[Type text] Spring 2014 Connections. RNANT/NU News 19

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1 [Type text] Spring 2014 Connections RNANT/NU Newsletter Contents Board of Directors & Staff... 2 Meet the Board... 2 Executive Director s Message... 3 Call for Nominations... 4 Yellowknife Nursing Chapter News..5 Registered Nurse News.. 6 Contact information Nursing Education..12 Meetings and Special Events Canadian Nurses Association50 Driveway, Ottawa, ON K2P 1E2 Telephone: or , ext. 531 Fax: conferences@cna-aiic.ca Web: cna-aiic.ca NP Corner 16 Northern Nurse Publication...17 Upcoming Special Events...18 Upcoming Webinars/Education.18 RNANT/NU News 19 Call for Resolutions.20 Contact information Meetings and Special Events Canadian Nurses Association50 Driveway, Ottawa, ON K2P 1E2 Telephone: or , ext. 531 Fax: conferences@cna-aiic.ca Web: cna-aiic.ca 1

2 The Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (RNANT/NU) is the professional registering body and professional association. Its purpose is to register nurses for practice for the benefit and protection of the public, and to promote standards of nursing practice and education. Mission To promote and ensure competent nursing practice for the people of the NT and Nunavut. The RNANT/NU newsletter is published three times a year by the Registered Nurses Association of Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The publication dates are March 15, July 15 th and November 15 th. Deadlines for submission of articles are January 30 th for March 15 th ; May 30 th for July 15 th ; September 30 th for November 15 th Location: 483 Range Lake Road P.O. Box 2757 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R1 Office Hours 8:30 4:30 Mon-Fri Tel: Fax: Website: info@rnantnu.ca RNANT/NU Board of Directors President Robert Nevin President Elect Shawn Tohm NT Vice President Vacant NU Vice President Vacant NT Public Rep Jeannette Hall NU Public Rep John Maurice NT North Deborah Colquhoun NT South Linda Simpson NU West Vacant NU East Cathy Rose Secretary Jo-Anne Hubert Treasurer Jennifer Pearce RNANT/NU Staff Executive Director Donna Stanley-Young Director of Regulatory Services &Policy Vacant Director of Professional Conduct Review Jan Inman Registration Coordinator Kristan Sullivan Executive Assistant Doris Leggett Newsletter Editors Elizabeth Cook; Karen Graham; Pat Nymark Meet the Board My name is Jeannette Hall and I have been the NWT Public Representative on the Board since May I have lived in Yellowknife since 1973 and consider it to be my home. I retired from permanent employment in June 2010 after working 20 years at the Department of Health & Social Services, the last 10 of which was as Registrar, Professional licensing. My husband Ken and I have two grown daughters and enjoy golfing, boating, fishing, travelling and spending time at our cabin on Prosperous Lake. I am a volunteer for Food Rescue, the Meals-on-Wheels program and the Yellowknife United Church. I am enjoying the opportunities and challenges of being on the Board. The RNANT/NU Annual General Meeting Will be held Saturday, May 24 th, 2014 From 1:00 to 5:00 pm In the Baffin Room of the Frobisher Inn Iqaluit, Nunavut Member s Dinner will be held In the Evening 7:00pm 2

3 Executive Director s Message Is it spring yet? It will be here soon along with nurses week, the RNANT/NU Annual General Meeting (AGM), and CNA s Biennial. National nursing week will take place between May 12 th and 18 th this year. The theme is Nursing: A Leading Force for Change. This same theme was used last year however; it continues to be very relevant. Our profession has and will continue to evolve and change as we practice to our full scope. Our regulatory and professional bodies must also be prepared to evolve to meet the needs of our members. Last fall we conducted an engagement survey for our members. Information gathered will be used to provide our members with resources and information in a variety of formats. I encourage you to read the result of the survey on our website and participate in the next engagement survey to be offered this fall. Last May our Board of Directors confirmed the RNANT/NU will continue to hold an annual general meeting. The meeting will alternate between Iqaluit and Yellowknife. This year the RNANT/NU AGM will be held on Saturday, May 24 th, in Iqaluit. We are attempting to separate business from pleasure this year with the AGM being held in the afternoon from 1:00 to 5:00 pm and the dinner held in the evening. Agenda items for the afternoon will include a CNA update from President Elect, Karima Velji, a presentation of the 2013 Auditor s report and an election for members of our Board of Directors. This begs me to ask the question, do you want to be a leading force for change? Several of our Board of Director s term of office will end in May If you are interested, please see the call for nominations in this newsletter and on the home page of our website. If you are unable to commit to sitting on the Board you may be interested in being a voting delegate at the AGM. Arrangements will be made for you to be able to call in if you are unable to physically attend. Your regional representatives on the Board of Directors will be actively recruiting delegates. Let them know if you are interested. The annual dinner will be held the evening of May 24 th. The association s intent is to provide our members with the opportunity to spend an enjoyable evening with their professional colleagues. On Sunday, May 25 th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm an education session titled How to Avoid Becoming a Legal Case Study will be offered by a lawyer from CNPS. I encourage all nurses who will be in Iqaluit to attend. The price is right it s free. Last, I would like to highlight CNA s Annual Meeting and Biennial Convention will take place in Winnipeg from June 16 th to 18 th, This is an opportunity for nurses across the country to network and attend education sessions. Do you have professional development funding available to use? Sincerely, 3

