Extern Coordinator - Advanced Practice Nurse Educator
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Canada
Felicia Lau, RN, BScN, MN, CpedN(C), has spent over 6 years at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital where she is currently the Extern Coordinator - Advanced Practice Nurse Educator (APNE) for the Ontario Ministry of Health’s Enhanced Extern Program (EEP). Felicia also holds Adjunct Lecturer status with the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto. As Extern Coordinator, she uses her advanced practice nurse background to provide leadership in the overall implementation, development, and evaluation of the EEP as well as support extern onboarding, role clarity, staff and team well-being, professional development, clinical practice, and interprofessional team integration. Since the implementation of the program in 2022, Holland Bloorview has supported over 80 externs across the nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and respiratory therapy disciplines and continues to grow. Our vision with the EEP at Holland Bloorview is to provide experiential learning opportunities and mentorship for clinical learners as they transition into regulated health care professionals. Our hope is that the externs who participate in our program develop an interest in a meaningful career in pediatric rehabilitation and are better equipped with the knowledge, skills, and experience to care for medically complex children after graduation.