News Detail
Alumni Notebook - May 2020
Kelly (Jellema) McBride ’92 (Kaye’s)
I work as a nurse educator in the endoscopy program at The Ottawa Hospital. Strangely enough, my routine is much the same as usual. I work in a 0.5FTE capacity, though a typical work week will see me put in an extra four to six hours, so you could say I have a 0.6FTE position. Despite our unit moving to emergency cases only, we have had staff leave for other opportunities or retirement, leaving us in need of new staff. As such, since the pandemic announcement I have already trained three new staff and am gearing up to train an additional three staff. Fortunately, with the lack of COVID-19 patients in hospital, we have been able to move to 30% capacity allowing more patients to get needed procedures done. The training period is typically five weeks but, with the decrease in patients, we have extended it to six. I do a total of five teaching days at the University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre (uOSSC) where we have a mix of didactic, hands-on, and theatre-based simulations.
I do not feel especially vulnerable as there has been plenty of personal protective equipment (PPE) and people are respecting the need for physical distancing. As part of the education on our unit, I had 30 of our 48 nurses and two of the 25 physicians come through the uOSSC for PPE donning and doffing sessions to make sure we were staying protected. We also practiced how to manage a travel endoscopy case for a COVID-19 patient at the SIM centre (see photo above – I am the nurse on the right in the foreground). We used simulated or expired PPE to minimize wastage.
When our local COVID-19 testing site opened, I worked to screen people for testing. I also work casually at a safe injection site where I see how our vulnerable street population has become even more marginalized. People were so focused on food for themselves that many of our local food banks had very limited supplies. One of our clients (who lives outside and makes money collecting empties and returning them) told me he went to the food bank for the first time in two years and wasn’t allowed to go back for four weeks. He ate all the food in one sitting.
I am careful to keep up my own health and wellness. My husband and I go out for regular walks, and we spend time together with our three boys playing card and board games to pass the time. The department I work at has a location at all three hospitals within my organization, and when I work at the campus close to my home I run into work. Even though I see people regularly at work, it has been important for my emotional wellbeing to stay in touch with friends. I go on physically distanced walks where I meet with a neighbour, but we are never closer than six feet. Our city councillor closed a road close to our home so we can safely walk and easily maintain an appropriate distance.
The key advice I have during this time is focus on the positive, ignore the sensationalized news and rely on key players for information (your local public health department, Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada) – social media will drag you down fast! Wash your hands, physically distance, and most of all, reach out if you need help. Don’t be shy about discussing your Advance Care Plans with those who will be with you at the end of your life. Advanced Care Plans involve thinking about and discussing your beliefs and values regarding care at the end of your life. Through this process you can identify someone who could make decisions for you if you are no longer able to. These discussions make decision-making easier when the time comes.
One thing people in our city are doing is putting up signs thanking essential workers. A friend of my youngest son lives on my route to work and posted on their sign “Thanks Nurse Kelly McB.” It makes me smile every time I pass it.
I really think the true heroes in all of this are the staff in long term care homes. For so many years they have been under supported and COVID-19 has really shone a light on that. I hope some good will come to that sector when this is all over.
Back
When our local COVID-19 testing site opened, I worked to screen people for testing. I also work casually at a safe injection site where I see how our vulnerable street population has become even more marginalized. People were so focused on food for themselves that many of our local food banks had very limited supplies. One of our clients (who lives outside and makes money collecting empties and returning them) told me he went to the food bank for the first time in two years and wasn’t allowed to go back for four weeks. He ate all the food in one sitting.
I am careful to keep up my own health and wellness. My husband and I go out for regular walks, and we spend time together with our three boys playing card and board games to pass the time. The department I work at has a location at all three hospitals within my organization, and when I work at the campus close to my home I run into work. Even though I see people regularly at work, it has been important for my emotional wellbeing to stay in touch with friends. I go on physically distanced walks where I meet with a neighbour, but we are never closer than six feet. Our city councillor closed a road close to our home so we can safely walk and easily maintain an appropriate distance.
The key advice I have during this time is focus on the positive, ignore the sensationalized news and rely on key players for information (your local public health department, Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada) – social media will drag you down fast! Wash your hands, physically distance, and most of all, reach out if you need help. Don’t be shy about discussing your Advance Care Plans with those who will be with you at the end of your life. Advanced Care Plans involve thinking about and discussing your beliefs and values regarding care at the end of your life. Through this process you can identify someone who could make decisions for you if you are no longer able to. These discussions make decision-making easier when the time comes.
