Vital Connections: The annual newsletter of the Faculty Nursing Alumni Association

16 Pages·2001·1.5 MB·English

by  FACUTLY OF NURSING, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

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Faculty of Nursing Welcomes New Dean
V/ /l ROFESSOR Adel Sedra, Vice-President and
Provost of the University of Toronto, is pleased
to announce the appointment of Professor Dyanne
Affonso as Dean of the Faculty of Nursing for a seven-year
term, beginning 1 July 2001 and ending 30 June 2008.
Professor Affonso received her Bachelor of Science in
Nursing from the University of Hawaii, followed by a
Masters in Nursing from the University of Washington,
and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University
of Arizona. She has been a member of the faculty at both
the University of Arizona and the University of California,
San Francisco. In 1993, Professor Affonso assumed the
Deanship of the School of Nursing at Emory University.
She is currently the Dorothy Hodges Olson Endowed
Chair in Women’s Health at the University of Nebraska
Medical Center.
Professor Affonso has published widely on cesarean
childbirth, postpartum depressive symptoms, and prenatal
care for ethnically diverse women. Throughout the 1990s,
she conducted several studies on increasing access and reten¬
tion of ethnically diverse women into prenatal care to effect
favourable pregnancy and birth outcomes. She designed
Dyanne Affonso several program mechanisms that became a model of
community-based patient care services (cont. on pg. 2)
contents
Faculty Welcomes New Dean 1 Women’s Health Chair Award Winning Nursing Students 6
Raises Nursing Profile 4
To A Certain Perfect Nurse 2 Donors Thinking Generously 7
Think Nursing Mugs 4
A Gathering for Gail 3 Upcoming Events 7
Nursing Graduates
Mystery Solved 3
Thinking of Future Students
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(Nursing Welcomes New Dean, cont. from pg. 1)
To A Certain and were at the forefront of the U.S. Health Care
Reforms throughout the 1990s. The research is cited
Perfect Nurse in the U.S. Senate appropriations bill as a model of care
recommended for replication among minority populations,
teens, and rural communities.
N HONOUR OF NATIONAL NURSING In 1986, Professor Affonso was appointed to the
"Week, which took place 7-11 May 2001, first Advisory Council of the National Center of Nursing
we are pleased to share with you this poem Research as a chartered member. She is a chartered member
written by an alumna, Julia Alice Saddington (nee of the Advisory Council of the Office of Research on
Moody), in 1931. Julia Saddington received her Women’s Health at NIH and served as a member of
Certificate in Public Health Nursing in 1939. ORWH’s Task Forces on Recruitment, Retention and
Advancement of Women in Biomedical Careers and
TO A CERTAIN PERFECT NURSE Recruitment and Retention of Women into Clinical Studies.
She served on the American Psychological Associations Task
Alas, you never could be kind. Force on Health and Behavipr Initiative, a catalyst for
Although so skilful in your speed Congressional increase of funding for behavioral research
So faultless, clever, gentle, wise, at NIH that subsequently led to creation of the Office
Anticipating every need. of Behavioral Health and Sciences at NIH.
But we were thirsting for your love, Her contributions
Not perfect corners on each bed! to her discipline and to
Affonso will take
You hurried on, so grim with cares, the profession have been
full advantage of this
No smile, no tender gay word said. recognized with a number
opportunity to lead the
of awards and honours
Oh look on us as little lambs. Faculty to a position of that include being named
Who wander perilously near, national and international National Nurse of the
The quicksands of pain easing Death Year by the March of
prominence in research
Forgetting all your shepherd care; Dimes and Maternal-
and innovative professional
And listening only for one voice, Child Nurse of the
Sweet pity’s capitulating love, education. Year by the American
Compassionate, like tender ewe Nurses’ Association.
That yearns in sorrow for her own. In 1995, she was
elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National
Oh see us, ready to turn back Academy of Sciences. She received the Special Service
And live, if only we could find Award in Women’s Health from the National Association
The lure of love in life, the lure of Women’s Health Professionals.
Of youth compassionate and kind! Professor Affonso will assume the Deanship at a time of
unique opportunity when, owing to the outstanding leader¬
ship of Dean Gail Donner, the Faculty of Nursing is poised
Reprinted from ‘A Nurse’s Poems” to enter an exciting period of unprecedented expansion and
by Julia A. Saddington, with the development. I am confident Professor Affonso will take
permission of Harold Ross Saddington. full advantage of this opportunity to lead the Faculty to
a position of national and international prominence in
research and innovative professional education.
