St. Boniface Registered Nurses
Alumni Association
November 2016 Newsletter
President’s Message
Hello Alumni!
I hope you are enjoying a beautiful fall season! It was good sharing the SBRN Alumni Association
AGM with many of you.
There is an often held perception that alumni members just sit around and talk about “the good old
days”. Certainly there is satisfaction in sharing memories, reflecting on shared experiences,
renewing friendships. We look forward to viewing the Archival Exhibit which tells the important
story of our past. The Alumni Association Members, however, continue to be interested in current
nursing practice, and how nursing care has developed based on nursing practice of the past and on
new evidence. This is particularly true of the Alumni Executive members who are still in the work
force.
It is important that we not be bound by the past but that we learn valuable lessons from the past.
The Alumni Association thus continues to distribute bursaries for a variety of purposes including
nursing research projects, continuing education, and helping nurses get back into the work force.
All these areas are clinically relevant and benefit patients.
One question that often arises is whether the core of compassionate care we learned in the past is
still deemed important at SBH. It was, therefore, with great interest that I read about The
Compassion Project (Believe Spring/Summer 2016 Issue 5.1) developed and offered to staff at
SBH. According to Dr. McIntyre, this evidence-based mindfulness and compassion approach has
the capacity to nurture caregivers and improve patients’ experiences. I find it reassuring that the
core value of compassionate care is still alive and well at SBH.
The Alumni Association has a strong group of alumni members, although we wish more SBH graduates
would discover the pleasure of reuniting with others who have graduated from our excellent School of
Nursing! Even the simple act of taking out a membership and receiving our newsletter can be mutually
beneficial. Please let your colleagues and friends know that any Registered Nurse is welcome to become an
associate member.
We appreciate and need continued Alumni support. The Alumni Association Executive also
acknowledges the important support we continue to receive from SBH for Alumni activities.
Sincerely,
Wanda Andres, President (nee Friesen 1964A)
Archive Report
We continue to make significant progress towards our goal of establishing the
interactive exhibit of the school of nursing!
The production phase of the SBRNAA permanent exhibit has begun!
The two interactive TV screens have been purchased and the programmer and
designer have been working diligently to input data and design the themes.
Again it’s important to thank our donors because without them we would
not be able to do this project:
The Grey Nuns, the Catholic Health Corporation of Manitoba, Winnipeg Foundation, Heritage Grant
Program, the St. Boniface Hospital, Alumni and other individual public donors, as well as hard
working Executive members for fundraising activities!
More exciting news: Our statue of Florence Nightingale, that was donated to the school by
the Royal Canadian Legion when it opened in 1928, has been refurbished and a new stand
made by Tom Benstead, Carpentry Department and Gerald Hince, Paint Department of
St. Boniface Hospital at no cost. This is a gift from these departments. Thank you hardly
seems sufficient!!!
The statue will be displayed, with a plaque noting its significance, in the parlor by the baby
grand piano. It is extremely important that we do our best to preserve these important artifacts
of our heritage.
“Virtual Reality Project”
In July 2016, through the St. Boniface University, we were successful in receiving funds
from the Heritage Grant Program. These funds will allow the Virtual Reality project to
commence. We are pleased and excited to be a partner with the University on this
project, which not only benefits the Alumni, but the students in the computer program
at the University.
Virtual reality is an easy to use interactive and visual technology allowing to experience spaces without ever
setting a foot there. The technology will allow individuals to “visit” virtually different places within the walls
of the School of nursing in a 360-degree perspective!!
Shirley Delaquis, Chair Archive Committee
Your continued support and donations are important to make this project a reality!
Social Committee Report
A Tea was held in honor of the 50 year grads in “the Parlour” May 17, 2016 for 33 1966 grads with
6 Executive and 3 alumni volunteers. Karen Sadler, President of MNU Local 5 and a 1985 grad, was
guest speaker.