One thing people in our city are doing is putting up signs thanking essential workers. A friend of my youngest son lives on my route to work and posted on their sign “Thanks Nurse Kelly McB.” It makes me smile every time I pass it.
I really think the true heroes in all of this are the staff in long term care homes. For so many years they have been under supported and COVID-19 has really shone a light on that. I hope some good will come to that sector when this is all over.
Amy (Jellema) Capern ’96 (Kaye’s)
Q: What changes have you had to make in your working life?
A: As a mental health practitioner, changes to my working life include not seeing clients in person in my office space and, as an essential service worker, I had to quickly adapt my practice to offer tele-health options, including phone and online video sessions through encrypted platforms to ensure continuity of care. That was a quick change that I had to make, but with amazing Canadian technology available such as the Vancouver-based Jane App, I was able to make the change quickly while following Canadian privacy laws.
Q: How do these changes affect your daily routine?
A: I am no longer commuting to and from work, which in my previous routine was a time for me to focus and prepare for the work day ahead, and on the way home I could decompress and prepare for reengaging with my family at home. With home and work being more integrated, I have developed new routines while maintaining some of my old routines, such as dressing in professional attire for work and surrounding myself with items from my office space. This forced change to move my practice online has also created some positive changes, as seeing clients online allows both me and my clients to not be limited by geographical location.
Q: How do these changes affect your family?
A: With our family of four all working from home, there have been significant changes to all of our daily routines. Although we are all adjusting well overall, some days are harder than others. Having our eldest daughter Lauren (age 13) home from Shawnigan, along with our son Maxwell (age 12) home from school, it takes a lot of patience, communication and understanding to negotiate how we work through each day supporting each other. Talking about work schedules and what our needs are in advance of the day ahead has helped us work well together at home.
Q: Do you feel especially vulnerable? More so during the pandemic?
A: Although I am an essential mental health worker, my work does not require me to support clients in person, so my physical health during this pandemic is not a risk in my position, but I recognize the importance of maintaining my own mental health in order to support my clients’ mental health. As a mental health worker, I too am vulnerable to the impacts of these stressful and difficult times, which offers me the opportunity to deepen my own personal mental health practices and challenges me in new ways.
Q: What kind of health and wellness routines do you follow to keep you feeling well?
A: As a positive psychotherapist, I tap into the science of happiness and well-being to support my routine. This includes getting outside in nature, connecting with those whom I care about daily, including myself, and taking part in activities that offer engagement, self-expression and enjoyment, and best of all, laughter. We prepare meals that are healthy (and some that are not), and are mindful that we were all able to be fed that day. Most of all, it’s important to not get caught up in the social comparison of whose COVID isolating is better than the rest.
Q: Do you do something different for your own emotional health?
A: When working with clients, I orient my work towards client strengths and values, supporting clients to connect with what is most meaningful to them even in the midst of suffering; the focus is on a well-lived life rather than simply attempting to minimize pain or reduce suffering. So I acknowledge the struggle, pain and loss I am experiencing and take daily actions that align with my values and strengths. I have chosen to change how I define success, so today if I was able have a connected conversation and learn something new about my daughter, well, that was a successful day, even if the laundry is piling up and the kitchen sink is full of dirty dishes – it was still a successful day.
Q: What are your top tips for friends and family to move safely through this period of time?
A: Safety is not just about physical safety, it is also about psychological safety. When we don't feel safe, our mind shifts to a limbic regressive state where our fight-flight-freeze reactions take over and can lead us to act in ways we may not choose when we feel safe. Recognize when you or others are in this mental state and seek to calm yourself or others down. Some suggestions could be going for a walk, and getting out of your mind and into the present moment by connecting with your breath and the things around you through your five senses—notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Often our sense of threat comes from the “what ifs” in our mind, and we begin to imagine the worst-case scenarios. Know that human brain development has naturally wired our mind to look for the threat, as an awareness of threat has helped keep us alive for thousands of years. The SCARF model identifies psychological threats including status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness, and in these challenging times many of us are experiencing threats in a number of these areas. Although our mind wants to focus on the threats, and it can be beneficial to do so for a period of time, we also have the ability to direct our attention, thank our mind for bringing awareness to the possible threat and then refocus on actions that are in alignment with our values and choose ways of living and being in the world that are important and meaningful. Recognizing that many things are outside of our control right now, we can choose how we want to show up in each moment.
