In Alberta, critical care in the air is reaching new heights thanks to innovative training and simulation. This dedicated team recently touched down in Colinton to help ensure that advanced care paramedic students from Portage College are fully prepared for the unique challenges of providing care in-flight. To support this, a mobile simulation trailer replicating the interior of an air ambulance travels across the province, offering hands-on training in a realistic environment. "The simulation trailer has an air ambulance fuselage in it, and we take it around the province so students and practitioners can get experience what it's like to work in an aircraft," said Kathy Reid, a registered nurse and Manager, Provincial Air Ambulance Operations & Interfacility Transfer Strategy. This immersive training enables practitioners to manage complex medical scenarios in tight, high-pressure environments. Inside the trailer, instructors use advanced technology to simulate real-life emergencies. “If I want to change the heart rate, I click on the heart and I can change the heart rate that way. Also clicking on the lungs, brain, it gives me full control over everything that that dummy is doing,” said John Sison, Team Lead, AHS Air Ambulance. “We're trying to make it as realistic as we can." Through this innovative approach, Alberta’s air ambulance teams are better equipped to deliver life-saving care—wherever it’s needed.
This Alberta Rural Health Week we celebrate the ongoing collaboration between AHS and partners to shine a light on local health careers. Kneehill County teens recently received a glimpse of career alternatives close to home thanks to the efforts of local healthcare staff and the Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RhPAP). Three Hills Health Centre and Kneehill Medical Clinic hosted a Let's Go Rural! healthcare skills event for area Grade 9-12 students in partnership with the RhPAP. Area healthcare professionals stepped up to demonstrate medical skills and simulations for participants, raising awareness among the impressionable youth of the breadth of possibilities of healthcare careers within their community. “These programs are neat because they allow students to experience firsthand what it would mean to be a nurse or a lab X-ray tech, versus just seeing it on paper,” says Suzanne Kirk, Three Hills Health Centre site lead and acute care manager. Kirk helped organize the event along with facility staff and led groups of students through medical scenarios using an interactive learning mannequin. “It was exciting to see the students come through the door,” she adds. “You could tell that they're a little bit nervous, but it's fun to see the light bulbs go off and they're like, ‘Oh, that's cool,’ or, ‘Oh, I'd be interested in that.’” Read more here: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/Page19014.aspx
A career in paramedicine offers a wide range of career growth opportunities. Whether you’re aiming to become a specialist, leader, or advanced practitioner, working in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) can help you follow your passion. Discover how paramedics at AHS are shaping their careers and delivering care to patients across Alberta: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/careers/Page13223.aspx
It’s natural for any new nurse to feel a kind of stage fright. Yet every nurse — no matter how seasoned they may be today — once stood in their shoes at the starting line. To bridge that gap, Alberta Health Services’ senior nurses recently answered career questions submitted by third-year nursing students from the University of Calgary. With topics from how to choose a specialty to building confidence in practice, nurses shared their honest, hard-won wisdom shaped by their years on the floor and early days in nursing. Read the full story here: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/careers/Page13222.aspx
Clinical Research Nurse Tevi works at the newly opened Arthur Child Cancer Centre in Calgary, assisting cancer patients partaking in clinical trials. Her unique role supports the next generation of cancer treatments and works alongside doctors, oncologists and other cancer care professionals to help support the best outcomes possible for patients. Read her story at: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/careers/Page13221.aspx
Curiosity and a craving for adventure inspired Registered Nurse (RN) Christopher Viola to try locum nursing. “I was already working for AHS (for more than 20 years), but I wanted to experience what it was like working as a travel nurse versus a regular full-time job. I enjoy a small-town atmosphere and wanted to see more of Alberta.” “My first assignment was in High Prairie; I was there for a month,” he says. “I took three weeks off and then went to High Level for six months. After that I took a few months off, and now I’m in Fort Vermilion. It’s definitely remote, but I like the peace and quiet.” “My kids are all grown up now so I can travel more,” he adds. “I choose to work longer assignments for stability of staffing and to help sites who need my services. The best part of working as a locum nurse is the flexibility. You can pick and choose your work, where you want to go and how long you want to stay.” While he’s always enjoyed being a nurse, Viola says he’s found a fresh level of job satisfaction through his new adventures and the people he’s met as a locum nurse. “Making a difference in the lives of patients and clients — and being appreciated for the work that you do — it’s really satisfying. That feeling of being wanted, while making a difference, is second to none.” Read more about locum nursing at https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/Page18795.aspx
Did you know that AHS provides opportunities for nursing students to get work experience as they finish their degree? Undergraduate Nurse Employees (UNEs) like Anahat are an important part of the larger nursing team. They get to put their skills into practice and work alongside licensed nurses to build their confidence. Are you a student or recently graduated nurse? We’re hiring in locations across the province, learn more and apply today at: https://careers.albertahealthservices.ca/moreinfo/nursing-students
As a Recreation Therapist, Krista works with patients every day to enrich their lives. In her work, she creates activities, inspired by her patients’ passions to best support their health and wellbeing. Recreation Therapists can work in acute care, supported living, rehabilitation and beyond as an important part of the allied health team. Learn more about roles in Allied Health at: ahs.ca/alliedhealthcareers
Did you know that AHS has facilities in small cities and towns across the province? Working in rural healthcare offers a unique opportunity to grow your career, work to your full scope of practice, and build meaningful relationships with the community you live in. Explore opportunities and see where we're hiring at: ahs.ca/ruralcareers
Amazing news for Drayton Valley and area residents who want to get into nursing! The town of Drayton Valley has partnered with the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services (AHS) to deliver the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program. In September, the new Drayton Valley BScN program admitted its first nine students. All are studying to earn their degree, preparing them to become registered nurses through a blend of virtual learning and hands-on clinicals and labs. The town reached out to University of Calgary and AHS as a potential location for the newest iteration of the Bachelor of Nursing – Rural Community Route program, which launched with its first set of students in Wainwright in 2021. In addition to the Town of Drayton Valley’s efforts and the support of area businesses, the Drayton Valley Health Foundation is planning its contribution to healthcare education and long-term community wellness as well. The group plans to support the creation of a future eSIM (educate, simulate, innovate, motivate) lab to recreate clinical events safely. New students from Drayton Valley and surrounding communities can still apply for fall 2025! Continue reading about Drayton Valley’s new post-secondary program at: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/Page18721.aspx
