UNews - School of Health Sciences

Construction on Campus

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:03:56 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ continued to expand in 2007/2008 with four major projects highlighting campus activities. Ground was broken Feb. 15, 2007, on the $65-million Markin Hall project, a four-level complex that will house the School of Health Sciences and Faculty of Management. It is expected to open during the summer of 2010. Oct. 17, 2008, marked the official opening of Turcotte Hall. The building houses the Faculty of Education and provides cutting-edge math/science and computer laboratories, improved office and classroom space and allows room for further expansion. The $24-million Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building will open this fall. This new state-of-the-art facility increases the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's applied research capacity in areas such as watersheds, water ecology, water quality and public health, environmental monitoring, hydrologic forecasting and water resource management. The Aquatic Research Facility is slated to open in early 2009. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Sports Field Complex, an $11-million project, is to be completed in the summer of 2009.

Legacy of Leadership Campaign Far Exceeds Goals

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:02:07 +0000

In November 2005, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge publicly launched the Legacy of Leadership Campaign – the most ambitious campaign in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's history.

This past year, friends of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ celebrated the conclusion and astounding success made possible by the nearly 5,000 individuals and corporations that collectively contributed more than $35 million. When combined with the $78 million in contributions from the Government of Alberta, the campaign resulted in a $113 million investment in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The generosity demonstrated during the campaign enabled the U of L to far exceed initial campaign goals and achieve the objectives to increase support for students and provide resources for state-of-the-art facilities, including the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness and Markin Hall, a building to house the School of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Management. The campaign truly stands as a testament to the commitment that the U of L community, volunteers and donors have towards growing and prospering together. Through their support, students and professors alike will continue to be given new opportunities to engage in creativity, inquiry and discovery.

Today, the U of L is just beginning to see the extraordinary effects that will result from this great legacy of leadership.

Rethinking health

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:36:24 +0000

Although Canada's health-care system ranks among the world's best, we face an aging population, increasing rates of chronic disease and a dire shortage of health professionals. It's a host of problems that aren't going away – by 2011, a mere three years away, the demand for nurses and public health practitioners in Alberta and across Canada is expected to peak.

One thing is certain: the need for highly educated, well-trained health professionals has never been greater.

This fall, the U of L's School of Health Sciences launched a new Public Health degree program. As the only baccalaureate degree of its kind in Alberta, it gives students a new perspective on health.

"There is an evolution in our thinking about health. We're now looking at broader social determinants of health like income, working conditions, employment, transportation, education and housing," says U of L public health degree coordinator Sharon Yanicki.

The program will prepare graduates to be life-long learners capable of integrating new approaches with proven methods and will provide them with skills to work in a variety of roles in health promotion, policy and information analysis, as well as community development and project management.

In addition, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is increasing resources for those pursuing greater levels of education in health sciences. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Ed McNally, every nursing student in the graduate program received a scholarship of $4,000 this September.

For U of L student Eva McLennan (BN '07), a busy mother of two as well as part-time employee at both Chinook Health and Lethbridge College, the scholarship confirms her goals.

"Of course receiving monetary assistance is beneficial and greatly appreciated – there are very real costs associated with education. But it's more than that. Receiving a scholarship also recognizes that you have something to contribute that makes you worthy of investment," says McLennan.

McLennan believes that having her master's degree will open doors on many levels.

"Today health consumers are better educated and expect more of the health system," she explains. "My graduate degree will give me greater understanding of the ways in which research influences current nursing practices."

Fellow student Karen Leskosek (BN '02) agrees. "The health-care system is constantly changing. Having my master's will enable me to approach client care, nursing education and research with innovation and determination," says Leskosek.

Looking ahead, the U of L takes confidence in knowing that a health plan centred on educating innovative leaders is firmly in place – it's one of the ways the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is helping ensure that the future of our health will remain in good hands.

Health Sciences carnival a winner

trevor.kenney — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:41:37 +0000

The recent event celebrating Health Science's new faculty designation did not simply evolve into a carnival-like atmosphere, it was literally a carnival that aptly lived up to its name.

On Wednesday, Apr. 15, Andy's Place in Anderson Hall was transformed from a formal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge conference room into a full-scale, colorful and vibrant carnival for Health Sciences students.

The event was a celebration as the School of Health Sciences invited its students to celebrate their new faculty designation. As of May 1, the Faculty of Health Sciences will become the U of L's fifth faculty, joining the faculties of Fine Arts, Arts & Science, Management and Education.