Q: Can you look back at your Shawnigan career and point to a program or teacher who inspired/taught you and helped you become the person you are now?
A: There are so many people who supported me and influenced me at Shawnigan, but overall what I remember is the warmth from both staff and students. It's in the small stuff, like a smile when walking past, eye contact that showed me I was seen, a kind word of encouragement to show me I was supported and accepted. And, oh, how I loved the beautiful grounds and being surrounded by nature; it soothes the soul.
As I reflect on this question, I recognize that many students are missing those small things about being on campus right now, along with those big milestones, and that this can create a deep sense of loss. It can be helpful to name those big and small losses and to give yourself permission to grieve these losses. The pain of loss is in relation to the amount we care, and caring for things deeply is something to be proud of. Know that we are all grieving with you and want to support you, so reach out to the School counselling services to share your feelings and experiences, as I know they want to be there for you to support you through these challenging times. You are not alone. Reach out. You deserve to be heard and supported.
Q: How can we support essential workers at this time?
A: Supporting essential workers can be done in so many ways and many individuals, groups and businesses are already taking action to show support. It takes more than a thought; it takes action. Whether it's staying home or sharing a warm smile and saying thank you to the bus driver, grocery clerk, the nurse in your neighbourhood, the contractor who continues to do road repairs and so much more. Whether it's banging pots and pans, making a sign or just staying home, your support is appreciated.
Q: Do you know of any of your Shawnigan friends or contacts who are also on the frontline at this time? Have you been able to connect with them and offer mutual support?
A: My sister Kelly (Jellema) McBride is an alumna and nurse practitioner who has been working on the front lines in Ottawa and who inspires me with her selfless care and drive to help – we reach out and support each other. I have also received supportive texts from past Shawnigan friends offering encouragement and just a quick "I'm thinking of you" note, and this builds a sense of belonging, connection and community which is much needed and appreciated at this time.
A: As a mental health practitioner, changes to my working life include not seeing clients in person in my office space and, as an essential service worker, I had to quickly adapt my practice to offer tele-health options, including phone and online video sessions through encrypted platforms to ensure continuity of care. That was a quick change that I had to make, but with amazing Canadian technology available such as the Vancouver-based Jane App, I was able to make the change quickly while following Canadian privacy laws.
Q: How do these changes affect your daily routine?
A: I am no longer commuting to and from work, which in my previous routine was a time for me to focus and prepare for the work day ahead, and on the way home I could decompress and prepare for reengaging with my family at home. With home and work being more integrated, I have developed new routines while maintaining some of my old routines, such as dressing in professional attire for work and surrounding myself with items from my office space. This forced change to move my practice online has also created some positive changes, as seeing clients online allows both me and my clients to not be limited by geographical location.
Q: How do these changes affect your family?
A: With our family of four all working from home, there have been significant changes to all of our daily routines. Although we are all adjusting well overall, some days are harder than others. Having our eldest daughter Lauren (age 13) home from Shawnigan, along with our son Maxwell (age 12) home from school, it takes a lot of patience, communication and understanding to negotiate how we work through each day supporting each other. Talking about work schedules and what our needs are in advance of the day ahead has helped us work well together at home.
Q: Do you feel especially vulnerable? More so during the pandemic?
A: Although I am an essential mental health worker, my work does not require me to support clients in person, so my physical health during this pandemic is not a risk in my position, but I recognize the importance of maintaining my own mental health in order to support my clients’ mental health. As a mental health worker, I too am vulnerable to the impacts of these stressful and difficult times, which offers me the opportunity to deepen my own personal mental health practices and challenges me in new ways.
Q: What kind of health and wellness routines do you follow to keep you feeling well?
A: As a positive psychotherapist, I tap into the science of happiness and well-being to support my routine. This includes getting outside in nature, connecting with those whom I care about daily, including myself, and taking part in activities that offer engagement, self-expression and enjoyment, and best of all, laughter. We prepare meals that are healthy (and some that are not), and are mindful that we were all able to be fed that day. Most of all, it’s important to not get caught up in the social comparison of whose COVID isolating is better than the rest.
