Susan Sommerfeldt

Biography

My research and teaching is centred in exploring healthcare teams, how they function and what that means to patients. I teach healthcare team development through an interprofessional education course. As well, I teach community health nursing theory and clinical courses. Through the U of A Health Sciences Education and Research Commons (HSERC) committees and initiatives, I engage health sciences students in interprofessional learning.

Research Interest

Through the U of A Health Sciences Education and Research Commons (HSERC) committees and initiatives, I engage health sciences students in interprofessional learning. My interest in interprofessionalism emerged in my Masters of Nursing work highlighting inter-disciplinary approaches to Developmental Coordination Disorder in children. Doctoral research explored interprofessionalism and relational work in inter-disciplinary healthcare teams. Utilizing arts-informed methodology, I explored team relationships using applied theatre methods, specifically Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. Other research experience includes a research project that established interprofessional clinical learning units in Edmonton area healthcare facilities. I was involved with Dr. Judy Mill’s project investigating HIV diagnosis and care of Canadian Aboriginal youth and Dr. Beverley O’Brien’s research program involving implementing midwifery services in Alberta and an institutional ethnographic approach in describing rural and remote birth choices available to Alberta families. I have provided guest lectures about art-based research in health research and community health nursing.