Jaclyn Sanderson
About Me
I currently live in Crapaud, Prince Edward Island with my new husband and French bulldog. My interest in the allied health professions and specifically with respiratory therapy (RT) began when I was in high school and my mother underwent a double lung transplant. Prior to her transplant she was on home oxygen and spent multiple months on trial drugs in the hospital.
I attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and graduated with a Bachelors of Health Science in Respiratory Therapy in 2016. After graduating I went on to work at the QEII Health Sciences Center in Halifax. It was here that I worked at a tertiary trauma, cardiac and neuro center and learned many valuable critical care skills.
After working for a couple years, I decided to further my education by enrolling in the Anesthesia Assistant program through Thompson Rivers University. I completed this course in May 2018 and started working as an Anesthesia Assistant (AA) in the operating rooms in Halifax. Throughout my time in the OR I had the privilege to learn many skills from many brilliant anesthesiologists.
Prior to covid, in March 2020, my partner and I decided to move back home to PEI. I have been working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown ever since. I love working in my home province, where although small, is very community based and beautiful.
Lastly, with the ever changing health care field I decided to enrol in a master’s program to further my education. With so many professionals changing careers and with professionals changing scopes I feel like this is an excellent time to start taking these courses.
Education and Experience
Dalhousie University
2013-2017 Bachelor in Health Science in Respiratory Therapy
The respiratory therapy bachelors degree provided an in depth knowledge of respiratory care theory and practicum . The courses focused on human anatomy & physiology, physics, mechanical ventilation, pharmacology, anesthesia, and pulmonary function. Additional courses taken include ethics, health law and indigenous studies to name a few.
Thompson Rivers University
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2017-2018 Canadian Certified Anesthesia Assistant
The anesthesia assistant diploma program includes multiple courses including: airway adjuncts, cardio pulmonary perfusion and anesthesia equipment along with others. The training also included a 16 week clinical with week long rotations in multiple specialities including cardiac, plastics, pediatrics, thoracics, ENT, OMF and urology to name a few. Lastly writing the Canadian Board of Anesthesia Care exam provided me with my anesthesia assistant designation.
I started my career working as a registered respiratory therapist in 2016. As a respiratory therapist I have worked in many settings including large city hospitals, small community hospitals, education, lung function testing, and in primary care. As a respiratory therapist, I often work with the sickest patients in the hospital. I attended traumas, high risk deliveries, and I provided care to all patients of all ages who were supported by mechanical ventilation. Some days I am helping a premature baby take their first breath, and also helping elderly patients take their last. For myself, working as a respiratory therapist keeps everyday at work different and interesting. Working as an RT also allows me to keep up with changing healthcare policies, evolving equipment and patient care.
Role of the E Portfolio
Portfolios can help learners develop new or deeper learning, help learners develop a better sense of themselves as students and as individuals; be shared with friends and family members; and showcase learners' achievements when they are applying for a job.
An ePortfolio lets students organize, document, and display their most significant learning experiences in one digital space. The reflective learning process of creating and building a portfolio over time deepens their learning AND yields a dynamic product that makes learning visible to any audience.
Making my ePortfolio has included learning about myself and how I want to display myself on social media in a professional way. An e portfolio is an easy way to keep information related to MSHT 601 in one place and allows me to easily refer back to topics discussed throughout the course.
