Barbara Tallman, RN, BSc, MN, PhD

Teaching philosophy

Education is a relationship between the teacher and the student. The teacher depends on information they receive through classroom activities, through the evaluation process and through one-to-on interactions with the student in order to provide the best learning experience for all students. The teacher's responsibility is to engage the student with information that they recognize as relevant and meaningful to their developing skills as a health care provider. 

The first step to engage the student is to have students reflect on their current understanding of concepts and theories. Group and class discussion is used to facilitate discussion, enhance curiosity about the application of a concept to health care and to provide the teacher with important feedback about the student's learning. 

Student's get feedback about their learning in the class room by engaging in various types of learning activities including answering questions online anonymously. Case studies are used in learning activities to facilitate the application of the concept. 

Foremost, the teacher aims to ensure student's have the building blocks that encourage them to provide to be life long learners and to provide quality, wholistic care that improves the health of individuals, families and communities.

Biography

I have worked full time as a nursing instructor for the College of Nursing at UM for 5 years. I was educated as a nurse in British Columbia about 30 years ago. My first position was a generalist nurse in a large rural hospital on Vancouver Island. In this hospital worked throughout the hospital acquiring experiences in surgery, medicine and in postpartum.

When I moved to New Brunswick I worked as a float nurse for the local hospital, and as an educator for a College of Nursing. The experiences I had encouraged me to consider acquiring a greater understanding of the care needs of the older adult. 

When I came to Manitoba I pursued both educational and job opportunities that provided me insight into the older adult's care needs and experience of care. I worked as a supervisor at two different large Long term care facilities and pursued graduate-level education that specialized in understanding the older adult. I gained further understanding of the issues of care working as a geriatric clinician, a geriatric clinical nurse specialist and as homecare nurse.

As an instructor I teach courses related to the older adult. I have also been a Course Lead for several different clinical courses.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have had both through the positions I have had and the education I have to grow and learn both as a nurse and as a human being.

I have contributed to the following textbook chapters and journal:

  • Tallman, B., & Austin, W., (2023). Chapter 31, Psychiatric and mental health for Canadian Practice. In Kunyk, D. (Editor), Peternelj-Taylor, C. (Editor & Austin), W. Editor (Edition 5). Mental Health of Older Adults: Promotion and Assessment. (pp. 837-860). Walters Kluwer.
  • Tallman, B., & Guse, L., (2023). Chapter 6, Comprehensive Assessment of the Older Adult. In Mauk E. (Editor), (Edition 7) Gerontological Nursing: Competencies of Care (pp. 229-262). Jones & Bartlett.
  • Tallman, B. (2015) “Personhood and Intersubjectivity”, Perspectives, Journal of the Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association, 38 (1), 19-20.

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Microbiology 
  • Registered Nurse 
  • Master's of Nursing (major gerontology) 
  • PhD in Applied Health Sciences

Awards

  • Manitoba Gerontological Nursing Association: Research Award in 2020
     
  • First place, One minute thesis presentation, Applied Health Sciences Research Day, May, 2019
     
  • Manitoba Centre for Nursing Health Research, Royal Fort Garry Poppy Trust Fund, 2016
     
  • Applied Health Sciences Award, 2012
     
  • Western Regional Training Centre for Health Services Research Fellowship, 2012-2013
     
  • Anne C. Beckingham Scholarship, Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association, 2011
     
  • Royal Canadian Legion Trust Fund, 2000

Contact us

College of Nursing
Helen Glass Centre for Nursing
89 Curry Place
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus) 
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

nursing@umanitoba.ca
204-474-7452
204-474-7682