UNews - Jean Harrowing

Nursing educator honoured for her contribution to the field

caroline.zentner — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 20:00:44 +0000

Dr. Jean Harrowing (BASC ’78) is one of 100 nurses to receive a Centennial Award from the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta as the organization celebrates its 100th year.

“I was quite surprised — it means a lot that my colleagues would even think to nominate me,” says Harrowing. “Nursing has been a fabulous career.”

Harrowing, an associate professor in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s nursing program, has a wealth of experience in nursing and nursing education, and her work in Africa has inspired registered nurses around the world. Since 2008, she has offered the Malawi Field Study to give students from any discipline the opportunity to conduct culturally relevant health promotion about malaria, tuberculosis and HIV-AIDS. Thanks to her connection to Kampala, Uganda, a number of nursing students have completed their final preceptorship in a Ugandan hospital.

Harrowing’s research in Africa and the Caribbean brought registered nurses to the policy table by getting them involved in HIV research and expanding their capacity to provide care to people who live with HIV. She has contributed to registered nursing education in Alberta by serving on the Nursing Education Program Approval Board (NEPAB) for 10 consecutive years.

After 34 years, Harrowing says she has no regrets about choosing nursing as a career. She was drawn to the field out of a desire to learn more about maintaining and promoting health and to work with people at vulnerable and important times in their lives. Often, the human experience around health, whether it’s a transition like having a baby or a trauma like being diagnosed with a serious illness, is a significant life-altering event.

“They’re all pretty special moments and, to me, it’s an honour to work with people as they go through those life experiences which are very intimate and personal,” she says.

Over the years and with increased education, Harrowing has seen the opportunities expand for nurses to participate and engage in making positive changes in the way people access health care and the health-care system.

“I was one of 100 nurses who were singled out and honoured but there’s so much work that goes on every day that the public doesn’t know about. This award is not just mine; it’s for all of my colleagues.”

Another southern Albertan, Janet Lapins, also received a Centennial Award. Lapins played a key role in establishing the Chinook Primary Care Network and served as director of Chinook’s health information and outcomes department. She also helped establish the Pincher Creek primary care project and the chronic disease network. Lapins has now returned to the bedside, teaching and mentoring nursing students at Lethbridge College.

U of L nursing students get life-changing experiences in Uganda

caroline.zentner — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 15:43:05 +0000

Five ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge nursing students who completed their final preceptorship in Uganda this past summer got an experience that opened their eyes, tugged at their hearts, and gave them a foundation to inform their nursing practice in the years ahead.

U of L nursing students Renae Nedza (second from left) and Zoe Sultani (centre), who is flanked on the right by Tracey Christoffersen, Danielle Clearwater and Melissa Collins, posed for a photo with some of the people they worked with in Uganda.

As recipients of the President’s Grant for International Community Engagement, Tracey Christoffersen, Melissa Collins, Danielle Clearwater, Zoe Sultani and Renae Nedza, spent May, June and July in Kampala working at Mulago Hospital, a teaching hospital associated with Makerere ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“It was definitely very intense,” says Collins. “We were exposed to some pretty harsh conditions but it was a great learning experience.”

With information and insight provided by their nursing professor Dr. Jean Harrowing, who did her doctoral research at Mulago, they prepared as best they could. Even though they knew what to expect on an intellectual level, they couldn’t prepare for the sights, sounds and smells they’d encounter.

“They go expecting to help others and to sharpen their nursing skills and knowledge, which they do, but it’s all the things between the lines and in the margins that they are startled to learn,” says Harrowing.

Mulago is a referral hospital operated by the government of Uganda. Patients are often very sick and travel long distances to reach the hospital. Nurses typically have 40 or more patients to care for with limited amounts of medications and medical supplies.

“We all became very resourceful,” says Christoffersen. “The way they were able to use other materials to replace those they had run out of was just phenomenal.”

The students worked on several units in the hospital during their preceptorship and Collins and Sultani also spent a week working in a hospital in a remote village.

“One of the heartbreaking things is they had no resources and even the pharmacy is not equipped with all of the medications or enough of them,” says Sultani.

Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world and the majority of people live in rural areas. Daily, the students confronted the health consequences that resulted from living in poverty.

They often cared for diabetic patients whose conditions had deteriorated because they lacked the necessary supplies and knowledge to manage their disease.

