Keri-Ann
Berga
RN, BSCN, MScN, IBCLC, PNC(C), CNeoN(C)
This website was created as part of my onboarding to St. Lawrence College and is in partial fulfillment of my Contemporary Educator’s Program (CEP), 2022-2024. Special thanks to Andre Leger and all of my CEP cohort colleagues and especially Indigenous Knowledge Keeper & sharer of wisdom, Shannon Hall who has helped us all do the heart work and head work needed today, and in the future.
About
me
Image: Stephanie Gayle and I co-hosting a Research event on the Kingston campus as part of our role on the Research & Scholarship Committee. The space we presented in happened to be the classroom I took a pathophysiology course 20 years earlier!
I started my nursing career after graduating from the St. Lawrence College RN diploma program with distinction in 2004.
Since then, I have had the opportunity to work in diverse areas of nursing including acute care, NICU, perinatal care, paediatrics, public health, as a clinical nurse educator, Assistant Professor, curriculum & course designer, perinatal consultant, NRP instructor, and now as a Professor of Nursing the BScN program at SLC.
Specialty Areas
01
NICU & Neonatal Care, Human Milk Feeding, Perinatal Care.
Canadian Nurses Association Certifications in Perinatal & Neonatal Care. PNC (C) since 2015, CNeoN (C) since 2020 and IBCLC since 2010.
02
Online and Blended Learning, Knowledge Translation, Quality Improvement ... and more!
I have always had an affinity for perinatal nursing care, including NICU nursing. I worked in various areas of nursing from 2004 until now.
I began teaching part-time with SLC in 2008, continuing my clinical nursing roles and education over the years, completing a post-RN BScN (2009) and later, an MScN (2014), both at uOttawa.
Now, my two areas of passion including perinatal and neonatal nursing, along with interprofessional education have come together and I have the most fulfilling career and dream “job”, teaching nursing, and teaching neonatal care.
Simulation Based Nursing Experiences and training include formal training from MacEwan University in Edmonton, and through the Canadian Paediatric Society’s Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and Acute Care of the At Risk Newborn (ACorN) Interdisclipinary education. As an Assistant Prof, I was able to co-coordinate interdiscliplinary simulations, from creation to implementation, also utilizing best practices in debriefing.
03
04
With a passion for global health, I have had the joy and privilege to travel in my role. In 2018, I traveled to China to share reciprocal learning experiences with nursing educators in Cangzhou and Beijing, while also planning a global health learning experience for BScN Students.
Being in the classroom with students is a happy place. I am honoured to be a small part of each student’s journey to become a nurse and strive to promote a safe and open place to learn and grow together. I apply active learning strategies and strive to inspire learners to do more, think more and care more. By sharing stories and current evidence, we can endeavour to bring real life nursing to the classroom.
Teaching Philosophy
“When you study great teachers... you will learn much more from their caring and hard work than from their style.” ― William Glasser.
I am grounded in a philosophy that is student-centred and fosters evidence-based, emancipatory knowing, learning and being.
I believe that the journey of teaching must include a true desire to help others achieve their unique professional and personal growth. My philosophy includes being a nurturing instructor and mentor who practices kindness while also challenging students to optimize their learning and growth. Every student will someday make a difference and will impact the lives of others. This is often what motivates me as an educator. My teaching is rooted in caring and dedication and I believe we must model these values.
My goal is to inspire students to develop their passions. I wish to challenge students to critically think and seek out new information that fosters continuous growth personally and professionally.
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward.
I believe that by sharing knowledge in a way that includes various ways of knowing in nursing (Carper, 1978; Chinn & Kramer, 2008; 2011), and by facilitating constructivist, experiential learning that sparks an interest and engages students, learning can be enhanced and optimized. In our current context, having a growth mindset, along with the effective application and integration of knowledge and critical thinking skills will be vital for future nurses to be ready for their profession and working in the ever-changing healthcare system. This includes advocating for the best possible equitable care on multiple levels, for an individual, family, community, healthcare system and globally.
