Session 3(c): Strengthening Rural and Northern Healthcare Through Clinician Support, Education, and Quality Improvement
October 23rd, 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Virtual, link to come
This session will feature a series of oral presentations highlighting current research, evaluation and quality improvement projects. Each speaker will have 15 minutes to share their work, followed by 5 minutes for questions and discussion. Join us to hear in-depth presentations, gain new insights, and engage directly with presenters during the Q&A.
PRESENTATIONS:
- Title: Clinical Nurse Specialists as Catalysts for Quality Improvement in Northern Health
- Speaker: Kerry Croy, Silvana Todorovska, Elaine Veldman
- Description: This session highlights how Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) drive quality improvement and patient safety in Northern Health through advanced clinical expertise, leadership, and collaboration. By standardizing care, supporting accreditation readiness, and bridging point-of-care practice with system-level decision-making, CNSs are helping to reduce variation, respond rapidly to emerging risks, and embed sustainable, evidence-informed change in resource-limited rural settings.
- Title: Determining Counselling Self-Efficacy of Rural Mental Health Clinicians
- Speaker: Benita Le Morvan
- Description: This presentation shares findings from a study examining the confidence of rural Mental Health and Substance Use clinicians in their counselling skills. Results show generally strong self-efficacy, with variability in areas such as role-playing, providing homework, and managing complex scenarios. The study points to opportunities for targeted training, supervision, and mentorship to strengthen clinician resilience, reduce burnout, and improve patient outcomes in rural settings.
- Title: Impact of a Moral Empowerment-Based Educational Intervention on Moral Distress, Ethical Reasoning, and Team Dynamics
- Speaker: Esther Alonso-Prieto
- Description: This study evaluated the pilot of an educational intervention within the Moral Empowerment System for Healthcare (MESH) framework. Findings showed significant gains in ethical reasoning confidence and reported reductions in moral distress, alongside qualitative evidence of increased moral clarity and empowerment. The results suggest that structured ethics education can strengthen decision-making and support healthcare teams facing ethically challenging situations.