“They’ve never seen a glucometer because they’re expensive and they can’t afford to buy one. They only get a certain amount of syringes and needles to do their insulin. They come to the hospital a few months later with infections all over their body because they’ve been using the same syringe and needle for the last month. Now they have ulcers and sometimes these infections have reached to their bones so now we have to amputate,” says Sultani.

The students soon realized they didn’t have the power to change the whole health system in Uganda but they tried to effect as many improvements as they could while they were there. One patient at a time, they did what they could to ease pain, offer encouragement, provide therapeutic interventions and educate patients about how to care for themselves.

Before they left Canada, the students secured thousands of dollars worth of donations and medical supplies. They used some of the funds to buy a supply of antibiotics for the rural hospital and left it with a local nurse to dispense to the patients in greatest need. They bought 15 glucometers, which they left with a doctor to distribute to young people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Nedza was also able to help out the eye unit at Mulago Hospital, thanks to a donation from the Lethbridge West Lions Club. In addition to essential tools like ophthalmoscopes to perform eye exams, the unit needed an autoclave and a refrigerator.

While they may have initially felt overwhelmed by the conditions they witnessed, they soon came to understand that medical professionals in Uganda did what they could with what they had. They saw the gratitude in the eyes of their patients and family members for the extra care they provided.

“I’m so glad I went and I wouldn’t have changed that experience for anything. You were kind of thrown into it and you had to just be confident with your abilities and yourself and do a lot of reflection, where staying in Canada I don’t think I would have gotten that,” says Clearwater.

The President’s Grant for International Community Engagement awards were first distributed this year. They were established by an anonymous donor to encourage and support U of L students who want to participate in international development work. The grant will provide up to $5,000 for students to spend an extended period of time working in a paid or volunteer role in a developing country. Three grants will be awarded annually. Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. Jan. 30, 2015. Application details.

Danielle Clearwater

"My experience in Uganda helped me gain confidence, increased my critical thinking skills, taught me how to prioritize care, and helped me gain an understanding of healthcare within a different culture. I hope that while I was there I was able to help spread some of my knowledge to healthcare professionals and clients and their families. I learned a lot just working side by side with different healthcare professionals in the hospital and I hope that them seeing me do things the right way will spread to other people and make small changes."

Melissa Collins

"Completing my final nursing practicum in Uganda was a very rich experience, which provided learning in a professional, as well as personal manner. Professionally, I was able to work on many different units, allowing me to further develop my spectrum and skills as a nurse. There were many situations that challenged my knowledge, skills and critical thinking abilities, which I feel has now enhanced my understanding for the profession of nursing, as well as my confidence and independence level. On a personal basis, this experience has given me the exposure and chance to embrace a new culture, and develop great friendships and professional relationships around the world. However, most importantly this experience highlighted how fortunate we are to live in Canada. Although I gained a lot while working in Uganda, it was equally important that I gave back, if even on a small scale, something for the people of Uganda. I made sure that each day I gave back to at least one patient, beyond regular required care as a nurse, by further assisting them with daily needs, or necessities they could not otherwise afford. I feel that although my measures may have been small, I knew they would have a great impact on the patients I provided care for, and that they could carry on making the small changes for themselves, or their community. I hope that one day, these small changes can account for a greater difference for the people of Uganda."

Renae Nedza

"While in Uganda I gained the nursing experience of a lifetime. I was able to interact with a diverse population both culturally and medically. As my nursing skills developed and my confidence grew, I was able to provide more effective and holistic care after overcoming barriers like lack of resources, limited co-nurses, and a large number of patients. I believe I was able to leave a positive impact on my patients and fellow colleagues by bringing my skills and knowledge, but also through my caring attitude and presence in difficult times. I also was given the unique opportunity to purchase and distribute needed supplies and equipment to the eye unit at Mulago due to a generous donation from the West Lethbridge Lions Club."