“To be inspired is great, to inspire is an honour” -- Stacey T. Hunt
More on .... Philosophy
I believe that evidence, holistic care, advocacy, quality improvement and knowledge translation go hand in hand in nursing and healthcare; I continually aim for my teaching strategies to exemplify and foster this learning.
As an educator, I blend practical approaches to teaching with principles of adult learning. Andragogy, knowledge translation and sound instructional design are vital for the transfer of knowledge. Learner engagement and fostering transformational learning and leadership are key. In some circumstances, we may be teaching learners who are used to fast-paced learning environments and technologies, therefore, achieving a balance of tradition and innovation is key in education delivery.
Most importantly, I believe it is vital to remain person and family-centred in nursing and nursing education. In a highly bio-medicalized profession, an emphasis on patient choice, autonomy, relational ethics and holistic nursing care based on mutual goals that is crucial. In my teaching, you will find examples of the integration of family-centred care principles, empowerment and nursing interventions to best support individuals and families, based on their unique needs.
My most recent nursing experiences as a Perinatal Consultant in an advanced practice nursing role highlighted the importance of the RN role and scope of practice, and the need for nursing advocacy and the nurses’ voice at all inter and intra-professional tables related to healthcare system reform. Nurses have a unique understanding of issues within a complex and intricate system. Nurses’ insights are vital in all aspects and levels of healthcare planning, to ensure a patient-centred approach.
In a fast-paced, acute and complex healthcare system with increasing technology use, the human essence of nursing mustn't be lost. Because of this, my teaching philosophy includes approaches that help students advocate for health equity, and for their profession.
A challenge for future nurses will be navigating a complex and highly medicalized system and strategies to provide skills and knowledge to adapt within these systems are vital.
Finally, I feel honoured to be able to teach and inspire future nurses and look forward to growing and adapting with our changing healthcare and educational systems.
Recent
Experience
Professor of Nursing, St. lawrence college
2022-present
Perinatal Consultant, NRP instructor and instructor trainer, cmnrp at Cheo
2019-present
tenured assistant professor in faculty of nursing and sessional instructor in continuing education, macewan university
2014-2022, MacEwan University
additional clinical nursing
and diverse teaching roles (2004-present)
Full list of nursing and academic experiences and role descriptors are available upon request (2004-present)
Courses Taught
(2008-present)
Research Interests
My pragmatic approaches to research is why I am drawn to quality improvement, knowledge translation, studying how we work, how we are practicing and how we can improve- whether it’s health equity-related, curriculum design, pedagogy, and working with patients, families, students or colleagues.
I strongly believe that our observations are important and matter.
Anecdotal evidence and observations from nurses and nursing educators are key to creating and promoting sustainable change in our classrooms, patient care areas and our healthcare system.
Working with students as research partners is a key component of my research approach and philsophy. I have had the joy of working and publishing with various students throughout my career.
Recent Publications
Full list of publications available upon request
Service:
Getting Involved!
In addition to service commitments and volunteer opportunities within the College, I am a proud Board Member of the Canadian Association of Perinatal & Women’s Health Nurses (CAPWHN), and also an active CAPWHN media committee member. I previously worked on various health policy and advocacy committees. I am also an active volunteer for various events in my community.
Get in touch!
Email
kberga@sl.on.ca
What the students are saying ...
(with gratitude for them)
“She should continue being the lovely person she is. She is very approachable, very empathetic and tries her best to ensure every students needs are met. She is a delight and embodies what a nurse should be”
“Continue with kind, approachable demeanor. Also, using case study examples that help to solidify concepts”
“... wonderful....She loves the topic and it shows in her teaching. She is very approachable, which make it easy to ask questions and engage in class. She also gives feed back with the assignments without asking...”
“I like how Keri gives us the opportunity to identify clear/muddy points at the end of each class”
“Keri, you've been an absolutely fantastic professor, and we're all so lucky to have had you again this semester! Looking forward to having you teach us in year 2! :)”