Staff Scholarships, Spring 2008

The Health Foundation and TD Bank Financial Group announced the recipients of the spring awards for 2008 on June 9. Applications are considered twice each year and awards are given each spring and fall.

The Health Foundation’s Scholarship Fund awards approximately $20,000 a year to help further the training and education of health care staff in east central Saskatchewan, including $10,000 annually from TD Bank Financial Group. The education awards program has been exceptionally well received by Sunrise Health Region staff.

“TD Bank Financial Group is committed to investing in the future of this area by helping to ensure that nurses and other practicing caregivers have access to funds to upgrade their skills and further their education,” said Jonas Haywood, TD Canada Trust Area Manager for east central Saskatchewan.

“This program has had tremendous success since it started,” said Mr. Haywood. “We have been very successful in assisting our nurses and therapists to enhance their education and improve their skills. This program has helped improve the quality of healthcare available in our local medical facilities.”

The Health Foundation Education Committee and TD Bank Financial Group presented a total of 14 awards: thirteen (13) to individuals, and one to bring in a motivational speaker, Dr. Marla Shapiro, who will make two presentations, one to Sunrise Staff and one that will be open to the public. We anticipate close to 1,000 individuals will attend the two sessions with Dr. Shapiro. The total cost of the awards comes to $10,706.00

The recipients of TD Bank Financial Group’s scholarship awards are:

• Ann Thomson, on behalf of the Sunrise Health Workplace Committee. Funds were awarded to the Healthy Workplace Committee to bring in a motivational speaker, Dr. Marla Shapiro; and,
• Heather Torrie, a Public Health Nutritionist, to take a course on Childhood and Adolescent Obesity.

Receiving scholarship awards from The Health Foundation were:

• Janice Falman, a RN in the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, taking courses for her post RN Bachelor of Nursing program;
• Leanne Haywood, a nurse working in Preeceville, will be taking a Clinical Drug Therapy course and a course in Physical Assessment;
• Brenda Brooks, who works with Melville Emergency Measures Service out of St. Peters Hospital, will be taking a First Aid Instructor course;
• Dawn Crisanto, a nurse working in the Chemotherapy program at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre will be taking a Oncology Nursing course;
• Brenda Shumay, who is the Yorkton Regional Health Centre Staff Health Nurse will be taking the Occupational Health Nursing certificate; and,
• Tammy McKenzie, an operating room nurse, will be taking the Perioperative Nursing program.

The Health Foundation educational grants to attend workshops and conferences were awarded to:

• Debora Grywacheski, a public health nurse, to attend the 8th Canadian Immunization Conference;
• Gail Strukoff, a public health nurse to attend the 8th Canadian Immunization Conference;
• Joy Kellen, an Infection control nurse in public health, to attend a conference on infection prevention and control;
• Christina Woodcock, a therapist with the Yorkton Regional Health Centre will attend a conference on Myofacial release; and
• Pat Kuspira, with Human Resources, will take a course called Transforming HR – Improving Performance.

Back row from the left: Jonas Haywood, Adelyne Bobowski, Janice Flaman, Pat Kuspira, Vivianne Minken; front row: Dawn Crisanto, Tammy McKenzie, Ann Thompson, Brenda Brooks.

“We think it makes a lot of sense for us to help our nurses, therapists and other staff improve their patient care skills. A better trained staff is more comfortable in their jobs and of course, the main beneficiaries of their education are their patients, who are our friends, neighbours and families,” said Vivianne Minken, a member of the board of The Health Foundation and an Education Committee member.

“The directors of The Health Foundation have placed a priority on supplementing the educational programs of the health region. We are gratified with the huge interest we see in this program from all parts of the health region,” continued Ms. Minken.

“The TD Bank Financial Group has been incredibly supportive of the education awards program. Through their TD Grants for Medical Excellence they have provided $65,000 in educational funding to Sunrise Health Region employees since 2002, when they started this education program in partnership with The Health Foundation. TD’s continuing support for this program reflects their continuing commitment to smaller rural communities in east central Saskatchewan,” said Adelyne Bobowski, Co-Chair of The Health Foundation and an Education Committee Member.

“The education awards are advertised twice a year, through posters placed throughout each of the nineteen (19) facilities and departments in our health region, through our website and e-mail to Sunrise employees. The applications are reviewed twice annually and awards made in the spring and fall with the recipient notified in time to plan for the next semester,” said Ross Fisher, Executive Director of The Health Foundation. "All of these awards are supplemental to anything the health region is currently doing, therefore they expand education opportunities.”

Since the program started in 2002, there have been 117 awards totaling $129,193. The Health Foundation normally grants up to $20,000 in educational awards, but if some awards are unused those funds are carried forward and made available again.

The next deadline for applications by healthcare staff is October 15, 2008.

2008 Education Fund information

Education Fund application form for fall of 2008