Tracey Christoffersen

"Uganda, Mulago Hospital and the amazing people I met during my three-month preceptorship gave me more than I could have ever asked for. I went to Uganda with the intention to learn as much about nursing and the local culture as I could. I had the opportunity to work with a knowledgeable and passionate medical team and learned very quickly how to practice resourcefulness, think critically and cope with the unpredictable and, at times, traumatizing environment. I took it upon myself to learn as much of the local language as I could and found that it really helped with communicating with hesitant patients and also calmed some, and lightened the mood as patients giggled at my attempts to speak their language. I feel that each individual that comes into this hospital and environment leaves behind their own individual footprint. I worked very hard to prove that I deserved to work next to these phenomenal medical professionals and made lasting impressions through my care and compassion with the patients I worked with and the staff I collaborated with. I am truly grateful and humbled that I got to be part of such an amazing learning experience."

Zoe Sultani

"My experience in Uganda has been one of deep and powerful understanding as to why I chose this rewarding career. Through the exchange and sharing of current and new knowledge, therapeutic care, and advocacy with local clients and health care professionals, we have contributed to an ever-growing importance of optimal health for all, regardless of borders. The world is our community and our positive experiences will continue to reach out to those who also wish to contribute in some ways and make changes to current conditions, in the hopes of keeping this chain reaction strong and lasting."

U of L students exemplify the spirit of World Humanitarian Day

caroline.zentner — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 16:29:20 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students who have participated in humanitarian work say helping others has enriched their lives in ways they couldn’t have ever imagined.

U of L students say doing humanitarian work with groups such as these Malawi children, is an enriching experience.

Whether they worked with youth to help them learn ways of preventing malaria and HIV or nursed critically ill patients, humanitarian work has expanded their view of the world and whetted their appetites for more.

The United Nations established World Humanitarian Day in 2008, reserving Aug. 19 as the day to recognize humanitarian workers who have put their own lives at risk to help others.

For the past few years, U of L students have had the opportunity to put the theory they’ve learned in the classroom into practice in developing countries such as Malawi and Uganda.

The Malawi Field Study course is offered jointly by the Health Sciences and Fine Arts faculties and is open to students in any discipline. In partnership with Museums of Malawi, 14 U of L students participated in the course this year. Before the students left, they raised almost $22,000 to buy 1,750 mosquito nets to give to people in the communities they visited. Candace Douslin, Heather Nixdorff and Ellen Grossman were among those who spent three weeks teaching children about ways to prevent malaria and HIV. Dr. Jean Harrowing, a professor in the Faculty of Health Science’s nursing program, and Lisa Doolittle, a professor of theatre arts in the Faculty of Fine Arts, accompanied them.

Harrowing says the field study course is designed to nurture a student’s ability to think critically about social justice, equity, human rights and relational practice and identify opportunities for action in a global health setting.

“Students learn to examine their assumptions and acknowledge their privilege, while engaging in a meaningful way with other travellers on the planet,” says Harrowing. “Although information sharing and donated mosquito nets are important and tangible gifts, it is the engagement in human relationship, the creating of connections between people who really are not very different from one another, that is, to me, the essential and priceless experience of humanity for both the students and their hosts.”

The students visited 11 schools in Malawi where they worked with Grade 7 students. Using drama techniques, they helped create awareness about ways to prevent malaria and HIV infection. They also soaked up Malawian culture and discovered some new things about themselves in the process.

“I learned there are ways to work with people, even when there’s a language barrier,” says Douslin, a nursing student. “I learned that, because life can be different there from here, it doesn’t mean that either way is better or worse. No matter where you go, people care about their families and their loved ones and they want to be healthy and happy.”

“I loved it; I could have stayed there forever. It was definitely hard and tiring but it was so rewarding,” says Nixdorff, a public health student. “We learned more about ourselves than we did anything else, how much we take for granted here, how it’s possible to be resourceful with so little. Creating personal relationships with people makes it so much more real. You feel the need to make a difference.”

Ellen Grossman, also a public health student, says the field study gave her the chance to see public health in action.

“I would love to do more after this experience,” says Grossman. “In most places, I believe the messages about malaria and HIV did get across to the audience very well, but even if they didn’t I felt that this bit of intervention taught leadership to the kids.”

Tracey Christoffersen was one of five U of L nursing students who completed a preceptorship at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda.

“It was just the most rich experience,” she says. “Most people have very little but are extremely giving and generous with what they do have.”

Students in the U of L Rotaract Club are also supporting humanitarian service projects. They have fundraised to build a school in south Sudan, to support a microcredit bank in Costa Rica, and to help Flying Doctors of Canada in their work in Nicaragua.

