UNews - Shannon Spenceley

Local nurses create scholarship for registered nurses

caroline.zentner — Tue, 07 May 2024 16:01:11 +0000

In keeping with this year’s theme for National Nursing Week from May 6 to 12 — Changing Lives. Shaping Tomorrow. — the efforts of a group of local nurses continue to change lives and shape the future of registered nurses who want to pursue graduate studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The Dr. Shannon Spenceley Legacy of Nursing Scholarship, named after professor emerita and former dean of the ULethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences, is intended for registered nurses or nurse practitioners members in good standing with the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) who are pursuing a graduate degree in any faculty at ULethbridge. Fundraising began in 2016 when the Lethbridge Legacy of Nursing Committee was formed. It coincided with the 100th anniversary of registered nursing in Alberta.

Professor Emerita Dr. Shannon Spenceley (right) poses with scholarship recipient, Shannon Vandenberg.

“We discussed the future of the profession and how that future is supported by enabling registered nurses to advance their education,” says Spenceley, adding that the committee wanted to raise funds to support advanced nursing education focused on addressing local health and health-care issues. “That was how we came up with the notion of a scholarship specifically for registered nurses who want to pursue graduate studies at ULethbridge.”

The committee held an annual nursing gala for several years to raise funds, although the pandemic resulted in one cancellation and one virtual event.

“Our local business community and local donors and sponsors were incredibly generous,” says Spenceley. “We set a goal to raise enough money to endow the scholarship so it could be awarded every year just from the interest earned on the invested principal. We reached that goal in 2022.”

The scholarship has been awarded to seven recipients so far. One of those recipients, Shannon Vandenberg (BN ’08, MSc Nursing ’13), is an RN and instructor in the ULethbridge nursing program. She is pursuing a PhD in Population Studies in Health.

“This award has enabled me to continue with my PhD studies and develop a research program of my own,” says Vandenberg. “My research aims to understand practice preparedness of Canadian RNs in emerging vector-borne diseases, and I hope this knowledge will promote improved patient outcomes.”

The scholarship is administered by the Alberta Registered Nurses Educational Trust (ARNET).

U of L, Lethbridge College recognize nursing graduates with custom parchment

caroline.zentner — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 16:55:13 +0000

In the true spirit of collaboration, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge (U of L) and Lethbridge College have approved a new parchment for graduates of the Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta (NESA) program. Upon graduation, students will receive a parchment that features the names, logos and officers’ signatures of both the college and the university, reflecting the long-standing and very successful nursing collaboration between the two institutions.

“The approval by our General Faculties Council of the new parchment for the Bachelor of Nursing degree program is a momentous occasion for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, U of L provost and vice-president academic. “It reflects the effective and long-standing collaboration in the delivery of the shared nursing program between the two institutions. Together, Lethbridge College and the U of L will continue to produce exceptional students for the health-care system.”

NESA is a four-year Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree program delivered collaboratively by Lethbridge College and the U of L. Students attend the college for the first two years of their program delivery, before transitioning to the U of L for the final two years to complete their degree. A 24-month After-Degree pathway program is also offered for students who have a previous degree and meet the entry requirements.

“We are appreciative of the work and common spirit that went into the development of this parchment by the leadership and faculty of both institutions,” says Dr. Samantha Lenci, Lethbridge College provost and vice-president academic. “This parchment is an acknowledgement of the important role both the U of L and the college play in the education of our students and in support of the health-care system. We are proud that students will be able to reflect on their entire educational journey when they receive their parchment.”

The NESA program was launched in 2002 and introduced a revised curriculum in September 2020. Throughout the four years of the program, students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a variety of health-care settings, in addition to their on-campus classes and labs. Students study theory and experience clinical practice in the areas of medicine and surgery, long-term care and continuing care, pediatrics, maternity, mental health, rural acute care and community health.

“Our curriculum focuses on the relationships ingrained in nursing, and this collaboration between the college and the U of L is another example of a strong relationship in action,” says Debra Bardock, dean of Lethbridge College’s Centre for Health and Wellness. “All of the NESA faculty, from both institutions, work incredibly well together and share a focus on student success. This collaboration is a true southern Alberta success story.”

Students graduate well-positioned for the challenges of 21^st century health care with the opportunity to meet all competencies required of entry-level nurses by the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta. Upon passing the national exam, graduates are prepared to contribute to the health of Canadians as Registered Nurses.

