Submission
2024 PPNO Annual General Meeting Thursday, November 28, 2024
Where & When
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This year, our AGM will take place on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. E.T., followed by a series of speakers. The AGM will be a hybrid event, the onsite location will be at Mackenzie Health, Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, Learning Centre in Vaughan, Ontario. The virtual login gives members and non-members outside of the Greater Toronto Area an opportunity to take part in the AGM and the educational sessions. 

The AGM will include updates on the general membership, current financial status, and new board member votes. Following the AGM, our guest speakers will discuss top concerns and solutions in the industry. PPNO members are eligible to attend the AGM at 8:30 a.m. and presentations. Non-members are eligible to attend the speaker presentations in person and virtually starting at 9:45 a.m. EST. Non-members joining virtually at 9:45 a.m. will be held in the waiting room until the AGM has adjourned.

8:30 AM – 9:30 AMPPNO Annual General Meeting
9:30 AM – 9:45 AMNon-Members Join Event
9:55 AM – 10:25 AMThe Impact of Leadership Competencies on Allied Health Engagement at Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Karimah Alidina, Chief Nursing Executive, Runnymede Healthcare Center
10:25 AM – 10:55 AMRedesigning the Model of Care of Low Tolerance Long Duration Rehabilitation Program at Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Joanna Armatys, Manager of Allied Health, Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Reem Hamdonah, Project Coordinator – Clinical Programs, Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Phuntsok Namgyal, Director, Operational Effectiveness and Excellence, Operational Effectiveness, Runnymede Healthcare Centre
10:55 AM – 11:35 AMRecruitment of Internationally Trained Professionals: retention, adjusting culture, clinical discretion/reasoning
Desa Dlugosz, Manager Professional Practice, Workforce Planning and Transition to Practice, Trillium Health Partners
11:35 AM – 11:55 AMSimulation Supporting the New Nurse Residency Program 
Christina Scerbo, Simulation Lead, Mackenzie Health
11:55 AMVirtual Meeting Concludes
12:00 PMSimulation and tour of Mackenzie Health Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital

The Impact of Leadership Competencies on Allied Health Engagement at Runnymede Healthcare Centre 
This study aims to examine the reasons behind poor staff engagement in Allied Health (AH) staff at Runnymede Healthcare Centre (RHC or Runnymede), identify core leadership competencies that impact staff engagement and provide recommendations for enhancing leadership competencies and, subsequently, staff engagement among AH professionals at RHC. This study will examine employee engagement and leadership competency theories to better understand the relationship between these two constructs. Furthermore, gap analysis will be used as analytical framework to facilitate this exploration and to make recommendations to enhance staff engagement at Runnymede.

Learning Outcomes
  • Identify causes of low staff engagement
  • Identify leadership competencies needed to facilitate employee engagement

Karimah Alidina, Chief Nursing Executive, Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Karimah Alidina has over 20 years of progressive leadership experience in healthcare and has worked in various positions, including a front-line nurse, clinical educator, manager, advisor, director and Chief Nursing Executive. In her current role as Chief Nursing Executive and Interim Chief Clinical Programs at Runnymede Healthcare Centre, Karimah is responsible for planning, developing, leading and evaluating practices with a focus on creating a high-performing team that is motivated to achieve exemplary results at all times.
Karimah is a dynamic leader with values of shared vision, collaboration, a strong appreciation for diversity, integrity, and leading change. Karimah is a Certified Health Executive and has received her Masters of Science in Nursing from McMaster University and MBA from Australian Institute of Business. 

Redesigning the Model of Care of Low Tolerance Long Duration Rehabilitation Program at Runnymede Healthcare Centre
This project aims to redesign the model of care of the Low Tolerance Long Duration (LTLD) Rehabilitation Program to enhance the patient experience, improve staff satisfaction, and optimize overall rehabilitation capacity in 52 weeks. With the implementation of this project, Runnymede will integrate a variety of evidence-based group therapies that will offer vicarious learning, provide a sense of support, enhance motivation, and decrease social isolation and depression in patients (Hammond, et.al. 2015). Integration of group therapy will also allow therapy staff to see more patients at a given time, which may, in turn, increase therapy minutes received per patient per week. This project will also integrate virtual rehabilitation therapy into our model of care and complement traditional rehabilitation, and improve patients' functional outcomes (Ho, et.al. 2019). 

Learning Outcomes
  • Appreciate elements of system and occupational integration of HHR (scope of practice and innovative care)
  • Learn the process utilized to redesign and implement various methods of delivering healthcare services
Joanna Armatys, Manager of Allied Health, Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Joanna Armatys has over  25 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She has worked various roles including out-patient physiotherapist, Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, Clinical Lead and Manager. She has participated in various endeavours, including establishing the bundle care total joint classes, establishing community partnerships for education and a community stroke program, and working with the Rehab Care Alliance on the Shoulder Arthroplasty Task Group for establishing best practice guidelines. 
In her current role as Manager of Allied Health at Runnymede Healthcare Centre, she is responsible for leading a dynamic group of clinical practitioners in delivering excellence in patient care. 

