Queen’s University’s newspaper of record since 1969 n queensu.ca/gazette n June 5, 2018 CONVOCATION CELEBRATIONS photo by garrett elliott photo by garrett elliott photo by bernard Clark photo by bernard Clark Spring Convocation at Queen’s University is a happy time as new graduates celebrate with their classmates, families, friends and, loved ones. The 2018 edition featured a total of 21 ceremonies, with great memories being created at each one. For more photos see pages 4 and 5. campusnews queensu.ca/gazette n June 5, 2018 2 Introducing new faculty volume 46, number 10, 2018 EDITOR andrew Carroll 613-533-6459, ext. 36459 [email protected] members: Thomas Rotter ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, NEWS AND PUBLICATIONS peter Jeffrey 613-533-600, ext. 77491 [email protected] This profile is part of a series highlighting some of the new fac- ADVERTISING COORDINATOR ulty members who have recently peter gillespie joined the Queen’s community as 613-533-6000 ext. 75464 [email protected] part of the principal’s faculty re- newal initiative, which will see www.queensu.ca/gazette 200 new faculty members hired QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY VICELPRINCIPAL over five years. MUNIVERSITY RELATIONSN Thomas Rotter (Healthcare michael Fraser Quality) sat down with the Gazette the Gazette is published biweekly during the academic year (september – april) and to talk about his experience so far. monthly during the spring (may – June) by Dr. Rotter is an associate professor. university Communications, richardson hall, Queen’s university. BY PHIL GAUDREAU, SENIOR submissions are welcome, and may be COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER emailed to [email protected]. the editor reserves the right to edit or refuse any submission. views expressed or implied are those of individual contributors or sources How did you decide to be- quoted and do not necessarily reflect come a teacher? university policy. I never thought I would be a SCHEDULE professor, which makes me a rare issue date: aug. 28 species. If you told me even in my ad booking deadline: aug. 10 thirties that I would be a professor, ad artwork deadline: aug. 17 noon editorial deadline: aug. 23 I would not have believed you. I worked as a nurse clinician university CommuniCations Thomas Rotter, an associate professor in Healthcare Quality, joined the Queen’s community in July 2017. issue date: sept. 11 for 11 years in Germany in a vari- ad booking deadline: aug. 24 ety of settings before deciding to ad artwork deadline: aug. 31 go back to university to complete search and evaluation methods in prove both their quality of life and bring to Canada to test the trans- noon editorial deadline: sept. 5 my PhD. While completing my health quality, risk, and safety. It is life expectancy – but primarily fo- ferability. We picked two hospitals ADVERTISING POLICY doctorate, I connected with the delivered in a hybrid format as cusing on quality of care. in Australia and used face-to-face the Gazette is a newspaper published by Cochrane Collaboration – this is part of a two-year master’s course. I also want to do some research simulations to test nurses’ knowl- university Communications (“publisher”) like a dating agency for those in- Students are here twice for a into suicide prevention, going edge and skills on patient deterio- for the primary purpose of internal commu- nication to its faculty and staff members. volved in evidence-based practice week, and the rest is delivered on- back to my time as a psych nurse. ration before and after the train- all advertising is subject to the pub- and medicine. Through this, I met line. The numbers are terrible, and we ing, and in two other hospitals we lisher’s approval. the publisher reserves the my mentor – Dr. Leigh Kinsman It was a bit of a challenge in the have to do something. used web-based video simula- right to revise, reject, discontinue or omit any advertisement, or to cancel any advertis- in Australia – and we started do- start, but it is going really well My skills are generally applica- tions. I was a strong believer in ing contract for reasons satisfactory to the ing research together. He taught and I am looking forward to more ble as long as I work with content face-to-face simulation. I have a publisher without notice and without any me about how to successfully ap- teaching – as well as bringing experts. I am currently working background as a health economist, claim for penalty. the publisher does not accept liability for ply for high-level research grants, more of my research from with a lung doctor on a project in and Dr. Kinsman asked me to do any loss or damage caused by any error in how to publish, and he helped me Saskatchewan