Nursing students in 3rd year have the opportunity to learn about and apply concepts of community health/social determinants of health to at risk-populations in a variety of community settings. In Clinical Practice: Community Health, our students develop and provide meaningful Health Promotion presentations for children, youth, or families in order to educate and empower them. Our main clinical site this year was Manitoba Youth Centre, a youth correctional facility with Manitoba Justice. The youth expressed much appreciation for the many health presentations given by students this past year – some groups also received huge “Thank you” cards from the girls and “Teacher Sara”. Please read on to hear one student’s reflection on her experience from Manitoba Youth Centre!

–Tanya Cole RN, BScN – Nursing Instructor

Community health nursing is all about meeting people where they are, and that can mean so many different things. Often that’s very abstract, like where they are in their lives’ journeys, where they are in a disease process, or where they are emotionally, but it can also mean where they literally are – in this case, in a correctional facility. One thing that really struck me about the learning we did at MYC is that we did all of the assessment processes of trying to understand the context that our clients were living in socially, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and economically, but then we also had to actually go to them. I think that’s an important part of community nursing and public health nursing, because so often the people who have the most unmet needs for care or education are the ones who don’t seek it out. If we want to be serious about health equity, it’s our job as healthcare workers to find the people who might not present themselves to us.

Nurses (and student nurses!) have to be ready for unfamiliarity and ready to use any and all tools at our disposal. Sometimes we might be giving our presentation to a small group huddled around a laptop, and if we can be adaptable, we can use these things to our advantage, as we did at MYC. I think even the fact that we had to stand relatively close together and all look at the same small resource made for a very conversational style of presentation and encouraged a remarkable dialog with the participants we presented to. I was humbled by their honesty and engagement.

– Hannah Done [she, her, hers] – Student Nurse (Year 3) – Red River College Polytechnic

MAY THE HOLIDAYS BE FULL AND BRIGHT!

THANK YOU TO THE WINNIPEG JETS WHO WERE VISITING THE PEDIATRIC WARD WHILE OUR STUDENTS WERE THERE AND TOOK THE TIME TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

WRITTEN BY: Jennifer Johnson – Nursing Lab Manager

PHOTO BY: Monica Nash – Nursing Instructor

It’s that time of year again, and the gift of giving is in the air!

Instead of sponsoring a family, the Nursing Department is looking for donations of non-perishable food items, toys, or money (which can be donated online).

**ALL DONATIONS NEED TO BE IN BY NOVEMBER 24th or via the SA website by November 25th**

Toys and food can be put in a box in the lunchroom on C6. A box will be there by Thursday November 10th.

The SA is also collecting monetary donations through their website (https://rrcsa.ca/product/holidayhamper) to provide grocery vouchers to our students.

Rather than collecting cash donations, we ask that you donate online through the SA website above.

Look forward to helping others this Christmas!

Post written by: Jennifer Johnson

Nursing Lab Manager

For the past 4 years, Krystal Boyce-Gaudreau has taken part in Career Day at William Whyte School. She presents usually to Grade 7 / 8 students, many of whom come from the disadvantaged, core area households. With a personal connection to this school, as her sister also teaches there, Krystal feels deeply motivated to encourage students to pursue their dreams. Highlighting her career of nursing and a variety of nursing programs is one example of how she hopes to inspire students to pursue their passions and to let them know of supports available to them.

Meet Krystal: An RRC / U of M JBN grad of 2002, Krystal worked as an RN BN at Concordia Emergency until 2013, as well as completing her Masters of Nursing (U of M) in 2013. At this time, she began her career at RRC Polytech where she continued to share her passion and leadership in a variety of nursing instructor roles. Krystal has taught in courses from Pharmacology and Diagnostics to Health Assessment 1 and 2, Discipline 4, and most recently developed and taught an elective on Substance Use Disorders and Nursing Care. During the pandemic, she also helped to develop the Health Care Support Worker micro-credential course, taught vaccine administration, AND picked up shifts in vaccine clinics!