Reem Hamdonah, Project Coordinator – Clinical Programs, Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Reem Hamdonah has extensive professional experience in healthcare as a medical radiation technologist, clinical course supervisor, and project coordinator. She holds a Masters in Public Health in which she worked on various quality improvement projects and population health initiatives. In her current role a project coordinator for clinical programs at Runnymede Healthcare Centre, she works closely with leaders and teams across the organization and oversees the planning and implementation of various clinical projects with a focus on optimizing workflows and delivery of high quality care.
Reem's values are rooted in a strong desire to drive positive change in healthcare, emphasizing patient-centered care and a commitment to improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare services. She believes in the power of collaboration and interprofessional education to foster innovation and enhance the overall healthcare experience for patients and professionals alike.

Phuntsok Namgyal, Director, Operational Effectiveness and Excellence, Operational Effectiveness, Runnymede Healthcare Centre
Phuntsok Namgyal is a nurse by profession; he envisions and develops strategies to transform the healthcare system to positively impact patient care and staff engagement. With strengths and experience in oversight of complex initiatives, Phuntsok leads diverse and engaged teams including allied health, activation staff, central staffing office and MDS department to effectively implement strategies that better support patient care.
Having worked internationally, Phuntsok is well-versed in cultural sensitivity, values collaborative partnership and is passionate about patient and family centered care. Phuntsok has a Bachelor's of Computer Science and a Master's in Business Administration. He currently works at Runnymede Healthcare Centre as Director of Operational Effectiveness and Excellence. 


Recruitment of Internationally Trained Professionals: retention, adjusting culture, clinical discretion/reasoning
Share the success story of recruitment and retention of Internationally Trained Healthcare Professionals at Trillium Health Partners (THP).  The success is a result of building partnerships, frameworks and a sustainable plan to support new internationally educated healthcare providers in becoming leaders within the organization. Trillium Health Partners played a key role supporting IENs Supervised Practice Experience in partnership with CARE. In addition, we have provided individualized support that has contributed to the transition of IENs to regulated THP roles. Within the last fiscal year, 83% of IENs successfully transitioned to regulated roles at THP. We are currently on track to reach a 90% conversion rate. Furthermore, THP was the first in Ontario to develop a formal process to support nurses working with a Temporary Class License. Finally, we are in the process to launch a Community of Practice that will lend itself to supporting new leaders within the IEN group. The lessons learned in the IEN program at THP has begun to influence the work in supporting Internationally Educated Allied Professionals.

Learning Outcomes
  • Understanding the specific needs of the Internationally Trained Professionals
  • Providing education and learning that supports both the health professional and the organization
  • Optimizing the experience of IENs to build future leader

Desa Dlugosz RN, BScN, MN, Manager, Professional Practice, Workforce Planning & Transition to Practice, Trillium Health Partners
Nursing career expanding 24 years from in-patient medicine, medical step-down, respirology and emergency medicine from downtown Toronto hospitals to suburban hospitals. Began formal leadership journey in 2018 when I became a Clinical Educator at Trillium Health Partners in the Medicine program. Most recently, in 2022 have transitioned to being Manager in Professional Practice at Trillium Health Partners, leading all Ministry-led initiatives and corporate orientation and education. A significant part of the work is supporting internationally trained professionals. 


Simulation Supporting the New Nurse Residency Program
Highlight simulation education and process planning at Mackenzie Health with a focus on utilizing simulation in our New Nurse Residency Program. 

Learning Outcomes
  • Idea share -  New Nurse Residency Program
  • Involvement of Simulation to support program

Christina Scerbo RN, MN, CCSNE, Simulation Program Lead, Mackenzie Health
Christina joined Mackenzie Health in 2016.  As the Simulation Lead, she focuses on education and process planning while fostering interprofessional and interdepartmental partnerships within the organization.  Christina was previously the Nurse Educator of Pediatrics and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Mackenzie Health, the Nurse Educator for the Children's Emergency Department at London Health Sciences Centre, Simulation Laboratory Instructor for the University of Western Ontario, and over 15 years of nursing including experience at Sick Kids and Sick Kids International (Hamad Medical Centre). 
Christina received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto.  She later pursued her Bachelor of Nursing and Master of Nursing at York University.  She also holds a professional designation and certification as a Canadian Certified Simulation Nurse Educator (CCSNE).  Christina is an Adjunct Lecturer for the University of Toronto – Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing.