Cutting-edge building planned for health education

UM is set to transform health education in Manitoba with plans for a multipurpose building to open in 2025 on the Bannatyne campus. The project, supported by donors and a $40-million commitment from the provincial government, will allow for 30 additional medical school seats and introduce state-of-the-art facilities.

Situated at the corner of McDermot Avenue and Tecumseh Street, the multi-storey building will contain classrooms, simulation labs and a theatre to accommodate the growing number of medical students. The facility will also house the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry’s expansive new dental clinics, Ongomiizwin – Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing and a 90-space child-care centre. Read more >

Three new research chairs fuel discovery

Dr. Genevieve Thompson, professor of nursing, was named the inaugural Research Chair in Person-Directed Living, a position jointly established by Riverview Health Centre and the College of Nursing. Thompson’s focus will be on research to improve quality of life for people in long-term care. Read more >

Dr. Nishita Singh, a stroke neurologist who is assistant professor of internal medicine, was appointed the Heart & Stroke & Research Manitoba Chair in Clinical Stroke Research. The position at the Max Rady College of Medicine is the first chair in clinical stroke research to be established in Manitoba. Read more >

Dr. Jacquie Ripat, professor of occupational therapy, was appointed the first Endowed Chair in Technology for Assisted Living at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. The chair, funded by donations to the Health Sciences Centre Foundation and UM, will focus on cutting-edge technology that helps people live independently. Read more >

Collecting data to disrupt racism

UM was a partner in announcing that Manitobans are now being asked to voluntarily declare their race, ethnicity or Indigenous identity when they receive care at hospitals. The initiative is led on behalf of Shared Health by Dr. Marcia Anderson, vice-dean Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism of the Rady Faculty.

Manitoba is the first province in Canada to systematically collect this information from patients when they access care. The purpose of amassing and analyzing the data is to address racial inequities in health care. Read more >  

Dental college celebrates patient’s enduring trust

Catherine Hyska has been a devoted patient at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry’s clinic for an astounding 57 years. She started visiting the clinic in an era when fillings cost 25 cents and crowns were priced between $5 and $10. Now 93 years old, she attributes her enduring oral well-being to the guidance of the dental students who have cared for her.

Hyska’s loyalty speaks volumes about the dental college’s quality of care, compassionate students and affordability for community members. Read more >

Medical college marks 140 years

Since its founding in 1883, the Max Rady College of Medicine has educated and trained the majority of Manitoba’s physicians and played a crucial role in the delivery of health care across the province.

The college is known for leadership in the areas of social accountability, equity, diversity and inclusion and anti-racism initiatives, Indigenous health and interprofessional collaboration. Its robust research enterprise includes a focus on global public health, infectious diseases and population health. Alumni, partners, faculty members, learners and friends of the college gathered in November for a gala celebration of its proud history.

Read more about the college’s research achievements of the past 140 years

Read more about alumni and faculty members who are Canadian Medical Hall of Fame laureates

College of Nursing welcomes historic summer cohort

In May, the College of Nursing opened a new chapter, welcoming its first summer cohort of 120 students. This enrolment expansion, supported by an investment of $4.3 million from the Province of Manitoba, marked a significant step in addressing the province’s nursing shortage.

The college has revolutionized its bachelor of nursing program, now accommodating three cohorts annually, with year-round delivery of the program across three terms: summer, fall and winter. This approach ensures that students will complete the degree in 28 months. Read more >

First class graduates from new PharmD program

The first students to earn the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) undergraduate degree at UM were recognized at Spring Convocation, marking a new era for pharmacy education in Manitoba.

The PharmD program, which has replaced UM’s longstanding bachelor of science (pharmacy), is a four-year professional degree program that focuses on clinical practice, experiential learning and pharmaceutical sciences. The program prepares pharmacists for their evolving scope of practice and role in patient care. Read more >

Ininiw scholar develops curriculum framework

With a vision to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing, Ininiw (Cree) scholar Margaret Hart is developing a curriculum framework for the occupational therapy program in the College of Rehabilitation Sciences.