A Window to the World

david.kirby — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 15:57:22 +0000

The Dalai Lama once wrote, “With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”

It’s a timeless quote with universal relevance, and one that is particularly meaningful to students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge who have travelled to Africa as part of the Malawi Field Study program.

Since the Faculty of Health Sciences began offering the field study in 2008, 48 U of L students have taken their learning to Malawi and 14 more are registered to go this spring. Their objective: to conduct culturally relevant health-promotion activities in Malawi in relation to the diseases of malaria, tuberculosis and HIV-AIDS, and to explore the complexities that arise in such an endeavour due to cultural differences, traditional practices and societal beliefs.

“The program is designed to help students learn about global health and how populations achieve health in other parts of the world,” says U of L nursing professor Dr. Jean Harrowing (BSc ’78), who along with U of L fine arts professor Lisa Doolittle, established and now co-ordinate the program. “The students come to understand that global is local, and local is global – that some of the challenges people face in a place like Malawi aren’t necessarily all that different than some of the challenges people face here.”

The Malawi program is one example of the Faculty of Health Sciences’ aim to provide transformational education, nurture intellectual curiosity, engage with diverse populations and promote responsible global citizenship. The Faculty’s dean, Dr.Christopher Hosgood, says that instilling a global perspective in students is every bit as important to the Faculty as providing solid clinical knowledge.

“We offer very different kinds of programming. Some of it is very practice-ready in terms of focus, and some of it is a lot broader with an emphasis on learning how to support populations or individuals on the path toward health and wellness,” he explains. “In either case, our primary goal is to graduate health-care professionals who understand that health is multifaceted and affected by many different factors related to location, culture, history, politics and more.”

Photos submitted by Mandy Pack (BA '09), Stacy Peleskey (BN '08) and Anuva Pradhan (BN '09)

The Malawi program is open to U of L students from all disciplines, and instils lessons in community building and cultural understanding.

“The program helps students understand how complex the world really is, and to see that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution to any issue,” Harrowing says. “It offers an ongoing, broad-spectrum type of learning that’s applicable in many ways.”

When U of L alumna Stacy Peleskey (BN ’08) went to Malawi, she connected with Malawian children and delivered important health messages in ways she never anticipated.

“Song and dance are integral to Malawian culture, so it was important that we share some of our Canadian culture in that way,” says Peleskey. “I did the ‘moose song’ in almost every classroom we went into. The kids loved it. It gave us an immediate connection and helped break down any barriers getting in the way of the teaching and learning we were there to do.”

Animal antics aside, the Malawi field study was a deeply moving experience for Peleskey, one that changed the trajectory of her life and continues to resonate with her today.

“The Malawi trip was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done. It impacted my life at the time and continues to do so even now five years later,” says Peleskey, who works as a nurse in public health. “The opportunity to experience such a diverse culture was unbelievable. It fuelled my nursing career, gave me skills I use today and helped me grow as a person.”

Peleskey’s feelings about the program are shared among her classmates.

“We hear it again and again – the program changes a student’s way of thinking,” says Aaron Maluwa, director of Education Services with Museums of Malawi.

Maluwa is the U of L’s key contact in Malawi, laying all the groundwork for each trip. In addition to the innumerable logistical details he hammers out, Maluwa plays host, translator and mentor to the student travellers. Simply put, the program wouldn’t be possible without him.

Maluwa met Harrowing in 2007 when he visited the Galt Museum in Lethbridge as part of a Commonwealth Association of Museums tour, and played a key role in establishing the program that would benefit U of L students and the people of Malawi alike. In recognition of his work, Maluwa received the 2013 Friend of Health Sciences Award, an annual honour given by the Faculty of Health Sciences that recognizes an individual or agency who has made a significant contribution to health education and research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

While he is honoured to be recognized, his focus remains on the program and the difference it makes in the lives of those affected.

“Through the fundraising efforts of U of L students, more than 3,000 mosquito nets have been distributed and given to children and pregnant women. This is one of the most reliable methods of malaria prevention,” Maluwa says. “As well, through education and health promotion 4,000 people have been tested for their HIV status, which is an entry point to HIV prevention and management.”