No detail was overlooked in the creation of the celebratory carnival. With menu items ranging from corndogs to cotton candy, a variety of games complete with carnival workers, a caricature artist, a faux-but-fun palm reader, and the very popular "Pie your Prof" station, the carnival was a huge success.

The highlight, of course, was being able to throw a pie at some of the
U of L's top administrators and professors. Along with six brave Health Sciences professors, President Bill Cade and Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Chris Hosgood stepped up to receive a pie in the face from students and, in some cases, colleagues.

As much fun as it was to fling pies at administrators, the event also benefited students. Each pie required a $1 donation to the Health Sciences student scholarship fund. In all, more than 250 students stopped by the three-hour event to share in the festivities and food and to welcome Health Sciences into its new "Faculty" status.

Sense of belonging key to rural nursing

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:17:52 +0000

In rural hospitals, nurses must be "expert generalists" who can adjust to diverse medical situations in a pinch, unlike their urban counterparts who are often working within a single ward.

For fourth-year students completing their preceptorship – in which they work side-by-side with a registered nurse – working in a rural hospital offers a steep learning curve, as well as a unique opportunity to be part of a tightly knit health-care team. Rural hospitals often lack specialized medical resources, requiring all health-care practitioners to band together to offer patients the best care possible, explains Dr. Monique Sedgwick, who began her tenure as an assistant professor in the School of Health Sciences in July 2008.

Dr. Monique Sedgwick believes that nursing is as much about joining that community of nurses as it is about learning technical skills.

Surprised at the lack of nursing research on the experience of students in the rural hospital setting, Sedgwick decided to fill in the gap with her own dissertation research. Participants in her study were located over a 640,000 sq. km area throughout central and northern Alberta, northern British Columbia and the Yukon.

Students' feeling of belonging has emerged as a cultural theme from the data she's already collected and appears to be a key ingredient to their success in the preceptorship. This doesn't surprise Sedgwick, as it's important for all nurses.

"Becoming a professional, registered nurse is as much about joining that community of registered nurses as it is about learning the technical skills of what nurses do," she says. "Sometimes, I think we assume that nurses only do the technical things, and if you're good at that, you're a good nurse. But, I think my research points to the fact that it's more than that."

In any nursing situation – whether in a hospital or other health-care facility – nurses seldom work autonomously. Treating patients requires communicating with a wide range of other health-care professionals.

"I think it becomes very important for nurses to connect with each other and with all members of the team – from the physicians, physiotherapists, social workers, emergency-care providers like paramedics, administrative support workers, housekeeping, and dietary and records keeping personnel," she says. "It's a very stressful job, and we need to be able to confer with each other, and consult with each other so the best patient care is provided."

Ultimately, Sedgwick hopes her work will benefit students, and she's excited about two upcoming projects.

"My goal is to explore the student experience so that as educators, we can bring forward that information to help students better prepare for that clinical setting."

Against the odds - repairing marriage bonds

trevor.kenney — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:54:10 +0000

Problem gambling can shake every aspect of one's life – particularly a marriage, which can crumble under the weight of financial stress and betrayal. But Dr. Bonnie Lee says the relationship between gambling and marital stress isn't as straightforward as many assume.

"Most people think linearly, 'Look what problem gambling did,'" argues the assistant professor in the Addictions Counselling program in the School of Health Sciences. "They're less aware that maybe those problems were there in the first place."

Dr. Bonnie Lee believes repairing marriage bonds can bolster recovery from gambling addiction.

Lee, who uses marriage counselling to treat gambling addiction and other mental health symptoms, is researching the complex relationship between clinical problems such as gambling, depression and couple intimacy. There are many causes of addiction, but difficulties in one's relationships figure prominently. After the addictive behaviour develops, Lee explains that the addiction exacerbates relationship difficulties, and relationship conflicts worsen the addiction, creating "a vicious and defeating circle of cause-and-effect."

Her recent research substantiates this. With the assistance of three undergraduate students interested in clinical research, Lee analyzed transcripts from couple therapy sessions during the summer.

"These couples had problems in their relationships – I call them 'fault lines' – far before the gambling problems began."

The limited depth and range of their conversations precluded intimacy and their problems from being resolved.

