Back on Sept 22 and Oct 12, three 2811 Community and Older Adult clinical groups from the BN Program had the opportunity to apply theory and experience community health promotion in older adults at the Pros Knows Expo!

The Pros Knows Expos are coordinated by Rick Roschuk and facilitated by Older Adult serving agencies and businesses with interactive booths in Senior Active Living Centres throughout Winnipeg over the past year. These two featured were held at the Transcona Citizens Org and Good Neighbours Active Living Centre in River East.

Students interacted with more than 200 individuals, checking blood pressure and offering healthy heart information, honing their entry-level competency skills in assessment, communication, and education.

The event provides information and connection to services that older adults may not otherwise be aware of.  The students gained valuable insight: ‘it was so interesting as a young adult to see all of the resources available to older adults’ – Cameryn J.  Information was gathered from agencies and resources to build their community knowledge bases and were shared in the group.

Rick had a particular impact with the students at the end of the day, sharing his appreciation for RRC Polytech Nursing students. ‘Don’t get caught up on the negativity, because there is a larger majority rooting for you, who appreciate your commitment, dedication, and all the work you do at this stressful time in health care’.

Blog post written by Karen Janzen and Tracey McCulloch – Nursing Instructors

Photos by Teresa Lopata – Photographer for Good Neighbours Active Living Centre

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

RRC Polytech nursing instructor Rebecca Cameron, along with University of Manitoba nursing assistant professor Kim Mitchell, recently published the peer-reviewed journal article “Shifting Nursing Students’ Attitudes towards Indigenous Peoples by Participation in a Required Indigenous Health Course.”

Read the full text here: https://qane-afi.casn.ca/journal/vol8/iss3/3/

Rebecca reflected on the experience and meaning of her course and this important contribution to the scholarly literature.

Why is the Health, Wellness, and the Indigenous Population of Canada course a crucial component of the BN program?

It aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation call to action 24 that recommends the requirement that all medical and nursing schools have a course on Indigenous health issues, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Indigenous rights, and Indigenous teachings and practices. The class was created by Cathy Baxter before the calls to action came out. The first class was in September 2015 and the calls to action final report with findings and recommendations was released right around the same time. When it first started in 2015 it was an elective, but now it is a required class in the BN Curriculum.

What made you decide to undertake this study?

I really just wanted to know if the students were learning the content and if their perception of Indigenous Peoples change as a result in gaining this new knowledge. As the article states, nursing students come into nursing school with various perceptions of who Indigenous Peoples are. I wanted to find out if having greater knowledge in the topics covered in class changed their attitudes and perceptions of who Indigenous Peoples are.

Why was it important for you to study the impact of your course on students’ self-reported knowledge, interest, and perception of Indigenous Peoples’ health, wellness, and history?

I feel like that when our perceptions change, our care changes. At times we don’t know how our attitudes and beliefs impact our care; there is implicit bias going on. Implicit biases can, without intent, contribute to racist behavior. When we are aware of this, our care towards Indigenous Peoples change. Some of the students stated that prior to this class they thought they were practicing cultural humility and cultural safety when in fact they were not. I wanted the students to understand how their thoughts and perceptions affect their care.

What do you hope the reader takes away from your study?

I hope that they take away that they too can implement a course similar to this into their curriculum with the right tools and support. I also hope that the reader understands that a majority of the students who learned about Indigenous issues had a change in perception and a greater understanding of Canada’s history with Indigenous Peoples.

What do you hope students take away from your course?

I hope they get a better understanding of the issues that Indigenous Peoples face. Such as racism, loss of culture due to colonization, and resiliency. Although we face difficulties in our lives, we are resilient. Not all Indigenous Peoples fall under the same umbrella.

I want them to have an understanding that their Indigenous patient’s story did not start in that bed. It did not start on admission. They have a unique story that started prior. We all have a story. I feel that if we have knowledge of someone’s story then we are more open to empathy.

I hope that they get an understanding on how to empower their patient by recognizing the power differential between caregiver and patient. When we put the patient/client in the driver seat of their own health, studies show the better the health outcomes are for that patient.

Do you plan on continuing your research, and are there any specific projects you’re currently undertaking or hope to pursue in the future?

My future study will aim to see if knowledge of Canada’s history with Indigenous Peoples actually improves the care of Indigenous People there for improving their health status.
Kate Tate and I are currently working on “Racism in Nursing schools.” We have just finished up interviews with students. We are now in the analysis phase.

Anything else to share?

I am glad that this class is now mandatory. I feel like the students really benefit from the knowledge. Not only for themselves but also for their patient care. This class has some really unique activities (rather than sitting in the classroom looking at a PowerPoint) to help the students learn and perhaps gain a different perspective on the content of the class. We do things like go to the Human Rights Museum, conduct the blanket exercise, sit with the elder in sharing circles, smudge, and on several occasions even had a sweat. I wish that all faculty would take this class. I welcome any and all faculty to join in at any time.

Written by Rebecca Cameron – Nursing Instructor

Interview questions and intro by Meagen Chorney – Nursing Instructor

Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/appaloosa/52258436436

With the first term completed, it has been an exciting and successful return of the Nursing streaming program. Emerging Media and Production (formerly eTV) is proud to partner once again with the Nursing Department to deliver course streaming to regional classrooms in Winkler and Portage La Prairie. For the first time, the streaming program has been running symmetrically in Emerging Media’s new Connected Classroom, with two-way audio and visual communication between the on-site and regional classrooms, utilizing the WebEx streaming platform.

