• Decolonizing nursing education in action: Decolonization in nursing education entails recognizing and dismantling colonial legacies that shape and maintain harmful practices and structures in nursing education and health care systems. It calls into question the ways things are done and seeks to address and redress historical harms, inequities, and power imbalances that affect nursing and healthcare delivery. This subtheme addresses our responsibility to uphold and honour Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, being, and connecting in nursing education; and calls for ways to enact cultural humility, cultural safety, and the transformation of our relationship with and kinship responsibility to the human and more-than-human world.
• Beyond Representation, towards inclusion and social justice: This subtheme focuses on taking action to promote justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in nursing education, scholarship, and practice. It calls for the troubling of assumptions and disrupting the ways things are done – to unlearn harmful practices that maintain racism, white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia and oppression and (re)learn ways of teaching, practicing, and researching that are anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, ethical, trauma-informed, and promote success and flourishing of all nursing students, faculty, and those we care for.
• Educating for an evolving context: This subtheme addresses the global health challenges facing nursing education and how we must evolve to address these issues while upholding justice and equity. This includes how nursing education is addressing a) climate change, emergency and pandemic preparedness and global health; b) planetary health and environmentally responsible healthcare practices; societal issues, including mental health, the opioid crisis, and the needs of an aging population; c) the changing health system context, innovations in programs in clinical education and our response to the nursing shortage and the broader health human resource crisis such as internationally educated nurses.
• It’s Never Just Technology: This subtheme addresses the demands of a rapidly evolving landscape on nursing education which is continuously influenced by new technology, such as artificial intelligence, telehealth, remote monitoring, and data-driven health care. It is also increasingly incorporating high fidelity and virtual simulation in curricula and delivering hybrid programs and virtual courses. Participants are invited to critically examine, and share knowledge related to how technological advances can be ethically and effectively integrated in nursing practice, nursing curricula, and pedagogy while addressing justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Elder Doreen Spence

Known as Doctor Grandmother to many, Doreen Spence is a Cree Elder who was born and raised on the Good Fish Lake Reservation. She is also a member of the Saddle Lake Nation as her father was from Saddle Lake. Grandmother Doreen retired from nursing after having spent many years nursing in active treatment hospitals. Currently, she is an active Elder in Residence with the Cumming School of Medicine’s (CSM) Indigenous, Local and Global Health (ILGH) Office, working to build reconciliatory education for nursing students, faculty and staff at the Faculty of Nursing in the University of Calgary, she mentors’ students and staff in the Indigenous Primary Health Care and Policy Research Network (IPHCPR) and at Mount Royal University. Healing and wellness are her life-long legacy, and she is honoured to have been recognized by so many for doing what she is so passionate about. Some of the ways that Grandmother has been recognized are as follows:

Order of Canada (2022)
Honorary Doctor of Laws (2022)
Honorary Bachelor of Nursing (2017)
Indspire Culture and Spirituality Award (2017)
Alberta Centennial Medal (2005)
Nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize
YWCA Woman of Distinction Award (1999)
Council on Adoptable Children, New York (1997)
Alberta Human Rights Award (1993)
Chief David Crowchild Memorial Award (1992)

Elder Herman Yellow Old Woman

Oki, my name is Herman Yellow Old Woman and I am from the Siksika Nation. My Blackfoot name is Natowotsisi and I come from the Aggressive Clan Sayiiks.

My passion is living the traditional way of life and keeping it alive. I speak Blackfoot fluently and I enjoy sharing stories and legends of my ancestors. I am a traditional singer and I do many crafts including beading, tanning hides and making drums. I am also a grandfather to our ceremony societies and the elder-in-residence at the Old Sun Community College and I have been an elected leader in the past.

I was heavily involved in shaping the Glenbow Museum’s Nitsitapiisinni Gallery, which was created to reflect the Blackfoot world view. In 2020, I was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Award by the Alberta Museums Association to recognize my contribution to the museum community.

For about the past 30 years I have also been involved in repatriation of ceremonial bundles and other sacred items from across North America and Europe back to our community. I was also a key figure in Siksika’s effort to repatriate Chief Crowfoot’s regalia from the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, UK.