“Faculties in our respective institutions work closely together to deliver a truly integrated nursing curriculum that serves our students and the community with excellence,” says Dr. Shannon Spenceley, dean of Health Sciences at the U of L. “This parchment is one way of honouring our long-standing and extremely effective collaboration.”

The collaborative parchment will come into effect beginning with the February 2022 conferral of degrees.

More information about NESA is available on both the U of L and Lethbridge College webpages.

Graduate level programs in public health and health care leaving application windows open

trevor.kenney — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 21:26:36 +0000

With interest in public health and health-care careers at an all-time high, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is leaving open application windows for a variety of graduate level programs that span the health-care spectrum.

In light of the pandemic and its far-reaching effects on personal and professional lives, a total of nine programs, from a Doctor of Philosophy in Population Studies in Health to a Master of Nursing to the Graduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Study of Addiction, will be keeping the online application system open (see dates below) as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ seeks to support health-care professionals in their post-secondary journey during this trying time.

“We’ve seen remarkable growth in applications to our undergraduate programs focused on public health and health care and respect those who are already employed in these sectors and who have been working tirelessly to meet the needs of their communities throughout the pandemic,” says Dr. Shannon Spenceley, acting dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “By leaving open these application windows, we hope to better meet the needs of those already employed in health care and afford them the opportunity to advance their careers in their respective fields.”

Some programs, delivered by the Faculty of Health Sciences, are geared to on-campus learners, others offer a blended model of on-campus and online work, while one is strictly offered online. Two of the programs, jointly offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences and Dhillon School of Business, are delivered via a blended format with the face-to-face component currently available on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Calgary campus.

“For health-care professionals to continue with career development, they need flexible alternatives in programming, and we are making a concerted effort to meet our students where they are in their careers,” adds Dr. Jacqueline Rice, dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

The following programs are currently open for application. For further information, visit uleth.ca/future-student/graduate-studies.

Doctor of Philosophy (May 1, 2021)
Major: Populations Studies in Health
Eligible: Health-care providers
Delivery Mode: On campus; full-time
Course work with thesis culminating activity

Master of Nursing (May 1, 2021)
Eligible: Working nurses
Delivery Mode: Blending learning; full-time and part-time
Course work with project or thesis culminating activity

Master of Science (May 1, 2021)
Majors: Addictions Counselling, Health Sciences, and Nursing
Specialization: Public Health in Health Sciences major
Eligible: Health-care providers
Delivery Mode: On campus; full-time and part-time
Course work with thesis culminating activity

Master of Health Services Management (May 1, 2021)
Calgary campus
Eligible: Health-care practitioners and entry-level managers in the health sector who wish to move into more senior positions
Delivery Mode: Blended learning; part-time
Course work with integrated experience point project culminating activity

Graduate Certificate in Health Services Management (May 1, 2021)
Calgary campus
Eligible: Health-care practitioners and entry-level managers in the health sector who wish to move into more senior positions
Delivery Mode: Blended learning; part-time
Course work (6 courses)

Graduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Study of Addiction (June 30, 2021)
Eligible: Individuals in health and social services, program developers, policymakers, or researchers
Delivery Mode: Online; part-time
Course work (4 courses)

Graduate Certificate in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (June 1, 2021)
Eligible: Health-care providers and public health
Delivery Mode: On campus; part-time
Course work (4 courses)

Graduate Certificate in Public Health Program and Policy Planning and Evaluation (June 1, 2021)
Eligible: Health-care providers and public health
Delivery Mode: On campus; part-time
Course work (4 courses)

Graduate Diploma in Addiction and Mental Health Psychotherapy
Eligible: Individuals interested in careers in psychotherapy
Delivery Mode: Blended face-to-face and online; part-time; Fall 2022 intake
Course work (8 courses)

Broader community invited to view popular Last Lecture Series as it moves to online format

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 17:32:27 +0000

It has become an annual rite of spring for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students and now, the broader community will have the opportunity to take in an enhanced online edition of the Last Lecture Series.

Presented annually by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union (ULSU), the Last Lecture Series has become one of the most popular events of the academic year. It traditionally features three U of L professors talking about life lessons that cannot be learned in the classroom, posing the question to them, “If you could talk about just one thing for your last lecture, what would it be?”

This spring, with an in-person event not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ULSU is co-hosting with the student club PACT (philanthropy, advancement, community, traditions) and taking the event online. They have also expanded the lecturer list to an impressive eight speakers who represent a broad cross-section of disciplines from throughout campus. Celebrating a theme of adaptability, this impressive group will be online Friday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to present their individual thoughts on what adaptability means to them.

