HSERC Supports Nursing Leadership Fieldwork Placement

During the Winter 2020 term, Dr. Sharla King and Melanie Garrison from the Health Sciences Education and Research Commons (HSERC) served as preceptors for Faculty of Nursing students Isabelle Clutson, Kristin Dam, and Samantha Sanderson for their Nursing Leadership fieldwork placement. 

Joining HSERC's Interprofessional Education Team, they participated in both internal and external meetings, researched and developed activities for interprofessional classes, and assisted in facilitating a stakeholder workshop that will contribute to integrating interprofessional collaboration competencies into practicum experiences for health professional students. 

With their placement wrapping up, the students wrote about their experience with HSERC.

LtoR: Samantha Sanderson, Isabelle Clutson, and Kristin Dam


I had the privilege of working with the HSERC team during my NURS 425 leadership practicum. Throughout the experience, my mentors Dr. Sharla King and Melanie Garrison exemplified the meaning of collaborative leadership and created a safe environment for students to openly share their ideas, perspectives and concerns. I engaged in meaningful project work to enhance interprofessional education at the U of A and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) amongst various healthcare teams. Due to the team-based nature of this work, I was able to refine my collaborative leadership skills and implement my theoretical knowledge of effective team-functioning in a practical manner. I now have a greater respect for IPC in its ability to enhance patient outcomes, support patient-centered care, and strengthen professional relationships across disciplines. I also have a deeper appreciation for the integral role that patients, families, and caregivers play on the healthcare team. My experience at HSERC has prepared me with the confidence needed to advocate for IPC in my future practice and to support true patient-partnered care. I will remain forever grateful for my time at HSERC and look forward to using all that I’ve learned to support my ongoing development as a leader in healthcare!
- Isabelle Clutson


For the past few months, I have had the privilege to work at the HSERC office for my Nursing leadership 425 fieldwork. I have been working closely with my co-mentors, Dr. Sharla King and Melanie Garrison, along with members at the HSERC office. Together, they have demonstrated the true meaning of positive team functioning and collaborative leadership. Furthermore, they have also shared with me a wealth of knowledge around collaborative practice, interprofessional education (IPE), and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) – further enriching my understanding of what it means to work as a team. During this experience, I worked on a variety of projects aimed around enhancing IPE and IPC in the clinical and academic setting. Because of the collaborative nature that I was immersed in, I have a new profound appreciation around the importance and complexity of IPC in healthcare. I have gained valuable skills around leadership, advocacy, communication, and collaboration, in which I can place in my hypothetical ’toolbox’ as I venture into practice. I hope to utilize these skills in influencing enhanced collaborative practice and connection between clients and providers in the community setting. On a larger scale, I hope to practice these skills to influence health policy, education, and work towards breaking down siloed and hierarchical care. 
-Kristin Dam


For my NURS 425 Leadership fieldwork placement I was partnered with Dr. Sharla King and Melanie Garrison of HSERC. During my time I had the privilege of working on a wide variety of projects with some truly incredible and passionate individuals. I developed a solid understanding of the importance of interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in a positive team-based environment. Under the guidance of my mentors I strengthened my abilities in the various CIHC competencies and have become a proponent for collaborative practice in healthcare. With these more well-defined tools in my proverbial ‘toolbox’ I have the responsibility and privilege to advocate for the destruction of professional silos, and promote healthcare that is collaborative and patient centered throughout the remainder of my education and my future nursing career.  
-Samantha Sanderson