The emotional distance between spouses ultimately creates lives of secrecy, of which gambling was an instance.
Without spousal support, a pressure point – usually a life transition like retirement, the birth of a child or job loss – could precipitate a gambling problem. Because the loss and deception only deepen the divide between spouses, the residual anger and lack of trust in the relationship can lead to relapse.

Lee thinks helping gamblers and depressed individuals in the context of couple therapy can pay huge dividends. By repairing the foundation of a couple's relationship, one makes available to both partners an invaluable life resource in support and understanding that bolsters recovery. However, success hinges on the willingness of both spouses to take part in counselling, and Lee is developing a way of recruiting the fearful spouse, a strategy that seems to be working well.

"Couple work is better done sooner than later before the marriage reaches the point of no return."

Public Health degree fills niche

trevor.kenney — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:07:01 +0000

Matt Mitschke remembers when he heard about the new Bachelor of Health Sciences in Public Health degree program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Until then, he wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to study, or the kind of career he wanted to pursue. But after looking into the program and realizing that he would be taking a wide range of interesting classes that would in turn open a lot of doors at the end of four years, he knew he'd found something exciting.

Mitschke enrolled in the program's very first semester, which began in fall 2008, joining a small but eager group of new students in the School of Health Sciences.

Matt Mitschke, U of L public health student.

"I like the entire philosophy of the program," Mitschke says. "It's an upstream approach to health-care, identifying and preventing health- related issues before they actually happen."

The Bachelor of Health Sciences in Public Health degree is the only baccalaureate program of its kind in Alberta. Students in this non-clinical program choose between three broad areas of study: applied public health practice, health policy and promotion, and public health promotion.

In keeping with the tradition of liberal education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, the program requires students to take a breadth of classes in different disciplines – ranging from sociology and psychology to anthropology and kinesiology. The School of Health Sciences developed the program in conjunction with the Faculty of Arts and Science as well as the Faculty of Management to ensure graduates would emerge as critical thinkers in the field of health care, educated in a variety of disciplines and therefore equipped to approach public health issues in a comprehensive way.

"The program is unique in that it focuses on public health promotion, research and management rather than clinical aspects of health care," says Dr. Chris Hosgood, dean of the School of Health Sciences. "It combines social science disciplines with the concepts of public health and gives the School of Health Sciences greater diversity. The program allows us to collaborate with very respected Faculties at the U of L, and has brought us much closer to the centre of academic life on campus."

The School of Health Sciences will officially become a Faculty at the U of L on May 1, 2009.

Sharon Yanicki, public health program coordinator, believes the program will create awareness about what public health actually is, ease the employment crunch within the current health-care system and help to improve the overall health of many people.

"This degree is filling a niche," Yanicki says. "The majority of people working in the field of public health right now are nurses, who are in very short supply. We expect the program to fill positions in public health in a way that better supports the health-care system."

Public health workers are employed in a variety of areas, studying trends, recommending strategies and implementing plans for good health. A public health worker might focus on healthy aging, good nutrition in schools, access to physical activities or health patterns in a particular ethnic group.

Although the field of public health isn't new, it's an area that isn't all that well known or understood. The program aims to change that, and provide a new type of health-care worker who will work both on the frontlines and behind the scenes to help people make healthy choices and create healthier populations.

"The determinants of good health are varied and complex," Yanicki says. "The Public Health degree program educates students on the range of factors that impact health and addresses the need for trained public health workers in emerging areas, such as risk and health communications, information management, and surveillance and analysis of broad socio-demographic data."

To kick off the program, a scholarship fund was established that provides $4,000 to each newly accepted full-time student. An additional $2,000 is also available to students who qualify. The first group of graduates will receive their bachelor's degree in public health in the spring of 2011.

Call out for CREDO proposals

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:52:41 +0000

The clock is ticking as the deadline for proposals for the 2009 Community of Research Excellence Development Opportunities (CREDO) grant competition nears.

The Office of Research Services has issued a call for proposals for the CREDO grant competition, with the deadline for submissions set for 4 p.m., Mar. 27.

The CREDO program provides a maximum funding of $11,500 per year for a two-year term ($23,000 total) for each successful applicant.

Faculty members in tenured or tenure track appointments who have a well established program of Social Science and Humanities research within the faculties of Arts and Science, Education, Fine Arts, Management and the School of Health Sciences and who are not currently principle investigators on an external grant are eligible to apply.