U of L students have also donated soccer balls, sugar, clothes, schools supplies and even a wheelchair to children and HIV-positive individuals. And once they return to Canada, the U of L students are expected to give a public presentation as a way of sharing their experiences and acknowledging the privilege of participating in the service-learning project.

“The U of L students have had a tremendous impact. By delivering messages of health promotion in a culturally relevant way, the Malawian students and communities can adopt and incorporate them into their systems of learning,” says Maluwa. “The Malawi program positively affects everyone involved, not only the people of Malawi, but also U of L students – who are ambassadors of global health promotion at the local and international level. There’s tremendous learning on both sides.”

The Dance of Change

david.kirby — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 15:37:44 +0000

Lisa Doolittle once lived the life of a professional artist, drawing on the passion for her craft as a dancer and choreographer to create a shared experience with her audience.

That passion still burns inside Doolittle, only now the outlet is academia, where her research expertise and love for dance and theatre have come together to effect real change in the community.

Doolittle, a professor of theatre arts in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Fine Arts, is the Teaching and Learning Research Coordinator for the Art for Social Change (ASC) project, a comprehensive five-year national research program that examines the effectiveness of using the arts as a means of community engagement and to encourage positive social change.

“This is the kind of collaborative research that can ignite new ideas, move people’s hearts and possibly change behaviours and communities.” - Lisa Doolittle (Photo by Leslie Ohene-Adjei)

“We’ve known for years that the arts are an effective form of initiating change,” says Doolittle. “There are countless examples throughout the country where arts programs are used as a way to connect and engage communities, but there has been very little evaluation of why and how these programs are effective.”

What exactly is Art for Social Change? It is the application of arts-based processes to address issues of social concern and to encourage social innovation. It is an artist acting as a facilitator to spark dialogue, new ideas and actions with members of communities who would not otherwise define themselves as artists.

Doolittle cites an exciting international program based in Quebec, known as Social Circus, where Cirque du Soleil is working with at-risk youth and teaching them circus skills.

“It sounds almost counterintuitive to be working with at-risk youth and teaching them what most people believe to be very risky and dangerous behaviours,” says Doolittle. “But when you think about it, circus work is all about trust and when you are flying off a trapeze and have to be caught by somebody else, you learn a lot about responsibility and trust.”

That is the essence of ASC, bringing together diverse groups and using the arts as a catalyst to open lines of communication, to create community awareness and inclusivity and to encourage engagement for the betterment of our communities.

For Doolittle, dance is a powerful vehicle for change. This new research program enables study of an ongoing project initiated by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary’s Anne Flynn (professor of dance) that involves residents of subsidized-housing complexes for senior citizens, many of which are first generation immigrants to Canada with varying degrees of English-language proficiency.

Doolittle and Flynn are also working with people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and, in partnership with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, will study the impact of their participation in dance classes – not only looking at how dancing may assist in increasing independence and mitigating symptoms of the disease, but also how effective these classes are in creating a sense of community for an often-marginalized population.

“The arts bring people together,” says Doolittle. “The arts do not separate people – they are communal activities and when communities come together, big things can happen.”

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) understands the potential value of ASC to Canadian communities. It is driving the national research program with $2.5 million in funding, allowing 20 collaborators, numerous national and local organizations and six partnering universities to come together for the first large-scale, systemic project of its kind in Canada.

Doolittle’s role as the teaching and learning coordinator is key for the project’s long-term sustainability. Its success will be dictated by the capacity that is built nationally between educational institutions, artists and both arts and non-arts community-based organizations.

“It’s so important that we are able to continue producing excellent practitioners who understand high quality artistic work as well as social-change work, and then are able to communicate with and bring together all different kinds of people,” she says, adding that the U of L could eventually become the site of a research institute that furthers the study and dissemination of ASC practices.

Doolittle will oversee the research and the eventual implementation of new teaching and learning practices, with considerable local support from Dr. Cynthia Chambers and Dr. Erika Hasebe-Ludt of the Faculty of Education, Ramona Big Head (BA ’96, BEd ’96, MEd ’09), Dr. Jean Harrowing (BSc ’78) of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Rachael Crowder (who teaches at the U of L for the Faculty of Social Work, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary) and the U of L’s Teaching Centre. Alumna Candace Lewko (BEd ’95, BFA ’95, MEd ’09) contributes an additional perspective from the context of her position as Curriculum Consultant, Educational Enhancement Team, at Lethbridge College.

