Head, Heart & Hands-On Leadership - College of Licensed Practical ...

RITA MCGREGOR EXCELLENCE INNURSING EDUCATION AWARDWanda McIntosh, LPNWorking out of High River General Hospital, Wanda McIntosh is an exceptionalpreceptor for an acute care practicum. She creates a very special learningenvironment for students. She makes it possible for students to be independent,while guiding encouraging and gently supporting through the learning experience.Loved by all her colleagues and students because of her never-failing positiveattitude and good humour, she’s a nurse who always keeps a cool head and a heartburning with passion for her profession.Wanda shows that she believes the future depends on her students. And shebelieves quality of care is the result of teamwork. So, Wanda encourages her ownstudents to participate in the ongoing communication between disciplines in orderto see the big picture. As one of her student’s states, “People like Wanda are thereflection of the very nature of the nursing profession... I was very lucky to havemet Wanda in the very beginning of my nursing career. Now I am doing my bestto follow her example, and I can only hope that one day she will be proud of beingmy teacher.”LAURA CRAWFORD EXCELLENCE INNURSING PRACTICE AWARDErin Longhurst, LPNAvocation. Commitment. Exemplary nursing. These words are personified in ErinLonghurst. Erin works in Calgary at both Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS)as a nurse, and at Academy of Learning as a Health Care Aide Instructor. Asa clinic or lab nurse, Erin has the excellence in judgment and nursing skills toperform accurate nursing assessment and interventions in high-pressure situationsfrom alcohol withdrawal seizures to hypoglycemia in diabetics. Every week, sheand a nurse practitioner run a diabetic and pre-diabetic group for high risk clientsdealing with the complications of diabetes including nutrition, blood glucosemonitoring, exercise techniques and blood pressure monitoring.Because CUPS is a clinic with limited staff, teamwork and team building is vitallyimportant. The LPNs works very closely with the RNs, Nurse Practitioners,physicians and various specialists. Erin is always a positive presence in the clinic,working confidently and assertively with all team members. Erin has a wealthof ideas for improvement in nursing care at the clinic, including programs andresources for clients. Erin is motivated to go above and beyond for client care anddoes so consistently.22 care | VOLUME 26 ISSUE 2