Rhonda Kajner (SLP '02) cannot say enough about her job. Being able to combine two tasks she is committed to-engaging clients' participation in the community and enhancing student clinical education-evokes praise from Kajner, who is in a new position to improve adult speech services."My work encompasses two things I am passionate about," says Kajner. "I love seeing success stories after working with clients in their own environment and I love transferring that knowledge to students and seeing them learn."
Kajner is spearheading a new program in Edmonton, a partnership between the University of Alberta Department of Speech Language Pathology and Alberta Health Services (AHS). Speech-Language Pathology in Integrated Community Living has been running for one year. Its focus is to provide services to clients in three streams: integrated home living, integrated supported living and integrated facility living.
"These were areas that had little or no SLP services in the past," says Kajner. "We also looked at opportunities to increase clinical student placements since there was a shortage for spots. So far, everything is going really well."
With a philosophy to improve opportunities for successful communication, Kajner observes how clients participate and communicate in their own environment and tries to increase that interaction. "It is all really client-centred," she says. "I've seen clients in their home setting-whether at a private home or in a continuing care centre-and I take a good look at their environment to see what changes could be made. It might mean looking at someone's supports so he can go home instead of stay at a facility. Or it might mean increasing participation in groups at a facility. The goals are individualized."
On the teaching side of things, Kajner has adopted a collaborative education model established by the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine that assigns two students to one clinician educator. As much as the students are benefiting from the placements, Kajner and the clients are learning from the contact as well. "We get to learn from each other," says Kajner. "It allows me to deliver services in different ways when there are three therapists providing the services."
Kajner went into her U of A degree with an open mind about where her career would take her, but working with adults always seemed to be the constant. During her studies, she volunteered with Neighbourhood Chat, an adult speech language service, and right after graduation she worked at the Halvar Johnson Centre for Brain Injury in Ponoka. She spent three years there, working with adults with acquired brain injuries. She then moved to the inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit and the feeding and swallowing (dysphagia) team at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, where she spent another three years. "I loved both of those places," says Kajner. "I started to gain a real interest in aphasia and team environments and saw some really interesting cases."
The speech-language pathology position, created through a Health Workforce Action Plan grant and a collaboration between the U of A and Alberta Health Services, was a perfect fit for Kajner. Her supervisor agrees.
"Teaching occurs almost constantly in this role, and Rhonda quickly determines what her audience is ready to learn," says Erane McManus, manager of communication disorders at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. "She also conveys her messages respectfully and meaningfully, while still accomplishing her goals.
"Rhonda knows that relationship building is extremely important, and her engaging manner puts people from all backgrounds at ease. She effectively communicates the value that she contributes to clients, families and teams. She is an excellent ambassador for speech-language pathology, and I'm so pleased for her success."
Kajner hopes to see the program develop into other regions. Currently, she and a second SLP who has been added to this project, work in the Edmonton area in selected sites. "A year from now things might look completely different since we're just getting started," says Kajner. "But it's been great so far. I love this job."
Photo by Creative Services: Rhonda Kajner (standing) with two SLP students helping a client.
About the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
As the only free standing faculty of rehabilitation in Canada, the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine balances its activities among learning, discovery and citizenship (including clinical practice). A research leader in musculoskeletal health, spinal cord injuries and common spinal disorders (back pain), the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine aims to improve the quality of life of citizens in our community. The three departments, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) and Speech Pathology and Audiology (SPA) offer professional entry programs. The Faculty offers thesis-based MSc and PhD programs in Rehabilitation Science, attracting students from a variety of disciplines including OT, PT, SLP, psychology, physical education, medicine and engineering.