Sherry Dahlke, PhD, RN, GNC(C)

Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Contact

Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing
Email
dahlke@ualberta.ca
Phone
(780) 492-8232
Address
Edmonton Clinic Health Academy
11405 - 87 Ave NW
Edmonton AB
T6G 1C9

Overview

Area of Study / Keywords

Nursing practice with older people


About

Degrees

  • PhD (Nursing), University of British Columbia (2013)
  • MN, University of British Columbia (2004)
  • BScN, University of Victoria (1996)
  • Certificate in Gerontology, Malaspina University-College (1996)
  • BVEd, University of Regina (1992)
  • Certificate of Administration, University of Regina (1990)
  • Nursing Diploma, Wascana Institute, (1979)

Sherry Dahlke joined the Faculty of Nursing after completing her PhD and a career that included practice in acute and community care, teaching, administration and research. Dr. Dahlke has held many roles in is the the Gerotological Association of British Columbia, the Alberta Gerontological Nurses Association and the Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association. In 2019 she received the McCalla Teaching Professorship Award and the International Award for Excellence in Gerontological Education



Research

Dr. Dahlke's program of research aims to improve nursing practice with older people. Dr. Dahlke’s program of research focuses on three main themes: (1) how nurses in interprofessional teams can enhance care of older people; (2) examining and improving nursing education related to older people; (3) how nurses’ perceptions of safety and harm and their context influences their practice with older people. For the past three years much of her work has focused on improving how nurses are educated to work with older people. As a result, she has developed and tested three e-learning activities (based on finding from her previous studies) to enhance undergraduate nurses’ education about older people. These e-learning activities have been tested and refined. Student nurses rate them as an interesting and helpful way to learn about older people. Current research studies include:

  • Awakening Canadians to Ageism
  • Understanding the impact of the faculty navigator program
  • Understanding nursing practices with managing continence in older people
  • Understanding warning signs for readmission in older people in rural settings

Current Funding

  • Social Sciences Health Research Committee Partnership Development Grant

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Teaching

Dr. Dahlke has taught foundational nursing theory courses, older adult clinical and theoretical courses, and research courses.

Courses

NURS 559 - Approaches to Learning and Teaching Innovation in Nursing

Examine approaches to learning and teaching in diverse nursing practice settings. Develop a repertoire of strategies related to planning educational experiences that may include establishing relational contexts for learning, becoming an inclusive educator, understanding feedback, measuring learning outcomes, and incorporating technology.


NURS 561 - Guided Individual Study in Nursing

A course designed for in-depth, individual study of a topic related to advanced-level nursing. Learning experiences may include clinical experience.


NURS 604 - Fundamentals of Aging

A critical analysis of the issues and environments that influence the lives of older Canadians. Focus is on theories and knowledge about age-related normative and non-normative changes and their interaction with the physical, social, community and policy environments of older adults. (Course is cross-listed as HECOL 604). Credit will only be granted for NURS 604 or HECOL 604.


Browse more courses taught by Sherry Dahlke

Publications

Registered nurses' reflections on their educational preparation to work with older people

Author(s): Dahlke, S., Kalogirou, M.R., & Swoboda,N.L.
Publication Date: 1/22/2021
Publication: International Journal of Older People Nursing
Volume: open access
Page Numbers: 1-11
External Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/opn.12363

How nurses' use of language creates meaning about healthcare users and nursing practice

Author(s): Dahlke, S., & Hunter, K.F.
Publication Date: 2/1/2020
Publication: Nursing Inquiry
External Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nin.12346?casa_token=ywa1GvN2ug8AAAAA:bAGlPDgBGbcu1wDK3CB98V7-oCgpkSWU7rcYEEvknTY9Xl2x5urW7BOv7acmUCuwmoi0YF_6ISbXKU0

Student nurses perceptions about older people

Author(s): Dahlke, S., Davidson, S., Wisnesky, U.D., Kalogirou, M.R., Salyers, V., Pollard, C., Fox, M.T., Hunter, K.F., & Baumbusch, J.
Publication Date: 3/1/2019
Publication: International Journal of Nursing Education
External Link: https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/ijnes/open-issue/article-10.1515-ijnes-2019-0051/article-10.1515-ijnes-2019-0051.xml

Nursing Practice with hospitalized older people: Safety and harm

Author(s): Dahlke, S., Hunter, K., & Negrin, K.
Publication Date: 1/19/2019
Publication: International Journal of Older People Nursing
External Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/opn.12220

Orchestrating care: nursing practice with hospitalised older adults

Author(s): Dahlke SA, Phinney A, Hall WA, Rodney P, Baumbusch J
Publication Date: 2015
Publication: International Journal of Older People Nursing
Volume: 10
Issue: 4
Page Numbers: 252-62