UWindsor nursing alumna and distinguished health-care leader Donna Wellington shares industry insight and aims to inspire nurses to explore diverse career paths and drive meaningful change.
“Be authentic,” says Donna Wellington emphatically. “Use your voice positively to be heard, foster connections, and seek to understand.”
Wellington (BScN 1994, MBA 2004) is a Black health-care leader with over 27 years of executive experience at Henry Ford Health in Detroit. Currently, she is senior vice-president - chief ambulatory officer, and vice-president system primary health.
Her roles have included appointments that oversee strategic direction and operational performance that aim to enhance the quality and delivery of care in both hospital and ambulatory settings — medical services that involve patients who are not admitted to a hospital stay. Her path has been one of resilience, determination, and commitment to quality care.
As a child of a single parent raised in a predominantly white neighborhood, Wellington understood early in life the importance of pride in her identity and the power of a strong work ethic — virtues her mother passed on to her.
“Embrace who are unapologetically, generate a sense of belonging, and contribute to the conversation you are a part of,” says the Windsor native.
These words resonated deeply, especially in a field like nursing, where collaboration and advocacy are essential.
Her belief in the power of human connection fuelled her decision to start a career in nursing. She shares the idea that nursing is a privilege, given the opportunity to care for individuals during their most vulnerable moments.
“Honesty and integrity lead to trust and trust is essential in patient relationships,” says Wellington. “Nurses cannot lose sight of that as the connections your forge with your patients leave lasting impressions.”
She appreciates the advancement of technology and artificial intelligence to streamline workplace processes but stresses the importance of balance. She voices concern about how too much technology can affect genuine human interaction — an element vital for expressing sincere compassion to individuals and their families during hospital visits.
“We spend a lot of time with patients, and they remember feelings of what they went through,” she says. “The delivery of good news, bad news, the support that’s given to the family. It is vital in nursing education to always prioritize compassionate care and relationship-building, even in a tech-driven environment.”
Donna Wellington practices an eye exam and ambulating a patient (fellow student) at a lab session at University of Windsor, 1991.
Wellington values mentorship and hopes to see more nurses making an impact in non-traditional nursing settings such as in high executive (C-suite) roles, health-care analytics, advocacy, research, and compliance. The pandemic affected nursing, and she believes that informing prospective students about opportunities beyond conventional jobs can revitalize a profession in desperate need to meet health-care demands.
“I have a career for life that I am blessed to serve every day,” she says. “I’m an example of how you can make contributions outside of standard nursing paths.”
In addition to her current post at Henry Ford Health System, Wellington’s other appointments include:
Wellington has also served in various roles and received honours such as:
Wellington understands and takes pride in the fact that she’s a nurse first, noting that it’s a fantastic field of work where there is no shortage of action.
“You truly can make an impact on not only those that you serve, but your workplace partners because it takes a team to provide great care to even just one patient,” says Wellington. “And use your voice constructively. It matters.”
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The 2024 Great Lakes Biennial Nursing Conference attracted over 100 attendees, showcased 40 health care presentations and posters, and featured Indigenous Research Chair and guest speaker, Dr. Holly Graham.
Over 100 guests attended the Great Lakes Biennial Nursing Conference, held on Nov. 23 at University of Windsor’s Vanier Hall.
Keynote speaker Holly Graham highlighted the impact of racism on the health outcomes of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Peoples, and provided a practical approach to addressing racism in the health care setting utilizing her “CPR RACISM toolkit.”
Stacey Nahdee, First Nations Cultural Practitioner, began the conference with a traditional ceremonial opening to welcome an audience comprised of students, alumni, former faculty members, researchers, clinicians, health-care associations, and members of other universities and colleges.
Dr. Graham’s knowledge and experience provided a glimpse of the realities of health care challenges affecting Indigenous peoples. She stressed the importance of acting with kindness and with an anti-racism approach. Graham offered pragmatic solutions, engaged in a captivating Q-and-A session, and shared tips on addressing racism in the workplace.
Dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Debbie Sheppard-LeMoine, praised Graham’s wisdom and research strategies and emphasized how it will benefit UWindsor’s path moving forward relative to Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations for the faculty’s nursing programs.
A soothing break in the conference was provided by students from the massage and hydrotherapy program from the Canadian College of Health Science & Technology. Suffice it to say, the free massage sessions were a hit.
Throughout the event, over 40 oral presentations and research posters spread over multiple rooms covered such topics as:
“One presentation that stood out for me was 'Influencing Outcomes through an Evidence-Based Nurse-Driven Telemetry Discontinuation Protocol'," says BScN student Sedat Karabulut. "It showcased a real-world example of integrating technology into nursing practice and how healthcare and nursing are rapidly evolving through those tech advancements."
The conference’s People’s Choice Awards winning posters for the Best Undergraduate Student Poster belonged to "Mental Health Impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Neglect and Maltreatment in Canadians" by Dami Babs-Olorunfemi, Maggie Zhu, and Chisom Jennifer Obiora, while the Best Graduate Student Presentation was awarded to "Social Support of Pregnant Women During COVID-19 Restrictions" by Natalie Sykora.
Based on the success of the event, conference chair and UWindsor associate professor of nursing, Jody Ralph, is looking forward to the next event in two years.
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The Faculty of Nursing will host the Great Lakes Biennial Nursing Conference on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Keynote speaker Holly Graham will discuss the role of racism, its negative impact on health outcomes of First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Peoples, and how it creates barriers to equitable health care in an address at the Great Lakes Biennial Nursing Conference, Nov. 23 at the University of Windsor.
Hosted by Faculty of Nursing, the regional conference focuses on areas surrounding key health care issues, trends, and advancements in the nursing profession.
Dr. Graham is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan and a member of the Thunderchild First Nation.
The conference, held every two years, brings together nursing and medical professionals, health-care leaders, educators, researchers, clinicians, students, and alumni. Attendees can network and interact with more than 40 oral and poster presenters.
It is an opportunity to exchange knowledge, share research findings, and discuss nursing best practices, says conference chair Jody Ralph, associate professor of nursing.
“We’re very excited to have this conference back in person,” she says. “It’s an excellent platform because it explores how evidence-based practice can enhance patient care, impact decision-making, and address current challenges in nursing. Dr. Graham’s presentation will be a great example of that.”
Bev Jacobs, UWindsor senior advisor to the president on Indigenous relations and outreach, understands the impact of dialogue and awareness to improve health care for equity deserving groups.
“Conferences like these are vital because they highlight a main component of the healing process, and that is re-establishing trust between FNMI Peoples and health care providers and institutions,” say Dr. Jacobs.
The conference will be held Saturday, Nov. 23, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Vanier Hall.
View conference details and register today.
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