The AGM dinner celebration was held on May 18, 2016 at Canad Inns Destination Centre Polo Park with 247
guests in attendance. 35 guests of honor from the 1966 class receiving a 50year pin. 20 non-attendees received
a pin. The 50 year grads carried a long stem red rose and were piped in by Evan Maydaniuk to Ambassador
rooms 1,2,3. A bouquet of white roses was placed at the podium, remembering our deceased members. The
room was decorated in a white and black theme. Guests from 1945 to 1988 attended.
Please join us for an evening of renewing old memories, friendships, & the creating of a legacy on
May 17, 2017 where we will be honoring the class of 1967! See the information below...
St. Boniface RN Alumni Association Annual General Meeting and Dinner
Celebration
Date:
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Location:
Canad Inns Destination Center Polo Park
1405 St. Matthews Avenue, Winnipeg, Mb.
Phone:
204-775-8791 or toll free: 1-888-332-2623
A block of rooms is being held until April 17, 2017. The group rate is $117.00/room or $130.00/suite. Please
indicate: St. Boniface RN Alumni Association, Confirmation #272695 for May 17, 2017 only.
Canad Inns destination Centre Polo Park website: www.canadinns.com or toll free number. Book directly with
the hotel.
Ticket price will be posted in the March Newsletter.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Social Hour
16:30 – 17:30 cash bar
Meeting-Dinner-Celebration
17:30 – 21:00
Honored guests:
Class of 1967
Class countdown and possible reunions: 1952, 1957, 1962, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992.
Anyone purchasing a dinner ticket will require a current membership.
(See Membership Form January to December 2016)
Tickets on sale March 1st to May 11th, 2017. No cash surrender value. No refunds.
Life members must purchase a ticket and membership. (See membership form). Do not mail cash.
By cheque
payable to St. Boniface RN Alumni Association.
By Mail:
St. Boniface RN Alumni Association
NG018-409 Tache Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2A6
Please include a self- addressed, stamped envelope with the following information: name, class year,
name at graduation and any allergy alert and special dietary request. Do not request this at the event
as meals are charged extra to the alumni! Include membership fee if applicable.
In person Blitz: Wednesdays: March 29, April 12, April 26, 2017 - 1100 to 1600,
Main entrance Everett Atrium St. Boniface Hospital 409 Tache Avenue.
Assigned table seating by class year unless otherwise specified when ticket purchased. Table settings are in
groups of 10. For Honored Guests 50 Year grads from 1967 a Membership only is required.
Contact for 50 year grads is:
Yvonne LeDoyen
Lorraine Bisson
email : [email protected]
email : [email protected]
PH : 204-257-0606
PH :204-257-4441
Invite a classmate and see you at the celebration...Gaylene Kramchynski, Social Chairperson (1975)
Save the date: AGM dinner celebration is planned for May 16, 2018 & May 15, 2019 at Polo Park Canad Inns.
As per our Constitution, Associate membership may be granted to any Registered Nurse not a graduate
of St. Boniface General Hospital School of Nursing.
Membership
Report
Membership stats as of Sept 29th are as follows:
We have 709 Life Members, 489 of which are active members.
That leaves 220 non active ‘life’ members.
We also have 248 Active regular Members. Unfortunately, we
have > 450 past members that we have lost track of. We still get
some returned mail and emails.
We encourage members to remember to send change of addresses and email addresses.
We also ask that all class contacts send updated information annually.
We are now accepting applications for Associate Membership. As per our Constitution, Associate
membership may be granted to any Registered Nurse not a graduate of St. Boniface General
Hospital School of Nursing.
Elaine Huberdeau will be transitioning into the Membership position.
I would like to take this occasion to thank Grace Lawrence and Marlene Machnicki who have been
invaluable assets, helping with membership in the last several years. We wish you the best in
future endeavours.
Gisèle Hansen Outgoing Membership chairperson
Thank you to GRACE LAWRENCE for her long time dedication and commitment to the
SBRNAA. She was recruited by Eunice Courchene in the1970’s……becoming President
Elect, President, Past President and then membership Chair for many years!!
All the best to you Grace!