A Gathering for Gail
Please join us for a special gathering to new award will support a PhD student
celebrate with Gail Donner on the occasion whose career goals and program of study
of her retirement as Dean of the Faculty reflect a nursing administration/health
of Nursing. policy focus. All contributions are eligible
for matching funds fom the university.
For those wishing to honour her retirement. A receipt for income tax purposes will be
Dean Donner has requested that, in lieu of issued for all donations. Please contact
gifs, contributions be directed to the Gail the Nursing Development Office at
Donner Doctoral Nursing Fellowship. Phis 416-946-7097for more information.
DATE: Tuesday, 26 June 2001 University of Toronto w 416-946-7097
Time: 5.00 - 8.00 pm 7 Hart House Circle e-mail: development. nursing@utoronto. ca
PLACE: The Great Hall RSVP, acceptances only,
Hart House by Thursday, 21 June 2001
Mystery Solved:
Cover Girls Identified
HANKS TO THE SHARP EYES OF JEAN
Trewin (nee Gordon-Figgins), Joan
Both well (nee Cowan), and Sybil Bergenstein
(nee Ritchie), we now know that the cover photograph
from the spring 2001 issue of Vital Connections is of
Miss Russell with members of the BScN Class of
5T1, not 5T0. Our cover girls are “Lou” (Joanna)
Stephenson (nee Klaehn), Ruth Parr (nee Thomas),
and Jean Waite (nee Burley). The Development Office
was pleased to send each of the detectives and the cover
girls a copy of Helen Carpenter’s monograph, A Divine
Discontent. Edith Kathleen Russell: Reforming Educator.
Great detective work, alumnae!
tntn
nursing
University of Toronto NSf1
3
Womens Health Chair Raises Nursing Profile
HE UNIQUE HEALTH CARE women.” Within the Faculty of Nursing
needs of women in vulnerable alone there are researchers investigating The Faculty of Nursing is proud
situations - immigrants, victims subjects ranging from women’s experi¬ to thank the Ontario Women’s
of violence, caregivers and others - will ence with violence to the health care Health Council for their leadership
be the focus of the new chair in women’s needs of elderly women with dementia. gift of $1 million to establish the
health in the Faculty of Nursing. The Faculty also has extensive connec- Chair in Women’s Health. We are
“The chair will raise the whole also delighted to thank St.
profile and agenda of women’s health at Michael’s Hospital for their
The chair will raise the whole
U of T and help build a critical mass of exceptional gift and for their
researchers in the area,’’ said Professor profile and agenda of womens health participation in this partnership.
Ruth Gallop, associate dean (research) at U of T and help build a critical The impact of these wonderful
in nursing, who led efforts to establish gifts will be doubled by the
mass of researchers in the area.
the chair in the Faculty. “We thought University of Toronto’s matching
this would be a wonderful opportunity program. This $3 million
to create a chair that would be kind of tions to other university departments, endowment will support the work of
a catalyst for the Faculty — all the ener¬ teaching hospitals, and community orga¬ a world-class researcher in perpetuity.
gy and action on women’s health could nizations involved in women’s health. We look forward to celebrating the
coalesce around it.” “People in our Faculty are so used to announcement of a chairholder in
While writing the proposal for the being transdisciplinary and there’s a real the near future.
chair, which was funded by the Ontario mandate with this chair to reach out and Special thanks to Heather
Ministry of Flealth and Long-Term connect with other research departments Munroe-Blum, vice-president of
Care, the university, and St. Michael’s and communities,” Gallop said. research and international relations
Hospital, Gallop said she soon realized Another of the chair’s mandates at the University of Toronto, Ruth
how ideally positioned the university will be to develop new courses and Gallop, and Patricia Petryshen who
and the Faculty were to take this next research opportunities for health were instrumental in making this
step in women’s health research. sciences students. Coupled with the exciting opportunity possible.
“I knew there were a lot of faculty fact that the incoming dean of the
working in the area, and it became Faculty of Nursing, Professor Dyanne “will significantly enhance our research
apparent we had an enormous depth of Affonso, is a leading women’s health efforts in addressing the specific health
research in the health of vulnerable researcher, Gallop said the university needs of women and will contribute
will likely attract top students and valuable insight to our ongoing inner-
faculty in the field in coming years. city health research initiatives.”