How does a nurse prepare for a Career Day presentation? Krystal developed a 1.5 hour presentation including a Powerpoint presentation, Q & A, and the students’ favourite part … experiential – where students can see/touch/use equipment borrowed from RRC Poloytech’s nursing lab (thanks to Jennifer Johnson). Krystal uses student volunteers to teach about CPR and AED machines using role plays with an adult mannequin torso.  Demonstrating how to take vitals using the oximeter and thermometers, listening to heart sounds with stethoscopes – these are always a big hit with the students.

Some of the main points that Krystal always shares:

1) Her own lived experience and struggles in school and how a great teacher in grade 6 believed in her and helped her. She encourages students to not to let things define or limit them… but to believe in themselves.

2) To educate students about what nurses DO and that we CARE about them. Also, that nurses are great people to seek out for help or support.

3) To encourage, support, and inspire students to dream about their careers and their future.

How do the students react? They are nervous and shy at first but then begin to open up and ask questions like: ”Have you ever seen someone die?…delivered a baby?…how hard was schooling? – how much did it cost? – how much do you make?!” They often want to share their own healthcare / hospital family experiences. The kids are also surprised by how much money nurses make AND they get really excited when listening to their own heartbeats and learning what the heart does.

A few final thoughts:

Feeling motivated to speak to a student or group of students? Maybe plant a seed or inspire a young mind to dream? A couple of tips: when doing a Career Day talk for students, make sure to have fun and ensure the information being shared is at the students’ level. Krystal shares that for her, “nursing is an awesome career with lots of opportunities for you to really pursue any passion and any direction!”

Written by Tanya Cole RN BScN, RRC Polytech Nursing Instructor

Experiencing the concept of ‘community as client’ does not always present itself. Our clinical group: Community and Older Adults, NRSG 2811, Oct 6-Nov 4, had such an opportunity.

The group health education topic was Food Security, as identified by the tenants and support staff at our site. As the students contacted agencies and services in the area for resources and information, a timely placed call to Dave Feniuk at Agape Table resulted in substantial food donation to the site. Two students arranged to pick up the items and prepared 30+ individual bags of fresh produce to distribute to those in need. Other items included frozen turkeys and trimmings for their Christmas dinner, as well as other frozen food items that the tenant association will oversee to provide ongoing food to those struggling with food security. They facilitated a partnership between Agape Table and the site for long-term support.

The students experienced, first hand, how partnerships and networking are necessary components of community health, to experience the Community Health Nurse role, realistically consider the social determinants of health as well as inspired volunteerism.

Mutual benefit is part of the ongoing partnership. Agape Table, a not-for-profit charity ‘Nourishing body, mind and spirit’ through daily bagged meals and an emergency food bank, relies on donations, volunteers, and sponsorships. We are happy to be part of the solution working with Agape Table.

Written by Karen Janzen, Clinical Instructor

Student Christmas Holiday Hampers

From the Students’ Association:

We need your help!

The Students’ Association wants to help students and their families this Christmas holiday season. The SA is looking to collect non-perishable food items, and toys for their dependents (ages range from 1 to 18 years). A list of food items is available at https://rrcsa.ca/product/holidayhamper 

Please drop off food and unwrapped toys to one of our offices (NDC – CM20 and EDC – P110) during business hours starting November 1st.

The SA is also collecting monetary donations through our website (https://rrcsa.ca/product/holidayhamper) to provide grocery vouchers to our students.

We will be handing out hampers, toys, and vouchers to students in need in December. 

If you have any further questions, please contact Selina Anderson at sanderson3@rrc.ca 

Let’s work together to feed our Red River College Polytechnic Students that are struggling this Holiday Season.