Keynote address title: Indigenous Health Nursing Sovereignty

Elder Colleen Seymour

Elder Colleen Seymour is from Tk’emlups te Secwepemc and born to Loretta and Daniel Seymour.  Colleen’s journey has been about relaying the importance of education and is a celebrated teacher who has led numerous wellness activities. Collleen is a community-based researcher who is working with the BC Indigenous Health Nursing Research Chair at the University of Victoria. Colleen possesses many qualities that make her a lifelong helper, but it is her love for the people where she makes her biggest contribution to transforming the healthcare system. A teacher, knowledge holder, advisor and learner Colleen regards her new path with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council Language Revitalization program as achieving one of her dreams of learning to speak and write in Secwepemctsi’n

Elder Mabel Lena Horton

Mrs. Horton was born and raised in the northern community of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in Manitoba. She attended the NCN Roman Catholic Day School, the Guy Hill Residential School near The Pas, and the Assiniboia Residential School in Winnipeg. She graduated from the Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg in 1970, obtained her public health nursing diploma from the University of Windsor, Ontario in 1978, and her BA and MPA from the University of Manitoba in 2000.

Her professional nursing career includes hospital work in Winkler, Manitoba, and Norway House; outpost nursing in Cross Lake, God’s Narrows-Gods River Nursing Stations, and in Arviat Nunavut; public health nursing in Thompson and, First Nation political organizations in the areas of health administration and health policy analysis.

With experience in northern isolated community nursing and public health, she has developed a deep understanding of health issues pertaining to First Nations health. Her association with the Canadian Society of Circumpolar Health, the International Union of Circumpolar Health, and other international Indigenous research professional organizations, has provided her with further knowledge and a global perspective on health issues pertaining to Indigenous people. She was a member of the Canadian Institute of Health Research – Indigenous Peoples Health Advisory Board.

She currently acts as a Owechiowew / Helper / Knowledge Keeper and advisor for the First Nations Health & Social Secretariat of Manitoba in their various research initiatives, plus other university research organizations.

Her volunteer activities included work with Palliative Manitoba conferences, the Manitoba Multi-Faith spiritual committee and the Welcoming Winnipeg committee. She is the Co-president of the Assiniboia Residential School Legacy Group.

Mrs. Horton practices her traditional ways and ceremonies. She has been married for 52 years, has 2 children. She is proud of her children’s accomplishments, Myles being a neurologist and Sara being a successful influencer with experience in traditional herbal medicine, yoga, and online tarot card readings. She is a proud Kookum of two grandsons, ages 11 and 9.

Elder Judy Pelly

Judy Pelly is a Knowledge Keeper/Cultural Advisor born and raised on Cote First Nation.  She is the mother of three sons and kookom to five grandchildren.  Judy was raised with Anishinaabe/Saulteaux cultural traditions, she is a practitioner and attends and participates in her family/community cultural ceremonies.  She attended St. Philips Indian Residential School from 6-13 years until 1964.

Judy received her post-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan.  She worked with Alberta Learning as an Education Manager for 15 years and returned to Saskatoon in 1996 and worked in various capacities with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Institutes.  She retired from the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) as Dean of Community and Health Studies in 2015 after 21 years of service.  She now serves as an advisor to many organizations, including the Saskatoon City Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority Mental Health and Addiction Services Adult Outreach.  She shares her knowledge of the Anishinaabe way of life and protocol to help others understand the importance of growing together in communities, businesses, service-industries, schools, and homes.

Dr. Lisa Bourque Bearskin
University of Victoria ihnrchair@uvic.ca

Dr. Lisa Bourque Bearskin, a Cree Métis Registered Nurse leader from Beaver Lake Cree Nation, is a tenured Associate Professor and an inaugural Canadian Institute of Indigenous Health Research (CIHR) Indigenous Health Nursing Research Chair holder at University of Victoria.  years of experience in nursing. She is known for her expertise in Indigenous nursing leadership, equity, and Indigenous knowledge in nursing. She now devotes her research career to working with community leaders in advancing sovereignty of Indigenous health nursing knowledge.

Dr. Wanda Phillips-Beck
First Nation Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba wphillips-beck@fnhssm.com

Wanda is Anishinaabekwe (Ojibway) from Hollow Water First Nation in Manitoba. She works full time as a research scholar for the First Nation Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba, having been awarded the CIHR funded Indigenous Research Chair in Nursing – the first time a chair has been awarded to a community-based research organization. Wanda obtained a MSc in 2010 and PhD in 2021 both in Community Health Sciences, with a focus on health policy and on the use of decolonizing approaches in population health research. Wanda spent the first half of her career and for the past 15 years, in health program, policy and research in partnership with First Nation communities. She gained considerable knowledgeable in Indigenous ways of doing research that honours the wisdom of knowledge keepers. She also has many years’ experiences nursing in remote settings.  Wanda’s current research is focused on Indigenous Health Nursing and Maternal Child Health. Wanda’s present title as “Seven Generations Scholar” depicts her research philosophy that what we do and learn today impacts many generations that follow.