The Connected Classroom is purpose-built to live stream and record presentations and events synchronously, featuring multiple cameras, enhanced lighting, audio, and presentation technologies to capture detailed demonstrations and student/teacher interactions. Symmetrical communication between all Nursing campuses has been a goal that both Emerging Media and Nursing have been striving toward for many years. The ability to see and hear all students creates a greater sense of community and brings everyone the same opportunities for inclusion and participation in the classroom.

Emerging Media and Production is always innovating and expanding the capabilities and technology of the Connected Classroom to enhance teaching and learning for all students.

Post written by Dan Feriolo – Supervisor, Emerging Media and Production

Hope everyone had a great and safe Halloween as our Nursing students did working on the Pediatric ward on Halloween!

Written by: Jennifer Johnson – Nursing Lab Manager

Photos by: Monica Nash – Nursing Instructor

Just over a year ago, RRC Polytech launched Communication Management, a post-graduate diploma program to help professional communicators boost their business acumen and leadership skills. The program’s first cohort is a mix of professionals who specialize in various communication disciplines.

Their common link is that they’re all now working in organizational communications, and came to the Communication Management program to build experience that will open more professional opportunities.

“I have already put my new skills into practice in my work at Manitoba Hydro,” says Kathleen Hodgson, Community Investment and Public Safety Specialist at Manitoba Hydro. “The course content is designed specifically for people like me, who may have mastered the fundamentals of communications but are still eager to learn more. I believe the confidence I gained from taking Business for Communicators 1 gave me the edge I needed to bid on an exciting new role within my organization, and get it.”

“The program has really helped boost my confidence and renewed my passion for my work, which is great for me and Manitoba Hydro,” says Hodgson.

The Communication Management program is offered online, on weekday evenings. The courses cover traditional business topics ranging from operating fundamentals (finance, governance, reporting, labour law) to professional project management and leadership skills. In addition to those, courses provide deeper dives into skills particularly relevant to mid-level communicators, from stakeholder engagement to change management and digital content marketing.

To complete the program, each student will complete a capstone project that puts their skills into practice for a real-life client of their choice – either an employer or another organization they want to help.

“Our Creative Communications grads develop strong communication skills in their diploma program, but we just don’t have the time to build the extensive business knowledge, project management and leadership skills we’d like to,” says Melanie Lee Lockhart, M.A., APR, who coordinates the Communication Management program. “Having taught Public Relations and Communication Management in CreComm for more than a decade, I know the vast majority of our grads find industry jobs quickly. But some eventually need additional training to help them move up.”

“We developed the Communication Management program to connect CreComm grads’ communication skills with the business knowledge and management skills they need,” says Lee Lockhart.

The Communication Management program comprises 12 courses. This coming winter term (January – April 2023), the program will offer its Managing Major Projects, Digital Content Marketing, and Labour Law and Management courses.

Between pandemic-related changes in the way we all work and the evolving influence of technology, professional communicators are doing more and more project management. Project management programs and designations are growing out of this need, and are equipping professionals to move up the ranks as they can handle more responsibility. The Managing Major Projects course aims to fill that gap for professional communicators in the Communication Management program.

While programs like RRC Polytech’s Creative Communications equip their graduates for the communications side of their roles, they don’t have enough time to develop extensive project management practices and skills.

Enter Managing Major Projects, a course in RRC Polytech’s new post-graduate diploma in Communication Management.

“The fact is, you can’t possibly learn everything you need to manage communications for an organization in a two-year program,” says Rose Regier (CreComm 2015), who has managed major projects for clients, including the Canada Summer Games, and will be teaching the evening course in the Winter 2023 term. “And besides that, you really need to have experience in an organization before you can really understand how project management should properly work.”

“This course was designed for people who are working as professional communicators. We build on what they already know and do, to develop high-level project management skills that will help them successfully play more important roles,” says Regier.

Like all courses in the new Communication Management program, the Managing Major Projects course develops related professional project management skills and picks up at the skill level its students achieved in a communications-related diploma or degree program. The students learn principles and best practices and then apply them to real-life client situations, in their own workplaces where possible.

“[Communication Management] is an innovative, industry-driven program,” says Joey Pothe, Communications Officer, Association of Employees Supporting Education Services (AESES), who is pursuing the post-graduate diploma in Communication Management and took Managing Major Projects in the Winter 2022 term. “It has small, flexible online classes; instructors are knowledgeable industry experts, and the real-world assignments can benefit your current employer.”

Managing Major Projects classes begin the evening of January 3, 2023, online, and are open to anyone with a diploma or degree in business communications, advertising, marketing communications, public relations, or communication management, or who has worked as a professional communicator.

Brenda E. Enns would like to send out a special Thank You to all the students who nominated her for the Teachers Award of Excellence 2021-2022. She appreciates and loves her job teaching in the Nursing Techniques lab, and receiving this award shows that her students appreciate her too.

Post created by

Jennifer Johnson

Nursing Lab Manager