Q: Do you do something different for your own emotional health?
A: When working with clients, I orient my work towards client strengths and values, supporting clients to connect with what is most meaningful to them even in the midst of suffering; the focus is on a well-lived life rather than simply attempting to minimize pain or reduce suffering. So I acknowledge the struggle, pain and loss I am experiencing and take daily actions that align with my values and strengths. I have chosen to change how I define success, so today if I was able have a connected conversation and learn something new about my daughter, well, that was a successful day, even if the laundry is piling up and the kitchen sink is full of dirty dishes – it was still a successful day.
Q: What are your top tips for friends and family to move safely through this period of time?
A: Safety is not just about physical safety, it is also about psychological safety. When we don't feel safe, our mind shifts to a limbic regressive state where our fight-flight-freeze reactions take over and can lead us to act in ways we may not choose when we feel safe. Recognize when you or others are in this mental state and seek to calm yourself or others down. Some suggestions could be going for a walk, and getting out of your mind and into the present moment by connecting with your breath and the things around you through your five senses—notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can physically feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Often our sense of threat comes from the “what ifs” in our mind, and we begin to imagine the worst-case scenarios. Know that human brain development has naturally wired our mind to look for the threat, as an awareness of threat has helped keep us alive for thousands of years. The SCARF model identifies psychological threats including status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness, and in these challenging times many of us are experiencing threats in a number of these areas. Although our mind wants to focus on the threats, and it can be beneficial to do so for a period of time, we also have the ability to direct our attention, thank our mind for bringing awareness to the possible threat and then refocus on actions that are in alignment with our values and choose ways of living and being in the world that are important and meaningful. Recognizing that many things are outside of our control right now, we can choose how we want to show up in each moment.
Q: Can you look back at your Shawnigan career and point to a program or teacher who inspired/taught you and helped you become the person you are now?
A: There are so many people who supported me and influenced me at Shawnigan, but overall what I remember is the warmth from both staff and students. It's in the small stuff, like a smile when walking past, eye contact that showed me I was seen, a kind word of encouragement to show me I was supported and accepted. And, oh, how I loved the beautiful grounds and being surrounded by nature; it soothes the soul.
As I reflect on this question, I recognize that many students are missing those small things about being on campus right now, along with those big milestones, and that this can create a deep sense of loss. It can be helpful to name those big and small losses and to give yourself permission to grieve these losses. The pain of loss is in relation to the amount we care, and caring for things deeply is something to be proud of. Know that we are all grieving with you and want to support you, so reach out to the School counselling services to share your feelings and experiences, as I know they want to be there for you to support you through these challenging times. You are not alone. Reach out. You deserve to be heard and supported.
Q: How can we support essential workers at this time?
A: Supporting essential workers can be done in so many ways and many individuals, groups and businesses are already taking action to show support. It takes more than a thought; it takes action. Whether it's staying home or sharing a warm smile and saying thank you to the bus driver, grocery clerk, the nurse in your neighbourhood, the contractor who continues to do road repairs and so much more. Whether it's banging pots and pans, making a sign or just staying home, your support is appreciated.
Q: Do you know of any of your Shawnigan friends or contacts who are also on the frontline at this time? Have you been able to connect with them and offer mutual support?
A: My sister Kelly (Jellema) McBride is an alumna and nurse practitioner who has been working on the front lines in Ottawa and who inspires me with her selfless care and drive to help – we reach out and support each other. I have also received supportive texts from past Shawnigan friends offering encouragement and just a quick "I'm thinking of you" note, and this builds a sense of belonging, connection and community which is much needed and appreciated at this time.
David Cape ’03 (Ripley's)
After doing my undergrad in History at Princeton University, where I also rowed for the Lightweight Varsity 8+, I returned to Canada for my medical training. I did medical school, internal medicine residency, and a critical care fellowship at the University of Toronto. Since 2018, I have been the lead physician in the Intensive Care Unit at Cambridge Memorial Hospital, a busy mid-sized community hospital an hour west of Toronto. We have been preparing for a surge of COVID-19 patients since February. While our region and hospital have been affected by COVID-19, we have (so far) been spared the overwhelming numbers seen in places like New York City and Italy. In the ICU, we have spent the last few months training for high-risk procedures, expanding critical care capacity, and developing protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among patients and staff. We are exposed to the sickest patients and perform procedures (like intubation) which carry a high risk of transmission, so our usual infection prevention and control measures have been ramped up.