4 CALL for Nominations The RNANT/NU Nomination Committee is currently seeking nominations for the following positions on the RNANT/NU: Secretary Vice President, NT NT North Regional Member NT North is composed of the communities of Aklavik, Colville Lake, Deline, Fort Good Hope, Fort McPherson, Holman, Inuvik, Norman Wells, Paulatuk, Sach s Harbour, Tsiigehtchic, Tuktoyaktuk and Tulita. NT South Regional Member NT South is composed of the communities of Enterprise, Fort Liard, Fort Providence, Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Gameti, Hay River, Jean Marie River, Kakisa, Lutselk e, Nahanni Butte, Rae-Edzo, Trout Lake, Wekweti, Wha Ti and Wrigley. Treasurer Vice President NU NU East Regional Member NU East is composed of the communities of Artic Bay, Cape Dorset, Clyde River, Grise Fiord, Hall Beach, Igloolik, Iqaluit, Kimmirut, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Qikitarjauq and Resolute Bay. NU West Regional Member NU West is composed of the communities of Arviat, Baker Lake, Bathurst Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet, Gjoa Haven, Kugluktuk, Pelly Bay, Rankin Inlet, Repulse Bay, Sanikiluaq, Taloyoak, Umingmaktok and Whale Cove. TERM OF OFFICE: May 2014 to May 2016 The term would begin following the 2014 Annual General Meeting ROLE: A description of the various roles can be found in Bylaw 9, Board of Directors on the RNANT/NU website. The Board meets by teleconference three to four times per year and in person one to two times per year. Nominations may be made and supported by any active member of RNANT/NU. All nominees must be an active member of RNANT/NU in good standing with the association. Nominations must be submitted using the nomination form posted on the website and should be send to: Debbie Colquhoun, Chairperson Nominations Committee in C/O of Doris Leggett, Executive Assistant at RNANT/NU by to execast@rnantnu.ca or by fax to or by mail to PO Box 2757, Yellowknife, NT, XIA 3R1 Deadline for Nominations: Friday, April 4 th,

5 Yellowknife Nursing Chapter News Submitted by: Pat Nymark Car full of Bags of Socks This year the Yellowknife Nursing Chapter had an overwhelming response to the annual sock drive. Socks are collected every fall to meet a much needed demand for many of the homeless in Yellowknife. Collection boxes were placed at various locations throughout the city and many people donated generously. We also received a number of cash donations that allowed us to purchase more socks. The Nursing Chapter members would like to thank individuals for their generosity. We would also like to thank the local chapters of the UNW and Mark s Work Wear House for their ongoing support. The socks were delivered to the Salvation Army for the foot washing program, to The Side Door, the Women s Shelter and the Day Shelter. The donations were gratefully accepted. Upcoming chapter activities will include donations of personal care items and/or gift cards to the Women s Shelter, the Side Door and Alison McAteer House. We will also be involved in the planning activities for Nurses Week in May. We are planning to hold our next meeting in mid-march. Stay tuned for date, time and location. Useful Websites Canadian Nurses Association Canadian Nurses Protective Society NurseOne Canadian Association for Rural and Remote Nurses 5