Hart, who is from Pimicikamak Cree Nation with ties to Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, has extensive experience as an Indigenous educator. In consultation with communities, she is working to decolonize the occupational therapy curriculum and infuse it with First Nation philosophies. Read more >

Pride flag, queer health symposium encourage inclusion

In a ceremony in September, the Pride flag was unveiled in a permanent position above the stage in the Brodie Centre atrium, demonstrating the Rady Faculty’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. Read more >

In October, Caring Queerly, the first Rady Faculty symposium on queer health, was held on the Bannatyne campus. More than 60 people registered for the two-day event, which offered a safe space to discuss queer health inequities and services. Read more >

Rady Kids’ Club provides study break for parents

For students in the health sciences who have children, juggling the demands of university life and parenting can be a challenge. It’s tough to find quality study time.

In a game-changing initiative, the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre has introduced the free Rady Kids’ Club. Designed for children aged four to 12, the club runs one Saturday morning per month in the gym on the Bannatyne campus, giving parents some uninterrupted study time. Read more >

During the trip, her father had an unexpected illness and had to go to a university hospital in Oslo, Norway. Froese said she was impressed with the care he received and with seeing how health care worked in that part of the world.

“They have ways of doing things and ways of caring that are just different than we have here, specifically in the way the hospitals are run and how they treat their patients medically,” she said. “It made me think about how we can learn from different ways of approaching health care around the world and how we can integrate it here.”

Froese, 23, just spent her second summer in a row as a research assistant at the Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research at the College of Nursing. This year she was hired directly by Dr. Genevieve Thompson to work on a project that aims to improve communication between residents in long-term care homes, their families and health-care professionals.

The project is part of Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-term Care, a national research initiative led by Dr. Sharon Kaasalainen at McMaster University and a team of researchers in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

“End-of-life can be a very sensitive topic for residents and their families, but the truth is that if we don’t talk about it, there can be some very negative experiences at the time of dying,” Froese said.

“The purpose of this study is to get everybody on the same page, so the process of end-of-life is more comfortable and positive. For many, it has actually been a very beautiful experience.”

She has already seen positive change. Since the program began in 2022, some facilities have adopted new protocols around spiritual and cultural practices when a resident passes away.

Families typically want to know how care will adapt as end-of-life approaches, but they may not feel they have a place to voice these questions, Froese said.

“This study is about creating a dedicated space where these conversations can happen ahead of time, so that long-term care residents receive the quality of care they want and deserve when that time comes,” she said.

“It’s been very encouraging to see people engaging in these difficult conversations. We’ve had so much positive feedback from families saying they didn’t know how or when to bring these things up. It’s all about creating a safe space to have those conversations.”

Froese was one of two nursing students that worked as a summer research assistant on the project. Her role included interviewing residents and families, as well as facilitating conferences.

Thompson said it’s important to involve nursing students in research projects so they can learn the process and see the direct relevance of research to their future practice.

“This project provided an exceptional opportunity for hands-on experience and allowed the students to interact with staff, family members and residents, gaining valuable skills and knowledge,” she said.

Froese said the highlight of the project was making meaningful connections with the residents.

“I get to hear stories from their lives, like learning to drive a motorcycle, falling in love, growing up in Germany during the war. There have definitely been lots of laughs and some happy tears,” she said. “It has been such a beautiful experience, on top of being a great way to learn more about how nursing research works.”

Season 1 of the Through My Eyes: Nursing Perspectives podcast features five episodes that tell the stories of nursing leaders across the province who have contributed to the profession in significant ways.

The podcast’s creators are participants in the President’s Student Leadership Program (PSLP), a unique-in-Canada, non-credit program that brings together post-secondary students to build their leadership potential. It’s the flagship program of the James W. Burns Leadership Institute at UM’s Asper School of Business.

The students decided on the nursing podcast for their PSLP leadership service project as a way to uplift both present and future health-care workers.

“The goal of this project is to really fill a need in the community,” said Guneet Uppal, a third-year bachelor of science student. “A lot of us had connections with nurses who were dealing with additional challenges [with COVID-19] on top of the regular ones. We were able to recognize that need by having some conversations with nurses.”

Viktor Popp, a sixth-year mechanical engineering student, said producing the podcast also allowed the group to avoid the COVID-related uncertainty of organizing in-person events. “By choosing the podcast, we knew we could achieve the deliverable that we set out,” Popp said. 