Thank you to MARLENE MACHNICKI for her dedication and commitment to the
SBRNAA. Marlene served on the Executive Committee, was Secretary, Social Chair,
helped on Publicity, assisted on Membership, did sewing for the Archive Committee and
continues to help out at the Annual Tea each year! Thank you Marlene!
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
We are asking anyone interested in being an Associate Member of the St. Boniface Registered Nurses’ Alumni
Association to please contact us at [email protected]
As per our Constitution, Associate membership may be granted to any Registered Nurse not a graduate of
St. Boniface General Hospital School of Nursing. They have all the same privileges, including applying for
Bursary funding as an active member. They may not serve as an officer on the Executive.
LOST YOUR YEARBOOK??? or GRAD PIN???If you have lost your GRAD PIN or you would like a
YEARBOOK please call Shirley for more information at 204- 256-1812
JUNE 2016 SBH REGISTERED NURSES ALUMNI EXECUTIVE JUNE 2017
President:
Wanda Andres
President Elect:
Gisele Hansen
Past President:
Gaylene Kramchynski
Secretary:
Gisele Hansen
Treasurer:
Judy Maleski
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS:
Nominating:
Linda Jackson
Publicity:
Sharon Matte
Membership:
Elaine Huberdeau
Social:
Gaylene Kramchynski
Sick and Bereavement:
Barb Wheeler
Archive
Shirley Delaquis
Member at Large (3)
Madeleine Graham
Glenis Pacak
Rose Dziadekwich
204-757-2574
204-253-7400
204-256-0977
204-253-7400
204-254-0690
204-222-1945
204-489-1641
204-231-0542
204-256-0977
204-253-1706 W: 204-237-2946
204-256-1812
204-775-2893
204-488-4796
204-668-5795
Nominating Committee Report
We would like to welcome the newest member to a 2-year term as member-at-large,
Rose Dziadekwich. Always great to have new input!!Our last executive meeting
resulted in a switch of positions: Elaine Huberdeau will be in the membership role
with Gisele as a mentor.
Gisele Hansen will cover for secretary. She is President Elect, so will become
President following our next AGM in May 2017. We will need a nomination for
Secretary and Present Elect.
We are always seeking additional team players. If you are interested in attending any meetings to see
what our alumni board is all about, please contact us via e-mail and we will give details with time and
date of next meeting. Extra hands are needed for fundraising, networking and for lots and lots of fun!!
Our AGM connects us with our nursing aspirations and those who we’ve connected with over our
careers and lives. We will always be nurses long after we’ve retired. The comradery and pride will
never fade.
Linda Jackson, Chair Nominating Committee
ATTENTION
WANTED
ATTENTION
WANTED a donation for one or two large items to have for our raffle at our
Annual meeting on May 17, 2017. to raise money for the Archive project. If any
of you have a contact and/or would be able to get a large item (such as a TV
or I pad etc.) to be donated for our raffle please contact Judy Maleski, Treasurer at
[email protected] We would appreciate your help in obtaining such an item.
St. Boniface Registered Nurses' Alumni
Funding Opportunities
Graduates of the Registered Nurses’ Program from St. Boniface School of Nursing and Associate
members are eligible for funding up to a maximum amount of $500. Funding will be awarded for
practice-based nursing research, workshops, and conferences. Proposed research must be
clinically relevant and ultimately benefit patients.
To be considered, applicants must:
 be or become paid members of the Alumni
 provide proof of enrolment for workshops or conferences
 provide one-page summary of proposal for research studies
 submit a letter of application by February 28, 2017
 be in attendance at the Annual Dinner on May 17, 2017
The Alumni reserves the right to request return of funding should the candidate not complete
the research or attend the workshop or conference, other than for reasons of personal illness.
Apply in writing to: Attention Alumni Treasurer
St. Boniface Registered Nurses’ Alumni Association
Room NG018, 409 Tache Avenue
Winnipeg, MB. R2H 2A6
WEB SITE
RN Alumni Webpage & Email
A webpage on the St. Boniface Hospital website. You can find us by
simply googling “St. Boniface RN alumni”; you’ll see our page with
information about the Alumni Executive, our activities and events, and a link to our newsletter.