6 Registered Nurse News Nurses Healing Retreat Submitted by: Cathy Landry, RN, HTCP/l On Saturday, November 13, 2013 a group of twelve nurses gathered together at Trapper s Lake, near Yellowknife, NT, for a healing retreat in honour of a dear friend and colleague, Cherie Shea Metcalfe. Cherie, a Nurse Practitioner and a mother of three children, died on October 26, 2012 after a five-year struggle with cancer. Cherie attributed her ability to cope with her struggle to the support of friends, family and self-healing. The purpose of the retreat was not only as a tribute to Cherie, but it was also to utilize her legacy and inspiration in order to enhance our own lives. We are all stronger because we knew Cherie. Cherie loved nursing, especially the interaction between patients and colleagues. As part of her legacy to us she imparted how important it was to look after ourselves, and one way of doing that was having a retreat where we supported each other, and learned from each other. More than anything else, though, Cherie had taught us the importance of living in the moment and being PRESENT to each other. Cherie believed in the power of energy medicine, in the belief that we are more than our physical body. She also felt that we have an emotional, mental, and spiritual body, where all of these bodies must be recognized and nurtured in order to have balance and harmony in our lives. We began the day by spending time reflecting on establishing where we were in our own lives, before considering where we wanted to go from here. Then, after identifying some of the obstacles standing in our way, each of us recognized the support system(s) that would help us to reach our goals. Despite her dire health condition, Cherie repeatedly emphasized the power of gratitude, and the connection between emotional health and being thankful. Following her example, we looked at our own lives reflecting on the many things for which we ought to be grateful. It is important to be still and listen to the needs of oneself. One of the participants commented, It was simply an amazing day. Nurses caring for nurses! Not only would Cherie be proud of us but also, we all agreed that we need to keep this caring consciousness of self-ongoing 6

7 Getting to Know Our Long Time Northern Nurses Dr. Pertice Moffitt This edition we are featuring Dr. Pertice Moffitt. Pertice is an instructor in the BScN and MN NP programs at Aurora College and she is a researcher with the Aurora Research Institute. Dr. Moffitt also teaches in the Master of Nursing programs at Athabasca University and Dalhousie University. She has published a plethora of articles (some titles listed below for your reading pleasure) and she continues to research and generate knowledge for nursing and other disciplines. 1. How long have you been working as a nurse in the north? 27 years 2. Where have you worked and for how long? I moved to Inuvik in 1982 and was there from My son was born in Inuvik. My first job was Assistant Director of Nursing at the Inuvik Hospital. I became the Director of Nursing one year later, from It was really busy in the Beaufort Delta at the time. Inuvik was a boom town because of the oil rigs. There was a lot going on with nursing staff coming and going. At that time we did all our own medevacs in the surrounding communities. There were several plane crashes with fatalities which was difficult to deal with. However, there were also survivors. We left in 1986 and in 1990 we were transferred back to Yellowknife from Vancouver Island. I took a position as the health careers promotion officer. I was responsible for recruiting health professionals for the north for 4 years. I was also responsible for staff retention. To help with this, I published a coloring book called Clara s choice and also a health careers booklet that featured Indigenous role models in health care. In 1994 nursing was starting at Artic College in YK. As I had previously taught at North Island College in their nursing program, I transferred over to the nursing program at Artic College. I have been with the college now for 20 years. 3. What initially drew you to northern nursing? I came because my husband (RCMP) was transferred. We lived in a black row house in Inuvik and I fell in love with northern nursing. At the hospital we were jacks of all trades and you learned so many new skills, I delivered babies in situations that would not happen today. I loved the people I met. We were medical services and hired by them. We were a family of nurses across the north and you felt like you belonged to this family of nurses. 7

8 4. What has kept you here? Diversity of opportunities in nursing and being able to fulfill your dreams. I really believe in education. I am a traditional nurse and I believe that your degrees should be in nursing. I did a BScN at UBC and MN at UNB and my PhD at the University of Calgary. I think you need to know your own discipline really well. I have always been curious and I always want to be challenged. I have always done research, even as an undergrad. I was involved in research where we used amniotic membranes to treat decubitus ulcers. (It worked!) I remember I got 25/25 on my /project. Experiences like that have kept me going. That was quantitative statistical method and now I have crossed over to the dark side of qualitative methods which I love and it fits my personal philosophy. 5. How do you stay motivated? Encountering new things all the time. Everything interests me. There is so much research we can do to advance the health of local people and in nursing itself. I have a goal of leaving a legacy of publications as a means of leaving a little piece of myself in the north. 6. How do you meet your continuing education needs? Right now I am looking for a way to understand research methods better. I want to find a survey tool or something related to testing. I want eventually to create an instrument related to cultural safety. I attend conferences all over the world both as an attendee and as a presenter. I am very interested in circumpolar peoples and their lives. 7. How do you deal with the isolation? I am very social and I am content in a tiny town because I grew up in a tiny town in New Brunswick. I really like to sew and knit, anything with my hands and this helps. You transition to rural and remote locations. 8. How do you keep healthy of mind, body and spirit? The land rejuvenates me so it means taking long walks with the dog. I like watching the wildlife. I keep my mind open to alternative healing such as therapeutic touch. I take advantage of modalities such as massage and healing touch in YK. I look after my mind primarily by reading. I read professionally as well as for pleasure. Reflexively I write about what I think and feel. I write professionally and I write songs too!!! I think if you do things creatively like quilting or writing it nourishes the spirit. 9.Is your family with you? How has this influenced your life here? My family are grown but still come and go from Yellowknife. By having your children grow up in the north you become involved in all aspects of community life. This fulfills your whole sense of being a good citizen and being part of the scene. I love being in YK. I meet people I know everywhere and you feel connected. They have seen your children grow. We have shared births and deaths. We attend public meetings and get involved in issues that concern everybody. 10.What role has the community played in keeping you here? I love YK. It has everything that a city and a small community can offer. There is often too much to do here. I have become a community activist. I am a member of the Coalition Against Family Violence. I participate in any opportunity to make people aware that violence is wrong. 8

