BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Forensic educator Sheila Early named to Order of Canada

We are delighted to celebrate Sheila Early, a trailblazing BCIT Forensics educator, who has been named a Member of the Order of Canada.

Thoroughly deserving of the award, Sheila has demonstrated an unwavering commitment, over more than fifty years, to helping the vulnerable when they most need it. She single-handedly catalyzed a meaningful and compassionate change in care and justice for sexual assault survivors and others who have been impacted by violence across Canada and beyond.

"Under Sheila's guidance, BCIT became the academic leader in Forensic Health Science in Canada a reputation that endures today thanks to the strong foundation she built," says Dr. Dean Hildebrand, Dean of the School of Computing and Academic Studies.

Many firsts to fill systemic gaps for victims of assault

Sheila first identified a gap in the healthcare system while working as an Emergency Room (ER) nurse decades ago. ERs in hospitals were not very welcoming places for assault victims, and women who sought care for sexual violence often had to endure long waits.

Through determination and persistence, and working with Emergency Manager Sandi Schenstead and the medical director, Sheila opened BC's first Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program (SANE) in Surrey. She then became the first nurse examiner to perform a forensic examination in BC.

Sheila's commitment led to more hospitals adopting the same approach of care and she volunteered her time extensively to support other cities and hospitals in their rollout. She also taught BCIT Forensic Health courses on site across Canada, from Newfoundland to Yukon.

"With the right approach, I believe that healing can start at the first nurse-patient interaction," explains Sheila.

Crucial evidence

Beyond a more supportive and confidential approach to care, Sheila knew that hospitals could also better gather and handle evidence that might become crucial in court.

"The devastation of violence and trauma on individuals, families, communities, and society was clear to me from the beginning of my career in emergency in the 1970s," says Sheila. "But it became clear to me that healthcare was not addressing the forensic needs of patients both in the acute and community medical settings."

Sheila emphasizes that victimization extends far beyond sexual assault.

"Healthcare was not responding to the forensic needs of many other groups of patients, such as children being abused, intimate partner violence, car crashes, workplace injuries, death by crime, or elder abuse," Sheila explains. Because of their unique expertise, forensic nurses now frequently testify in court about the evidence they collected, further supporting survivors and elevating their profession.

"Forensic nurses work with individuals across the lifespan, from a child who is born drug addicted to the elderly person who is being financially abused by a family member. And they are the last advocate for the deceased as death investigators or coroners."

Bringing forensic nursing to BCIT

Establishing formal post-secondary training was critical in advancing the forensic nursing specialty.

Dean recalls, "Over 20 years ago, while serving as coordinator of the Forensic Science Option, I interviewed a forensic nurse who was applying to the degree program. During our conversation, I realized how little I knew about this emerging discipline but also how essential it was to integrate forensic nursing into our department. So she urged me to meet her mentor and champion of the field, Sheila Early."

"From the moment I met Sheila, it was clear we needed her on our team," says Dean.

On joining BCIT, Sheila created the first forensic nursing offering. "Those first courses elevated forensic nursing beyond sexual violence," says Sheila.

It has now grown into an internationally-recognized Forensic Health Science offering, where students and colleagues are inspired to continue Sheila's work in providing the best possible care to victims of sexual and other assaults.

An international legacy

To further share her wealth of knowledge and collaborate with other forensic nurses, Sheila co-founded the Forensic Nurses' Society of Canada in 2007 (now the Canadian Forensic Nursing Association). She became President of the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) in 2014, the first non-US citizen in the role. Additionally, Sheila's leadership and passion led to international consultations across multiple countries, and invitations to speak at World Health Organization (WHO) sessions and at the Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International.

Not surprisingly, in "retirement" Sheila continues to volunteer and consult, sharing her vast expertise locally and abroad. She is also an organizer for the annual Canadian Forensic Nursing Symposium.

"The forensic nurse examiners of this decade are becoming the game changers in health care when it comes to violence and trauma responses," explains Nurse Practitioner Hannah Varto, Embrace Clinic, Forensic Nursing Service, Fraser Health, and BCIT Forensic Health Science Instructor.

"Sheila Early is the leader of this movement in Canada, and for this she deserves the utmost recognition. Her Order of Canada is a reflection of the impact she has had on those who work with survivors of violence and a testament to the thousands of survivors whose care has been transformed by her vision."

Thank you, Sheila - and congratulations!