St. Michael’s Hospital’s inner-city Being aligned with an urban health
health program will be an active partner program makes sense for the new chair,
with U of T in supporting the work Gallop said, because it gives a greater
of the new chair. “This chair will be a profile to the often unseen work that
tremendous asset dedicated to improving nurses do. “Historically nursing has
the health and well-being of women, been seen as a very traditional health
particularly those who are in need due care profession, and I think this gives
Our distinctive, cobalt to socioeconomic and ethnocultural us an opportunity for recognition that
blue ceramic mugs are only factors,” said Dr. Patricia Petryshen, nursing is not traditional - that we can
$10.00 each. vice-president (patient care programs) be cutting edge.
Thank-you for supporting the and chief nursing officer at St. Michael’s
activities of the Faculty of Nursing Hospital. Professor Arthur Slutsky of By Megan Easton
Alumni Association! surgery, vice-president (research) at St. Reprinted with permission from
Michael’s Hospital, added that the chair The Bulletin
tnink
nursing University of Toronto
(
^ IS MY PLEASURE TO PROVIDE A REVIEW OF
the major accomplishments that have kept the
^-S Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, at the
forefront of innovative nursing education and scholarship
Our Mission
in Canada during the 2000-2001 academic year. The year
has been even busier than usual, and at the outset I want
' he Faculty of Nursing at the
to congratulate the faculty, staff, and students for their
UNIVERSITY of Toronto is committed
tremendous contributions and to thank them as well as
to improving health care by deepen-ing
alumni and the senior university administration for their
an expanding the theoretical and scientific bases
absolutely key support of the Faculty’s goals and activities.
for excellence in nursing practice. Scholarly and
To assist us in achieving our objectives, we have collaborated
scientific work undertaken by faculty members
with our many partners, but most especially with the Chief
is innovative and relevant, reflecting international
Nursing Officers and others at the university-affiliated
and interdisciplinary perspectives with regard
teaching hospitals and with our clinical appointees, cross-
to knowledge and practice developments. The
appointed faculty, and others throughout the city’s health
Faculty of Nursing is among the most
care agencies. They enrich our work and provide us with
extraordinary and exciting places to
countless forms of support. I wish at this time to specifi¬
study nursing in the 21st century.
cally acknowledge and thank them for their help. Together
we are poised to reach our aim of becoming one of North
America’s most influential nursing programs.
Because there is so much to report in a limited space, I
will touch on only the highlights of our numerous activities.
Please visit our website at http://www.nursing.utoronto.ca
for more information or to contact any faculty or staff.
Dean Gail Donner
University of Toronto
Faculty of Nursing
50 St. George Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H4
Phone: [phone]
www.nursing.utoronto.ca
MAJOR INITIATIVES
Raising Our Sights: Five-Year Divisional Plan Souraya Sidani, and Judy Watt Watson were awarded tenure
We devoted much effort at the beginning of the year towards during this academic year.
completing and confirming our five-year divisional plan.
New Faculty Recruited
Raising Our Sights offered us the challenging opportunity of
Two faculty members joined us in July, 2000. Dr. Nazilla
articulating the strategies we would implement to ensure the
Khanlou, who came to us following a postdoctoral fellowship
excellence of our programs both in the short and long term.
at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, is concentrat¬
Our ambitious goals included (a) remaining one of Canadas
ing her research efforts on issues related to mental health pro¬
leading nursing programs and becoming one of the top 10
motion among youth who live in multicultural contexts, and
programs in North America; (b) strengthening and expand¬
is particularly interested in matters of identity and self-esteem
ing our second-entry BScN and our graduate programs; (c)
development in this population. She is a member
expanding our research programs; (d) enhancing multidisci¬
of a multidisciplinary research group recently funded by
plinary partnerships in research, education, and practice; (e)
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to conduct a
further developing international dimensions to student
national study using a longitudinal design to examine the
recruitment and research activities; and (f) ensuring that
health of immigrant and refugee youth. Dr. Linda McGiilis
principles of equity and inclusivity guide our planning.