“With most end-of-semester events cancelled, we wanted an initiative that could bring the uLethbridge community together,” says Kierian Turner, one of the event organizers and a past PACT president. “The Last Lecture has always been important to students of the graduating class, so we prioritized moving to an online model so that students are still able to get that final takeaway. It was important to have a panel with diverse experiences and research backgrounds so that attendees have the opportunity to connect on a deeper level and have a more holistic experience.”

The speaker schedule is as follows:

Tony Montina (BSc '08, MSc '10) — Introduction

10 a.m. — Adam Letourneau (Dhillon School of Business) — Life can Wonderfully be a Series of Career Changes

10:30 a.m. — Dr. Robin Bright (BASc '79, BEd '82, MEd '88) (Faculty of Education) — Everything I Really Need to Know, I Learned in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

11 a.m. — Dr. Shannon Spenceley (BN '84) (Faculty of Health Sciences) — Strange Days - Thriving in Uncertain Times

11:30 a.m. — Dr. Janay Nugent (BA '95) (Department of History) — The Empowerment of Young People in Tumultuous Times

12 to 1 p.m. — Lunch Break

1 p.m. — Don McIntrye (Dhillon School of Business) — Tricksters & Butterflies: Belonging Beyond this Day

1:30 p.m. — Dr. Robbin Derry (Dhillon School of Business) — What to Hold onto When Everything is in Flux?

2 p.m. — Dr. Anne Dymond (Faculty of Fine Arts) — Is it Too Late to Switch my Major? Or How I Learned to Live with Doubt

2:30 p.m. — Dr. Bryan Kolb (Department of Neuroscience) — Adaptability and the Brain that Changes Itself

Tony Montina — Closing

“What I love about our speaker lineup is that each of these professors apply their personal experience and expertise to a theme that is relatable to everyone — adaptability,” adds Turner. “This lineup will truly demonstrate the importance of a liberal education and how you can apply your uLethbridge experience to the many ways you will have to adapt throughout your lifetime. We have world-class faculty, and we are excited to share a glimpse of that with our community.”

The Last Lecture is a book co-authored by Randy Pausch, detailing everything he wanted his children to know after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Pausch delivered his last lecture entitled Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams as part of a lecture series where ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are challenged to think about what really matters to them and give a Last Lecture.

For more on The Last Lecture speakers, follow this link: uleth.ca/alumni/last-lecture. To join the event, check in at go.uleth.ca/LastLecture2020.

Faculty of Health Sciences to be led by newly appointed Acting Dean Dr. Shannon Spenceley

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 May 2020 17:00:29 +0000

A passionate registered nurse who has advanced the study of primary health care and health system reform, Dr. Shannon Spenceley (BN ’84) has been appointed acting dean of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

Dr. Shannon Spenceley has had a number of roles in the delivery and administration of health care in southern Alberta.

Spenceley, who has served the Faculty as assistant dean (nursing) and most recently as associate dean, is an associate professor who has had a number of roles in the delivery and administration of health care in southern Alberta. She previously taught at Lethbridge College and has been at the U of L in a full-time capacity since 2011.

“We’re very fortunate to have someone with Dr. Spenceley’s vast experience in a clinical setting, as a researcher and as an administrator to take over this role and solidify the leadership structure within the Faculty,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, provost and vice-president (academic). “Her deep connections with the delivery of health care in southern Alberta create outstanding opportunities for our students and faculty members to engage with our community and advance health care for everyone involved, from practitioners to patients.”

Spenceley began her nursing career at Foothills Hospital in Calgary where she completed her registered nurse certification with top honours. She then convocated with great distinction from the U of L, completed a Master of Nursing at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and, in 2007, earned her doctorate from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta.

“I am excited to take on this challenge and feel so fortunate to be a part of such a dynamic Faculty,” says Spenceley. “Certainly, there are challenges ahead with the evolution of the pandemic, as well as our responses to the dire budget situation, but I am confident in the bright future of our Faculty and our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Truly, I am honoured to serve in this role for the next year.”

Her research portfolio includes extensive work on primary care reform, care of the elderly and specifically those living with dementia. She is currently involved as a co-investigator with the U of L’s Dr. Julia Brassolotto on an Alberta Innovates Health Solutions-funded project titled Intersections in Rural Long Term Care. The $1-million study is a five-year project focusing on care for older adults living in rural Alberta.

