Welcome back to all returning Nursing students, faculty, and staff! Also, welcome to our new intake of first year students!  We look forward to a great year together!

Faculty and staff began the year by reflecting on where we’ve come from, what we’re doing, and where we’re going.  Together, we celebrated the commitment and contribution of the Nursing instructors, acknowledging those of us who have reached their 5, 10, 15, even 25 years with the department!

We also looked to our future in upcoming Nursing events, the new dean of Health Sciences, and the continuation of the simulation pilot.

Classes are already underway as we begin another year of teaching, learning, research, and innovation!

The Nursing faculty had a great day exploring the world of simulation, hosted at CanadInn Polo Park.

The day was filled with many interesting presentations, starting with our guest speaker Patricia Morgan; RN, MSN, Director of the Clinical Simulation Center from the University of Calgary, who spoke of the simulation process including the pre-briefing, simulation scenarios, and debriefing.

Then we were put to the test and had to go through the process of a scenario simulation and debriefing hosted by STARS Brent Bekaris, Mobile Education Leader, featuring our very own Patti simulator.

The day ended with a round robin to explore our own Patti Sim mannequin to see what she can actually do, as well as the STARS Mobile Education Bus, a Paramedicine Moulage station, and Patti’s extended family SimKid and SimBaby.

“How can you put an idea into sculpture?” was one of the questions posed to the members of the Arts in Healthcare Education nursing educators’ interest group that met on Monday, May 23 at the Birth Centre on St. Mary’s Road. With Kendra Rieger, creator of the interest group along with Debra Dusome, acting as facilitator and Becky Wood and Kelly Klick, midwives and midwifery instructors, acting as seminar leaders, the participants were provided with a unique opportunity to explore their philosophy of nursing care and teaching in an evocative and thoughtful manner.

The evening was divided into three segments. Becky informed the group about the origins of the evening’s seminar being based on an assignment in one of the courses that their first year midwifery students complete.

Participants were asked to consider three questions:
1. What is the essence of your philosophy of care?
2. What is it that you most want your students to learn about caring for others?
3. What is the essence of your philosophy of teaching?

Kelly followed with a practical discussion of the clay and some of the tools to be used for the sculpture exercise. After selecting the tools they wished to use and being provided a chunk of clay, participants were now given the actual chance to work with the clay and to sculpt a malleable mass into something meaningful.

Following a lively work session filled with laughter and fun, the final segment of the seminar consisted of a sharing circle where everyone was given an opportunity to discuss their feelings about the exercise along with the work they had created. While one individual found it relaxing, many others admitted to a sense of anxiety and not knowing exactly what to expect of themselves. The thought of “Googling” for some ideas was definitely in the head of more than one participant!

Kendra concluded the evening by announcing that the next meeting of the Arts in Healthcare Education nursing educators’ interest group will take place in the autumn.

Hope everyone enjoyed RRC’s first RED day!  It was a great day spent with fellow co-workers as we met many others from NDC and our other campuses too, such as downtown and the rural sites.  As a large corporation,  it’s hard to get everyone together to enjoy a day together as one. Friday was a great success on that!

Cheers and a big THANK YOU to those who made the breakfast.  THANK YOU to the many people who put on the presentations and the staff that organized everything and cleaned up afterwards!  Job well done!

Even though the weather didn’t co-operate, the food trucks were a great treat too!

If many felt like I did when I left Friday, they felt very warm inside and thankful for a day to put the pencils down and computers away for a bit and reflect on us and how we can make a better work place environment and home life, whether it is simply by sharing the words “Thank you” or a simple action of kindness or realizing that laughter is the best form of medicine for everyone.  So next time you see someone having a hard day, laugh and you’ll see how contagious it really is!

Thank you to everyone who attended and hope to see everyone again next year!

Nurses are advocates for their patients. In doing so, nurses create change in order to better the lives of the vulnerable people they care for. The power of this is exemplified by initiatives such as A Port in the Storm. Co-founded by RRC Nursing instructor Joanne Loughery and Cancer Care Manitoba’s Patricia Benjaminson, A Port in the Storm is a non-profit organization that provides affordable, safe, and supportive accommodation for critically ill patients and their families travelling from rural areas for treatment in Winnipeg. A Port in the Storm has a simple yet powerful vision to offer these people a place to call home and a mission to provide a safe haven for rural and northern adults requiring medical treatment.