Wanda’s approach to research has been, and will continue to, begin with listening to and following advice and guidance from Knowledge Keepers. Wanda is grounded in who she is as an Anishinaabekwe, and her work is informed by her many years working as a nurse leader and researcher, and the many years of working with and among Cree, Ojibway, Dene, Dakota, Metis and Anishininew peoples of Manitoba.

Dr. Holly Graham
University of Saskatchewan holly.graham@usask.ca

Dr. Holly Graham is a member of the Thunderchild First Nation, SK. She has worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) in northern communities and various other health care environments since 1985. Currently, Holly is an Associate Professor in the Depart of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, at the University of Saskatchewan. She also maintains an active practice as a Registered Doctoral Psychologist, working primarily with individuals who have experienced trauma and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her research is strength-based with a focus on First Nation and Métis health and wellness.

kā-wīci-pimohtēmāt Professional Practice Group Promoting Indigenous Nursing and Indigenous Health and Wellness in Saskatchewan

https://indigenousnursesppg.ca/

Keynote address title: Barriers and Facilitators to Educating and Integrating IENs into the Canadian Healthcare System

Dr. Ruth Lee, RN, BScN, MScN, PhD
Executive Director of the CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN’S) and Associate Clinical Professor, McMaster University RLee@care4nurses.org

Dr. Ruth Lee is the Executive Director of CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) – an organization supports IENs pre and post arrival to relaunch their career in Canada. She is an Associate Clinical Professor at McMaster University School of Nursing, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada where she is a faculty member of the graduate program since 2003. Ruth obtained her Registered Nurse Diploma from Seneca College, BScN and MScN from the Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, and her PhD from the Institute of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. Prior to joining CARE Centre eight years ago, Ruth was the Chief of Nursing Practice, Hamilton Health Sciences, for thirteen years where she led the Internationally Educated Nurse Integration Project. Ruth’s clinical and administrative expertise spans many roles in various healthcare settings – community, long term, and acute care. Her academic work focuses on culturally competent practice, diversity and inclusion, leadership and management, and health human resources planning. Ruth was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario in 2018 for her outstanding contributions to the nursing profession. Her recent publications in the Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, and presentations at the International Council of Nurses Congress on Internationally Educated Nurse workforce transition and integration, have received many accolades from nursing leaders, healthcare employers and Internationally Educated Nurses.

Dr. Edward Cruz, RN, CCNE, FCAN, PhD
Associate Professor (Tenured),
University of Windsor                              Edward.Cruz@uwindsor.ca

Edward Venzon Cruz is an internationally educated nurse (IEN) from the Philippines currently working as an associate professor (tenured) in the Faculty of Nursing, University of Windsor.

Dr. Cruz is known for his research and advocacy work related to IENs and bridging education in Canada. His collaborative program of research centres around Social care, Health human resources, Interprofessional collaboration, and Nursing Education (SHINE).

In addition, he is co-chair of the Partners in Integration and Education of IENs.  He has ongoing involvement with the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) initiatives involving IEN bridging program and undergraduate accreditation.  He is President-Elect and co-founder of the Philippine Nurses Association of Canada, and Research Consultant for the Integrated Filipino Canadian Nurses Association. He is President of the International Nursing Interest Group of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO), and recently elected Interest Group Representative to RNAO’s Board of Directors.

Edward Cruz holds a BSN, masters and PhD in education from the Philippines, a PhD from Japan, as well as a Bachelor of Nursing from Athabasca University, and a Master of Science in Nursing from York University.

Presentation title: Nurse’s role in enacting Jordan’s Principle in the Canadian health care system

Monica McAlduff Monica.McAlduff@fnha.ca

Monica McAlduff is from the Secwepemc Nation and serves as the Vice President, Quality, Cultural Safety and Humility and Chief Nursing Officer. As part of the OCNO (Office of the Chief Nursing Office), the portfolio includes, Clinical Quality, Collaborative Practice, Clinical Education, Bio Medical Initiatives and leading system wide Cultural Safety and Humility.

Monica proudly joined the FNHA in January 2020 bringing with her over 30 years in health care, first as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland and progressing to several leadership roles within the health care system.

Monica holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Psychiatric Nursing from Thompson Rivers University as well as a Masters of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University. She has held numerous leadership roles across the system of care and is known for her strong client and family advocacy and passion for improving quality and safety to the health care system. Monica’s leadership approach is from a humility lens and seeing the strength and resilience that First Nation’s people possess, as the way to change the system.