“My recently completed study on the moral distress of health care providers in long term care settings with health sciences researchers Drs. Sienna Caspar, Em Pijl, Olu Awosoga and Sheli Murphy (Covenant Health), has never been more relevant as it is in this current context — this sector is crying out for reform,” she says. “The synergy with Dr. Brassolotto’s work will be important in informing the substantial work to be done in this policy domain.”

The Spenceley appointment is for one year commencing June 1, 2020 and fills the position left by Dr. Robert Wood, who was appointed the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s interim vice-president (research). The recent administrative appointments have filled a number of vacancies created with the departures of some key U of L senior leadership personnel who advanced to other Canadian post-secondary institutions.

U of L researcher to launch model proven to improve person-centred care practices in residential care homes

caroline.zentner — Tue, 12 May 2020 15:59:12 +0000

Residential care homes have been especially hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing gaps in the health-care system as both elderly residents and the staff who care for them have contracted the virus.

“Even before the pandemic, residential care homes were a setting stretched far too thin,” says Dr. Sienna Caspar, an associate professor in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Health Sciences’ Therapeutic Recreation program. “Individuals who live in long-term care homes are vulnerable and these are not resource-rich environments.”

Over the past 20 years that Caspar has spent working in or consulting to long-term care facilities and conducting research, she has developed a culture-change model — the Feasible and Sustainable Culture Change Initiative (FASCCI) — to support person-centred care. Knowing these facilities have limited budgets, Caspar wanted to create a model that could be easily implemented by staff without requiring exorbitant amounts of extra resources.

The model has been tested in residential care settings in Alberta and led to more positive change than Caspar imagined possible. Now she’s poised to make it widely available in an online format, thanks to $25,000 in funding from the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA).

Several research studies were done to examine the effectiveness of the model. One study at a secure unit within a larger long-term care facility focused on creating change at meal times. Typically, residents had little to no choice about food and beverages and meals were served on trays. Residents didn’t participate in preparation or cleanup and often wouldn’t sit down to eat.

“Within three weeks of the staff engaging in this practice-change model, the trays were removed, residents were given more choices in their food and full choice of beverage,” says Caspar. “Residents started helping set tables and cleaning up, more sat down to finish their meals and remained at the table afterward to socialize.”

The staff went even further. Care aides sat down with residents for part of the meal and socialized with them. Then they introduced theme nights and family members got more involved.

“In addition to getting to know the residents better because they were communicating with them during meal time, the residents got to know the care aides as people, too,” says Caspar. “We actually had one care aide who teared up and said ‘I felt I was no longer being treated as a servant, but as a person.’ We even had care aides come in on their own time to take part in the weekly meetings.”

Thanks to earlier funding from the CLPNA, Caspar conducted the same study at a different residential care home and the results were the same.

Caspar then teamed up with Dr. Shannon Spenceley, an associate professor of nursing and associate dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences, who researches moral distress in dementia care settings. Her research has found that what causes moral distress for the care staff is their inability to provide the type of care they want to, typically because of constraints within the context of care. In Spenceley’s most recent study, Caspar led the intervention phase of the study, where the team used Caspar’s model to help care aides choose an area they wanted to change, and gave the team the tools they needed to develop and implement that change.

“The results blew us away,” says Caspar. “Care teams from other units within the facilities heard about what was happening and they wanted to be a part of it. To have workers in health-care settings actually pull change toward them was a unique experience, as opposed to resisting change because it causes stress.”

Caspar will spend the summer putting the model into a web-based platform and then test it out, hopefully in the fall.

“I have three long-term care organizations that are on board to use the website. We’ll observe whether or not it’s working and we’ll learn from them as they give us feedback,” says Caspar.

Eventually, Caspar hopes to make the model available to organizations for little or no cost.

New nursing student award designed to attract and retain Indigenous nursing students

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:04:02 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the Faculty of Health Sciences is helping remove obstacles for Indigenous students aspiring to be nurses through the introduction of a new student award.

The Man U’ Matapu Nursing Student Award is designed for Indigenous nursing students, offering financial support to those entering the Bachelor of Nursing program and up to three further consecutive years for continuing students in academic good standing. In total, each qualified student can receive up to $4,000 over the course of their academic career.

“It’s very clear there is a requirement for more Indigenous health-care professionals to meet the needs of communities, in particular First Nations communities,” says Dr. Shannon Spenceley, assistant dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences and associate professor of nursing.

