Newsletter Issue No. Spring 2015-03
Mission
The Faculty of Health fosters student success and contribution in local, national and international communities as transformational leaders in health and education through quality programming, service and scholarship.
Message from Dr. Tru Freeman, Dean – Faculty of Health (FoH)
HAUC 2014 Students Raise $2820.00!
Concept Based Curriculum Conference
World Conference on Acupuncture held in Houston
Youth to Youth Violence: An Evolving Project
BSN-PB Celebrates their First Graduating Class!
Faculty of Health facilitates the inaugural mobile blood donor clinic.
Purdy’s Chocolates – Fundraising Campaign
KPU holds its first Open House at the Richmond Campus
Message from Dr. Tru Freeman, Dean – Faculty of Health (FoH)
Over the years, the Faculty of Health (FoH) faculty and staff have mastered the state of resilience. Change in post-secondary education has become second nature as requirements from government, regulatory and accreditation bodies, the K-12 sector, industry and other internal and external stakeholders compel us to transform, adapt and be flexible for a changing landscape. The FoH is facing large scale adjustments in many of its programs.
The Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing (BPN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) are currently developing curriculum changes to their entire programs, starting with an inter-professional Health Foundations (HF) year. Students will be required to declare their program of choice in this core HF year and, if they meet the specific program admission requirements, will enter in Year 2/Semester 3 of their preferred program. The Heath Unit Coordinator (HAUC) program is in the process of revising/updating their curriculum and the Health Care Assistant (HCA) program is working with the new BC Health Care Assistant Core Competencies which outlines the entry level core practice competencies required for HCA practice.
The resilience and commitment of the FoH faculty and staff is role modelled for our students and future graduates. Healthcare requires adaptability and flexibility for the rapid pace of change that occurs in the work place. Living the KPU Strategic Vision 2018, resilience speaks to the university goals of quality (successful global citizens), reputation (recognized teaching and scholarship) and relevance (blended theory and practice).
HAUC 2014 Students Raise $2820.00!
Article by: Radhika Kumar and Lisa Gedak.
The September 2014 Health Unit Coordinator (HAUC) students worked hard to raise awareness and funds for the Women's Resource Society of The Fraser Valley (WRSFV). The WRSFV is a nonprofit registered charity that provides emergency shelter, meals, temporary housing, emotional support, advocacy, free legal counsel, free individual counselling and support groups for women and children who have experienced violence. Safe specialized support is available to children and youth who have witnessed abuse.
Through two bake sales, (one on Langley campus and one on Cloverdale campus) and a pub night fundraiser; the HAUC class successfully raised $2,820 in December 2014 for this fantastic organization. In addition to the funds raised, the group also collected two large donation boxes filled with toys and toiletries including two cases of children's toothpaste. Denny's provided 100 coupons for free breakfasts as well and these coupons were placed in "gift bags" with chocolates. The donation boxes were estimated to be worth an additional ~ $500.00.
This fundraiser was fully organized by the HAUC 2014 students and supported by the HAUC Instructor, Lisa Gedak.
Concept Based Curriculum Conference
Article by: Deborah Dunn.
In January 2015, I attended the Concept Based Curriculum (CBC) Conference hosted by Donna D. Ignatavicius, MS, RN, ANEF in Albuquerque New Mexico. Donna has written several textbooks on developing nursing curriculum from a concept based perspective and is mentoring several colleges and universities in the south western USA to revise and write their curricula from this perspective.
What is CBC? An approach to developing Nursing curriculum that bases student learning on concepts as opposed to content, using concepts to organize and present the content associated with seminal exemplars.
Why use this approach? Over the course of three days various presenters made these claims: decrease content saturation; emphasis on nursing care and less on medical care (USA context); students form higher level thinking skill as they learn to form linkages and relate concepts.
How to build a CBC? Not much different from building any curriculum 1. Establish a philosophy, 2. Develop organizing framework, 3. Develop new graduate competencies, 4. Construct the plan of study, 5. Select concepts, 6. Select exemplars, 7. Organize concepts and exemplars throughout the courses, 8. Establish evaluation strategies.
Examples of concepts included mobility, infection, gas exchange, health, professionalism.
From my perspective the CBC approach has both pros and cons. Pros: decrease content saturation; permission to select seminal exemplars with no need to teach “it all”; focus on nursing care that crosses settings, populations, contexts; connect theory; lab/sim and clinical; use of a hybrid version of CBC instead of 100 % CBC has utility; going 100% CBC is work intensive; focus on need to knows.
A major con is that no major research has been published to date to demonstrate the differences in learners, graduates, ease of writing curriculum etc. In addition, the USA has so many types of nursing programs, it makes standardizing curriculum and competencies challenging for them. This method is being heralded as a solution. Also there is no standardization as to how many concepts or how many exemplars constitute a comprehensive curriculum.
Other foci of the conference included teaching and learning strategies for the classroom and clinical and ideas/strategies for evaluating student learning in clinical.