The five students in the PSLP group worked on the podcast in collaboration with the Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba and the UM Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. The episodes range in length from 33 to 53 minutes. Each is hosted by a different member of the PSLP group and covers a different nursing-related theme, such as Indigenous nursing, professional growth and innovation in nursing. 

The podcast features prominent voices in the nursing profession in Manitoba, such as Melanie MacKinnon, executive director of Ongomiizwin – Health Services at UM, Dr. Donna Martin, associate dean of the College of Nursing, and Cindy Fehr, CEO of the Nurse Practitioner Association of Manitoba. 

(from left) Sasha Kullman, Viktor Popp, Meycee Kalaw-Crevier, Alixa Lacerna and Guneet Uppal

“What we wanted was to create a podcast that would support and uplift Manitoba nurses, but I think something really wonderful that it displays is the diversity within the nursing profession,” said Sasha Kullman, a fifth-year kinesiology and recreation management student.

“There are many different routes that you can take as a nurse. It’s not just a nurse working in a hospital, which is what a lot of people think when they think of nurses. You can make real, impactful change in the health-care field as a nurse. You can be a leader in health care and highlighting the vastness of the nursing field was something that’s really valuable that came out of the podcast.”

The PSLP group that created the podcast also included Meycee Kalaw-Crevier, a master of business administration student, and Alixa Lacerna, a master of architecture student. Although the PLSP students have completed their project, the podcast was produced with the potential of future seasons in mind.

“There was a really a big emphasis on planning the project in a way that it can be scalable and sustainable in the long term. This is something that can be replicated. We have developed all the documentation and tools to pass that along,” said Kullman.

The podcast’s third episode, Silver Linings & Comic Relief: Moments of Hope and A-ha!, was released on Nov. 9 and features Dr. Genevieve Thompson, an associate professor in the College of Nursing.

The Through My Eyes: Nursing Perspectives podcast can be streamed on Soundcloud. A new episode has been released every two weeks since the first episode went live on Oct. 13.

Bathing, dressing, brushing your teeth. They’re simple activities of daily life, and it’s easy to take for granted that you’ll always be able to do those things for yourself. The fact is, there may be a time when you can’t.

Dr. Genevieve Thompson, associate professor and researcher at the College of Nursing, is exploring what it’s like to experience intimate personal care and how health-care aides and nurses can help patients keep their sense of dignity.

She says it can be hard to allow another person to do things for you that are personal in nature, even in the best of circumstances. “But people get really upset when they feel certain kinds of care aren’t done sensitively,” says Thompson. “We sometimes joke around as nurses or healthcare aides when we’re providing personal care—it’s a way to deflect any discomfort in the situation or our own nervousness. Sometimes that goes well and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Quality care is also influenced by time restraints, with more and more being asked of caregivers each day. “In some cases there’s not enough staff; care gets rushed.” For example, Thompson points out that an aide may be asked to bathe as many as 15 patients in one day. “But you always have to remember, it’s not just a task to be done,” says Thompson. “We need to educate people around the psychological impact this kind of care has—it can devastate patients. And it doesn’t have to.”

Thompson is also exploring how quality of care affects families and care-providing staff members. “Families worry about the kind of care their family members are receiving in hospitals and care homes,” says Thompson. “At the same time, staff needs to feel valued in the care that they provide to their patients and residents. I think it really does come down to how we build relationships with people and the rapport that we have.”

Thompson says exploring the impact of what she describes as “mindful care” has implications far beyond the immediate needs of the patient. “We hope that we can really highlight the ways in which this quality care has profound positive effects on patients,” she says. “We’re supporting physical health, but we also need to be concerned about mental health, feelings of well-being, and spiritual health.”

In the end, Thompson says the ideal is to create a “healthcaring environment” that supports patients, their families, and healthcare workers alike. “We should be attuned to holistic care in these environments, and if we are, I really feel that it will be to the benefit of everyone involved, at all levels.”

Genevieve Thompson, RN, PhD
Associate Professor, College of Nursing

Featured Research:
Excellence in delivering person-centred intimate care: what makes a difference?