The Faculty of Health Sciences has long supported Indigenous nursing initiatives. The Support Program for Aboriginal Nursing Students (SPANS) ran under federal funding support from 2007 through 2010 and was designed to build nursing capacity in First Nations communities. It has since expanded to Indigenous Student Supports for all Indigenous students in health sciences and now the Faculty is looking to enhance those support mechanisms.

“We’ve always had the vision about building capacity and enhancing the community and this is another way to achieve that goal,” says Marilyn Lamb, the learning facilitator in Indigenous Student Supports.

She says many Indigenous students face unique obstacles in pursuing and then completing their nursing degrees. Students often come to the program later in life, have transportation issues from rural settings, and family and extended family responsibilities.

As a result, the Man U’ Matapu Nursing Student Award is designed to attract students to the Nursing Education in Southern Alberta (NESA) program and then continue to provide a financial award each year of their studies.

“We wanted it to be an award that wasn’t just about entrance to the program because often times students manage difficulties going through the program as well,” says Spenceley. “They are trying to manage multiple priorities so we decided to make it an award where if the student stayed in the program and was of good standing, they’d receive the award every year.”

Of the approximately 500 total students in the U of L’s nursing program, around five per cent are Indigenous students. Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Chris Hosgood says the Faculty has an opportunity to increase that number through this award, and create real change in Indigenous communities as a result.

“This award represents one part of our commitment to addressing the calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” he says. “We are in the process of Indigenizing nursing education as part of a broader curriculum rebuild, and our goal is also to support Indigenous education more broadly across campus.”

The award’s name, Man U’ Matapu, was gifted by Elder Francis First Charger and means “beginning”.

“It’s wonderful for our program to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and it’s one of the priorities of our new curriculum,” says Spenceley. “Different ways of thinking, different ways of knowing, different ways of approaching health strengthen our program. It’s a tremendous asset to our programming to have more Indigenous students.”

Study reveals nursing and care staff experience distress in caring for residents with dementia

caroline.zentner — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 15:11:49 +0000

A majority of surveyed registered nurses, practical nurses and health-care aides working in 30 continuing care facilities in southern Alberta reported experiencing moral distress daily or weekly, a new study led by Dr. Shannon Spenceley, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge nursing professor, has revealed.

“Moral distress is what a health-care provider feels when he or she knows the right thing to do but is constrained from doing it, for some reason,” says Spenceley.

Dr. Shannon Spencely and her fellow researchers surveyed nearly 400 nursing caregivers in 30 care facilities in southern Alberta between 2013 and 2015.

For example, in one instance a survey respondent reported being told mealtimes had to take less time and that she should blend one resident’s dinner so he could drink it because there was no time for her to sit and feed him.

“We had a hunch there was a lot of moral distress for professional caregivers who care for people with dementia, but it hadn’t been researched before,” she says. “Our study shows moral distress is a prominent feature of the care of persons with dementia in residential care settings.”

The first year of the study focused on understanding the experience of moral distress and the situations that triggered it. Researchers interviewed nursing caregivers and used the information to design a survey that captured the frequency and level of moral distress.

In the second phase of the study, Spenceley and her fellow researchers surveyed nearly 400 nursing caregivers in 30 care facilities in southern Alberta between 2013 and 2015. The facilities that agreed to participate included both Alberta Health Services (AHS) facilities and those contracted by AHS to provide services.

The study showed nearly 76 per cent of respondents reported experiencing situations that caused at least a moderate degree of moral distress on a weekly or daily basis over the past year.

“The staff caring for residents with dementia are dedicated, compassionate professionals who provide good care. Research like this is crucial to helping us understand how we can better support those staff,” says Colin Zieber, AHS South Zone executive director of seniors health. “We need to ensure they have the proper training, management supports and tools, and are working to the full scope of their practice to provide even better care for residents with dementia.”

“For all survey respondents, the number one source of moral distress was seeing the care impacted for residents with dementia because of the perception that there are not enough staff to do the work,” says Spenceley.

As a result, nearly half of those surveyed reported that moral distress left them feeling frustrated and physically exhausted on at least a weekly basis. About 40 per cent reported effects of moral distress such as feeling emotionally drained and powerless. Moral distress was also related to a significant drop in job satisfaction for three-quarters of the respondents and a quarter of the respondents said the moral distress they experienced figured prominently in their thoughts about quitting work. About 85 per cent said they wouldn’t quit their jobs in the next year.

“We heard many stories about how committed these caregivers were to the residents they care for. They felt a real emotional connection to them and didn’t want to abandon them,” she says.

