National Nursing Week 2025 runs May 12-18, and its theme, The Power of Nurses to Transform Health, aptly describes the continuing efforts of the faculty of nursing at the University of New Brunswick (UNB).
Dr. Lorna Butler, dean of the faculty of nursing, noted in her video message that they are making significant strides in transforming health care and nursing education, and embracing new approaches to preparing nurses for work.
"We are solution-finders for healthcare in our province and influencers of change for the role of our profession within these systems," she said.
This commitment is evident in the faculty's initiatives and achievements.
One notable success is the Learn Where You Live program, which allows students to access nursing education remotely using virtual reality technology, a delivery model led by Renée Gordon, Dr. Don Leidl, and Ollando Brown.
Learn Where You Live will graduate its first class in May. Because of this success, 14 LPN-BN students in the Yukon joined the program without having to leave the territory to take courses. This vital program makes nursing education more accessible.
The nurse practitioner program at UNB has celebrated its 25th anniversary and will graduate its largest class yet, made possible by an investment by the province to double capacity. This comes at a crucial time as New Brunswick launches new primary healthcare sites where nurse practitioners will play a vital role. Dr. Sue O'Donnell, associate dean of research and graduate studies, has been instrumental in this initiative.
Renovations are underway to enhance remote learning and simulation experiences for undergraduate students at the Fredericton and Moncton campuses. Jaime Riley is leading this transformation, which will meet the highest standards of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning.
The faculty's commitment to research is further demonstrated by the establishment of the Hon. Joan Kingston Research Chair in Health Innovation, awarded to Dr. Ali McGill, who will further her research on health systems design, from the faculty's living lab at the Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre.
Additionally, Dr. Kelly Scott-Storey and Dr. Martha Paynter have each received the UNB Award for Excellence in Research, highlighting the faculty's dedication to advancing health systems design and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Dr. Paynter and teaching professor Mary-Lee Gilliss were also recognized for the scholarship of teaching and learning with the UNB Teacher Award.
The UNB-Shannex partnership has also significantly contributed to student experiential learning and clinical placements. The Mentoring to Lead UNB-Shannex Summer Institute in Long-Term Care, launched this May, is one of several projects this partnership supports. Dr. Pamela Durepos and Dr. Patricia Morris lead the institute with colleagues Dawn Burke, Alisha Keough, and Dr. Don Leidl, providing valuable mentorship to seven students working at six Shannex sites across the province.
"To my colleagues in the faculty of nursing: Every day your presence makes a difference in ways that you may never realize," said Dr. Butler.
"The power you bring to the faculty is not just about what you can do, but what others can do because of you. When our students leave the faculty of nursing, you go with them."