9 11.What role has your employer played in your longevity? Aurora College has been a good employer and now has created an opportunity for me to works as a researcher through the Aurora Research Institute. The people employed by Aurora College have really sustained me. We have a healthy group of staff who are positive and caring people. 12.What characteristics do you think a northern nurse should embody? A northern nurse is a jack of all trades. His/her specialty is flexibility and openness to new ideas. Our specialty is as a generalist and it requires advanced knowledge. One of the things most important is working with community people and understanding traditional knowledge. As well as learning how to recognize local knowledge and to integrate that knowledge into research. Research agendas need to be developed and lead by local people. The findings need to be left with local people. A northern nurse is full of fun and displays a sense of humor that sustains him or her. It is not just a job. It is a love of the land and the people who live here. 13. What critical piece of advice would you give to nurses just starting out in their northern nursing career? Do not stay in the hospital or health center. Extend yourself into the community, get to know local people. Take part in local activities and listen listen listen!! 14. What does the future hold for you? My goal is to do lots of writing, to continue to research and to learn. I have no plans to retire in the immediate future. I plan on being a geriatric researcher! Interview conducted and recorded by Pat Nymark In her life time, Pertice has contributed the following to nursing knowledge Peer Reviewed Publications (13) Poster Presentations (2) Referred Book Chapters (3) Newsletter Articles (6) Invited Presentations (11) Refereed Abstract Conference Presentations (49) Reports (Accreditation Reviews/Documentary analysis) (9) Total Contribution = 93 Publications by Dr. Pertice Moffitt Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Mackinnon, K. & Moffitt, P. (2014). Informed advocacy: rural, remote and northern nursing praxis. Advances in Nursing Science, 37(2), in progress. Cash, P.A., Moffitt, P., Fraser, J., Grewal, S., Holmes, V., Mahara, S., Ross, C. & Nagel, D. (2013). Writing reflexively to illuminate the meanings in cultural safety. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 16 (6) Moffitt, P., Fikowski, H., Mauricio, M., & Mackenzie, A. (2013). Intimate partner violence in the Canadian territorial north: perspectives from a literature review and a media watch. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, S72: Retrieved from Moffitt, P. (2012). Telling it like it is anyways : Capturing Tlicho pregnancy experiences through photovoice. Pimatisiwan: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health, 10(2),