A Port in the Storm was inspired 12 years ago by Sue, a young woman with cancer who had to relocate to Winnipeg for an extended period of time in order to receive treatment. A single parent living in rural Manitoba with her three year old son, having to relocate for treatment was a logistical, financial, and emotional burden. After extended therapies, Sue relapsed and lost her battle to cancer. Before passing away, she shared a dream with Joanne and Patricia, her oncology nurses, about creating a place in Winnipeg for critically ill patients. This place would offer an affordable, safe, and supportive environment filled with people going through similar struggles. She created a business plan but passed away three weeks after sharing the idea with Joanne and Patricia. It was from this inspiration that A Port in the Storm was born.

While Sue’s story was unique to her, the problem of rural re-location for patients suffering from cancer and other critical diseases is not. As an oncology nurse for over 20 years, Joanne has seen this issue over and over. Along with Patricia, they decided to do something about it and created A Port in the Storm. Building this venture has been a long involved process of creating the non-profit organization, receiving charitable status, creating a business plan, building a feasibility strategy, creating a governance structure, and appointing a board of directors. Joanne, Patricia, Greg Pilgrim, a cancer survivor who had to relocate to Winnipeg for treatment, their team (including a board of directors, executive director, house manager, and volunteer coordinator), and countless volunteers raised over 3 million dollars for the project and have continued to build and support it for over a decade. Joanne acted as the first president and now chairs the partnership committee and government relations committee and is an active board member. Patricia is now the current president of A Port in the Storm.

The original A Port in the Storm opened in 2012 in Villa Aulneau in St. Boniface with 9 suites, which quickly expanded into 16 suites. The facility has now moved to 311 Alexander Street in the Exchange District and currently has 14 suites, with the hope to expand and create a common area. Land has been purchased for a permanent site on which to build a new facility but the current priority is to keep A Port in the Storm open as it continues to grow. Despite the logistical costs involved with running the facility, A Port in the Storm strives to keep room rates as low as possible for tenants and currently rents for only $58.00 a night for non-funded patients. The facility is full all the time and, unfortunately, has to turn people away due to simply not having the space to accommodate them.

A Port in the Storm is the only facility of its kind in Manitoba and has become the number 1 referral for rural patients who have to travel to Winnipeg for extended treatment. It accommodates people from all over rural Manitoba, Northwest Territories, and North-Western Ontario, providing an affordable alternative to hotels, apartments, and hospital associated lodging. The facility offers fully furnished suites with full kitchens as well as free access to laundry and parking. More importantly, it offers a supportive environment of tenants who get together regularly, often eat meals together, and support each other through their personal struggles. The facility has been likened to Ronald McDonald House but unlike Ronald McDonald house, which accommodates families of hospitalized children, A Port in the Storm houses both adult patients and their families. The facility does not offer medical services but its creators believe in the ability to provide support without providing direct health care. Caregivers are encouraged to stay with patients and therefore the facility is filled with patients and their support systems. Since its inception, A Port in the Storm has serviced over 600 patients and their families.

A Port in the Storm prioritizes patients based on a number of priorities, with one of the largest being the length of stay. Due to extended cancer treatments, most of the patients accessing A Port in the Storm are cancer patients; however, the facility also accommodates many patients with heart disease and some patients with other critical diseases.

Travelling into Winnipeg from rural Manitoba for medical treatment is a major financial burden for the rural community. While there is government support for the travel itself, there is no financial support for housing aside from First Nation status. A study conducted by the Canadian Cancer Society has shown that accommodation is one of the largest costs for rural people living with cancer, exacerbated by the additional logistical costs of leaving their home behind for extended periods of time. There is, therefore, a huge financial disparity between the urban and rural communities, as many urban patients do not have to relocate to receive treatment. Therefore, A Port in the Storm provides an essential service to a disparaged demographic. Joanne reiterates that there isn’t a person who has stayed there that hasn’t been immensely grateful for the service. One patient called A Port in the Storm “A big piece of heaven when you need it most.” It has a huge impact in reducing the burden that comes with relocation. Critical diseases such as cancer will continue to plight Manitoba and treatment will continue to be centered in urban areas such as Winnipeg. Therefore, services such as A Port in the Storm are crucial as housing is a determinant of health. With 40% of cancer patients residing in rural Manitoba, housing in Winnipeg for this demographic is very important.

Joanne is committed to advocating for rural patients, completing her Master’s degree on rural issues in heath care. She has also published a literature review on the subject. Joanne believes in the importance of A Port in the Storm and has given her students the opportunity to learn about the service from the Mental Health Clinical course, in which students provided support on site, and the 3rd year Leadership course, in which students looked at the project from a leadership and advocacy perspective. Joanne hopes that her initiative is inspiring to students as she believes in nurses as advocates, leaders, and change agents, saying “our students will be the leaders of the future who create positive change for vulnerable people.” She strongly believes that nurses can impact real change beyond the bedside and she hopes that students will be inspired to take initiative and create change wherever they see a need. As many students will go on to work in rural areas, Joanne also sees the importance of students learning about the individualistic needs and struggles for rural communities as these students will go on to be the agents referring their patients to A Port in the Storm.

