Modified BScN Nursing Curriculum Launches September 2016
Dalhousie School of Nursing is leading the way for a transformation in nursing education in Atlantic Canada and has recently revised its curriculum and restructured the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) program based on best practices in nursing education. The revised curriculum (120 credit hours) will be completed over three calendar years (eight semesters) for direct entry students, and over two calendar years (six semesters) for advanced standing students (those with previous university education), offering graduates the opportunity to enter practice one year earlier. Direct entry students complete foundational non-nursing courses in Semesters 1 and 2; Advanced standing students enter the program at Semester 3. All students are admitted into the program September of each year.
The program blends classroom learning with clinical simulation, and practice application in placements designed to support student learning and mastery. The following chart depicts the nursing semesters at a glance. For more detailed information please visit our website: www.dal.ca/nursing and click on the option for the Modified Curriculum Beginning September 2016.
Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy receives the Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health
Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy with husband Doug Murphy
In recognition of her international work, Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy is the 2016 recipient of the Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for faculty leadership in global health. The award was presented to Dr. Tomblin Murphy at the Doctors Nova Scotia Gold-headed Cane Award Dinner on May 7th. Dr. Tomblin Murphy is a professor in the School of Nursing and the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology and the Director of both the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre on Health Workforce Planning & Research and the Centre for Transformative Nursing and Health Research. Gail is an internationally recognized expert in population needs-based approaches to health systems and workforce planning, evaluation and research. She has collaborated with clinicians, health care leaders, senior policy-makers, and researchers from government, universities and health care organizations to improve health systems in Canada and internationally.
The Dr. John Savage Memorial Award for Faculty Leadership in Global Health recognizes an outstanding humanitarian contribution to global health by a Dalhousie Medical School faculty member. Dr. Savage was a former mayor of Dartmouth, premier of Nova Scotia and a family physician. He was also a champion of the need to promote healthy communities worldwide and had a long-standing commitment to global health projects in Africa with the Nova Scotia Gambia Association (NSGA). Dr. Savage also served on the advisory committee to the GHO at Dalhousie University.
2016 Convocation Awards
The 2016 Graduation Dinner and Awards Ceremony for the Halifax site was held May 26, 2016 at Pier 21 in Halifax. After a lovely dinner was served to graduates, their family and friends, invited guests, and faculty, awards were presented to deserving recipients.
Justine Babin: Elsevier Canada Award
Mathieu Cormier: Matthew Ayer Award for Community Nursing
Dr. MacMillan & Mathieu Cormier
Victoria Doig: Melda Dashevsky Memorial Award
Melissa Doucette: Mental Health Nursing Award
Allyson Falconer: Rho Rho Leadership Award (Halifax site) and the Colleen Kiberd Award
Jordin Fletcher: IWK Health Centre Prize for Excellence in the Care of Children and Families
Kassia Gilbert: IWK MDSAS Award for Excellence in Women's and Newborn Nursing
Lori Hilchey: Palliative Care Nursing Award
Jonathan Honsberger: Rho Rho Leadership Award (Yarmouth site)
Lucie Kralovec: IWK MDSAS Award for Excellence in Children's Nursing
Michelle Ryan: Highest Academic Achievement Prize (Undergraduate Degree Program); Highest Academic Achievement Certificate (Basic Degree Program); and Dalhousie Alumni Association (Women’s Division) Medal in Nursing
Jennifer Young: Registered Nurses Professional Development Centre Award
Dr. MacMillan and Jon Honsberger
At the end of the awards presentation, the class valedictorian, Mark Harris, entertained the audience with an endearing address. Drawing on quotes from the graduating class, Mark evoked much laughter and a few tears as he demonstrated to all the closeness and camaraderie enjoyed by this graduating class.
Valedictorian Mark Harris
The final award of the night was the Teacher Appreciation Award. The students chose Professor Betty MacIsaac to receive this award in honor of her work with this class throughout their time at Dalhousie, specifically in her support of them as they tackled NCLEX style testing. Presented by Eric Creamer and Courtney Hodder, Betty was touched and very appreciative of the honor bestowed upon her.
Courtney Hodder, Professor MacIsaac, Eric Creamer
The Times, They Really are Transforming for the SON!
As we come to the end of the academic year, so we say ‘so long’ to some and ‘hello’ to others. Professor Maureen White, a long standing member of our faculty has chosen to indulge her desire to forge a new path in life. Maureen has provided a strong voice for student issues, much wisdom as we move to a modified curriculum, and advocacy for breastfeeding mothers. Her ability to make the application of theory in the clinical setting visible for students will be missed by all. We wish her luck on her new adventures!