Thank-you,

The Students’ Association

• Post Created by Jennifer Johnson – Nursing Lab Manager

• Content from The Students’ Association promotional material

The Nursing Department would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Troy Gutowski, a year 3 Nursing Student, on being drafted to the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). For those less familiar with the Canadian national summer sport of lacrosse, the NLL is the professional equivalent of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is comprised of 15 teams across Canada and the US.

Troy began playing box lacrosse when he was 9 years of age. He is considered a strong offensive playmaker, leading the Canada West team in overall points in the 2021 IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championship this summer. Troy was also the overall tournament leader for assists – racking up 10 assists over the course of 3 games. When asked what it is he loves most about the sport, he replied “how fast the game is, the quick decision-making and reaction time it requires. I also love it for the friendships and relationships I’ve made over the years.”

Way to go Troy, and all the best in reaching all of your career goals – within and outside of nursing!

Fun fact: Wayne Gretzky, who also grew up playing lacrosse, is one of the owners of the 15th and newest team (Las Vegas) to be included in the NLL.

Post written by Tammy Neufeld – Nursing Instructor

This year, because of COVID-19, instead of supporting one large family with food and gifts, the Students’ Association is purchasing and distributing food vouchers to RRC students in need. Your support is even more important at this time, as they expect an increase in hamper needs.

The Christmas hamper program helped more than 100 students and their families last year thanks to the generous staff and departments at RRC. Our goal again this year is to provide as many students in need with hamper food vouchers.

Please consider making a financial donation to the Students’ Association to help support our students in need this holiday season. With everything going on, everyone, especially our students, need our support and love now more than ever!

Online donations can be made at www.rrcsa.ca

If you have any trouble or questions, please reach out to Jennifer Johnson (jljohnson@rrc.ca) or Meagen Chorney (machorney@rrc.ca), and we’ll be more than happy to help you contribute this year.

Let’s make this year just as great as our past years for our students in need!

Written by:

Images from Pixabay:
Polar Bear
Puppy

Check out Nursing grad Jaime Manness’ book Hike Manitoba, which is coming out with a second volume in November.

To learn more, read the RRC Alumni Engagement blog post.

The Nursing Students’ Association at Red River College hosted a Nursing Students’ Week. It is a CNSA (Canadian Nursing Students’ Association) initiative, which was celebrated across Canada during the week of November 18th-22nd, 2019.

Our students were away from the College that week so we moved the dates to December 16th-20th, 2019. We started off by hosting a Paint Night led by Amber Van Ma’iingan from Painting on the Prairies. The event was fully covered by the Healthy Minds, Healthy College Initiative, and organized by Breanna Sawatzky Mental Health Coordinator and one of our NSA members Marlo Pereira- Edwards.

Monday was the start of our nursing positivity wall, which was proudly displayed in the library hallway for all students to add to throughout the week. Red River College nursing students also ran a donation drive and collected everyday items based on the needs of Willow Place this holiday season. Willow Place is a non-profit organization in Winnipeg that helps women and children experiencing family violence and provides them with support and emergency shelter.

With the student’s generosity, we were able to fill up 3 boxes full of various items. The donations included daily care items such as shampoo, toothbrushes, a hair dryer and hair straightener; a lot of craft and activity items such as coloring books, pencils, glue-sticks, scissors and children’s books; and lastly non-perishable food items.

Tuesday we started making holiday cards for pediatric patients; we delivered 40 cards to different units at the Children’s Hospital.

Wednesday we had a relaxing lunch of eating baked goods and making reindeer ornaments; over 40 were made!!

Thursday we hosted self care making kits, which included chocolate, mints, hair ties, playdough, pencils and pens, David’s tea sachets and other items.

Friday we invited all students and staff to wear ugly sweaters and took a group picture and later celebrated the end of the week with a DIY hot chocolate bar!

We had a great turn out to all the planned events and hope to be able to plan more fun events throughout the new year of 2020!!

Post by Kristen McGregor and Samantha Siedlik – Student Nurses

Photos by the RRC Nursing Students’ Association