Survey participants also shared ways to reduce their moral distress, including being able to share a laugh with colleagues, have a manager who will listen to concerns and look for possible solutions, and more training in caring for people with dementia.

“We continue to work on ways to support high-quality care in facilities for people with dementia,” says Zieber. “That includes ensuring that staff have specialized training in dementia care, including staff in our contracted facilities.”

Although Spenceley cautions about jumping to conclusions from a single descriptive study, she says leaders in continuing care should take note of the findings and consider what they mean within their own context.

“We committed to studying this important topic as an organization that is dedicated to supporting safe and quality care,” says Zieber. “Our provincial Strategic Clinical Network, Continuing Care Quality Committee and families and patients all view dementia care as a priority.”

“More research is definitely needed. About 66 per cent of respondents suggested having more staff to provide good care,” says Spenceley. “It’s hard to imagine the downside of exploring some of the supportive strategies suggested by this work, including leadership development, opportunities to team-build and express value in people’s contributions to the work place, and exploring ways to increase knowledge in dementia care.”

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ recognizes faculty excellence

trevor.kenney — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:21:16 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge honoured faculty and postdoctoral fellows across campus who received academic research awards of distinction, secured research funding or published their research findings in the last year at Thursday's Celebrating Research Reception in Markin Hall.

The U of L also recognized those who had books published within the last calendar year.

Below is a list of the awards presented.

Research Awards: External

Alberta Science and Technology Leadership Foundation (ASTech) Award: Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness
Kristy Burke | Conference & Event Services

American Oil Chemists' Society Timothy L. Mounts Award
Roman Przybylski | Chemistry & Biochemistry

Campus Alberta Innovates Program (CAIP) Chairs
Chris Hopkinson | Geography, Terrestrial Ecosystems Remote Sensing
Greg Pyle | Biological Sciences, Aquatic Health

Canada Research Chairs
Louise Barrett | Psychology, Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour, Tier 1
Stacey Wetmore | Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computational Chemistry, Tier 2

Canadian Insolvency Foundation Lloyd Houlden Research Fellowship
Gordon Hunter | Management

Confederation of Alberta Faculty Association (CAFA) Distinguished Academic Award
Trudy Govier | Philosophy

Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research in Education
Michelle Hogue | First Nations' Transition Program

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal
Reginald Bibby | Sociology
Peter McCormick | Political Science
Richard Mrazek | Education

World Council for Curriculum & Instruction Distinguished Leadership Award
Peter Heffernan | Education

Research Awards: Internal

Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance
Joseph Rasmussen | Biological Sciences

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors Research Chair

Igor Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences
Olga Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences
David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy
Sergio Pellis | Neuroscience

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars
Janice Rahn | Education
Peter Visentin | Music
Judith Whitehead | Anthropology

Research Grants: External

Alberta Advisory Committee for Educational Studies Grant
Noella Piquette | Education
Jennifer Thannhauser | Education

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Wei Xu | Geography

Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research Grant
(2) Claudia Malacrida | Sociology

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Mary Kavanagh | Art
Taras Polataiko | Art
Janice Rahn/Michael Campbell | Education/Art Co-Principal Investigators

Alberta Gaming Research Institute Grant
Yale Belanger | Native American Studies
Cheryl Currie | Public Health
Gabriela Novotna | Addictions Counselling
Claudia Steinke | Nursing

Alberta Inflammatory Bowel Disease Grant
Sameer Despande | Management

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Grant
Gerlinde Metz | Neuroscience, Co-Director

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Sustainability Funds
Roy Golsteyn | Biological Sciences
Aaron Gruber | Neuroscience
David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy
Paul Vasey | Psychology
Ute Wieden-Kothe | Chemistry & Biochemistry

Alberta Rural Development Network (ARDN) Grant
Shawn Bubel | Geography
Glenda Bonifacio | Women & Gender Studies
Jon Doan | Kinesiology & Physical Education
Leanne Elias | New Media
Carmen Mombourquette | Education
Monique Sedgwick | Nursing
David Slomp | Education
(2) Carol Williams | Women & Gender Studies

Alzheimer Society of Canada Grant
Shannon Spenceley | Nursing

American Cancer Society Grant
Raphael Lencucha | Public Health

ATB Financial
Gordon Hunter/Dan Kazakoff | Management

Canada Council for the Arts Grant
Mary Kavanagh | Art
Maria Ng | English

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Grant
Olga Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences
Olga Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences, Co-applicant

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing
Nadia Rochdi/Karl Staenz | Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Centre/Geography

Canada Foundation for Innovation Leaders Opportunity Fund Grant
Aaron Gruber | Neuroscience
Paul Hazendonk | Chemistry & Biochemistry
Andrew Iwaniuk | Neuroscience
Hans-Joachim Wieden | Chemistry & Biochemistry

CIHR Emerging Team Grant
Gabriela Novotna | Health Sciences

CIHR Café Scientifique Grant
Penny D'Agnone | Office of Research & Innovation Services

CIHR Operating Grant
Sameer Deshpande | Management, Co-applicant
Judith Kulig | Nursing

CIHR Research Planning Grant
Sameer Desphande | Management, Co-applicant

Canadian Space Agency Contract
Karl Staenz | Geography
(2) David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy

Canadian Wildlife Federation
Richard Mrazek | Education

Department of Defense Contract
Albert Cross | Neuroscience

European Union FP7 Grant
David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy, Co-applicant

Grand Challenges in Global Health Grant
Gerlinde Metz | Neuroscience, Co-applicant

Health Canada Grant
Judith Kulig | Health Sciences, Co-applicant

Heritage Canada Grant for Aid to Scholarly Publication
Peter Heffernan | Education

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction Grant
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Max Bell Foundation Award
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Monieson Centre, Queen's Business School
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National Science Foundation
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NSERC Collaborative Research & Training Experience (CREATE) Grant
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NSERC Discovery Grant
Louise Barrett | Psychology
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Howard Cheng | Mathematics & Computer Science
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Jon Doan | Kinesiology & Physical Education
Cam Goater | Biological Sciences
Bruce McNaughton | Neuroscience
Jackie Rice | Mathematics & Computer Science
Elizabeth Schultz | Biological Sciences
Robert Sutherland | Neuroscience
Soroosh Yazdani | Mathematics & Computer Science

NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grant
Amir Akbary | Mathematics & Computer Science
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Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences
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SSHRC Partnership Grant
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SSHRC Public Outreach Grant
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TECTERRA
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Research Grants: Internal

Emmy Droog Research Awards in Health Sciences Grant
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Interdisciplinary Research Development Fund Grant
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Nicole Rosen | Modern Languages
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Carol Williams | Women & Gender Studies
Team: Glenda Bonifacio (Women & Gender Studies), Bonnie Lee (Health Sciences), Linda ManyGuns (Native American Studies) and Patrick Wilson (Anthropology)

Parkland Institute Faculty Research Grant
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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Community of Research Excellence Development Opportunities (CREDO) Grant
Jerimy Cunningham | Anthropology
Claudia Malacrida | Sociology
Janay Nugent | History
Amy Shaw | History

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Internal
Artistic/Creative Grant
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Dagmar Dahl | Art
Mary Kavanagh | Art

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Internal SSHRC Grant
Michelle Hogue | First Nations' Transition Program
Janay Nugent | History
Kent Peacock | Philosophy
Amy Shaw | History

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Research Dissemination Grant
Glenda Bonifacio | Women & Gender Studies
Inge Genee | Modern Languages
Catherine Kingfisher | Anthropology
Janice Newberry | Anthropology
Hillary Rodrigues/John Harding | Religious Studies
Arlan Schultz | Music
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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Research Fund Grant
Vishaal Baulkaran/Ebenezer Asem | Finance
Sarah Boon | Geography
Shawn Bubel | Geography
Michael Campbell | Art
Arundhati Dasgupta | Physics & Astronomy
Larry Flanagan | Biological Sciences
Claudia Gonzales/Fangfang Li | Kinesiology & Physical Education/Psychology
Ute Wieden-Kothe | Chemistry & Biochemistry
Jason Laurendeau | Sociology
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Hua Li | Mathematics & Computer Science
Heidi MacDonald | History
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Mark Walton | Physics & Astronomy
John Zhang | Mathematics & Computer Science

Post-Doctoral Fellow Awards Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Postgraduate Fellowship
Ben Clark | Neuroscience
Corinne Montes-Rodriquez | Neuroscience
Jake Ormond | Neuroscience
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Canadian Space Agency Space Science Enhancement Award Postdoctoral Fellowship
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CIHR Fellowship
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Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellowship (Short-Term) for North American and European Researchers
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Book Awards 2013 recipients