“It seems like the time has come for this kind of work to get a higher profile,” says Doolittle. “This is the kind of collaborative research that can ignite new ideas, move people’s hearts and possibly change behaviours and communities. When people get together you can move mountains and I think that is the impact we will see in our communities – people will move mountains.”

Doolittle appointed teaching and learning research coordinator for national project

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 20:05:57 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor Lisa Doolittle will be the Teaching and Learning Research Coordinator for the Art for Social Change (ASC) project, a five-year national research program that will examine the effectiveness of using the arts as a means of community engagement and to encourage positive social change.

Lisa Doolittle says that art for social change is the application of arts-based processes to address issues of social concern and to encourage social innovation.

Doolittle, a professor of theatre in the Faculty of Fine Arts, will oversee the implementation, data-collection, analysis and reporting on the Teaching and Learning component of the project.

With $2.5 million dollars in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) through its Partnership Program, Art for Social Change: A Research Partnership in Teaching, Evaluation and Capacity-Building, the research project is considered the first large-scale, systemic project of its kind in Canada.

“To be involved in this is an amazing opportunity for myself, my colleagues, research assistants and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, as well as community service organizations, and artists,” says Doolittle.

“We will have the opportunity to bring in at least two master’s students and one PhD candidate to assist with the research and because of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s emphasis on liberal education, and a commitment to community engagement in its strategic plan, we are in an ideal position to develop a hub for ASC Teaching and Learning.”

A total of 20 individual collaborators from six partnering universities, along with multiple community agencies and arts organizations are taking part in the five-year research program.

Art for social change is the application of arts-based processes to address issues of social concern and to encourage social innovation.

The current partnership is based on a long-standing relationship, formalized in 2007, when Judith Marcuse Projects (JMP), an arts organization with over 30 years of ASC experience, entered into a unique agreement with Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (SFU) to create the International Centre of Art for Social Change.

That partnership has now been extended to include students and community members from across the country, creating a breadth of data on ASC practice never before realized.

“We’ve known for years that the arts are an effective form of initiating change. There are countless examples throughout the country where arts programs are used as a way to connect and engage communities but there has been very little evaluation of why and how these programs are effective,” says Doolittle.

“With this project we want to first evaluate these successes and develop best practices for the implementation of art for social change programs, we want to build national capacity between educational institutions, community-based artists and arts organizations and non-arts organizations in the development and delivery of ASC and finally, we want to create and provide a range of accessible online resources for those working in ASC as well as others interested in learning about the field.”

Doolittle will oversee the research and the eventual implementation of new teaching and learning practices, with considerable campus support by Dr. Cynthia Chambers, Dr. Erika Hasebe-Ludt and Ramona Big Head of the Faculty of Education, Dr. Jean Harrowing of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Rachel Crowder who teaches at the U of L for the Faculty of Social Work, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, and the on-campus Teaching Centre. U of L alumna (BFA, MEd) Candace Lewko contributes an additional perspective from the context of her position as curriculum consultant, Educational Enhancement Team, The Centre for Teaching, Learning & Innovation at Lethbridge College.

“It’s vitally important that once we do the research and collect the data, that we ensure this project is sustainable by properly teaching a new generation of educators, artists and community members about how to best administer ASC programs,” says Doolittle. “Only then will we see an ongoing benefit from this research and these programs.”

Healthy common ground

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:42:06 +0000

What do a former Olympic rower and a pilot have in common? If they are Zoe Hoskins Light and Brent Stock, they are both students in the new After Degree Nursing Program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Designed to increase opportunities for people interested in pursuing jobs in health care, the program is an accelerated course of study available to anyone who has previously earned a degree in any discipline or field of study. The 80-credit program is offered over six consecutive semesters and leads to a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Once complete, students have the option to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination to become Registered Nurses (RN).

The After Degree Nursing Program was a perfect fit for Zoe Hoskins Light.

"There is a growing shortage of Registered Nurses working in clinical, research, and teaching positions," says Jean Harrowing, assistant professor. "The After Degree program was created to address the urgent need for nurses in provincial, national, and global practice."

