given

With this issue, I am departing from the Faculty of Nursing to move with my family to Australia. Over the past 7 years and 16 issues of Faculty Focus, I have enjoyed telling your stories. Many of you have contacted me, commenting on things you have read and photos you have seen in the magazine, and that feedback has meant a lot to me. I have also appreciated meeting many alumni at various events.

The Faculty of Nursing is in the process of hiring a new editor for Faculty Focus, who will be producing the next issue. In the interim, if you have any comments or feedback or story suggestions, please contact Jessica Twidale.

Best wishes,

Dan Given

For more information about donating to the Faculty of Nursing, contact Jessica Twidale, Director of Development and Public Relations, at [email protected] or 780 492 5804.

Faculty Focus | SPRING 2011


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