10 Moffitt, P. (July 16, 2011). Bricolage as systems thinking. In response to Why system inertia makes health reform so difficult. British Medical Journal, 342. doi: /6mjd Healey, G.K., Magner, K.M, Ritter, R., Kamookak, R., Aningmiuq, A., Issaluk, B., MacKenzie, K., Allardyce, L., Stockdale, A., Moffitt, P. (2011) Community Perspectives on the Impact of Climate Change on Health in Nunavut, Canada. ARCTIC, 64, Moffitt, P., Murdoch, E., Wells, C., Martin-Misener, R., McDonagh, M., & Edge, D. (2009). From sea to shining sea: Making collaborative rural research work. International Journal of Rural and Remote Research, 9(2),1156: Available online from Moffitt, P. & Vollman, A.R. (2006). At what cost to health? Tlicho women s medical travel for childbirth.contemporary Nurse, 22(5), Davison, C.M., Brown, M. &Moffitt, P. (2006). Student researchers negotiating consent in Northern aboriginal communities. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5(2) Retrieved on December 12, 2006 from Moffitt, P. & Vollman, A. (2004).Photovoice: Picturing the health of aboriginal women in a remote northern community. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 36(4), Moffitt, P. (2004). Colonialization: A health determinant for pregnant Dogrib women, Journal of Transcultural Nursing, (15), Book Chapters Moffitt, P. (In progress, 2014). Complementary and alternative medicine: Health and healing for patients and nurses. In D.Gregory, C.Raymond- Seniuk&L.Patrick (Eds.).Fundamentals: Perspectives on the art and science of Canadian nursing. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. Chow, J., & Moffitt, P. (2013). Sexually transmitted infections. In J. Chow, C.A. Ateah, S.D.Scott, S.S. Ricci, & T. Kyle (Eds). Canadian maternity and pediatric nursing ( ). Toronto, Canada: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Moffitt, P. (2012) In the dark: Influences on the health of pregnant women of the NWT. In B. Leipert, W.Thurston & B.Leach (Eds).Rural women s health (pp ). Toronto,ON: University of Toronto Press. Newsletter Articles Moffitt, P. (2014, February). Investigating community response to intimate partner violence in the Northwest Territories. Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse (RESOLVE), 16, 1-8 Moffitt, P. (Spring, 2012). Research notes: Rural and Northern response to intimate partner violence. Northern Public Affairs Magazine, 1,62. Moffitt, P. (Spring, 2012). Our grateful heart quilt. Created by nurses for nursing scholarship. Registered Nurses Association of Northwest Territories and Nunavut Newsletter. Retrieved from Moffitt, P. (Spring, 2011). Sykepleier (nurse) in Norway, Registered Nurses Association of Northwest Territories and Nunavut Newsletter. Retrieved from pdf Moffitt, P. & Cook, E. (2004). Stitch by stitch, Canadian Nurse, 100(5), Reports Kulig, J., Kilpatrick, K., Moffitt, P., & Zimmer, L., (2013). Rural and Remote Nursing Practice: An Updated Documentary Analysis. Lethbridge, AB: University of Lethbridge. RRN

11 The Role of a Diabetic Nurse Educator Submitted by Debbie Sutton RN The Hay River Diabetes Program, established in 2003 provides service to clients in the towns of Hay River and Enterprise and the Hay River Reserve. This program has been recognized by the Canadian Diabetic Association since 2007 for meeting the Standards for Diabetes Education in Canada. The program employs a full time RN and two registered dieticians to meet the needs of clients with Type 1, Type 2 or Gestational Diabetes. As the RN employed in the program, I would like to share a little about the role of the diabetic nurse educator, its challenges and highlights. I began work in the Diabetes Program in 2007 with no prior experience. I was fortunate to work alongside some fantastic dietitians as I learned my new role. I now feel very comfortable in my position but it required good work experience and numerous other educational opportunities including the completion of the UBC Diabetes Educator course. Our program uses a team approach for the management of diabetes with the client as the most important member. Appointments are scheduled with the nurse, dietitian and other disciplines as needed. This includes the physician, foot care, the renal program, the pharmacist, community counseling and public health. Clients are seen individually or in groups. Group appointments have allowed us to see a greater volume of clients while providing them with support from others living with diabetes. My day to day schedule involves seeing clients who have been recently diagnosed, are new to our specific program or those who require routine follow up. Educating clients is a large portion of these visits and includes teaching about the disease process, self-management including medications/insulin, the prevention and treatment of complications and glucose monitoring. Foot checks for neuropathy, abrasions, and circulation among others, insulin adjustments, reviewing lab results with the client and coordinating referrals to other disciplines may also take place during these visits. Some challenges I have had working with clients with a chronic disease include being able to motivate and engage my clients to effectively manage their diabetes. A part of this challenge stems from the stigma it is the client s fault associated with Type 2 Diabetes. As healthcare professionals, we need to be aware not to contribute to this stigma. Additional barriers we have found to engaging the client include anxiety, depression and denial. For clients who feel well and have no symptoms of complications it is very easy for them to deny the existence of the disease and/or take it seriously. For clients who are trying to manage the disease, it can be discouraging when their Hemoglobin A1C increases and /or the complications they are experiencing In the picture is Jennifer Touesnard, Nutritionist; Kaylynne Parkes, Nutritionist and Debbie Sutton 11