Hall, a 1999 graduate of our doctoral program, is currently
Details of the steps we have already taken to realize these
focusing her research interests on health human resources
goals appear later in the report. During this exercise, we also
planning and on nursing and quality outcomes of staff mix.
revised our Mission Statement to help us focus our plans for
As principal investigator, she is leading a CIHR-funded analy¬
the future and to better communicate our position to our
sis of models for costing nursing services as well as the prepa¬
collaborators and the public. The Provost supported our
ration of Nursing Report 2001 for the Ontario Ministry of
plan, contingent upon our receiving the additional funding
Health and Long-Term Care. In July 2001, Dr. Edith Hillan
necessary to expand our capacity in all our programs. The
will join us from the University of Glascow, Scotland. Her
Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities has thus far
major areas of research activities include maternity care,
approved our plan to double our undergraduate enrolment in
womens health after childbirth, and midwifery education.
2001-2002 and to quadruple it for the 2002-2003 year. We
Recruiting excellent faculty, a university-wide concern,
have not yet heard from the Ministry about the rest of our
remains a major priority. We continue to advertise for a number
plans for undergraduate or graduate expansion.
of positions, both to fill current vacancies and to prepare for
New Dean Appointed impending retirements. The “market,” however, is extremely
Chief amongst our highlights has been the appointment tight and highly competitive. Therefore, we must continue to
of a new Dean for the Faculty of Nursing. Dr. Dyanne be pro-active and assertive in our efforts to recruit the faculty
Affonso will take up her duties as Dean on July 1, 2001. We required to meet the demands of our divisional five-year plan.
welcome Dr. Affonso to the U ofT from the University of
Visiting Faculty
Nebraska, where she held the Dorothy Hodges Olson
We were delighted to host Professor Joan Liaschenko from the
Endowed Chair in Womens Health. In her distinguished
University of Minnesota and Professor Joan Anderson from
career, she has also held positions as Dean, School of Nursing,
the University of British Columbia, who consulted with a
at Emory University, and as a member of the faculty at the
number of faculty, met with smdents, and gave public lectures
University of Arizona and the University of California, San
about nursing ethics, and womens issues and social justice,
Francisco. She has published widely on caesarean childbirth,
respectively. We look forward to greeting Dr. Sioban Nelson
postpartum depressive symptoms, and prenatal care for ethni¬
from the University of Melbourne, Australia, who will be
cally diverse women. As well, she has a particular interest in
spending the fall semester at the Faculty of Nursing as the
recruitment and retention issues for women in health careers.
2001 Rosenstadt Visiting Professor. She will be teaching and
Tenure Granted consulting in her principal areas of expertise, which include
We are proud to announce that Drs. Diane Irvine Doran, the history of nursing and health policy.
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs
( JJ / NDER THE LEADERSHIP OF We are in the midst of revising our robust, and we look forward to a
/ Dr. Donna Wells, Associate MN program to even better reflect our healthy cohort of qualified students
L/ly Dean, Education, we have vision and to ensure that we are doing in all our programs.
continued to focus our efforts on our what we do best while meeting the
mandate to provide the highest quality needs of the citizens for expert nursing International Collaborations
of undergraduate and graduate educa¬ care and leadership. We will continue to Our involvement in international
tion while being mindful of the univer¬ concentrate on our unique strengths in educational and research activities
sity’s mission and our own specific our faculty complement, in the universi¬ continues to grow. These collaborations
niche in nursing and in Canada. Thus, ty, and in Toronto’s urban environment. have already proven to be a rich source
we are proud that our second-entry Our plans will also be responsive to of inspiration and expertise for all par¬
undergraduate program flourishes and advice and recommendations from our ticipants. Among a number of our up¬
attracts exceptional students who have students and clinical partners. These coming activities that include visits by
significant potential for leadership in changes will be "ready to go" in the fall faculty and students from many cities
nursing. Because we believe we have a of 2002. We have also responded to the and countries, as well as reciprocal visits
unique contribution to make through government’s request for expansion in by our faculty and students, I would
this program, we have responded to the master’s education by proposing an like, especially, to mention two innova¬
Ministry of Training, Colleges, and innovative program in collaboration tive international programs. In the first,
Universities’ request for undergraduate with McMaster University to meet the we have joined with the University of
expansion. Our intent is to double our needs of College educators and health North Carolina, U. S., the University
undergraduate program and to do even care institutions for advanced practice of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and the
more than that in the very short term nurses. Our plans for our graduate pro¬ University of Lund, Sweden to host a
to remedy the shortfall of baccalaureate grams also include increasing the capaci¬ series of international doctoral symposia
graduates expected to result from the ty of our thriving doctoral program by over the next several years. These sym¬
BScN entry to practice requirement by 50% over the next four years, as long as posia will provide opportunities for
2004 and the introduction of college- resources are available and subject to our doctoral students to exchange work,
university collaborative programs. ability to recruit suf¬ ideas, and experi¬
One of our most exciting initiatives ficient qualified fac¬ ences with other
“Our involvement in
as we embark on our five-year develop¬ ulty to supervise students in their
international educational
ment plan has been to transform our those students. research areas and
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner/MN At this time, the and research activities to meet with fac¬
program into a distributive education following numbers continues to grow.” ulty. The first of
program. That means this innovative of students are these symposia
and unique program will soon be Web- already enrolled in will be held in
based and available online to nurses our programs: BScN, 60; MN, 299; June, 2001, in Chapel Hill, NC. Drs.