Click to view more Research in Nursing profiles.

Barber is the 2015 recipient of the Dr. John M. Bowman Memorial Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation Award. Established in 1997, this award is given to an established University of Manitoba faculty member in recognition of outstanding research accomplishments.

Barber’s lecture, “On Thin Ice: Seven surprising results from shrinking sea ice,” will take place at 7 p.m. in the Robert B. Schultz Lecture Theatre, St. John’s College, 92 Dysart Road.

All are welcome and admission is free. A reception celebrating all 2015 Rh award winners will  follow the lecture.

2015 Rh AWARDS
The Rh Awards were established in 1973 by the Winnipeg Rh Institute, now the Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation, from funds set aside from the sale and production of medical formulae. These honours are given to academic staff members who are in the early stages of their careers and who display exceptional innovation, leadership and promise in their respective fields.

Past winners have become internationally-known researchers, so this recognition of early success bodes well for our latest recipients. Each winner receives $12,000 toward their research program. Typically, one award is given in each of the following areas: applied sciences, creative works, health sciences, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, natural sciences and social sciences.

Mohamed T. Bassuoni

APPLIED SCIENCES
Mohamed T. Bassuoni (civil engineering) is a cementitious materials expert whose research focuses on the durability and sustainability of civil infrastructure. He has applied his research to improve the repair and cold weather construction of concrete infrastructure and masonry assemblies, as well as improving their resistance to chemical and physical attacks such as those caused by harsh environments and aggressive chemicals. His research work has been implemented in Manitoba by both government and industry and is helping advance the field by reducing the life cycle cost of civil infrastructure through the use of innovative cementitious systems incorporating nanoparticles.

Genevieve Thompson

HEALTH SCIENCES
Genevieve Thompson (nursing) focuses on the key issues and challenges in delivering quality care to older adults living in long-term care facilities. Her current research seeks to improve the care experiences of families and older adults living and dying with dementia in long-term care. Her research has resulted in the development of a model of expert nursing and health care aid practice in dementia palliative care and the development of a new relationship-centred model
to provide dignity-supporting care.

Kelly Russell

HEALTH SCIENCES
Kelly Russell (pediatrics and child health/Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba) is a leader in the field of sport injury epidemiology. Her researchfocus is identifying risk factors for sport injuries among children and the prevention of injuries through protective equipment use and improving the sports-related built environment. She is also interested in the prevention of concussion and evidence-based management of concussion to improve physical and psycho-social outcomes in concussed youth.

Umut Özsu

HUMANITIES
Umut Özsu (law) adopts an interdisciplinary approach to legal research, drawing from historical sociology, economic history, and critical social theory in addition to positive legal materials. He has studied the history of population movement to shed light on contemporary issues such as the mass displacement of Syrian refugees. He is currently examining the implications of post-Second World War decolonization for international treaty law, international economic law, and international environmental law.

Joyce Slater

INTERDISCIPLINARY
Joyce Slater (human nutritional sciences) tackles pressing issues related to population health: factors affecting food and nutrition security, including the study of nutrition vulnerability in marginalized populations, and the role of food literacy in health and well-being. She holds the professional designation of Registered Dietitian whose research extends beyond her field to the formation of partnerships with other disciplines and community based organizations to support their efforts to promote access to healthy eating.

Mark Belmonte

NATURAL SCIENCES
Mark Belmonte (biological sciences) uses fundamental discoveries in plant biology to drive innovation and the development of marketable products in the agriculture industry. His research focuses on the development and protection of canola using cutting-edge molecular biology tools. The new technologies developed by Belmonte will help sustain the agricultural environment and promote the development of crops able to produce better quality seeds or plants that can withstand pathogenic attack, thus promoting food security.

Donn Short

SOCIAL SCIENCES
Donn Short (law) conducts empirical research concerning the regulation of high schools as particular social spaces in connection with the bullying of queer students or those perceived to be. Through a legal pluralist frame, he considers how formal state-issued law interacts with other normative but informal influences present in schools in predicting responses to anti-bullying law and policies. His research methods elevate the largely unheard voices of those impacted by bullying and/or those charged with addressing it.