2004 Awards of Excellence in Nursing
On May 14, 2004, Health Canada presented two Awards of Excellence in
Nursing to nurses serving First Nations and Inuit communities.
The awards were presented by Deputy Minister Ian C. Green on behalf
of Minister Pierre Pettigrew at a ceremony in Ottawa as part of National
Nursing Week.
"These nurses are making outstanding contributions
to improving the health of Aboriginal people and to advancing the goals
of the nursing profession," said Deputy Minister Green. "They
bring their expertise, dedication and innovative ideas for promoting
health to their work with communities and deserve to be honoured for
the difference they are making."
The winners of this year's awards are:
Barbara Martin, a community health
nurse employed by Health Canada's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
in Six Nations, Ontario. She is also a diabetes educator and Six Nations
band member. Ms. Martin co-founded a diabetes program and works with
a team of people to provide screening, counselling and classes on managing
type 2 diabetes. She has also introduced creative ways to sustain the
program.
(From left to right) Ian Potter, Health Canada
Assistant Deputy Minister (First Nations and Inuit Health Branch); Deputy
Minister Ian C. Green; award winner Barbara Martin; and, Richard Jock,
Chief Executive Officer from the Assembly of First Nations.
Ms. Martin is passionate about helping people with diabetes. Of the
10,000 people in her community, approximately 40 percent have diabetes.
On her own time and at her own expense, Ms. Martin studied and became
a certified diabetes educator. She co-founded a diabetes program, working
with a team of about 8 people, who reach out to all community members.
They offer screening for type 2 diabetes in schools, counselling for
people of all ages, and classes on adapting lifestyles to cope with the
disease. To support the program, Ms. Martin and the community have raised
money through yard and bake sales. She also turned to pharmaceutical
companies and associations to acquire the latest technology to use in
her program - insulin pens, glucometers, computer software and educational
resources.
Ms. Martin is the co-chair of the Grand River Chapter of the Diabetes
Educator Section of the Canadian Diabetes Association and a board member
of the Canadian Diabetes Association, Brantford Chapter. In praising
Barbara Martin for her contribution to Six Nations on many fronts, former
Band Councillor Alton C. VanEvery said,
"Barbara not only makes her patients feel
positive about their illness, but she goes the extra mile to make sure
they get the best follow-up medical attention available."
Over her long career in nursing, Barbara Martin has mentored many medical
and nursing students and provided diabetes training to nurses and personal
support workers. Karen Martin, a fellow nurse who nominated her for the
award, concluded:
"Barbara Martin is a living, breathing example
of nursing excellence!"
Jan Kroll, a diabetes nurse educator
and supervisor employed by the Prince Albert Grand Council in Saskatchewan
since 1995. Ms. Kroll set up a diabetes program in the community that
aims to prevent type 2 diabetes and help those who have it manage the
disease. She is a leader in diabetes education in her community, provincially
and nationally.
(From left to right) Ian Potter, Health Canada's
Assistant Deputy Minister (First Nations and Inuit Health Branch); Deputy
Minister Ian C. Green; award winner Jan Kroll; and, Richard Jock, Chief
Executive Officer from the Assembly of First Nations.
"Jan Kroll is a role model of the healthy
lifestyle that she so passionately encourages others to work towards," says
Elaine Conacher, a diabetes nurse educator who has been mentored by Ms.
Kroll. "She takes care of herself as well as all those around her."
Ms. Kroll has succeeded in expanding the staff of the diabetes program
from two employees to six - including nurses, dieticians and outreach
workers. She is a member of the National Diabetes Educators Section of
the Canadian Diabetes Association and a member of its provincial committee.
She also partnered with an urban diabetes program to help them deliver
culturally sensitive programs in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Ms. Kroll
leads diabetes education activities in her community and with regional
and provincial associations, where her "rapport, humour and teaching
style are greatly appreciated," says Anne Unsworth, Community Health
Services Manager, who nominated her for the award.
Because much of Ms. Kroll's work is related to type 2 diabetes, she
seeks opportunities to learn and contribute to efforts to help people
cope with type 1 diabetes. In the summer, she takes a week of holidays
and volunteers as a camp nurse at a nearby children's diabetes camp.
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