For Hoskins Light, the transition from athletics to nursing was a natural evolution, although the first degree she earned was far removed from anything related to health. Hoskins Light graduated from the School of Journalism at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Southern California in 2002. A profession in health care, however, always held appeal. Her father and brother are both physicians, and Hoskins Light developed an appreciation for the dynamics of the human body as an athlete. She attended USC on a rowing scholarship, and after graduation, went straight into training with the Canadian National Rowing Team leading up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. After taking a few prerequisite science courses, Hoskins Light enrolled in the After Degree program in 2009.

"My own interactions with health care got me interested in nursing," Hoskins Light says. "The dynamics of how the body works drew me to the profession, but I really like the human aspect of it – caring for people."

For Stock, the path to the program was slightly more practical. As the father of four young children, Stock was looking for a career that not only interested him, but also offered a high level of job security. Stock originally attended university in Utah, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Aviation Professional Pilot degree. The events of September 11, 2001 put his dream of flying for a living on hold indefinitely. Stock then moved his family to California to pursue a career in real estate. He worked in construction and owned a real estate investment company for several years, but after the market crash, he needed to switch gears again.

"I needed something that was recession proof," Stock says. "I moved my family to Canada with the intention of becoming a paramedic firefighter, but a friend told me about the After Degree program and I found it to be a perfect fit."

Hoskins Light and Stock are just two among a cohort of first-time nursing students in the program, and their diverse backgrounds are a microcosm of the balance of the students on the enrollment roster.

"Our students have degrees in sciences, humanities, arts and fine arts," says Harrowing. "They've worked in many different professions and disciplines, and bring a rich variety of experience to the program, as well as a certain level of maturity and wisdom."

Application deadline for the fall semester is May 1, 2010.

Bridging experiences

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:55:39 +0000

Christina MacDonald has cleaned hurricane-ravaged streets in Honduras, taught English to Ethiopian children and delivered food to disadvantaged seniors in her hometown of Fort Smith, N.W.T.

The fourth-year ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge nursing student isn't short on ambition and her interests are many. Globe-trotting and volunteering are major themes in her life, as is conservation. An avid camper and outdoorswoman, MacDonald spends her summers at Wood Buffalo National Park, teaching visitors about the area's spectacular geological wonders, flora and fauna.

This January, MacDonald began her biggest adventure yet: a three-month practicum in Kampala, Uganda. She and fellow student Andrea Fandrich will be the first U of L undergraduate nursing students to complete their final practicum overseas.

MacDonald got a taste of international work after volunteering for SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia after completing high school at the prestigious Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific in Victoria, B.C. While MacDonald had long hoped to complete her senior U of L nursing clinical experience internationally, she didn't realize it was a possibility until she began swapping stories with one of her professors, Dr. Jean Harrowing. Harrowing had done her master's thesis research in Uganda and still had connections in the capital city of Kampala.

Both Harrowing and MacDonald recognized this as the perfect opportunity for MacDonald to travel overseas and for the U of L to continue building a rapport with the Ugandan nursing community. Harrowing volunteered to be MacDonald's faculty advisor and put her in touch with the assistant nursing director at Mulago Hospital, the largest hospital in Kampala. Prior to leaving, MacDonald held high hopes for the experience.

"From what I've heard, the nurses there are so amazing and work so hard. I'm looking forward to being a part of that team and learning from them," says MacDonald.

It wasn't set in stone what MacDonald would do after she arrived in January, but mentoring first- and second-year nursing students from the nearby university was one possibility.

"We're going into this very open-minded, keeping in mind the fact that we'll have to be flexible," she says.

MacDonald recognized that living and working in Uganda would be very different from anything she's ever experienced. With inconsistent Internet access, it would be a struggle to communicate with her professors, family and friends at the U of L. She also anticipated that it would be a challenge to adjust to a clinical environment that may not have the same technologies as a typical Canadian hospital.

With this in mind, MacDonald and Fandrich stuffed their suitcases with a large cache of medical equipment both to use on their trip and to leave behind for the nurses at the hospital when they head home. For several months, the girls invited students and faculty at the U of L to donate stethoscopes, gloves, blood-pressure cuffs and other medical tools for the students to take on their travels.

"It's our hope that we can create a bit of a bridge between Lethbridge and Kampala, and facilitate nurses in Canada supporting nurses in Uganda in their practice," says MacDonald.

