June Kaminski, RN MSN PhD(c) began her education in Nursing Informatics through various upper level and graduate courses in Computer Programming and Applications in Education. These were done as a minor to her Masters of Science in Nursing at the University of BC from 1987 to 1991. In 1986 she served as the Medical – Surgical ward trainer for nurses being orientated to the new Hospital Information System at a Vancouver hospital where she worked as a staff nurse. Helping nurses learn to integrate computer use into their nursing practice became a fascination of June’s which she has continued to indulge over the past twenty plus years.
In 1990, June received faculty release time to redevelop Nursing 200: Computers in Nursing for the Diploma Nursing Program at
Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Western Canada. Careful attention was taken to integrate Nursing Informatics theory and provide hands-on training in computer applications such as word processing, graphics, use of Computer Assisted Instruction and Hospital Information systems.
Point to Ponder….
“One question that arises is, do nurses control these benign information technology tools, or do the “tools” shape the activities, decisions, and attention of the nurses as users of technology?” – June Kaminski, 2007
Later in 1996, when the BSN program was adopted at Kwantlen, June independently developed integrated learning activities for Nursing Informatics for every nursing course in the program. In the fall of 1999, a web-based program of study was introduced in addition to the paper manual approach, to encourage self-directed study for students to access lessons both within the classroom and on personal computers on campus, in libraries, or at home. The Nursing Informatics theory component was expanded to reflect current research and application. Computer application instruction was also expanded to incorporate emerging internet and utility applications such as spreadsheets, databases, web page development, chatrooms, email, multimedia, telenursing, electronic literature searches, videoconferencing, and so on.
June is now the Program and Curriculum Coordinator for the BSN Post Baccalaureate program at Kwantlen, a hybrid nursing program that consists of mostly online courses supplemented with three practice residencies and capstone courses. Nursing informaitcs and interactive, creative technologies have been artfully woven into the curriculum to prepare nurses in the necessary conpetencies for effective practice. A recent CTV interview provides more information about this program.
June is now focused on delivering an online user-friendly environment where nurses around the globe can become knowledgeable and adept at applying Nursing Informatics to their practice, in education and research, and in administration work. It is her intent that all nurses have the necessary theory and practical application skills to apply Informatics in an empowering way in their work and personal lives. As well, she is in the process of developing online curriculum for the professional development of nurses using a distance education approach.
June is finishing PhD study at the University of British Columbia in Curriculum and Pedagogy Studies. Her focus is educational technology, informatics, aesthetics and distance education for nursing. Currently, she is completing her PhD dissertation work on investigating faculty perceptions of how nursing informatics fits into nursing education.
In 2003, June was elected Director of Communications for the Canadian Nursing Informatics Association (CNIA) and stayed in the position until 2012. She enjoyed working with this dedicated group of informatics leaders, determined to make the organization the national voice for nursing informatics. Part of her role was to design the current CNIA website at http://cnia.ca. June accepted the position of President-Elect for the Canadian Nursing Informatics Association (CNIA) in mid 2005. She became the President of CNIA in 2008 and Past President in 2010.
In 2006, June spearheaded, designed and launched the Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics as well as the Editorial Board and other practicalities. The Mission of The Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics is to provide a peer-reviewed venue for Canadian nurses and researchers who work with Nursing Informatics to disseminate their research, essays, reviews, presentations, multimedia and other digital publishable materials on a global scale.
In 2003, she became the Editor in Charge of Virtual Nursing Practice and Culture for the Online Journal of Nursing Informatics (OJNI) and is now Editor in Chief. She is also the current webmaster and designer of the journal site. In 2004, June joined Wired Woman Society as a Director-at-Large. She accepted the position of Vice President for Sigma Theta Tau, Xi Eta Chapter in 2007 and is also their Global Health/Research Chair. She became the Chapter President in 2013. She is also a member of ANIA – CARING and the National Institutes of Health Informatics.
Recently, June co-wrote and designed the book cover for a textbook on Education for a Digital World Advice, Guidelines, and Effective Practice from Around the Globe with 30+ other expert authors, published by the Commonwealth of Learning and BC Campus in 2008. As well, June wrote Chapter Three, “Computer Science and the Foundation of Knowledge Model” for the text, Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge which was published by Jones and Bartlett in 2008 and 2012.
In addition, June signed a publisher’s agreement and is currently writing a textbook on nursing informatics, slated for publication in 2015. She also works as a consultant with various US and Canadian Universities and institutions to develop online curriculum related to nursing informatics or educational technology.
In November 2012, June was honored to receive the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) and Canada Health Infoway’s inaugural Nursing Faculty E-Health Award 2012 in Ottawa Canada. This award competition was aimed at supporting nursing school faculty who demonstrate exceptional leadership and commitment to e-health in nursing education. This award is a component of Canada Health Infoway’s Clinicians-in-Training Initiative, aimed at improving the preparedness of graduates to work in a technology-enabled environment.