12 secondary to diabetes worsen. I would also like to note it can be difficult to be the only Diabetic Educator in your community. As I stated earlier, I now feel comfortable working in my role but the absence of another educator within the community to mentor and advise me in the early years was trying. I do feel there are many more highlights when working as a Diabetic Nurse Educator. With the help of others, I have been able to structure our program to meet the needs of our community members. Our program is ever-changing and evolving as we strive to provide the best diabetes program we can offer. I personally appreciate the opportunity to work in a community that has allowed and accepted our growth. We recently reached out to our community counseling services and are working closely with a mental health and addictions counselor. Her expertise is essential in assisting our clients with some of their struggles. Working as a Diabetic Nurse Educator has pushed me to say current in my practice. I have to keep up to date with current research and guidelines. It keeps me on my feet and it s great because I am always learning! My co-workers and I would like to connect with others working in the north with diabetes. If you are interested, please contact me. Debbie is a graduate from the St. Clare s School of Nursing. She has worked in Hay River as a nurse for 14 years. Nursing Education Student Nurses Corner Submitted by: Carolyn Ridgley 4rth Year Nursing Student, University of Victoria at Aurora College This is ridiculous! Somebody really should do something! If I were a betting person, I would wager whatever I own that each and every one of us has heard this or a similar statement more than once in our lives. The situation that brings on such a statement could be anything from the condition of the roads to the cost of food or the lack of shelters and affordable housing in our community. However, the one common element, regardless of the situation, is that it has always been very difficult to identify this very elusive somebody. Who is it who should really do something? Where is this somebody when they are needed most? Well, the fact is that I believe I can positively identify this slippery, shadowy culprit who is responsible for not being available to remedy all the serious situations that exist. I got my first clue as to somebody s identity when I went to the Registered Nurses Association of Northwest Territories and Nunavut (RNANT/NU). The purpose of my visit to this association was to complete a leadership project that is a requirement of my course of studies as a fourth-year nursing student. I was informed by RNANT/NU that there has been a steady decline in member participation in the 12

13 association and that, with regard to the younger population, very few, if any, have any contact or engagement at all. The leaders at RNANT/NU wanted to create a survey to ask members what needed to be done to increase member participation. What changes did they need to make at RNANT/NU or what steps did members themselves need to take in order to create a stronger, more vibrant association? Somebody really had to do something! The more I thought about this whole situation, the more amazed and confounded I became! Here you have an association whose very purpose is to assist the members and, generally, members are just not interested. In the Summer 2013 issue of the RNANT/NU newsletter the president s message is basically a challenge to all members to communicate with their professional association. Surely it can t be that all nurses believe that there are no issues in healthcare that need to be changed. Of course there are changes that can be made to improve patient care and who better to identify these changes than those on the front line, nurses! Why not let your association know what you think! Let them advocate on your behalf! Likewise, nurses can learn from each other, share ideas and experiences. The association is there to facilitate such sharing and to advise nurses of current guidelines and practice documents. Nobody believes that education and learning stops after four years of training; continuing education is so vital to nursing and your professional association is ideally positioned to keep you abreast of all opportunities to enhance your professional development. So, if RNANT/NU is there to help and if we can all benefit from communicating and participating, why is the association s leadership essentially crying out for nurses to get engaged? Somebody really has to do something! Well, I said earlier that I identified this mysterious somebody. Actually, it was a she and she was hiding in my bathroom. I found her one morning when I was brushing my hair. With apologies to Michael Jackson, somebody turned out to be the (Wo)man in the Mirror. Because it has to start with the person in the mirror, this somebody told herself that she was going to do something. It starts with this letter! 13

14 Nursing Education at Aurora College The LRC Not an ordinary classroom! Submitted by: Betty Ann Marriott, BSN, RN Services Programs Instructor, LRC The LRC, otherwise known as the Learning Resource Center, is a mock hospital room and classroom that facilitates transformational learning. It is also referred to as the skills lab. With four different programs (Bachelor of Nursing, Personal Support Workers, Introduction to Advanced Practice, and Nurse Practitioners at Aurora College) occupying this space, the LRC promotes a learning environment for all these programs. This learning center provides students the space to practice assessment skills, learn how to plan care, administer medications and perform psychomotor skills such as giving injections, performing blood pressure checks, starting IVs and many other skills. The LRC is no ordinary classroom. One teaching modality utilized in the LRC is simulations. Currently, simulations are mainly offered in the Bachelor of Nursing program. This is when students are given a life like situation where they are expected to care for their patient. Students have to assess their patient, think on the spot and prioritize their implementations, make decisions on whom to delegate what tasks to and communicate with other healthcare professionals. While there are many ways to set up simulations, at Aurora College, we have mainly used medium fidelity mannequins and standardized patients. Medium fidelity mannequins are mannequins which allow students to perform their psychomotor skills, like giving an injection or starting an IV and the mannequins can respond verbally, letting the nurse know their reaction to their skills, have vital signs, such as blood pressure, pulse, breath sounds, and bleed, to name a few. Standardized patients are real people that will act like a patient having chest pain, or any other health issues. 14