But while confident she'll make a contribution to the hospital, MacDonald thinks she has more to gain from the experienced nurses she'll be working with.

"I'm aware going into this it's likely I'll take away more than I'm able to give."

To view the entire issue SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Campus Kudos

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Former Pronghorn swimmer Richard Hortness, swimming for his hometown Alberta Marlin Aquatic Club out of Medicine Hat, set a new Canadian record at the 2009 Short Course Spring Nationals in Toronto in March. Hortness, who was with the Pronghorns in 2004-05, teamed with Brent Hayden, Rory Biskuspi and Tommy Gossland to set a new 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay record.

Lisa Lambert (BA '91, MA '07) was recently honoured as a YWCA of Lethbridge, 2009 Woman of Distinction for her work as a social advocate. Currently teaching a Canadian Politics course at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Lambert is also working on her doctorate degree.

Winners of the U of L Plays and Prose Writing Competition were: Plays – James Forbes (1st), Adam Beauchesne (2nd), Trista Green (3rd) and Prose – Dave Bryant (1st), Adam Sarjeant (2nd), Henry Heavy Shield (3rd).

Several drama faculty, staff, and alumni were involved in the recent New West Theatre production of The Drawer Boy. Ron Chambers (Theatre & Dramatic Arts), Marek Czuma (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) and Jeremy Park (BFA '08) acted; Gail Hanrahan (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) directed; David Barrus (staff) was set designer; Rebecca Toon (BFA '06) designed the costumes; Kelly Roberts (staff) designed was sound designer and Lindsey Zess-Funk (BFA '07) was stage manager.

The U of L's 07/08 Report – Rethink About It – received a silver award in the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) 2009 PRIX D'EXCELLENCE awards program in the best institutional annual report category.

The Report, which is the U of L's annual report to the community, was distributed to 335,000 households in October 2008. The Report is produced by the Communications Office within ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Advancement.

This is the third consecutive year that the Report has received an award from CCAE. In 2006/2007 the Report received a silver award, and in 2005/2006 the Report received a gold award.

To view the 07/08 Report online, visit: www.ulethbridge.ca/report

Dr. Anne Dymond (Art), Dr. Shelley Scott (Theatre & Dramatic Arts), Dr. Anonymous Will Smith (New Media) all wrote books that were acknowledged at the recent U of L Book Award Celebration.

Dr. Josephine Mills (Art Gallery) wrote an essay entitled, "The answer is two years spent baking vulva-shaped cookies, or On Understanding Lesbian Representation," which appears in the catalogue for Toronto artist Allyson Mitchell's latest exhibition, Allyson Mitchell: Ladies Sasquatch. The catalogue has just been launched and Mitchell's exhibition is on tour across Canada and comes to the U of L Art Gallery, Sept. 18 – Oct. 30, 2009.

Dr. Rolf Boon's (Music) composition, Bike Ride, has been selected for publication in the Canadian National Conservatory of Music's Northern Lights Level 5B Musical Discoveries collection. This is the eighth of Rolf's works that CNCM has published.

Dr. David Renter (Music) recently recorded with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Jazz Ensemble in Saskatoon. The group recorded one of Renter's big band compositions called Kukai and he was the featured soloist on several other selections during the recording. The CD will be released later this year.

Dagmar Dahle (Art), Don Gill (Art), Mary Kavanagh (Art), and Tanya Harnett (Art) had exhibition publications recently released by the Southern Alberta Art Gallery.

Dr. Josephine Mills (Director/Curator U of L art Gallery) has been accepted into the Getty Leadership Institute's museum program. The program is an intensive three weeks in Los Angeles during July in the Museum Leadership Institute 2009.

Richard Epp (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) acted in Theatre Calgary's recent production of An Ideal Husband, by Oscar Wilde.

Lisa Doolittle (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) and Jean Harrowing (Health Sciences) have recently received an Award of Distinction from the Internationalizing the Teaching and Learning Practice program for their work with students in Malawi last summer. The award is presented by Advanced Education and Technology.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Music Department at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, distinguished alumni are being invited back to perform. Dr. Blaine Hendsbee (Music) was the tenor soloist in a concert of Mozart's Requiem, Apr. 7, in Halifax. He also presented master's classes at Dalhousie during the week.

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