SBGH RN Alumni email address. You may email us at [email protected]
Create a lasting legacy to the St. Boniface Registered Nurses'
Alumni Association by leaving a bequest in your Will. By including
the St. Boniface Registered Nurses Alumni Association in your Will
you help sustain the Alumni and the activities that matter to you, such
as education grants and preserving the alumni’s history. For more information, call Shirley at 204-256-1812
Sick and Bereavement Committee
Name
Lydia Froese
Ida Greene
Maiden name
Class
Dyck
Skinkle
1948
1936
Darlene Hansen
Cummine
1956B
Elfriede Hiebert
Siemens
1962B
Natalie Margaret Janzen
Petkau
1949
Patricia Kenny
McLean
1975
Trudy Barta
Kilpatrick
1966
Sr. Armande Latreille
1942
Margaret Lewis
1958
Helen Lyons
Ingaldson
1963B
Dorothy McPhail
Hurle
1945B
Erna Warren
Enns
1963A
Lois Wiggins
Taylor
1942
Caroline Nault
Len
1962B
Marie Louise Patenaude
Tucker
1959A
Pauline Ross
Prefontaine
1949
Mary Ann De Villavilla
Sopko
1956B
THANK YOU to those who forwarded information; you may email information to
[email protected]
“Some people come into our lives and quickly go away…..Some stay for awhile…..
leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same.” MAKinane..88 -Flavias
TWO SUCCESSFUL FUND RAISING EVENTS
AGM RAFFLE
It was great seeing everyone at the Annual Dinner in May. Two prizes were raffled at the dinner:
1. A Kindle Reader, won by Sr. Juliette Thévenot, Coordinator of St. Boniface
Sector Grey Nuns
2. One night stay at Canad Inns Polo Park, won by Karen Coupland (1979 Grad)
$895.00 was made at this raffle
GARAGE SALE SEPTEMBER 3, 2016
On Sept.3 a garage sale was held with donations
coming from Alumni, family, friends and
visitors and with family members in St.
Boniface Hospital. THANK YOU to all alumni
members including the husbands who came out
to help with this huge project. A special thank
you to Linda Jackson who gave 110% by
donating her house, time, hospitality and artistic
skills into making this a huge success!
$989.00 was made at this garage sale!
Both these projects were in support of the Archives project. Judy Maleski, Treasurer
The Class of 1966 would like to thank the Alumni for the honour they showed
our class on our 50th reunion. The committee worked diligently to make our
reunion a success. The tea service held in the parlour was followed by a small
memorial service for deceased classmates. There was a nice display of our
graduation pictures in the cafeteria of the Hospital. During the Alumni dinner,
we were piped into the reception and received our 50 yr. pins in front of all in
attendance. We felt very special that evening.
UP COMING REUNIONS
Class of 1957 celebrating 60th reunion
Contact : Marvelle McPherson
Ph : 204-663-6744
email:[email protected]
If anyone has any information regarding the following 1957 classmates, please contact Marvelle:
Martha Thibideau (Peters), Marie Faul (Klippenstein), Hilda Wedel and Pauline Kampan (Wasilishen)
POSSIBLE SPECIAL REUNIONS: 1952 (65th reunion), 1957 (60th reunion), 1962
(55th reunion), 1972 (45th reunion), 1977 (40th reunion, 1982 (35th reunion), 1987 (30th
reunion), 1992 (25th reunion).
Plan your next class reunion to include the Alumni Annual Dinner
meeting.
This book titled “Be Ever Faithful” was written by Margaret Fagnou
(Daubenfeld) and Pat Phillips (Herman/nee Polowy) for the 1961B class
reunion in May 2016. It speaks to their life as students and what transpired
for them to earn their RN designation.
If anyone is interested in a copy of the book they may contact:
Pat Phillips
Box 412,
Hartney, MB,
R0M 0X0
Thank you for giving the Alumni a copy of the book for our archives.
