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UPEI Honours Nursing Education Champion Vera Dewar
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The University of Prince Edward Island recently paid tribute to a woman whose wisdom and tenacity have led to significant advancements in nursing education in PEI.
Vera Dewar’s efforts contributed to the opening of the UPEI School of Nursing in 1992, making PEI the first province in Canada to set the baccalaureate degree as the entry-level requirement for nursing. Throughout her long career, she has inspired students and colleagues to strive for excellence in nursing education and practice.
In recognition of her legacy to the nursing profession and her generous support to UPEI through current and planned giving, UPEI has named the School of Nursing’s main teaching and learning area as the Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre.
“I can’t think of a more appropriate person to honour in this way,” said UPEI Dean of Nursing Kim Critchley. “Vera has exemplified leadership in nursing education to hundreds of students and countless nursing colleagues. Her expectations of excellence have made a significant impact on nursing education and nursing practice in Prince Edward Island and the many parts of the world where our graduates have lived and worked.”
The Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre includes approximately 2,140 square feet of open teaching space furnished with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and teaching aides. Using innovative teaching strategies, instructors guide students in acquiring clinical skills for safe, competent clinical practice.
Vera Dewar grew up on the family farm in Brudenell and graduated from the PEI Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. Two years later, she obtained her Diploma in Teaching and Supervision in Schools of Nursing from Dalhousie University and, in 1967, she graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Her nursing education career spanned more than four decades and included positions from clinical instructor to Assistant Director of Administration at the PEI School of Nursing, a post she held until the school closed in 1994. She still makes presentations to students and faculty, and attends nursing meetings where she continues to advocate for a graduate program in nursing on PEI.
In 2005, Vera Dewar joined the UPEI Visionary Society, an organization that celebrates individuals and families who have chosen to support university education. She has also established a post-graduate nursing scholarship that UPEI awards annually.
The University of Prince Edward Island’s tribute to Vera Dewar provides a new highlight in an impressive list of awards that reflect the esteem of her colleagues in PEI and beyond. They include the Rotary Club of Hillsborough vocational service award, the Association of Nurses of Prince Edward Island outstanding achievement award, and the Atlantic Region Canadian Association Schools of Nursing’s honorary lifetime membership award. She received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from UPEI in 2003.
Vera Dewar’s efforts contributed to the opening of the UPEI School of Nursing in 1992, making PEI the first province in Canada to set the baccalaureate degree as the entry-level requirement for nursing. Throughout her long career, she has inspired students and colleagues to strive for excellence in nursing education and practice.
In recognition of her legacy to the nursing profession and her generous support to UPEI through current and planned giving, UPEI has named the School of Nursing’s main teaching and learning area as the Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre.
“I can’t think of a more appropriate person to honour in this way,” said UPEI Dean of Nursing Kim Critchley. “Vera has exemplified leadership in nursing education to hundreds of students and countless nursing colleagues. Her expectations of excellence have made a significant impact on nursing education and nursing practice in Prince Edward Island and the many parts of the world where our graduates have lived and worked.”
The Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre includes approximately 2,140 square feet of open teaching space furnished with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and teaching aides. Using innovative teaching strategies, instructors guide students in acquiring clinical skills for safe, competent clinical practice.
Vera Dewar grew up on the family farm in Brudenell and graduated from the PEI Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. Two years later, she obtained her Diploma in Teaching and Supervision in Schools of Nursing from Dalhousie University and, in 1967, she graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Her nursing education career spanned more than four decades and included positions from clinical instructor to Assistant Director of Administration at the PEI School of Nursing, a post she held until the school closed in 1994. She still makes presentations to students and faculty, and attends nursing meetings where she continues to advocate for a graduate program in nursing on PEI.
In 2005, Vera Dewar joined the UPEI Visionary Society, an organization that celebrates individuals and families who have chosen to support university education. She has also established a post-graduate nursing scholarship that UPEI awards annually.
The University of Prince Edward Island’s tribute to Vera Dewar provides a new highlight in an impressive list of awards that reflect the esteem of her colleagues in PEI and beyond. They include the Rotary Club of Hillsborough vocational service award, the Association of Nurses of Prince Edward Island outstanding achievement award, and the Atlantic Region Canadian Association Schools of Nursing’s honorary lifetime membership award. She received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from UPEI in 2003.
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Anna MacDonald
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