Following completion of the two year term, CREDO grant holders are required to submit an application to appropriate external funding sources for ongoing support and are not eligible to reapply to the CREDO program for a minimum of 24 months from the completion of the award.

Program guidelines, application forms and application instructions can be found online at the following link: www.uleth.ca/rch/funding/dspIntGrant.cfm?GrantID=28

Decisions on grant awards will be announced in June. Grants will run two years from the opening of the research account (once all necessary approvals have been received).

Markin Hall gets boost from BDO Dunwoody

trevor.kenney — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:03:31 +0000

As Markin Hall continues to take shape on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus, it also continues to garner attention from the Canadian business community.

BDO Dunwoody LLP has committed a one-time charitable gift of $25,000 to the construction of Markin Hall, which will be matched by the Chartered Accountants Education Foundation. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, through the Province of Alberta Access to the Future Fund will match both of these gifts ultimately leading to a total contribution of $100,000.

"BDO is proud to support initiatives that mean to strengthen post-secondary institutions in Canada, especially in the area of business management," says Keith Farlinger, CEO of BDO Dunwoody LLP.

Markin Hall will provide more space and increase the capacity of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to graduate greater numbers of management and health science students. It will also provide enhanced support to management graduates in positions that help sustain growth in Alberta.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sincerely appreciates BDO's financial support in the construction of Markin Hall," says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Vice-President of Advancement, Chris Horbachewski. "They are helping to create a new state-of-the-art facility that will provide a world-class learning centre for both students and faculty."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will recognize BDO Dunwoody LLP by naming a project meeting room in Markin Hall in its honour. Markin Hall will house the School of Health Sciences and Faculty of Management, beginning in the fall of 2010.

Refreshed for the push to exams

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:26:56 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Bill Cade chats about what's happening in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community

Reading Week is now behind us and I trust everyone used the break to advantage.

We are fortunate to have a mid-February respite and it seems to come at a perfect time in the academic cycle. Now, with the days getting longer and spring beckoning just around the corner, my hope is we all feel refreshed for the push to exams and the end of the semester.

I want to congratulate personally those students newly elected to posts in the Students' Union. I commend you for taking the initiative to stand up for student office and assume a leadership role for the student population.

We have been very fortunate over the years to have some outstanding student leaders who have contributed to the U of L in so many positive ways. There has been a revolution occurring in student government over my time in academia, from a place where students essentially had no governance to now, where students are involved in every aspect of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's decision-making process. I much prefer our present situation.

You need only look at the makeup of the U of L's Board of Governors to see how much influence students actually have on the institution's priorities. The President of the Students' Union, the President of the Graduate Students' Association as well as a third, elected undergraduate student, are all on the Board of Governors, helping to shape policy.

Recently, it was announced that we have partnered with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary in creating the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS).

We are seeing much more cooperation between the province's residential universities, something I like to call cooperation to compete. While competition does exist between the institutions, we have carved out our own unique identities and have three quite different universities. Given that, it is in our best interests to pursue collaborative initiatives that serve to benefit our institutions, both individually and collectively.

Speaking of growth, I had the opportunity to tour the Markin Hall construction site recently and was impressed thoroughly with the progress being made. This project is transforming and revitalizing this area of campus and once complete, promises to open a new chapter for both the School of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Management.

The U of L continues to be a hub of activity for the southern Alberta area. In the past few weeks, both the Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games and the South Western Alberta Teachers' Convention Association (SWATCA) used the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a centre for their activities.

The Winter Games were extremely well received and the feedback I've heard has been wonderful on the performance of our Global Drums group during the closing ceremonies.

It's also great to see SWATCA back at the U of L where they truly belong. This is the second consecutive year their teachers' convention has been held at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ after a prolonged absence. Given the fact a good majority of teachers in SWATCA graduated out of our own Faculty of Education programs, it's only fitting they return each year to further their learning.

At the time of this writing, the Pronghorns men's hockey team is readying to host a Canada West playoff series. It's great to see the Horns back in the playoffs and it shows how this program, once a national champion, is back on the rise.

The spring calendar is once again full of opportunities for students, faculty and staff to make the most of their U of L experience. Whether it is a lecture, a concert, a workshop or one of the many Fine Arts productions on campus, I encourage people to sample from all that are available to them.

Never turn down the prospect of learning something new.

UNews - School of Health Sciences

Construction on Campus

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