I feel well-supported by the ICU team, fellow physicians, and other healthcare workers. With so little known about this new disease, the informal network of doctors across the country has been invaluable in preparing for this pandemic. This includes other Shawnigan grads, like Meredith Hutton ’00 (Kaye's), who is now an anaesthesiologist in Calgary working on airway management protocols for COVID-19 patients.
A big thanks to my wife, Katie, who has looked after our two kids while I've pulled long days and nights in the hospital. These last few weeks have definitely been a collective effort. Healthcare workers across the country are grateful to the individuals, families, and institutions (like Shawnigan!) whose efforts have kept a major public health crisis at bay.
Good luck & stay safe!
I feel well-supported by the ICU team, fellow physicians, and other healthcare workers. With so little known about this new disease, the informal network of doctors across the country has been invaluable in preparing for this pandemic. This includes other Shawnigan grads, like Meredith Hutton ’00 (Kaye's), who is now an anaesthesiologist in Calgary working on airway management protocols for COVID-19 patients.
A big thanks to my wife, Katie, who has looked after our two kids while I've pulled long days and nights in the hospital. These last few weeks have definitely been a collective effort. Healthcare workers across the country are grateful to the individuals, families, and institutions (like Shawnigan!) whose efforts have kept a major public health crisis at bay.
Good luck & stay safe!
pictured above on the right
Adam Connolly ’09 (Duxbury)
Adam Connolly is a firefighter on Vancouver Island. He recently made the move from North Vancouver, where he started his firefighting career, to downtown Victoria.
As a first responder, he attends medical emergencies as well as accident scenes and hazardous materials response calls. Though there are as many emergency calls as ever, Adam says the gear has changed through the COVID-19 outbreak. “We now have an extra layer of protective gloves, masks, disposable outerwear, and even face shields.”
Adam feels a great sense of pride in his work. It’s not what he imagined doing as a teenager, but something he felt called to in his early twenties. Looking back though, he sees how his education at Shawnigan prepared him for a life of service to others. From learning how to live in close quarters with all kinds of people, to developing the discipline required to always be prepared in order to be successful.
One person in his life who challenged him and gave him the drive to push himself to his physical limits and to test his mental resolve was basketball coach and mentor Vito Pasquale. “He invested so much in me and without his influence I wouldn't have had anywhere near the number of great opportunities after graduating that I did.”
During the pandemic, when even more is at stake when helping others, Adam says, “It is especially important to maintain human connection and compassion for others — when fear is so rampant, letting people feel heard and cared for is incredibly impactful.”
Adam is set to marry fiancé, Erin, very soon, and the School congratulates them. Though he cannot hear the 7:00 p.m. chapel bell ring at his home down Island, we hope he knows it is being pulled for him!
As a first responder, he attends medical emergencies as well as accident scenes and hazardous materials response calls. Though there are as many emergency calls as ever, Adam says the gear has changed through the COVID-19 outbreak. “We now have an extra layer of protective gloves, masks, disposable outerwear, and even face shields.”
Adam feels a great sense of pride in his work. It’s not what he imagined doing as a teenager, but something he felt called to in his early twenties. Looking back though, he sees how his education at Shawnigan prepared him for a life of service to others. From learning how to live in close quarters with all kinds of people, to developing the discipline required to always be prepared in order to be successful.
One person in his life who challenged him and gave him the drive to push himself to his physical limits and to test his mental resolve was basketball coach and mentor Vito Pasquale. “He invested so much in me and without his influence I wouldn't have had anywhere near the number of great opportunities after graduating that I did.”
During the pandemic, when even more is at stake when helping others, Adam says, “It is especially important to maintain human connection and compassion for others — when fear is so rampant, letting people feel heard and cared for is incredibly impactful.”
Adam is set to marry fiancé, Erin, very soon, and the School congratulates them. Though he cannot hear the 7:00 p.m. chapel bell ring at his home down Island, we hope he knows it is being pulled for him!
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
