About
Who We Are
SPRUCE-RN is a Registered Nurses’ Foundation of Ontario (RNFOO)-funded project, spear-headed by two northern nurse-simulationists out of Sudbury, Ontario. Our team saw a recurring need for nurses in northern and rural areas to have access to simulation when they needed it (not yearly certifications, not on their next fly out, etc.). Having both worked with Northern-rural sites (Alex in Kashechewan, Holly with virtual crisis services), we appreciate the need to be a jack-of-all-trades for nursing skills, novice and advanced. Alongside our design and reviewer team, we aimed to create a website that was easy-to-use and relevant to our northern and rural nurses, to keep continuing education going, no matter where you are!
We are incredibly grateful to our Simulation Technician Sébastien Perth who prototyped all our task trainers, and our website designer Joseph Newing, who made this website come to life! We also greatly thank our Northern-nurse reviewers Meagan, Jacob, Shavone, and Laura, who made sure the content was clear, accessible, and relatable to your northern nurse needs! Another thank you to the entire HSN Simulation Lab team who kept us afloat all year while we worked hard at this project. You can learn more about our team below.
Design Team
Alex Wood: Alex grew up in the Sudbury area before attaining his BScN from McMaster University in 2008. He started his nursing career in critical care before moving to the coast of James Bay where he lived and worked in the remote First Nations community of Kashechewan. Alex joined the HSN Simulation Lab team in 2014. Alex helped in the coordination, review, and edits of all modules, including recruitment of our design and review team.
Holly Sarvas: Born and raised in Northern Ontario, Holly is a Registered Nurse with 4 years experience working in the field of simulation education at the Health Sciences North Simulation Lab. Holly aided in the creation of all modules, placing special focus in the standardized patient and CPR module.
Sébastien Perth: Sébastien comes to medical simulation after a career in journalism and a background in paramedicine. Working as a simulation technician over the past 5 years, he has developed a passion for coming up with innovative and creative ways to meet learning objectives. He helped develop the I/O, I.V., wound care, and suture-staple pad modules.
Joseph Newing: Joseph is a Marathon, Ontario based web developer. Joseph has 15+ years desiging and developing websites and IT support, including developing the https://PRACTISS.ca website. He provided all the back-end and most of the front-end design of the website to ensure the user-friendliness.
Reviewer Team
Meagan Vanderploeg: Meagan is a registered nurse based in the Weeneebayko area of Northern Ontario. Meagan has years of experience in rural-remote nursing, including nurse education and training. Meagan aided in the review of IV, suture/staple, standardized patient, and wound care modules, including proto-type testing.
Jacob Vanderploeg: Jacob is a registered nurse based in the Weeneebayko area of Northern Ontario. Jacob has years of experience in rural-remote nursing, including being an ACLS instructor, and overseeing the Attawapiskat hospital. He has provided review of the suture/staple, IO and wound care modules, including proto-type testing.
Shavone Wesley: Shavone is a registered nurse based in Cochrane, Ontario. Shavone has years of experience in rural nursing, including being the Education Lead for the MICs Group of Health Services. Shavone provided review of the IV insertion module, including proto-type testing.
Laura Crick: Laura is a registered nurse based in the Weeneebayko area of Northern Ontario. Laura has years of experience in rural-remote nursing, including being the education lead for the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority. She has provided review of the standardized patient module, including all relevant attachments.
Adele Bodson: Adele is a registered nurse based at Health Sciences North. Adele is a PALS and ACLS-instructor, with years of experience teaching resuscitation-based skills, including to nurses and healthcare practitioners from rural-remote healthcare centres. She has provided review of the CPR module, including proto-type testing.