LPN Council: Education Councillor

Jag Tak

Acclaimed

My passion and dedication is in Management and Leadership. I am extremely hard working; honest, reliable, loyal and very committed to everything that I set out to do. I present a strong work ethic and always work with integrity. I always am dedicated to creating and delivering the best possible educational services to the students at Stenberg College.

I also have five years experience in curriculum designing, developing, planning, implementing, and instructing in Health Sciences programming. Experienced in educating diverse student groups – Millennials, GenXers & Boomers. Proficient in various computer applications and multilingual.

I am someone that inspires positive change by challenging the process through suggestions and/or actions that lead to positive change in processes, policies, efficiency, productivity within the place of employment. I am a results driven person who is highly organized. I am known for setting goals and action plans. As a communicator, I am authentic, empathetic and direct with my message. I will always tackle a problem or concern head on.

I am a lifelong learner. I constantly strive to attend workshops, forums, and education related courses, along with volunteering my time to various community initiatives.

LPN Council: Island Councillor

Teresa McFadyen

Acclaimed

Teresa McFadyen currently works at Royal Jubilee, Oncology & General Medicine in beautiful Victoria, BC. Right out of high school, she knew she wanted to be a nurse but first went on to marry and have four children. When her youngest was 16, she decided it was time to fulfill her professional dream, and head back to school to become an LPN. While Teresa loves her current job, her passion is palliative care. As Teresa notes there is an honour and privilege in being present with patients and families during such an intimate time as death. While death sad and scary it is nurses who provide clarity and comfort.

Teresa is also passionate about ensuring that key issues for LPNS, such as being able to work to full scope, knowledge and competencies are tackled head on. LPNs possess a broad skill set yet there are often barriers to practice that is frustrating and ultimately not beneficial for good or safe patient care. As a passionate learner and nurse, Teresa has always strived to take her career in new and exciting directions.

When Teresa is not advocating for nurses, she enjoys spending time with her family which includes a supportive husband, four adult children, four grandsons, two large rescue dogs and two rescued parrots. She also loves to spend time with friends, riding her motorcycle, gardening, sewing, reading and enjoying the outdoors.

LPN Council: Indigenous Councillor

Diane StrongEagle Lingren

Acclaimed

Diane is a proud LPN, having earned her degree in 2007 from Sprott Shaw College. She is an experienced nurse with a demonstrated history of working in the primary/secondary education industry. Her skills include nursing education, medication administration, palliative care, peer mentoring, foot care and Indigenous rights. A dedicated healthcare services professional, she holds an Immunization Certificate from the BCCDC, a nursing diploma in perioperative/operating room/surgical nursing diploma from SIAST Waskana Campus and a footcare certification from Okanagan College. Diane is a strong advocate for all aspects of nursing with a passion for advocating for Indigenous nurses and Indigenous health issues. Diane is a proud Métis nurse who has found healing and community through my journey of reconnecting to my heritage and culture.

NP Council: President-Elect

Karen Sims

Acclaimed

Writing this bio allowed me to reflect on my NP career of 14 1/2 years. I initially worked in acute care then purposely made some changes to increase my depth of experience. While change can be challenging, I have been rewarded by working in acute care (6 years), primary care (5 years) and my last three years have been in specialty care. My current role with the provincial Adult Bleeding Disorder Program at St. Paul’s Hospital challenges all my skills with dynamic hospital-based care, chronic disease management, health promotion, and collaboration during transition of care. When I interviewed for the roll in 2017 I realised I was ready for the challenge. I had built the skill set I would need.

I feel similarly about my current skill set, not only as a clinician but also as a leader, as I apply for the President Elect Position for the NP council.

My involvement with BCNPA started in 2005 when I was still a student. I was inspired by other NPs who stepped forward to lead us all. Over the years I was the chair for the membership committee (2008/2009), Secretary (2009-2012), in charge of the conference budget, treasurer (2015-2017) to name a few. I have watched our NP profession grow and felt proud as together we all navigated challenges and opportunities.

Other contributions include the Ministry NP4BC working group (2012-2014), CRNBC Standards committee (2008-2014), CRNBC peer assessor (2015-2017), OSCE committee (2014- current), and chair of the NP department Quality Committee both within Fraser Health and now Providence Health Care.

I have built my skill set. I am committed to the NP profession, listening to the collective NP voice, and ensuring that voice is heard. I would also like to empower any NP to be involved and lead.

NP Council: Fraser Councillor

Harvinder Sihota

Acclaimed

From the outset of my NP career, I have been committed to supporting nursing excellence in the areas of policy, education, and leadership. Since 2018, I have been an actively engaged member of the Nurse Practitioner Advisory Group (NPA), operating under the governance of the MoH's Nursing Policy Secretariat. As the student representative of the NPA, I offer a student and new graduate's perspective concerning matters pertaining to NP integration in BC. In my new role as Adjunct Professor within the UBC School of Nursing, I provide support to student NPs and am passionate about the provision of quality education for the next generation of nurses and NPs. As the current acting Clinical Director of one of BC's first Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Clinics (NP-PCC), I oversee activities for the implementation of the NP-PCC. Through close collaboration with NNPBC and other key community health partners, our team of NPs works to implement initiatives to increase primary care access for British Columbians, in line with the MoH's vision for primary care in BC.

I am passionate about enhancing patient care through a collaborative, team-based approach as well as ensuring patients are at the center of care. If elected to the NP Council, I believe my experiences as a leader within the NP-PCC model of care and as an independently contracted NP will offer a unique perspective of the NP role as it continues to develop within this new care model. I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting chapter in nursing history and I would be grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the NNPBC NP Council as we work collaboratively to continue to propel the nursing profession forward.

NP Council: Island Councillor

Jaime Fortier

Acclaimed

Jaime Fortier is a family nurse practitioner living and working in the Comox Valley. With over 6 years of primary care practice as an NP, she is passionate about increasing accessibility to the highest quality of primary care. She works in both a general family practice clinic as well as doing outreach to more marginalized and home bound individuals. Working alongside a team of allied health providers, she works collaboratively to creatively meet the needs of her patient population. Jaime is involved in local Division of Family Practice work on behalf of Nurse Practitioners in the valley on both the Division Advisory Committee as well as the PCN Shared Care Committee. She is passionate about collaborative, interdisciplinary care that is truly grounded in the patient’s goals and care needs. Most recently she has taken on a role in the Comox Valley Caregivers Wellness group, focused on maintaining wellbeing and support for caregivers during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. When not working, Jaime can be found on the trails with her family, whether on skis or bikes!

NP Council: Councillor at Large

Caroline Murphy

Acclaimed

I submitted my name for the Councillor at Large role on the NP council in order to help further the integration of Nurse Practitioners in the BC health care system, through system level advocacy.

I am proud of being a Nurse Practitioner since 2007. I take every opportunity to promote and educate regarding the role of the Nurse Practitioner and the contribution NPs make in our health care system. I understand that leadership is important at all levels of the system, and through formal and informal channels and I have worked to be active in all of those. I am pleased to have received a 2019 NNPBC award for Excellence in Nursing Leadership.

I currently practice in an interdisciplinary Primary Care team in Langley, with a focus on older adult health and LTC. I practice at full scope and with full autonomy within a team that truly operates in an interdisciplinary way. I wish every NP could work in a role with similar attributes, and that is my goal in this application.

I worked for years as a health authority employee then became an independent contractor in 2019.

Through active participation in the Health Authority Department of Nurse practitioners, the NP Network Advisory Committee, Langley Division of Family Practice and the Ministry of Health Primary and Community Care Advisory Committee (for NNPBC) I believe I have a good understanding of the system issues as they affect Nurse Practitioners, and believe I would bring good value to the Councillor at Large role.

RN Council: Fraser Councillor

Sherri Kensall

Acclaimed

Sherri has worked as a registered nurse in a variety of settings in the past 25+ years, primarily within the Fraser Health Region. Her career has spanned acute, community and academia as she has worked in medicine, surgery, nephrology, diabetes, cardiac, primary care and as a sessional nursing instructor. She strongly believes in the role of nurses as advocates for our patients and advocates for a system which supports nurses to provide the quality of care we are proud of. Throughout her career, Sherri has been a strong advocate for nurses and nursing practice and has promoted nursing leadership at the local and system level.

RN Council: Vancouver Councillor

Lori Campbell

Acclaimed

Lori completed her BScN at McMaster University and started her career at VCH in 2005. She has had positions in surgical care, intensive care, harm reduction, and on Vancouver's downtown east side. As a direct care nurse dealing with patients from every part of Vancouver's complex social and ethnic structure, Lori has gained a passion for promoting strong, evidence-informed nursing practice. Lori believes a professional association plays an important role in promoting the profession and looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively.

RN Council: Director at Large

Agnes Black

Acclaimed

I believe passionately that all nurses can use our training and our roles to be advocates and change agents for our patients, their families and the health care system. We can do this at the bedside, in the classroom, in leadership roles, as researchers, and at healthcare policy tables.

