Dr. Dahlke's research focuses on improving nursing practice with older people, with a simultaneous focus on nursing education.
Dr. Sherry Dahlke, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs at the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing, is being honoured for her expertise as an educator in Gerontological Nursing by the world's foremost gerontological nursing organization.
The Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing Program is a National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE) Recognition Program that aims to highlight the nurse educator leaders working with students, faculty, providers, and older people in various settings.
As past chair of the Edmonton chapter and provincial treasurer of the Alberta Gerontological Nurses Association and chair of the research committee of the Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association, with a distinguished career of educating nurses, Dr. Dahlke exemplifies the ideals of this honour.
Dr. Dahlke's research focuses on improving nursing practice with older people, with a simultaneous focus on nursing education. Her research has examined nursing education in relation to clinical instruction, as well as perceptions about aging among student nurses, nursing practice related to older adult care, how nurses manage older adults with delirium, older adults' perceptions of healthcare professionals, how teamwork influences healthcare workers work with older people, hospital nurses perceptions of working with older people and their learning needs related to the aging population, educational interventions with hospital nurses, and how nursing students are being socialized to work with older people. All of her work aims to improve care for older and aging populations.
Dr. Dahlke continues to teach foundational nursing theory courses and older adult theoretical courses. She will receive her award at the NHCGNE Leadership Conference to be held in Austin, Texas on November 12-13, 2019.