here. Saskatchewan to implement and the cost analysis. accuracy in the printing of an advertisement overcome my anxiety about these Tell us a bit about your re- evaluate a clinical pathway for We found that both formats beyond the amount paid for the space actu- ally occupied by that portion of the adver- things. search. Why is it important? COPD patients in Regina. were as effective at increasing tisement in which the error occurred. He is still my most important All of my research has a com- How did you become passion- nurses’ knowledge, and that over the advertiser agrees to indemnify the collaborator and friend, and my mon aim – to cut down the time it ate about healthcare quality? time web-based delivery gets publisher for any losses or costs incurred by the publisher as a result of publishing mentor – before I make any im- takes for a new discovery in This area is under-researched, cheaper. It is costly at the start but any advertisement, which is libelous or portant decisions, such as taking healthcare to arrive at the patient’s when compared to basic research, after about 100 nurse trainees you misleading, or otherwise subjects the this job at Queen’s, I am always bedside. I am considering both the and it is truly multidisciplinary by hit the break-even point. I hope to publisher to liability. the publisher may insert the word consulting him. My passion for re- patient outcomes, as well as the nature. Some innovations make it test the findings next year in “ advertisement” above or below any copy. search led me to academia, and I knowledge and ability of the into the care setting quicker and Canada. the publisher requires that any advocacy healthcare professionals – ensur- we don’t know why. It can be the advertisement identify the advertiser ended up loving it. • • • placing the ad. How did you end up in ing they are using the best avail- political climate, the context, or Faculty Renewal the publisher will not knowingly publish Canada? able knowledge to treat their pa- just the right timing – what I Principal Daniel Woolf has any advertisement which is illegal, mislead- ing or offensive to its readers. In 2012, I applied for a research tients. All of my research is of an know is that we don’t know. identified faculty renewal as a the publisher will not knowingly publish chair position at the University of applied nature. I am doing loads We spend billions of dollars high priority for reinvestment by any advertisement which violates the Saskatchewan in health quality of different stuff because my scope every year to create ‘me too’ drugs the university in support of the university’s internal policies, equity/human rights policies or code of conduct. Further, improvement science, and I was is broad. It applies to every disci- that are almost the same as exist- academic mission. The five-year the publisher will not publish any advertise- accepted. During my time there, pline in primary and hospital care. ing drugs – if we instead focused renewal plan will see 200 new ment which contravenes the best interests my wife and I had our daughter – Some of my research focuses more on quality and ensuring faculty hired, which nearly dou- of the university directly or indirectly. she’s now four years old. So we on clinical pathways – interven- medical knowledge and cutting- bles the hiring pace of the past six are now working on our citizen- tions which are aimed at guiding edge products made it into the years. Faculty renewal supports ship applications and intending to evidence-based practice and im- care setting faster, this would save Queen’s commitment to diversity stay in Canada. I decided after proving the interactions between lives and have a much greater ef- and inclusion by giving the uni- five years of this wonderful chair health services. I have worked on fect. This principle applies to versity the opportunity to seek, position that I should go for a fac- pathway projects in Canada and every sector of medicine. proactively, representation from ulty position so I could have more internationally as a way to stan- Another project you have equity-seeking groups such as time with my daughter. dardize the way we provide care worked on relates to simulating women, people with disabilities, With this faculty position at for patients with cancer, pediatric patient deterioration. What is Indigenous Peoples, and racial- Queen’s, teaching is about 35 per asthma, gastroenteritis, heart fail- that? ized individuals. It will also build cent of my job and I really love it. ure, and chronic obstructive pul- This is a project I worked on in on Queen’s current areas of re- One course I teach is about re- monary disease (COPD) to im- Australia, which I would like to search strength.