across Canada and, potentially, in other MSc, the final 13 students are com¬ Ruth Gallop and Elizabeth Peter, as
countries. We expect to be able to pleting this degree; PhD, 29; Primary well as doctoral students Elizabeth
launch the program in September, Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate, 7; McGibbon and Tracy Tully, will repre¬
2002, as a response to the continuing and Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner sent the Faculty at this first symposium.
demand for acute care nurse practition¬ Diploma Program, 18 will graduate in In the second of these ambitious
ers by health care agencies across the June and another 18 enrolled in international programs, also happening
country. The rich environment in January 2001. As this report is being in June, 20 senior research students,
Toronto’s academic health science com¬ prepared, we are still awaiting final post-doctoral fellows, and faculty asso¬
munity allows us to be leaders in this numbers of admissions for the next ciated with the Home Care Evaluation
kind of educational programming. academic year. But applications were and Research Centre (HCERC) will
join their counterparts from the numerous donors who have made these executive. Another of our BScN stu¬
Karolinska Research Institute and the awards possible. Recipients included 40 dents, Shari Valja, serves as the Ontario
Ersta Skondal Hogskola in Stockholm undergraduates, 27 MN students, and Regional Director of the Canadian
for a collaborative research and ex¬ 19 PhD students. Students won awards Nursing Student Association. Our
change workshop, Health Care and at three stages of their education — at graduate students, too, have distin¬
Place: Theories and Methods in Home admission, during the course of their guished themselves with the leadership
Care. This program was developed by program, and upon graduation. The roles they have assumed. Colina Yim
HCERC co-directors Dr. Patricia generous donors who have recognized serves as President, Canadian
McKeever, Faculty of Nursing, and and increasingly supported our stu¬ Association of Hepatology Nurses. Mitzi
Dr. Peter Coyte, Dept, of Health dents include alumni, faculty and staff, Mitchell is a Student Representative for
Administration. The objectives of the friends of the Faculty, organizations and the Canadian Nursing Student Interest
first workshop are to foster international foundations, individuals honouring Group of RNAO, Joanne Rey is on the
collaboration, mentorship, and loved ones, the University of Toronto, executive of the RNAO’s Community
exchange among new researchers the City of Toronto, and the Govern¬ Health Nurses Initiatives Group, and
addressing the relationship between ment of Ontario. Chris Kebbel acts as a Resource Officer
health care and place. Our students’ leadership activities for the Canadian Nursing Students’
continue to give proof of their calibre. Association. Mike McGillion’s Cressy
Student Awards and Here is a sample of how they have Award acknowledged his participation
Leadership Initiatives distinguished themselves and their in the Graduate Student Union and
In February we proudly hosted our profession. Most recently, Emmet the Nursing Graduate Students’ Union.
annual awards reception where we O’Reilly was elected President of the Recently, Rhonda Seidman-Carlson
trumpeted the achievements of many of Provincial Student Nurse Interest Group was the graduate student member on
our undergraduate and graduate stu¬ at the RNAO annual general meeting, the University Search Committee for
dents and gratefully acknowledged the and Camilla Faulkner was elected to the our new Dean.
RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS
// )J / nder Dr. Ruth Gallop’s invaluable holders in the near future. When they join our three current
/ / leadership as Associate Dean, Research, our chair holders, we will have the largest number of chairs in
E/ W faculty and students have achieved extraordinary nursing research in Canada. Dr. Finda O’Brien Pallas of our
successes in the research area. The dramatically growing Faculty was named as the first chair holder of the Canadian
numbers of grants, awards, and publications attest to how Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) Chair in
both the quality and the quantity of their work have prolif¬ Nursing Human Resources earlier this year. The other two
erated. We continue to move from strength to strength in chairs are held by Dr. Bonnie Stevens, the Signy Hildur Eaton
such funded areas of research as nursing human resources, Chair in Pediatric Nursing Research at the Hospital for Sick
home care, pain, mental health nursing, and maternal and Children, and by Dr. Ellen Hodnett, the Heather M.
infant health, amongst many others. Reisman Chair in Perinatal Nursing Research. The search
We were recently thrilled to announce the introduction continues for the Rose Chair in Gerontological Nursing
of two new chairs in nursing research this year. The Ontario Research at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care.
Women’s Health Council of the Ministry of Health and In early May the Faculty of Nursing hosted the inter¬
Fong-Term Care along with St. Michael’s Hospital and the national nursing research conference, “Health Care in a
University of Toronto have funded a fully endowed Chair in Complex World,’’ in Toronto. Over 400 scholars from over
Women’s Health at the Faculty of Nursing. The Centre for 10 countries from Canada to China shared their work and
Addiction and Mental Health and the University of Toronto experiences at this multidisciplinary conference. The more
have funded a Chair in Addiction and Mental Health Nursing than 120 oral presentations and 40 posters delivered con¬
Research. We hope to be able to announce the first chair tributed to this highly successful event.
University of Toronto
The Faculty has deepened its commitments to our inter¬ developing highly trained nurse scientists with specialized knowl¬
disciplinary partnerships in two major, government-funded edge of evaluating and improving the quality of nursing care
research units, the Home Care Evaluation and Research Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
Centre (HCERC) and the Nursing Effectiveness, and Ontario Ministry of Health
Utilization and Outcomes Research Unit (NEUORU). In Management and delivery of community services in
both, our faculty members have shared their expertise with Ontario: Impact of the quality of care and quality of
those from a wide range of disciplines and institutions. worklife of community-based nurses
HCERC is housed at the Faculty of Nursing, as is one of Ontario Ministry of Health and Long- Term Care
NEUORU’s two main sites. Nursing sensitive outcomes: A literature analysis
The HCERC unit, under co-directors Dr. Pat McKeever Linda McGillis Hall
of our Faculty and Dr. Peter Coyte of the Dept, of Health Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Administration at U ofT, studies the interfaces among A comprehensive analysis of models for costing nursing services
people, places, and technologies in health care delivery, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
financing, and organizational contexts. Health system Development and testing of quality practice settings
restructuring, which has involved a dramatic shift towards for nurses in Ontario
the delivery of ambulatory, home-based, and internet-based Linda O’Brien Pallas
health care, has consequences for a range of policy sectors Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
including health, housing, employment, and social services. CHSRF Chair: Nursing human resources
To illuminate and evaluate these consequences, HCERC Health human resource planning: An examination of rela¬
scholars employ cross-disciplinary theory and methods tionships among nursing services utilization, an estimate of
from such disciplines as health sciences, economics, population health and overall health status outcomes in the
political science, health administration, and law. province of Ontario
NEUORU is an ambitious collaborative project between Souraya Sidani
the Faculty of Nursing at U ofT and the School of Nursing at National Institute of Nursing Research (U. S.)