The new facility of A Port in the Storm had its first open house on May 5th, with two more occurring on May 12th and 19th. Joanne encourages all nursing faculty, students, and anyone interested to come and visit the facility. While the open houses offer official visits, anyone interested in A Port in the Storm can contact the facility for a tour, information, or to volunteer. There are numerous volunteer opportunities for people of all ages, including a 96 year old woman who has become the substitute grandmother for the facility, visiting with the patients and their families.

For more information on A Port in the Storm, visit their website at www.aportinthestorm.ca

To set up a tour or inquire about volunteer opportunities, contact Debbie or Stacy via their information on the website.

To view the Spring Newsletter, click here.

Nursing SIM Lab is up and running with success!  Our Palliative care students are helping with the pilot project and we hope they’re enjoying it as much as we are!  It’s been a long dream for many, which is finally coming true!

Nursing Instructor, Kendra Rieger RN BN PhD(c), has been named the 2016 recipient of the Canadian Association for Nursing Research (CANR) Rising Star Graduate Student Award! The award is presented to both an outstanding Masters and outstanding Doctoral nursing students. Kendra will receive the award for her doctoral work at the University of Manitoba in recognition of her research excellence. Presented biennially, Kendra will officially receive her award on May 2nd 2016 at the College of Nursing Researcher in Residence Event.

The Nursing department would like to recognize Kendra not only for this award but for her immense commitment to research. Kendra is currently working on her PhD in Nursing at the College of Nursing at the University of Manitoba. She is part of the first cohort of Nursing PhD students in the province of Manitoba. Kendra’s devotion to research is evident in her scholarly activities. As primary author or co-author, she has nine accepted, in press, or published publications and two additional publications currently under review. While all her publications are important to her, two pivotal publications are “Arts-based learning: An analysis of the concept for nursing education” published in the International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship (see full reference below) and “The effectiveness and experience of arts-based pedagogy among undergraduate nursing students: A mixed methods systematic review,” which is currently under review (see full reference below). This work is pivotal to Kendra because it is a core part of her doctoral thesis and she hopes to build on it as she continues to research arts and health. She hopes to develop a program of research about arts and health initiatives including but not limited to creative approaches to teaching and learning. Kendra is also very interested in systematic reviews and hopes to continue to develop her expertise in this methodology.

Kendra began her love for research as a young child as she always wanted to be a scientist. As she continued her education and practice as a nurse, she fell in love with research, realizing that she likes to “think this way.” Her devotion to research is not only based on a personal love for it but also a genuine belief in its importance to nursing care and education. She is a firm believer in evidence informed practice, which integrates the best research evidence with patient preferences, clinical context, and the nurse expertise in that particular setting to give the best patient care possible.

Kendra hopes that nurses and nursing students will see the practical applications of research and writing. She contends that writing is an important part of scholarship in Nursing. To students who may not see its relevance, she says “Don’t underestimate the importance of communicating research in writing.” She also understands that writing does not come easily to everyone. Kendra says, “I struggled with self-confidence in writing but I think you can learn to become a good writer with diligence and mentorship.” She strongly emphasizes the mentorship aspect and has personally written with many of her professors, including her doctoral advisor, reiterating that “everyone time I write with someone, I learn from them.”

The CANR Rising Star Graduate Student Award is more than just recognition for all of Kendra’s hard work. She hopes it will help encourage other nurses and nursing students to get involved in research. Kendra also hopes it will bring awareness to the CANR as a great opportunity for nurses to connect with other researchers. As an associate member of the Canadian Nursing Association (CNA), the CANR is open to all nurses (for a small fee) and provides members with opportunities for funding, awards, and networking.

Kendra would like to thank the CANR and her advisor, Dr. Wanda Chernomas, for nominating her for this award.

On behalf of the Public Relations Committee and the Nursing Department, congratulations Kendra and thank you for your commitment to research!

Marketing and Web Presence recently photographed the Bachelor of Nursing students during one of their labs. The photos will be part of the upcoming promotional video featuring the different Health Sciences programs at Red River College.

The day is finally here! Tomorrow is the Nursing Student-Faculty Research and Innovation Day. Open to all Nursing students and faculty, the day will feature research posters and presentations and will run from 8:00 (registration) to 4:00 (awards and door prizes). We look forward to seeing everyone there as we share and promote research and scholarship in the Nursing Department.

For more information and the complete program, please visit the Research and Innovation Day Blog Page and the Nursing repository.

After a month back, we’re looking back to the holiday season with our staff Christmas luncheon! 

Hope everyone had a great break!