3 rd Annual Therapy Assistant Association of Alberta Awards

1. 3rd Annual Therapy Assistant Association of Alberta Awards

2. Categories • Long-Term Service Award • Student Award • Student Mentor Award • Leadership Award • Outstanding Practitioner Award • Outstanding Team Practice Award

3. Long-Term Service Award • Must be a member of the Association for at least five consecutive years • Has been promoting the Association

4. Long-Term Service Award nominees Helen Tanton

5. Long-Term Service Award recipient • Has been working for Alberta Health Services for 25 years. • Works as a Rehab Assistant at Daysland Hospital • Considered a valuable team member • Brings a positive presence and is happy & upbeat all the time • Helps students, teaches them • Demonstrates a positive role model at all times Helen Tanton

6. Student Award • Registered in one of the 4 post-secondary institutions in Alberta • Must possess outstanding clinical and academic skills • Inspires fellow students • Demonstrates a passion for learning

7. Student Award nomineesKuljeet SidhuElise Packet

8. Student Award recipientElise Packet • 2nd year OTA/PTA student at Medicine Hat College • Volunteered with Student Ambassador program • Student representative to MHC Therapist Assistant Advisory Committee • Quiet steady student learner • Assists others with their learning • Strong work ethic: assists with set up & clean up of lab activities

9. Student Mentor Award • Has mentored Therapy Assistant students by providing coaching, support and/or feedback during student’s placement • Encourages others to mentor students • Has made mentoring students a continuing goal in their professional life

10. Student Mentor Award nomineesRaeann SharlandAndrea Dahmer

11. Student Mentor Award recipient Raeann Sharland • Works with Alberta Health Services at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital as a PTA • Graduated from the 1st PTA class at Medicine Hat College & continually supports the PTA role at AHS & MHC • Assists MHC as a lab instructor • Takes students on fieldwork placements • Provides guidance & encouragement to students while monitoring student electronic discussion boards during fieldwork placements • Always ready to lend a helping hand, ear or provide input and as a result, students gravitate to her

12. Leadership Award • Promotes the role of the Therapy Assistant • Promotes the discipline(s) and/or specialties in which they work • Encourages others to participate in Professional Development and does so themselves • Is an integral member of their rehabilitation team

13. Leadership Award NomineesAnnette WaayenbergBoris JefticCarolyn OnuskoNicole BerlinguetteRick PetersSheila Free

14. Leadership Award RecipientBoris Jeftic • Works as a TA in the Wounds/Medicine area • Constantly supports team members – mentors & gives advice • Is supportive to ALL team members: non-judgmental & a strong advocate who will support the members to a Clinical Leader if appropriate • Always mentors students & has been student coordinator for many years • Entire team looks to him for advice: Therapists & TAs • Supportive to patients: They love him! • Runs the “behind the scenes” operations because he is organized & thorough • Attends TA workshops and webinars • Self starter: first to arrive, gets the department up and running

15. Outstanding Practitioner Award • Has contributed to the rehabilitation team • Must possess outstanding clinical and interpersonal skills • Participates in professional development opportunities • Shares with or teaches other team members knowledge acquired through practice or education opportunities

16. Outstanding Practitioner Award nominees Andrea Dahmer Clarence Iglesias Danielle Bromley Haley Zielinski Jennifer Bornstein Jessica Seutter Joanne Enns Jocelyn Bal Karma Stewart Kendra Barthalow Krista Schell Linda Krankowsky Lori Wolfe Madison Littman Marian Bryan Simon Shapiro

17. Outstanding Practitioner Award recipient • Works as SLPA on Neuro Rehab Unit at Dr Vernon Fanning Center in Calgary working with clients with acquired brain injury or who suffered a stroke • Has demonstrated outstanding clinical skills & knowledge of Neurogenic Communication Disorders • Incorporates creative individualized therapy ideas for clients: Adapts & modifies activities & is sensitive to client’s cultural background – searches out materials in the client’s primary language • Facilitates individual and group sessions for Aphasia, Dysarthria & Cognitive Communication • Acts as key clinician to program applications & troubleshoots client IPad issues • Constantly advances her clinical skills: trained in Supportive Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA tm). • Possesses exceptional interpersonal skills & builds strong rapport with clients & their families • Contributes daily to the team & is a passionate mentor: orients new TAs • Her co-workers regard her as a fellow Speech Language Pathologist Clinician first, and a Therapy Assistant second Jocelyn Bal

18. Outstanding Team Practice Award • Has impacted their organization by demonstrating outstanding clinical and interpersonal skills • The team members must have made contributions towards increased knowledge, skills and outstanding client service • The TA team’s success is a result of the nominees working in a collaborative and engaging manner

19. Outstanding Team Practice Award nominees Carol Thompson & Kathy Koehler Krystyna Lang, Dell Yaghi & Amanda Petrie Donna Hackborn, Lisa Booth, Kezia Mensah & Denise Wigmore

20. Outstanding Team Practice Award recipients • TA’s at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital on musculoskeletal physical therapy team • All extremely well trained & bring a variety of clinical & interpersonal skills • Constantly seeking out courses & mentorship opportunities • Share their knowledge with TA students that they supervise • Consistently anticipating therapist & patient needs • Function well independently, but strongly collaborative • Adaptable, flexible, & jump right in without hesitation • Compassionate and understanding • Go above and beyond every day; often without recognition! Krystyna Lang, Dell Yaghi & Amanda Petrie

21. Congratulations to all our winners and nominees! We are proud to recognize the outstanding work you do in your respective roles and hope we can all follow the example set by you. Thank you for letting your passion shine through!