Maureen being presented with flowers by the 2016 graduating class.
Although remaining in the school, we say thank you to Professor Shauna Houk as she vacates the position of Assistant Director, Undergraduate Studies on June 30/16. The incumbent since 2010, Shauna has provided leadership to faculty regarding student and curricular issues, as well as support for countless students as they navigated the rigours of their academic journeys. Shauna will return to teaching full time, as well as completing her tenure as the EB Eddy (Bennett) Professorship and writing fellowship. Transitioning to this role is Professor Beth Halperin, for whom we relay a very warm welcome. We believe her experience and fortitude will ground her success in this position.
Acknowledgement is made, and a belated welcome is offered for the appointment of Dr. Brenda Sabo as the Associate Director, Undergraduate Studies. A current recipient of Dalhousie’s Academic Innovation Award, Brenda brings skills and experience that will enhance her ability to carry out the responsibilities inherent to this role.
Making a Difference Beyond the Forrest Building….
• CNSA National Conference
Sheren Anwar Siani (4th yr Accelerated) and Leah Carrier (2nd yr Basic) elected to CNSA Board of Directors
Dalhousie SON awarded 1st prize for National Nursing Students Week video contest
Dalhousie SON received Atlantic Regional Achievement Award
• Research News
Dr. Ruth Martin-Misener, Dr. Sheri Price, Dr. Erna Snelgrove-Clarke inducted into NSHRF Decade Club
Leah Carrier received CANR award for best abstract submission in scholarly showcase
Dr. Marsha Campbell-Yeo received FHP Early Career Research Excellence Award
• IMPACT Awards
Maike van Niekirk (3rd yr Basic) received Board of Governors Award
Dr. Margot Latimer participated in a public panel discussion – Truth and Reconciliation in Action – May/16 at the Halifax Central Library, drawing upon her research expertise in pain experiences of indigenous youth
Dr. Ingrid Waldron was featured in Halifax Magazine (May, 2016) outlining her continued fight against environmental racism in Nova Scotia through the ENRICH (Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequalities and Community Health) project (http://www.enrichproject.org)
Dr. Megan Aston & Dr. Sheri Price and research team launched their video “Mindful Matters: Caring for Children with Intellectual Disabilities” in April/16 (https://vimeo.com/163234949) featuring stories from children with ID, their parents, and the nurses who care for them
• Alumni in the News
Faye Routledge RN PhD (2010), currently assistant professor at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff SON, has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Heart Association. http://news.emory.edu/stories/2014/10/nursing_professor_fellow_american_heart/index.html
CRNNS Excellence in Nursing Practice awarded to:
Glenda Carson RN PhD (MN 1989)
Nikki Kelly RN MN (2010)
Lena MacDonald RN MN (2004)
Diversity Initiatives in SON
Work in the SON continues around diversity initiatives. A team including Dr. Kathleen MacMillan, Sharon Davis-Murdoch, Dr. Megan Aston, Dr. Audrey Steenbeek, Dr. Ingrid Waldron, Dr. Amy Bombay, Coleen van Loggerenberg, Keisha Jeffries (Graduate Student Representative), Maike van Niekerk (Undergraduate Student Representation) and Ashlee Hinchey (Administrative Support) works from an overall strategic plan to ensure diversity is realized within the hiring of faculty and staff, in student recruitment, and curricular and research initiatives, resulting in graduates who advocate for diversity and inclusion wherever they go. Curriculum development has made visible the need to weave concepts of cultural competence, cultural safety, social determinants of health, and health equity throughout all courses offered to students at both the undergraduate and graduate level. A survey was conducted by Dr. Audrey Steenbeck and Dr. Amy Bombay of the SON student population - Exploring Diversity & Cultural Competence in the School of Nursing: Creating a More Inclusive Environment For Our Students. Analysis of data collected has yet to be finalized. However an incentive for completing the survey proved profitable for one student – Robyn Miller (BScN 2016) – as the winner of a new iPad!
Message from the Director
Dear Alumni and Friends of the School of Nursing,
I am pleased to bring greetings in the second issue of the Transformative Times.As you can see from this issue, we have been very busy and productive this term and we have much to share and to celebrate. We will be launching our modified BScN curriculum this fall and we are busy putting final touches on the courses for terms 3-5 and working away on the courses for terms 6-8. Faculty have been participating in workshops on new teaching methods and we hosted a wonderful workshop with Dr. Sarah Shannon from Washington State University in April. http://collaborate.uw.edu/about/center-faculty-and-staff/sarah-shannon-phd-rn.html .
In April, our medium fidelity simulation resources moved from the Bethune Building into the new Collaborative Health Education Buildingon the Carleton Campus. The move went incredibly smoothly and we are now occupying three simulated in-patient care labs on the 3rd floor. Our changes to the Master’s program were approved by the MPHEC and this fall we start a new MScN (thesis based) and a modified MN which will include the nurse practitioner program. We are collaborating with the IWK Health Centre to re-open the Neonatal NP program and 6 students have registered for the fall term.
We officially opened the Centre for Transformative Nursing and Health Research last fall and this year we will be adding a new collaboration to the Centre. We recently received approval to become an affiliate of the Joanna Briggs Institute www.joannabriggs.org in Australia. The JBI (a counterpart to the Cochrane Collaboration) provides a structure for completing and disseminating systematic reviews on clinical problems. It draws from research methodologies beyond randomized controlled trials and fits well with nursing and other provider clinical questions. Stay tuned for more information on this as we implement the affiliation and engage our clinical and academic partners.
Finally, we are proud of the many faculty and students who received awards and recognition this year in addition to successes in external funding and scholarly contributions. Congratulations to all of our Spring 2016 graduates and best wishes to them as they launch their careers and/or move forward with new opportunities. Things are humming in the School of Nursing and the energy and enthusiasm is palpable. I wish everyone a wonderful summer with some well-earned vacation and time with loved ones.
Graduate Program Update
The Dalhousie School of Nursing was well represented at the CRNNS Annual General Meeting. One of our nursing students and three alumni members were recognized at the awards presentation: Britney Benoit, PhD candidate, received the Rising Star Award; At the May 2016 the Professional and Research Education Program (PREP) Graduate Student Research Day, Britney Benoit was the recipient of the 2016 Faculty of Health Profession Graduate Student Excellence in Research Award. MN students Rebecca Pink de Champlain (Posters) and Tim Disher (Platform Presentation) were recipients of Master’s First Place awards. During the May 30, 2016 Convocation, 18 MN and 2 PhD (Nursing) graduates received their degrees.
Update from Yarmouth
As the academic year draws to a close, the Yarmouth Site has been engaged with acknowledging past accomplishments and embracing new opportunities to contribute to the mission of the School and Faculty of Health Professions. The graduation of twenty-five Bachelor of Science (Nursing) Yarmouth based students was celebrated during a student-led event that saw over 150 family and community members in attendance. During the event, Dr. Kathleen MacMillan, Director of the School of Nursing, provided the inspiring opening remarks and presented Jon Honsberger, the Leadership Award from the Rho Rho Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
In recognition of the final offering of the Nursing 1240 (first year clinical practice) course, students and faculty partnered with dementia care staff from The Meadows Home for Special Care, in the construction of a a remembrance quilt. This token of appreciation recognizing the years of support given to first year students was presented to the residents and staff of the Centre during a recognition ceremony.
The Yarmouth-based faculty, like our Halifax-based colleagues, are busy readying for the much anticipated launch of the modified curriculum. Twenty-five direct entry students will be entering at the Yarmouth Site in September. In addition to engaging in new course development work, faculty members have continued to enhance their scholarship activities with a focus on the domain of teaching and learning. Four faculty members will be presenting at the ARCASN conference in Newfoundland. Two faculty members were awarded the ARCASN Research Award for a projected related to the promotion of nursing students’ mental well-being. This is a very exciting time for the School of Nursing and the Yarmouth Site is honored to contribute and provide leadership related to the ongoing innovations and evidence-informed educational practices within the responsive modified curriculum.
Giving Helps Students Succeed
Born and raised in Charlottetown, Carol Covert graduated in 1963 with a diploma in nursing from the former Victoria General Hospital School of Nursing. She went on to earn a postgraduate diploma in Nursing Service Administration from Dalhousie University in 1972. Early in her career, she engaged in bedside nursing practice, later moving to nursing administration. However she never lost her belief in the value of one-on-one bedside nursing. Mrs. Covert died in 2014.
To honour her memory, her husband, Michael Covert, has chosen to include a gift in his will to establish the Carol Rene Covert Memorial Scholarship that will fund tuition and on-campus living expenses for a student in the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) program at Dalhousie University. He hopes this award will honour his wife’s memory by helping nursing students on their journey to becoming dedicated practitioners, making a difference in the lives of others. With this gift, Mrs. Covert’s legacy as a caring nurse will live on through future generations of Dalhousie nursing graduates.
(News item adapted from MacDonald, E. Halifax Herald Ltd., Article published 31/05/16)