Congratulations Pat and Margaret!!
This book entitled “Estote Fideles 2015” was compiled & edited by
Carol Jones & Bernice Forster, designed by Eleanor Suderman to
honor their 50th reunion in 2015. A book filled with memories of
life as a student nurse, past reunions and events at their 50th reunion.
Thank you for giving the Alumni a copy of the book for our
archives.
DID YOU KNOW?
The only continent with no active volcanoes is Australia.
The hyoid bone in your throat is the only bone in your body that is not attached to another.
Elephants are the only mammals that can’t jump.
Hummingbirds are the only bird that can fly backwards.
In a deck of cards, the king of hearts is the only king without a moustache.
The cheetah is the only cat that can’t retract its claws.
The word “uncopyrightable” is the only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating
any letter.
DONATIONS FOR THE ST. BONIFACE REGISTERED NURSES' ALUMNI
IF YOU REQUIRE A TAX RECEIPT:
Make your donation addressed to the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation C1026 - 409 Taché Ave. Winnipeg,
MB. R2H 2A6 Cheque payable to the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation. Please note on your donation that
it is for the St. Boniface Nurses’ Alumni. Donations of $15 or more will receive a charitable tax receipt.
IF YOU DO NOT REQUIRE A TAX RECEIPT:
Make cheques payable to St. Boniface Registered Nurses' Alumni Association and send to St. Boniface
Registered Nurses' Alumni Association, Room NG018, 409 Taché Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R2H 2A6
Latest news on the Pacemaker
Clinic – St. Boniface Hospital
submitted by Linda Jackson
As a current member of SBRN Alumni Association, I thought I
would share some nursing aspects of the Pacemaker/ICD clinic.
Within Manitoba, there is a pacemaker clinic in Brandon as well
as Winnipeg. ICD's (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) are
followed in Winnipeg only. It is a very specialized busy area. Our
pacemaker patient volume is approximately 4500 patients and our
ICD patients are 1500+. Currently our nursing staff is comprised
of a CRN (Clinical Resource Nurse) plus 5 full time nurses and 3part time nurses. It is a nurse managed clinic....one of the largest
device clinics throughout Canada. Foothills Hospital in Calgary is comparable in size. A pacemaker
is used for slow symptomatic heart rates, asymptomatic high grade AV Block as well as prior to AV
node ablation (to control heart rates not amenable to drug therapy). Defibrillators are used in high
risk patients to treat lethal heart arrhythmias. They may have a predisposition to arrhythmias due to
a weakened heart muscle or more rarely, inherited predisposition to arrhythmias (long QT syndrome,
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as a few examples).
The role of our nurses:
 Provide pre op information re: indication for device, the impact on patient's lifestyle,
possible complications, follow up regime plus supply patient resources and supports.
 Do routine checks to evaluates the battery longevity, lead function, heart rate control, any
arrhythmias on stored data, med and cardiovascular symptom review.
 Generate follow up letters to the patient’s physician and or cardiologist regarding these
assessments.
 If required, we will liaise with 5 of our arrhythmia specialists if there are further tests
ordered or medication recommendations. A physician is not always readily available in our
workday.
 Typically, a pacemaker is assessed at least annually or more often if we are watching a
battery or if there are changes in pacemaker tests. An ICD is checked every 6 months or
more.
 As technology has advanced, many of our ICDs can be checked with a remote monitor.
These monitors are set up in patient's homes. At scheduled intervals or if there are unusual
readings, the monitor will send a download of the most current information in the device
via a phone line to a secure web site. Nurses from our clinic can evaluate this information.
It is not an emergency system. It is just another way to check patients without a clinic visit
 Our patients may also have cardiac resynchronization devices. We now have
subcutaneous ICD's. Some of our pacemakers and leads are MRI conditional use. Before
MRI's were absolutely contraindicated.
The wave of the future will be leadless pacemakers and who knows what else. This is a rapidly
changing area as is much of the nursing and medical areas. And always, it is the patients and
families that make this more than just a job.