15 The standardized patient receives a script and dresses up to portray their character. In the simulation world, the standardized patient will also have makeup applied to simulate a wound, bruising or any other characteristic that will create a more life-like situation. This makeup is called moulage. The LRC instructor, a nurse educator, monitors students performance and will program the mannequins to respond according to how a student responds to their client; sometimes a mannequin lives and sometimes, it dies. The best thing about using simulations is that students can practice and learn from their mistakes as no one gets hurt it is a safe learning environment. After the simulation is done, the most important part of the learning comes from the instructor-led debriefing process. Like all things in nursing, simulations have standards, all of which we follow. Simulation scenarios can be purchased; however, we create our own scenarios to match our curriculum and northern context. Although time consuming, by creating our own scenarios we can better meet program needs and level the scenarios to address what students learned in each of their four years of nursing school. One of our greatest accomplishments was the creation of a scenario that allows a student to care for multiple patients, demonstrating a higher level of assessment, prioritizing, delegation and leadership. This is a scenario that cannot be purchased and very few schools have developed. This complex scenario gives students a more realistic viewpoint on how they would respond to caring for multiple patients, all needing assessments and interventions. The final and important component of simulation is debriefing. This is the time when students reflect on their actions to highlight what they did well and where they had challenges. One would think that the main challenges are performance issues related to psychomotor skills. On the contrary, most students report their main challenge is their decision making involving prioritizing, delegating, as well as communicating with patients and other healthcare members. Exciting times are happening in the LRC, in terms of simulations. Although the simulations offer a wonderful opportunity for learning, mainly by the BSN program, in the near future, we plan to expand our simulations so they are more realistic and will include more members of the multidisciplinary team. The multidisciplinary team will consist of students from the Bachelor of Nursing, Personal Support Workers, Nurse Practitioners, Social Worker programs; all of which would typically be involved in a patient s care. Students report that they feel more prepared for clinical practice after engaging in a simulation. Simulations have proven to be a valuable resource as a teaching modality in the nursing curriculum. 15

16 Left to Right Front Row Carolyn Smith, Michelle Secord, Christine Lockhart, Johanna Rocco. Back Row Robyn Newman, Erin Wiltse, Jessica Florio, Joanna Tulloch, Courtney Bercan, Laura Swanson, Aline Laflamme (facilitator of the Drum Making Workshop), David Ford and Crystal Edzerza. NP CORNER Meet a New Nurse Practioner My name is Danielle Simandl and I am very excited to be joining the health care team in Fort Simpson as a Nurse Practitioner starting early March I am currently living between Halifax and Nunavut, working as an NP in Rankin Inlet with a focus on chronic disease. My previous experience as an RN has primarily been in general medicine and emergency, based out of Ottawa and Toronto, with a few stints in Moose Factory, rural India and New Zealand. In my role as a Community Nurse Practitioner, I will be working alongside community health nurses, a physician and the allied health team, providing comprehensive advanced nursing care for residents within the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority (Fort Simpson, Nahanni Butte, Wrigley, Trout Lake and Jean Marie River). I look forward to getting to know the community and my fellow northern NPs. 16

17 Article Featuring Northern Nurses Check out this article written by Steven Chase, a reporter with the Toronto Globe and Mail entitled 17

18 Upcoming Special Events Calling all Aurora College Graduates and Faculty Early in the fall 2014, Aurora College School of Nursing will celebrate 20 years with an ALUMNAE DINNER! Stay Tuned Like us on Facebook Upcoming Webinars/Education Webinar: March 19, 12:00pm ET, Redefining Value How much is a Nurse Worth? presented by Cindy McLennan, RN, BScM, MBA, CON(C). For more information please see 11th Annual Oncology Nursing Day, April 1, Theme: Oncology Nurses: Engaging for Excellence. For more information please visit Webinar: April 2, 12:00pm ET, Breast Cancer 101: Understanding Pathology Treatment, the Basics presented by Krista Rawson, RN, BScN, MN. For more information please see Webinar: May 14, 12:00pm ET, Developing Comprehensive Supportive Care Resources to Address the Information and Support Needs of Patients Attending a Rapid Diagnostic Centre for Breast Abnormalities presented by Dr. Christine Maheu, RN, BScN, MScN, PhD and Aronela Benea, RN, BScN, MScN. For more information please see Webinar: July 9, 12:00pm ET, Oncology and Palliative Care Partnership: Whole Person Care Inspiring an Innovative Treatment Approach and a Transformation in Clinical Practice presented by Carmel Collins, RN, BN, NP-PHC, CHPCN(C) and Kathy Fitzgerald, RN, BN, CON(C). For more information please see CANO/ACIO 2014 Annual Conference, October 26-29, 2014, Quebec City. For more information please see 18

