New midwives and nurses join professions

At a ceremony at the University of Manitoba’s Desaultels Concert Hall, 117 new nurses and seven new midwives were welcomed to their professions on June 5.

The midwives were the second cohort to graduate from the UM bachelor of midwifery program, and the first to be given pinards at the College of Nursing’s pinning ceremony.

Pinards are a trumpet-shaped instrument used for listening to a fetal heartbeat that were created in the late 1800s and continue to be used in some parts of the world today. The pinards created for this year’s grads were designed by Ron Elias, father of College of Nursing midwifery instructor Heidi Elias.

Each of the new midwives also wore red shoes, a tradition among midwifery graduates in Canada, with red signifying advocacy for women’s rights.

The midwives joined the bachelor of nursing graduands in reciting the UM College of Nursing Pledge, which was inspired by the 1893 Florence Nightingale Pledge and has been adapted by the university.

Let’s go out into the world with full hearts, steady hands and an unwavering belief that we can and will make a difference

Joshua Cariou

“For nursing students, the pins you receive today signify more than program completion, they represent your dedication to ethical, evidence-informed, patient centred care. For midwifery graduands, the pinards represent generations of hands-on practice rooted in advocacy and trust,” said emcee Dr. Nicole Harder, associate dean (undergraduate) at the College of Nursing.

The program featured an opening greeting by Métis Elder Wa Wa Tei Ike (Louise Mckay, Bear Clan) and an honour song by Dr. Lisa Monkman.

Three valedictorians also spoke – Susie Penner for the midwifery class and Kailey Bradco and Joshua Cariou for the new nurses.

“Let’s go out into the world with full hearts, steady hands and an unwavering belief that we can and will make a difference, not only for our patients, but for their families and our peers as well,” Cariou said.

‘Lifelong friendships’

Caitlyn Swampy, 29, grew up in Winnipeg and Sagkeeng First Nation. She was one of seven Indigenous graduands receiving their pin. Swampy had wanted to be a nurse from a young age and was particularly inspired by a nurse practitioner that she met at a teen clinic years ago.

The mother of one said she’s proud to have completed her degree and thanked the college’s Mahkwa Omushki Kiim: Pathway to Indigenous Nursing Education (PINE) – an initiative that supports First Nations, Métis and Inuit students – for support during and prior to entering the program.

“When I was going for my prerequisites, I lost my mom to cancer and my son was young, he was just about to turn two. My advisor at PINE, Audrey – she’s retired now – she was amazing and really helped me through it. Honestly, within that program, I made lifelong friendships,” she said.

Midwifery grad thankful for UM program

Catalina Curé, of Morris, Man., was always interested in a career in midwifery, but until recently, she would have had to leave the province to study it. For years she worked as a dental assistant and came back to UM to get a science degree and pursue medicine. Then, in 2021, the college began offering the midwifery program.

“When the midwifery program opened up here, I was so excited because it really is what I’ve always wanted to do. My grandmother was a midwife and I’ve always been very passionate about birth and female advocacy and empowerment,” she said.

“When I went back to school, with our kids being so young at the time, we didn’t want to have to move provinces to do the program, so it wasn’t really feasible for us.”

Curé recently accepted a position in Thompson, where she did one of her clinical placements in the program. She will be moving there with her husband and two children this summer.

‘Unspeakable joy’ at convocation

The graduands received their degrees later in the day at the UM Spring Convocation, along with an additional 146 bachelor of nursing grads who completed their program and received their pins in February.

Five master’s students from the college also graduated.

Abigail Kawadza received her master’s degree, specializing in administration. She also has a UM bachelor’s degree in nursing and has worked for the last 10 years as a unit manager in long-term care. She is excited to begin the next stage of her career.

“I love administration and that’s where I’m headed,” she said. “I can’t even describe how I feel today. It is unspeakable joy.”