Dawn Freshwater - PhD BA (Hons), FRCN, RGN, RNT, DipPsych

Custodial Caritas: A model for custodial care?

Summary:

In the recent film, the 'Intouchables', which is based on a true story, a quadriplegic aristocrat hires a young man from the 'projects' to be his caretaker.  As the plot of the film unfolds, the audience are provided with the opportunity to reflect on and re-evaluate their own values and beliefs, both in regards to caring, and in regard to the traditional polarized and somewhat dichotomized discourses of lawlessness and love. The concept of reciprocity, as traditionally held, is questioned and interrogated, albeit subtly throughout the story. Similarly, in the film titled 'Amour', the idealistic love, most often portrayed in Hollywood romances is deconstructed. Both story lines highlight something of the complexity of human caring, and the myriad of emotions and dynamics that belie any caring relationships.

In this presentation I will explore, in depth, the concepts of Caritas and Agape in relation to Custodial Care.  Drawing upon the distinctive nursing theories of scholars such as Parse, Newman and Rogers, as well as the practical science of Sr. Simone Roach, the aim is to describe ways in which theories of human caring that privilege deep connections and knowledge of one's own selfhood, have practical application to the daily lives of practitioners working within offender health settings. In essence, I aim to rehearse and rehabilitate the relevance and application of these theories to this professionally testing context, and to breathe life into the concept of human agape as understood in the custodial context of care.

Speaker Biography: Dawn Freshwater is Professor of Mental Health and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Staff and Organizational Effectiveness at the University of Leeds. She is the elected representative for Nursing in England on the Council of Deans for Nursing and Midwifery and Trustee of the Florence Nightingale Foundation. As a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and a health professional and academic of some 30 years experience, she has developed a portfolio of research that spans issues of workforce strategy and practice development, leadership in organizational effectiveness and change. Her mental health expertise means that she is currently leading on a number of research grants related to offender health and psychological therapies, has supervised 15 PhD students to completion, has 15 text books and over 50 academic papers in press.  She is the Editor of the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health nursing and has recently been appointed to the Journal of Mixed Methods Research.

The Evelyn G. Edwards Memorial Lecture

Barb Fry - RN, BN, M.AD. ED

A Call to Action: Thriving in Our Professional Practice Settings

Summary: In today's rapidly changing practice settings nurses are called upon to continuously adapt their practice to accommodate new rules and new roles, collaborate with diverse service providers, and manage increasingly challenging populations. While some may thrive as they move forward in this new world order, many more struggle to 'survive.' This high energy, humorous, reflective, and inspirational presentation will challenge participants to examine their own attitudes and behaviors as well as those of their colleagues and their impact on the quality their workplace relationships and patient/client care outcomes. Other highlights include managing the antics of 'negaholics,' workplace royalty, and other 'undiscussables' that create barriers in practice. It will conclude with tips for thriving and a call to action for strengthening professional relationships and creating places where people want to work.

Speaker Biography: Barb Fry formerly worked in the fields of teaching and management primarily in mental health nursing prior to becoming an adult educator, professional speaker, and workplace relationship consultant in healthcare and business sectors across Canada and in the UK. Barb's keynote addresses focus on professionalism in nursing practice and leadership in inter-professional relationships. In 2008 Barb presented the closing keynote for the Canadian Nurses Association's 100th Anniversary. In 2010 Barb published, Fast Facts for Clinical Nurse Managers: Managing a Changing Workplace in a Nutshell, New York: Springer and Intergenerational Diversity: Bridging the Gap, Transforming Relationships for the Canadian Federation of Nurses’ Unions. She writes for the Canadian Nurse magazine in the Ask the Expert column on workplace relationships and offers specific commentaries on topics such as bullying in nursing, nursing management, and leadership.
She continues to consult with the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia in designing,  implementing, and delivering a nursing leadership program across the province. Recently she has become an outspoken advocate for the return of the art of nursing and accountability related to our Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.

Howard Sapers - BA (Crininology) Correctional Investigator of Canada

Health Care and Federal Corrections: An Ombudsman's Perspective

Summary: Explore the role and challenges facing health care professionals working in a correctional environment. Training, recruitment and retention issues as well as best practices and gaps in mental health care service delivery in federal corrections will be reviewed. Drawing on his Office’s latest reports and investigations, Mr. Sapers will review the Correctional Service of Canada’s mortality review process, health care governance and management of prison self-harm. Practical and ethical dilemmas facing health care professionals in a correctional setting – security vs. health care, patient vs. inmate, prison vs. hospital, and consent vs. involuntary treatment – will be explored to facilitate dialogue and discussion.

Speaker Biography: The Office of the Correctional Investigator serves as an Ombudsman for federally sentenced offenders. As Correctional Investigator, Mr. Sapers continues to pursue priority concerns and challenges in federal corrections such as mental health and corrections, deaths in custody, and the special needs of Aboriginal offenders, aging offenders and federally sentenced women. A graduate of Simon Fraser University, Mr. Sapers has an extensive background in criminology, crime prevention, rehabilitation of offenders, and mental health in corrections gained through a combination of education, employment, community and public service. Prior to his appointment as Correctional Investigator, Mr. Sapers held a variety of criminal justice positions, including: Vice-Chairperson for the Prairie Region, Parole Board Canada; Director of the Crime Prevention Investment Fund at the National Crime Prevention Centre; and Executive Director of the John Howard Society of Alberta. On February 17, 2012, Mr. Howard Sapers was reappointed Correctional Investigator of Canada for a third consecutive term.