19 FASD: Changing the Conversation 6th National Biennial Conference on Adolescents and Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. April Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver BC Conference Information Online: Human Resource Strategies for Healthcare. May 13 and 14, 2014, Double Tree by Hilton, Toronto, Ontario.Cultivate Leadership, Engage Staff, Foster Resilience, Increase Retention, Drive Productivity, Transform Patient Care, Facilitate Succession, Reduce Costs, Strengthen Labour Relations. Mount Royal University- Neonatal Nursing Extension Certificate Mount Royal University, Faculty of Continuing Education and Extension has launched a Neonatal Nursing Extension Certificate. This online program is designed for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses wishing to develop knowledge and skills in neonatal nursing. The program consists of 4 online courses and a 210 hour clinical practicum. Online Program. Registration is open for winter See the program website for information: conted.mtroyal.ca/neonatal Mount Royal University, Faculty of Continuing Education and Extension has launched a Perinatal Nursing Extension Certificate. This online program is designed for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses wishing to develop knowledge and skills in perinatal nursing. The program consists of 4 online courses and a 210 hour clinical practicum.online Program. Registration is open for winter See the program website for information: conted.mtroyal.ca/perinatal To learn more click this link Mount Royal University- Neonatal Certificate RNANT/NU NEWS Professional Conduct Decisions RNANT/NU Member # 5166 On December 19 th, 2013 the Chair of the Professional Conduct Committee approved a Settlement Agreement between RNANT/NU and Member # The Member voluntarily entered into Alternate Dispute Resolution and was fully involved and cooperative with the process. The member was found to have inadequately assessed a Pediatric patient resulting in a lack of adequate treatment. As part of the Settlement Agreement, the Member has completed the Pediatric Advanced Life Support Course and will complete the CNA Ethics course bundle offered online through Nurse One. Also as part of the Settlement Agreement the member will complete a university Cultural Competency course. RNANT/NU Member # 4987 On December 19 th, 2013 the Chair of the Professional Conduct Committee approved a Settlement Agreement between RNANT/NU and Member #4987. The Member voluntarily entered into Alternate Dispute Resolution and was fully involved and co-operative with 19

20 the process. The Member accepted responsibility for failing to adhere to professional and legal documentation standards and guidelines. The member also accepted responsibility for failing to follow employer guidelines related to dispensing medications. As part of the Settlement Agreement the member will complete a university Pharmacology therapeutics course. The member will also write a reflective practice paper on the Legalities of Documentation in Community Health Centres. CORRECTION Fall 2013 Newsletter In the Fall 2013 edition of the Newsletter Professional Conduct Decision Member # 5072 was incorrectly identified as being involved in a Settlement Agreement with RNANTNU. The membership number should have read # We apologize for this error. CALL FOR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2014 GENERAL MEETING We will be accepted up until 1:00 pm Friday May 23rd 2014 Please see our website for resolutions form. Resolutions can be sent to Jennifer Pearce, Chairperson of the Resolutions Committee at JPearce@GOV.NT.CA If you have any questions or need more information contact Donna Stanley-Young, Executive Director at (867) or ed@rnantnu.ca Are you interested in helping with our newsletter? Our newsletter is edited by a small group of dedicated volunteers. They would like to recruit a few new members. For more information contact: Doris Leggett at ext. 24 or ea@rnantnu.ca Tell us of the nursing activities -- new roles, new facilities, your unit, what you do, fund raising activities, community involvement, nurse to know -- in your locale or northern nurses working/volunteering internationally. Pictures are a plus!!! 20

21 Buffet will include: Soup, Rolls, Assortment Salads, Slow Roasted Quebec Pork Loin, Caraway-Stout Jus, Grilled Lemon & Herb Marinated Chicken Breast, Forest Mushroom Sauce, Garlic & Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetable,, Fresh Fruit, and Assorted Desserts, Coffee & Tea $40.00 per person (tax & gratuity included) RSVP by May 1 st, 2014 to ea@rnantnu.ca 21