McMaster University. Unit members develop, conduct, and Alternative methods of clinical research
disseminate research focused on the design, management, uti¬ Ontario Respiratory Care Society
lization, outcomes, and provision of nursing. During these Evaluating the effects of music on exercise-induced
times of widespread restructuring of health care systems, these dyspnea in patients with COPD
researchers are examining nursing human resources planning, Bonnie Stevens
nursing skill requirements, and access and barriers to nursing Canadian Institutes of Health Research
services in the community. They are determining methods of (sub-grant from The University of Alberta)
maintaining quality while realizing funding efficiencies by The determinants of research utilization: Pain management
analyzing, for example, health outcomes related to alternative in infants and children
providers, the effects of nursing staff mix, and the appropriate Medical Research Council of Canada
use and role of unregulated health care workers. For more Pain in infants with neurological impairment:
information about these research units, please visit A program of research
www.hcerc.utoronto.ca or www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/nru. Premier’s Research Excellence Award Government of Ontario
Major issues in relation to pain and quality of life in
Faculty Awards vulnerable infants and children
Given the limited space we have in this abbreviated report, Donna Wells
the following represent only selected highlights from amongst Associated Medical Services/Hannah Institute for the
our faculty’s abundant and substantive funded-research activities: History of Medicine
Lisa Cicutto Hannah Educator/Clinician Study Award
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Premier’s Research Excellence Award Government of Ontario
Career Scientist Award Developing and testing instruments for assessments and
Diane Irvine Doran evaluating interventions for the caregiving of persons with
Premier’s Research Excellence Award Government of Ontario dementia and developing highly trained nurse scientists with
Evaluating quality nursing care in different practice settings and this specialized knowledge
University of Toronto
3
Other Professional Activities Marie Edwards: Social Sciences and Humanities Research
In addition to their teaching and research responsibilities, faculty Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship
members contribute significandy to health care and the commu¬ Sharyn Gibbins: Hospital for Sick Children Studentship
nity through a wide range of other professional activities. They Laurie Horricks: Hospital for Sick Children Alma Rae
reach far beyond the university when they offer their expertise to Fellows Scholarship
their community, their profession, and several levels of govern¬ Claire Mallette: Canadian Institutes of Health
ment. Faculty serve on the boards of institutions and health care- Research/National Health Research and Development
related foundations such as the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Program (CIHR/NHRDP) Research Training
the Canadian Network for Asthma Care, the Lung Association, Fellowship (declined; SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship
the Culture Care Nursing Research Council, the Registered Nurses Elizabeth McGibbon: Canadian Nurses Foundation
Association of Ontario, and Sigma Theta Tau International. (CNF)/Canadian Health Services Research
Their involvement in, for example, the Pegasus Community Project Foundation (CHSRF) Joint Training Award
for Adults with Special Needs has a direct impact on community Michael McGillion: University of Toronto Centre
care. Those who chair or serve on government committees or for the Study of Pain Clinician Scientist Trainee Award
agencies such as the Workplace Safety Insurance Board, Health Gail Tomblin Murphy: CIHR/NHRDP Research
Canadas National Asthma Task Force, and the Canadian Training Fellowship
Institutes of Health Research contribute towards formulating Rhonda Seidman-Carlson: Alzheimer Society of
health care policies at several governmental levels. Canada Doctoral Award
Elaine Sta. Mina: St. Michael’s Hospital Community
Highlights of Doctoral Student Awards Mental Health Fellowship
Many of our doctoral students were successful in external Jennifer Stinson: Hospital for Sick Children Studentship
funding competitions and received funding awards from fed¬ Robyn Stremler: Medical Research Council of Canada Fellowship
eral and provincial agencies, as well as local foundations. The Donna Thomson: CHSRF/CIHR Doctoral Research Award
students’ success was celebrated at a fall reception. Here is a Nancy Walton: CIHR/CNF/CHSRF Fellowship Award
representative sample of their outstanding achievements:
ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Staffing Changes and Growth needed new positions. Loxie challenge of coordinating the clinical
After a time of shrinking numbers in Armstrong-Mawle joined us as our education of our ACNP students, and
our administrative staff, we now have a Admissions and Awards Officer and Dot and George Hammond are con¬
full-time equivalent of just over 14. Wendy Peters, who has been supporting tracting with us to mount the entire
Most recently Marsha Pifher joined us the Post-Master’s ACNP Diploma MN ACNP stream on the Web.
to support the Educational Programs, Program part-time, took on increased
Winnie Wong stepped in as a maternity responsibilities in business and facility Space Changes
leave replacement for our Alumni administration. Interviews are being Big changes are afoot in our building
Development Officer, and Kristin Perry conducted for a full-time Webmaster, at 50 St. George Street, again thanks to
will act as our new administrative sup¬ and a search is underway for a research targeted funding from central administra¬
port person for the faculty. New mem¬ office assistant to help our Associate tion and to the deft perseverance of our
bers have also joined our research units’ Dean, Research, and our faculty to Assistant Dean, Rosanne
teams full-time recently - two in manage our flourishing research pro¬ Lopers-Sweetman. The Cody Hall wing
HCERC and three in the NEUORU grams and international activities. In will be transformed from one unwieldy
and its related projects. Thanks to addi¬ May a few others will be joining the space into the following smaller but
tional funding from the central univer¬ Faculty part-time in capacities that much more updated and practical spaces:
sity administration, we have also been bridge the administrative and academic a computer lab; a 65-seat classroom,
able to create and fill several much- staff: Susan Galloway will take on the which can eventually be quickly adapted
University of Toronto