Paula Davies Scimeca - RN, MS

Illuminating the Shadow of Substance Use Disorders

Summary: Problematic use of mood-altering substances, particularly prescription painkillers, has risen to global prominence as a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. The far-reaching implications for nurses have been less widely publicized but warrant the closest scrutiny if we are to achieve and maintain optimal health and career longevity.  This presentation will highlight the shadows which continue to cloak substance use disorders in ignorance, stigma and denial and offer strategies to enhance resilience and well-being.

Speaker Biography: Paula Davies Scimeca obtained her baccalaureate degree in Nursing from Adelphi University and her master’s degree in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.  Her career has spanned over three decades, with the first ten years spent in medical, surgical and critical care nursing.  With over twenty years’ experience in addiction and psychiatric nursing, she is a recognized expert on the issue of substance use disorders in nurses.  Author of “Unbecoming A Nurse” and “From Unbecoming A Nurse to Overcoming Addiction,” she serves as Vice President for the Foundation for Addiction Nursing and sits on the Nurse Advisory Panel for the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services.

Jennifer Wheatley - BA (Hons), MA - Director General, Mental Health

Strengthening the Continuum of Care for Federal Offenders

Summary: Provide an overview of the Correctional Service of Canada's efforts to effectively address the burden of illness for federally sentenced offenders, with particular emphasis on the mental health needs of this population. The presentation will provide an overview of corrections in Canada and offender health care needs. It will highlight how internal governance changes, policy enhancements and collaboration with a variety of partners have improved the delivery of health care across all federal correctional institutions.

Speaker Biography: Jennifer Wheatley has held the position, Director General, Mental Health, with Correctional Service Canada since 2009.  Prior to assuming this role she held the position of Director General, Policy, Planning and Quality Improvement Branch, Health Services Sector. Ms. Wheatley began her career in the Public Service in 1999 as an investigator for the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Since joining CSC in 2000, she has held various executive positions at National Headquarters, including the Director of Policy and Director General of Performance Management. Before joining the Public Service, she was a signals officer in the Canadian Forces and where she held a variety of positions.

Deborah Shelton - PhD, RN, NE-BC, CCHP, FAAN

The Road to Correctional Nursing Workforce Development- A discussion regarding nursing competencies in the US.

Summary of Workshop: This workshop presents the initial stages and strategies developed for the implementation of a correctional nursing competency program implemented in the United States. International nurse partners are invited to validate this work through engaging in a discussion of common contemporary workforce issues experienced by correctional nurses around the globe.

Speaker Biography: Dr. Shelton is a leader in correctional nursing research and practice. As PI and collaborator on several grants, the current investigations are to develop research infrastructure and adapt interventions to the needs of correctional populations while incarcerated and in their transition to the community. Dr. Shelton has the expertise and leadership to successfully conduct research and lead research teams. As the E. Jane Martin Endowed Research Professor at the West Virginia University School of Nursing, she has led a new team to restructure the nursing research framework and has developed infrastructure to support faculty and students. 

Linda Starr - RN, RPN, Dip App Sci. (Nsg); BN (ed); LLB; Grad Cert in Ed (Dist Ed); GCLP; LLM; PhD (c), FRCNA Justice of the Peace

Credibility in the Court Room: How Documentation can be a Friend or Foe When Called as a Witness

Summary of Workshop: This workshop we will explore how the health professional's credibility as a witness can be seriously eroded through poor documentation practices and inconsistent testimony. Case studies will be used to highlight the judicial scrutiny of these documents and how the findings can apply to any health professional in any setting when facing a court appearance.

Speaker Biography: Linda is a general and psychiatric qualified nurse, lawyer and associate professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Flinders University in Australia. Linda was appointed by the Governor of South Australia to be a Justice of the Peace in 2011. Her research interests have been in health law, criminal law, profiling and offender behavior, forensic practice, forensic nursing, and elder abuse investigation. Her current research for her PhD project is exploring the experience of registered and enrolled nurses in identifying and reporting elder abuse and the experience of those who receive such reports and investigate the cases. Linda is currently, the Chair of the State Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board, Australia, Deputy Chair of the Aged Rights Advocacy Service, a member of the Health and Community Services Council and the Foundation President of the newly established Australian Forensic Nurses Association.

Speaker TBA

Developing a Collaborative Care Model of Practice in the Correctional Environment

Summary of Workshop: This workshop will explore Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) and how it increases understanding of the values and professional behaviours necessary for interprofessional collaboration to support patient centered care in correctional environments.

Speaker Biography:

Anne Cowman - CertHE (Counselling)

Building a Successful Involvement System in Prison Healthcare

Summary of Workshop: This workshop presents the importance of Patient Involvement within a prison setting where the complex issues of power and control inherent in the prison culture challenge the very essence of Patient Involvement.

Speaker Biography: Anne Cowman is Leeds Prison’s- Prison Patient Involvement Lead for Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust in the UK and has held and developed this role since 2008. Prior to this Anne was a Drug and Alcohol therapist within the prison and in the community.
Anne manages approximately 130 prisoners as Healthcare Representatives across 3 prisons.  As the Prison Patient Involvement Lead, Anne has won a number of National Awards including:
 2009 Winner- The National Centre of Involvement-Introducing Patient Involvement within a Prison Healthcare Setting
2009 HSJ (Health Service Journal Award)-Improving Patient Access
2011- BUPA Foundation Award- Patients as Partners
2011- Recommended Best Practice from National Offender Management for Prisoner Involvement within HMP Leeds
Anne is also a visiting lecturer at Leeds University and has been part of a number of research teams incorporating patient involvement and engagement.