Dean's Message

Recognizing and Celebrating Everyone’s Contribution

What an honour and unique privilege to receive special recognition from the Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living, Cameron Friesen, and MLA Gary Nesbitt, in celebration of the College of Nursing’s 75th anniversary of delivering quality nursing education. We accepted the certificate of appreciation, signed by Premier Pallister and Honourable Cameron Friesen, with pride and are committed to continue to prepare competent registered nurses and nurse leaders for the health care system.

We were delighted to celebrate the achievement of the maximum five year approval of our Bachelor of Nursing program provided by the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM). This achievement is attributable to the expertise of our faculty and staff and their exceptional dedication to student learning and success.

As we seek to continuously improve the quality of our programming, we appreciated the input from our newly established College of Nursing Advisory Council, as well as our new Nurse Practitioner Program Advisory Council. Keeping pace with workplace and workforce issues and trends ensures our programs remain current and relevant.

As the 2019 winter term has quickly come to a close, we are excited to celebrate the success of our students at the upcoming Convocation and Pinning Ceremony in June. I am confident about our future with these graduates as our new nurses and nurse leaders.

Bachelor of Nursing program receives maximum CRNM approval

The University of Manitoba College of Nursing’s Bachelor of Nursing program has received the maximum approval from the Council of the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM).

“We are delighted to have received the maximum five-year approval, which represents a significant distinction”, said Dr. Netha Dyck, dean of the College of Nursing. “With this approval, the program has been recognized for its many strengths and high calibre graduates”.

“The reviewers of the program were impressed with the calibre of our program, faculty, staff and students”, said Dr. Marie Edwards, associate dean, undergraduate programs. The college hosted two out-of-province reviewers as part of the process of program approval by the regulatory body for registered nurses in Manitoba.

“Among the many commendations were our strong student-centred approach, our engaging and innovative teaching and learning strategies and our clinical education model," said Edwards. "We were also commended for our integration of simulation, our advancement of interprofessional education, as well as the research opportunities for our students."

Edwards noted that receiving the maximum length of approval was a remarkable achievement and represents an endorsement of our brand new and innovative concept-based curriculum.

Dyck thanked all faculty and staff for their teaching excellence and dedication to student success, as well as their contribution to the program approval process. The next goal for the Bachelor of Nursing program is to obtain national accreditation from the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing.

“I believe that you are only as successful as the people around you,” said Emily Hyde, master’s candidate. “I am better able to communicate my thoughts and am better able to reach out to the resources that exist and utilize them to improve patient care. The support I have received from faculty members has provided me more inspiration of the person and the nurse that I want to be.”

"I feel honoured to be recognized," said Stephanie Lelond, master’s candidate. "The leadership community I have experienced will be an invaluable lifelong asset. It is a privilege to be part of an environment that supports students in their progress to becoming leaders both within the university and the wider community."

"It is such an honor to have received this award," said PhD candidate Tara Horrill. "I feel privileged to have been given so many opportunities to develop leadership skills as a graduate student, and I hope to continue to use these skills to make a difference in the lives of others as a nurse, and as a future researcher."

College of Nursing trio honoured at Indigenous Awards of Excellence

Two fourth-year students and one staff member from the College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences were among 10 award recipients at the third annual Indigenous Awards of Excellence, presented by the Office of Indigenous Engagement on March 11 during Indigenous Awareness Month.

Click to read article.

Advanced Practice Nursing conference

Congratulations to the Graduate Nursing Students Association for its success in hosting the 9th annual conference on Advanced Practice Nursing: Sex, Drugs and the Role of the APN. At the event, the group raised $650 for Main Street Project, an organization that provides a safe place of respite, shelter and support with dignity and without judgement for people living with addictions, homelessness, chronic and acute illness and mental and physical health issues.

Front row (L-R) – Marina Pereira, Emily Hyde, Stephanie Vanderbeg; second row (L-R) – Darrell Derksen, Stephanie Van Haute, Stephanie Lelond, Tanya Scharnagyl, Sufia Turner

Mindermar professor sees growth in simulation learning

Dr. Nicole Harder, assistant professor in the College of Nursing who was appointed Mindermar Professor in Human Simulation in January, has seen a lot of growth in simulation learning as a health education tool over the last 19 years, from the quality of the manikins to the realism of simulated hospital environments.

Click to read article.