In my 20+ years of nursing, I have worked in public and community health, in cancer care, with marginalized populations, on research projects, and in leadership. I am currently working at Providence Health Care in the Professional Practice Office as the Director, Health Services & Clinical Research and Knowledge Translation. I have worked to bring nurses to the research table as full partners with other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

I completed my BSN at the University of Washington, and my Master of Public Health at Simon Fraser University. I am an adjunct professor at the UBC School of Nursing and have been fortunate to work in a role that bridges nursing practice and academia. I was honoured to receive the ARNBC Award for Excellence in Innovation in 2016, and the CRNBC Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice in 2013.

Outside my regular job, I am an active volunteer in local and international settings. I love hiking, gardening, travel, and spending time with my two children, Ben and Annie, my husband Tim, and friends.

RN Council: Director at Large

Marcia Carr

Acclaimed

Marcia Carr brings an extensive breadth of experience and nursing leadership. As a Registered Nurse for over 45 years Marcia has cared for patients, clients and residents from "womb to tomb", an experience that includes populations in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, adults and older adults within acute care, home care and public health. Marcia has brought her nursing expertise to roles as a faculty member and adjunct faculty at nursing schools across Canada. She has worked as a Director of Care, and with the Canadian Nurses Association, College of Registered Nurses of BC (CRNBC), BC Ministry of Health, the Association of Registered Nurses of BC and the CNS Association of BC in a variety of roles. Marcia is a recipient of the CRNBC Award of Excellence in Nursing Practice. Throughout all these experiences, Marcia has been a dedicated, passionate and articulate advocate for the profession of nursing.

RN Council: Director at Large

Robin Richards

Acclaimed

Robin is passionate about advancing the nursing profession, and ensuring nurses are respected and valued in our healthcare systems. She believes nurses are leaders, who use their unique knowledge, skills, and expertise to make a difference in the lives of patients, families and communities. Her passion for a better and safer healthcare system, is what inspired her to return to academic life. She is presently completing her Master of Nursing, where she is exploring 'Nursing voice in provincial health policy in Canada'. She is a member of the International Network of Nurse Leaders, an organization which brings together nurses from all over the globe to strengthen nursing leadership and advance the profession.

Robin's clinical background has primarily been in rural and remote settings. She has gained an in-depth understanding of the complexities of these settings, but also draws on her experiences in large urban ER and acute care, community dialysis, and as term faculty with her local college as a Health Care Assistant instructor.

RN Council: Director at Large

Sally Thorne

Acclaimed

Dr. Thorne studies patient experience in serious and life-limiting conditions such as chronic disease and cancer, most recently focusing on palliative approaches to care delivery across sectors and nurses' experiences with medical assistance in dying. In addition to advising various professional and policy organizations, she actively fosters nursing scholarship development through her philosophical and methodological activities and in her role as Associate Editor of the journal Qualitative Health Research and Editor-in-Chief of Nursing Inquiry.

RPN Council: Fraser Councillor

Melody Little

Acclaimed

Melody graduated from Douglas College in 2002. In her 18 years of nursing experience she has been employed in psychiatric in-patient units, long term care, psychiatric liaison nurse, palliative, forensic nursing (BC Corrections and Federal Corrections), med/surg., community mental health, Indigenous outreach nurse, and detox/OAT. In these past/current employment experience Melody has worked as a front- line nurse, coordinator and manager. She enjoy empowering an interdisciplinary team and supporting professional practice standard, scope of practice, and code of ethics and looks forward to contributing even further as a member of the RPN council.

RPN Council: Island Councillor

Gurpreet Bains

Acclaimed

Gurpreet immigrated to Canada in 2007 after completing high school in Mumbai, India. When a student advisor from Douglas College asked him about his career choice, he responded, "I love to talk to people and hear their stories; I want something that would bring me closer to people to help them". The trajectory was set; Gurpreet graduated from Psychiatric Nursing Degree Program from Douglas College in 2012 and perused his passion of helping people. After graduation, his goal was to work in as many different clinical settings as possible to explore and analyse patient’s journey through various healthcare systems. Thus, he worked in Psychiatric Emergency Department, Intensive and Acute In-Patient care settings followed by community nursing such as Assertive Community Treatment Teams, Tertiary Care and Residential Care. To fulfill his dream to explore BC, he signed up for travel nursing where he worked as an Agency Nurse in isolated BC communities. Gurpreet also worked with Department of National Defence providing mental health services to members of Canadian Armed Forces. While exploring various facets of psychiatric nursing practice, he also volunteered with College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia (CRPNBC) and is currently the Chair of Professional Practice and Standards Committee (PPSC) of the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).

Throughout this explorative professional journey, he remained an avid supporter of the profession of psychiatric nursing and advocated for its advancement. After gaining a wide array of skill set, he found rewarding a career with Correctional Service of Canada and has been employed with that agency from past three years.

LPN Council: Education Councillor

Jag Tak

Acclaimed

Mytiatives.