M. Gordon Hunter & Dan Kazakoff (authors): Small Business: Journey to Success

Shawn Bubel, James McMurchy & Duncan Lloyd (authors): Record In Stone: Familiar Projectile Points From Alberta

Jean-Baptiste Leca, Michael A. Huffman & Paul Vasey (editors): The Monkeys of Smokey Mountain

Sarah Glassford & Amy Shaw (editors): A Sisterhood of Suffering and Service: Women and Girls of Canada and Newfoundland during the First World War

Geoffrey Hale (author): So Near Yet So Far: The Public and Hidden Worlds of Canada-U.S. Relations

Aaron Taylor (editor): Theorizing Film Acting

Marc R. Roussel (author): A Life Scientist's Guide to Physical Chemistry

Glena Tibe Bonifacio (editor): Feminism and Migration: Cross-cultural Engagements

Robert J. Williams, Robert T. Wood & Jonathan Parke (editors): The Routledge International Handbook of Internet Gambling

Arundhati Dasgupta (editor): Recent Research in Quantum Gravity

John S. Harding (editor): Studying Buddhism in Practice

Yale D. Belanger (editor): First Nations Gaming in Canada

Yongjian Bao & Wenlong Yuan (authors): The Contrarian Way of Crisis Management

Keith Roscoe & Rick Mrazek (authors): Developing Scientific Literacy: Ideas and Strategies for Planning, Assessment, and Instruction

Blythe Shepard & Lorna Martin (authors): Supervision of Counselling and Psychotherapy: A Handbook for Canadian Certified Supervisors and Applicants

Margaret A. Winzer & Kas Mazurek (editors): International Practices in Special Education: Debates and Challenges

Judith C. Kulig & Allison M. Williams (editors): Health in Rural Canada

Olga Kovalchuk & Igor Kovalchuk (authors) Epigenetics in Health and Disease

Groundbreaking study to focus on moral distress

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:59:54 +0000

Knowing the right thing to do is one thing. Actually being able to do it, quite another.

In fact, many nurses experience that dilemma every day, according to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Shannon Spenceley. She is exploring ways to lessen this source of moral stress among nurses in the workplace.

The study, which is funded by the national Alzheimer Society Research Program, is the first in Canada to focus on moral distress in continuing care settings, such as long-term care or supportive living facilities.

A nursing professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Spenceley is the principal investigator on a study that is examining moral distress among nurses who care for those with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia.

The Alzheimer Society of Canada reports that more than 747,000 Canadians are living with AD or other types of dementia – and that figure is expected to more than double in 25 years (by 2038).

In Alberta, there are more than 46,000 people with Alzheimer's or related dementias, and over the next 25 years, that figure is expected to reach more than 100,000. Seventeen per cent of new cases are 'early onset', where people are diagnosed before age 65, and 72 per cent of those are women.

A fatal and progressive disease that destroys brain cells, AD affects one's ability to remember things, make decisions and perform routine activities. Most people living in residential care facilities have some form of dementia, including AD.

Nursing caregivers can find themselves in difficult, and ethically complex, situations when trying to provide the best care for residents with dementia.

"It may be that a nurse who is caring for a confused and agitated resident can either use a prescription drug to reduce the agitation or simply sit with a resident until the resident calms down," says Spenceley. "The nurse knows that while the former option may cause undesirable side effects, the latter one will require extra time. In a situation where staffing is short and there are many competing demands, the nurse may feel that the choice he/she feels is right is simply not possible. Such situations create feelings of moral distress, which has been linked over time to nurse burnout, and to nurses leaving a job or even the profession."

To better understand the triggers and effects of moral distress, and to help residential-care managers address staff recruitment and retention challenges, Spenceley's team will interview and survey nursing caregivers in several facilities across southern Alberta.

"Ultimately, we want to develop strategies to mitigate moral distress," says Spenceley. "By understanding such issues, and working to create solutions, it creates the opportunity to address some of the recruitment and retention issues faced in this sector of care. Finally, anything that can be done to create a healthier and happier workforce caring for this complex population is a step in the right direction in terms of providing high-quality residential care."

The two-year project also involves U of L health sciences co-investigators Dr. Bradley Hagen and Dr. Olu Awosoga, as well as Dr. Barry Hall of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Faculty of Social Work (Lethbridge Campus) and Dr. Roland Ikuta, the medical director of Seniors Health, Alberta Health Services (AHS) South Zone. Colin Zeiber, executive director of Seniors Health for Alberta Health Services (AHS) South Zone, is the AHS community partner liaison for the project.

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