Created and developed by Professor Emerita Laurie Gottlieb, and known by its acronym 鈥� SBNH -Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare is a unique approach to care that recognizes, mobilizes, capitalizes on and develops individual strengths to promote health and facilitate healing. Woven throughout all levels of the curriculum at the Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN), SBNH humanizes our healthcare system, empowering individuals to make informed and meaningful decisions.
For Assistant Professor Annie Chevrier, RN, MSc(A), and clinically-based Faculty Lecturer Christina Clausen, RN, PhD, co-chairs of the SBNH Advisory Committee, SBNH is more than a philosophy 鈥� it鈥檚 a compass that guides the nursing profession. 鈥淭wenty years ago, the 成人VR视频 Model of Nursing was well known. Today, it's SBNH that distinguishes us,鈥� asserts Professor Chevrier. She adds that Laurie Gottlieb鈥檚 decision to create an advisory board with equal representation from academic and the clinical setting continues to bear fruit as the program evolves.
One of the Advisory Board鈥檚 primary responsibilities is to oversee and continuously evaluate the SBNH Leadership Training Program, initially developed by Prof. Gottlieb as part of a large partnership grant funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Evaluation studies published in peer-reviewed journals showed that the SBNH-L training program was linked to higher workplace satisfaction, increased well-being at work, and lower stress levels. As Prof. Clausen points out, this is particularly important for nursing retention. 鈥淕iven that this leadership training program was built for clinicians, the synergy between academic scholarship and the clinical setting ensures that we share the same language, values and framework.鈥�
As Prof. Chevrier explains, this synergy extends to partner institutions in Montreal (成人VR视频 Health Centre (MUHC), CIUSSS de l鈥橭uest de l鈥橧le de Montr茅al, CIUSSS Centre-ouest de l鈥橧le de Montr茅al) and Toronto鈥檚 University Health Network (SickKids Hospital, Center for addiction and mental health, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital). Partner institutions identify and select nurse leaders most likely to benefit from the SBNH-L program and to champion the approach in their units. Additional spots are then opened up to the general nursing community, attracting participation from clinicians in other parts of Canada as well as France, Brazil and Australia.
Consisting of three online modules delivered over a 12-week period, SBNH-L combines independent learning with group discussion, mentorship, and reflective practice. At the end of the course, should they wish to undertake a deeper engagement with SBNH values and principles, participants are invited to join the SBNH community of practice and to subscribe to the SBNH newsletter.
Feedback consistently reveals a high level of satisfaction with the SBNH-L training program. For example, over 90% of participants in the winter 2025 cohort reported significant improvement in their understanding of SBNH principles as well as increased capacity to act as change agents in their respective organizations.
International interest remains high thanks to SBNH-themed conference presentations and outreach. For example, Associate Professor Lia Sanzone, who presented at the Secr茅tariat international des infirmi猫res et infirmiers de l鈥檈space francophone (SIDIIEF) conference in Switzerland, is consulting with Universit茅 de Lausanne about ways to integrate SBNH into their nursing curriculum. Ongoing collaborations led by Professors Chevrier and Sanzone are extending this work in France, in partnership with the D茅partement de la Moselle Directorate of Public Health and Maternal and Child Health Promotion and the Centre Hospitalier de Nantes. Closer to home, CEGEP de Lanaudi猫re, Memorial University, Newfoundland, and University of Moncton, New Brunswick have either adopted or are in the process of adopting SBNH as their model of nursing care.
Research is another important component of the program. Advisory Board member John Kayser (COMTL) and Prof Sylvie Lambert have recently received funding for their upcoming study, 鈥淭ransforming Work Cultures Using a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Approach (SBNH@Work). Fellow Advisory Board Member Judith Lapierre is conducting a questionnaire-based study titled 鈥淒evelopment and validation of measurement scales for the integration of the Strengths-Based Approach to Nursing and Health Care among nurse clinicians鈥�.
Asked what makes SBNH so compelling to students and nurses alike, Professor Clausen says the answer can be found in the visual representation of SBNH as a tree with strong roots. 鈥淭he foundation of SBNH is based on human relationships, person-centredness, empowerment/agency, innate health capacities and healing mechanisms 鈥� the very values that attract many of us to the nursing profession,鈥� states Professor Clausen. Adds Professor Chevrier, 鈥淥ur students connect with it because it鈥檚 intuitive. While SBNH draws from scholarly research in many disciplines, ultimately, it is grounded in the stories and experiences of nurses.鈥�
SBNH Advisory Board
Annie Chevrier, N, MSc(A), CMSN(C), (Co-chair)
Christina Clausen, RN, PhD, (Co-chair)
Rosetta Antonacci, RN, BScN, MScAdm, FCAN
John William Kayser, RN, MSc(A), PhD, CSPSM(C)
Tracey Lang, RN, MN
Judith Lapierre, inf., M.Sc.inf., PhD, CCNE
Jos茅e Lizotte, MScN
Katherine Logue, RN, MScA
Lia Sanzone, N, BScN, MSc(A), MScAdm (Cert.)
Andraea Van Hulst, RN, PhD
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SBNH Clinical Partnership Group
Christina Clausen, RN, PhD
John William Kayser, RN, MSc(A), PhD, CSPSM(C)
Tracey Lang, RN, MN
Jos茅e Lizotte, MScN
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Program Support
Katherine Logue, RN, MScA, (Curriculum Design)
Natalie Oldfield (Brightspace Instructional Design)
Maryam Wagner, BSc, BEd, MEd, PhD, (Evaluation)
Giuseppina Pietraroia (Registration Administration)
Yuan Chen (Courseware Development)
Mary Ruth Logue (Project Officer)
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