• Registrations that are cancelled on or before Sunday, March 31, 2024 will be refunded minus a 15% administrative fee.
• Registrations that are cancelled between Monday, April 1, 2024, to Sunday, April 21, 2024, inclusive will be refunded minus a 25% administrative fee.
• There will be no refunds for cancellations on or after Monday, April 22, 2024, and no-shows.
• Substitutions are permitted up to Sunday, April 21, 2024. Please request substitutions in writing to: rnizio@casn.ca. Any registration transferred from a member or student to a non-member will be adjusted to the non-member rate. Any registration transferred from a student to a member will be adjusted to the member rate.
• CASN reserves the right to cancel this conference for circumstances beyond its control.

Hotel Reservation Information:

Book your hotel reservation by Friday, May 3, 2024, at 11:59 pm MST (Calgary time) to secure the special CASN Conference 2024 guestroom rates starting at $219.00/night by reserving online: https://www.marriott.com/events/start.mi?id=1683836682151&key=GRP

If you would like to book a guestroom pre or post conference beyond the room block dates of May 23 to May 31, 2024, you must call the hotel to make reservations. Guestrooms and rates are subject to availability.

For reservations assistance, please call 1 (888) 627-8417 and mention the “CASN Education Conference” guestroom block.

Marriott Bonvoy loyalty members receive special perks when staying at The Delta Hotels St. John’s Conference Centre. Consider becoming a member here: https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/createAccount/createAccountPage1.mi

Travelling to the conference:

Air Canada is offering a travel discount for conference attendees:

• For North America: 5% standard fares, 10% flex & up
• For International Travel: 10% on standard fares & up

Promotion Code: KVKUZCT1

To book a flight with your promotion code, access www.aircanada.com and enter your promotion code in the promotion box. The discount will be automatically calculated for you.

Applicable Rules:

• The booking is to be made to the following city: Calgary, Alberta (YYC) Canada
• The travel period begins Monday, May 20, 2024, and ends Tuesday, June 4, 2024.
• Travel is valid Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
• The promotion code is intended for use by conference attendees and organizers and is not meant for distribution outside of authorized channels. Air Canada’s Terms and Conditions apply.

West Jet is offering is offering a travel discount for conference attendees:

• 5% off Econo* and 10% off EconoFlex and Premium fares for travel within Canada
• 2% off Econo*, 5% off EconoFlex and 10% off Premium base fares for guests travelling trans-border.

To take advantage of this offer, you will need the discount code listed. Please visit www.westjet.com/conventions to make a booking online.

Coupon Code: Guest web/Travel Agent web: 3O9W3ID
Promo Code: Travel Agent GDS only: YBE99

Applicable Rules:

• The booking is to be made to the following city: Calgary, Alberta (YYC) Canada
• The travel period begins Monday, May 20, 2024, and ends Tuesday, June 4, 2024, no discount will apply to Basic or Business class bookings.

*Basic fare class is excluded from discount. Discount codes are valid for travel on the dates indicated above. Percentage discount is applied to base fare. Taxes, fees and charges are extra. The base fare may be represented as Air Transportation Charges (excepting Other Air Transportation Charges) in the booking flow. Other air transportation charges, taxes, fees and charges are not discounted. Discount codes are intended for use by the event attendees and organizers only. Distribution to any outside third parties or unauthorized channel is prohibited. Discount can be used for a one-way or round-trip booking. Discount cannot be applied towards multi-city bookings. Only one discount code may be used per booking. Seasonal start and end dates may apply. No cash value. Discount only applies to flights marketed and operated wholly by WestJet, WestJet Encore, WestJet Link, and Delta flights marketed by WestJet via codeshare. It is not applicable when traveling with our other code-share, interline or other airline partners. New bookings only. Offer is limited and subject to availability. No cash value. Non-refundable and non-transferable. Discount cannot be used towards the purchase of a Member Exclusive fare or the purchase of a WestJet Vacations package. Discount cannot be combined with any other discount codes or companion voucher bookings. WestJet dollars, Travel Bank and gift cards cannot be used as a form of payment. Any changes or cancellations to discount code bookings must be made by calling 1-888-937-8538. If the booking is changed or cancelled, the discount will no longer apply. Other restrictions may apply and are subject to change at any time. WestJet’s fares, schedules and policies, and any and all equipment used in connection with the provision of the meetings and conventions travel services may be changed or terminated by WestJet at any time and for any reason, in each case without notice or liability. WestJet may terminate or reduce flights to any event city at any time and for any reason without notice or liability.