In summary, it was a timely conference to attend considering we are embarking on major curriculum development. I learned some new teaching and learning strategies and had many confirmed as effective strategies to continue using. I appreciate our Canadian nursing education system even more and appreciate how progressive we are articulating competencies, providing quality standardized education, and focusing on holistic nursing care quite separately from medical care.
World Conference on Acupuncture held in Houston
Article by: John Yang.
The World Conference on Acupuncture was held in Houston, Texas from October 31 to November 2. According to the organizer, the World Federation of Acupuncture –Moxibustion Societies, over 800 traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and doctors from over 40 countries gathered in Houston for its annual event. The theme of the conference is the integration of Eastern and Western medicine. 260 papers were received and presented during the event. One of the guest speakers Dr. Andrew Weil, a well-known integrated medical advocate, presented his topic on The Integration of Eastern and Western Medical Philosophy and Practice. According to Dr. Weil, the collaboration of Chinese medicine and Western medicine will yield a great number of advances and break through in the treatment of illnesses, resulting in better health care for all.
Dr. John Yang, Coordinator of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), represented Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) FoH at this event. He introduced the KPU TCM program to Canadian delegates and other TCM leaders around the world.
Youth to Youth Violence: An Evolving Project
Judy Lee, Nav Nijjar, Monica Ocampo, and Paul Padda
In Spring 2007, Judy started at BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) as a KPU BSN clinical practice instructor. During that time I learned there was no special follow up for patients who were victims of youth to youth violence. A project evolved over the years, led by students of various nursing programs at KPU and supported by KPU nursing and psychology faculty, and health care providers of BCCH and Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH). In the past Fall semester, three BSN students initiated for their course work an idea and developed a tool to screen and refer victims of youth violence to community resources. This is their success story.
Nav Nijjar:
I was introduced to the Project in Spring 2014, when I volunteered to help analyze data from previous research. Then, as part of a Semester 7 course, I was excited to have been given the opportunity to work on a project that I’d really wanted to be a part of. Sharing firsthand how clinical educators and practice leaders came together to listen to student nurses was very inspiring. Working with such great nursing leaders – all of them sharing a passion for making a genuine and caring difference not only in the policies and practices on the Units, but also in a way to positively impact the lives of those who are victims or perpetrators of youth to youth violence – is something I will never forget. The fact that our presentation was so well received by BCCH was a thrill.
Monica Ocampo:
After weeks of research, we were able to develop a tool that integrates current literature with practice. We were then given the opportunity to present the tool to Clinical Educators at BCCH and SMH. Finally we were able to fill the void that we felt when we first started working on this project; because we found a direction for the Project: to use the tool that we had developed as a basis for creating a standardized care plan for youth to youth violence. Ultimately, this experience has given me not only a sense of achievement but it has also emphasized to me the power that nurses (even nursing students) can have in influencing positive change.
Paul Padda:
Like Nav, I began my work on the Youth Violence Project when I volunteered to help analyze data from the work of previous students on a survey conducted. At that time, youth violence hadn’t been a field that I’d considered, but I became increasingly passionate about the issue. Working with key figures from BCCH and SMH had led us to our final goal of a practical, user friendly tool that’ll help youth across the Lower Mainland affected by youth violence. Upon reflection of my nearly completed Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, the completion and presentation of this project/tool was probably one of my proudest moments. If my hours spent on this research can even help just one youth out there, my work serves a valid purpose.
*For those interested in the “Youth-to-Youth Violence Tool and Resource for Healthcare Providers” email: judy.lee@kpu.ca
Katie Miller
Once the TCM program starts up in September of 2016, Dr. He and CICTAN Health Group Corp. will offer eight scholarships ranging in value from $1,000 to $5,000 and be awarded to students who in addition to a high level of academic achievement (CGPA of 3.5 or higher) will also embody key competencies required to be a TCM practitioner; empathy, kindness, commitment, passion. As developers and producers of high quality herbal medicines CICTAN Health Group Corp. is aware of the benefits of alternate and in particular Eastern forms of medicine. By making this gift Dr. He hopes to encourage and inspire others to learn more about TCM education at KPU and consider how each of us might support the delivery of this important education.
BSN-PB Celebrates their First Graduating Class!
June Kaminski
The program’s first cohort of 28 students graduated in December 2014. A ceremony to celebrate their achievements was held on the Langley campus on December 8 with a theme of Light, Magnetism, and Achievement.
Light, was selected as a theme since it has always been perceived as a metaphor of progression toward the achievement of knowledge. Light symbolizes knowledge – and knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievement can be realized. Three lamps were lit to acclaim knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth.
Magnetism was selected as a theme to symbolize the students’ own personal energy and magnetism and their ability to make a difference in nursing.
Achievement was also a theme because Faculty are proud of how hard these students have worked over the past 27 months, and are confident that these graduates will be SHINING STARS in the nursing profession.
Faculty were also very proud to nominate graduating student, Danielle Fransen for the CRNBC Student Professional Award for her achievements in the program.
Faculty of Health facilitates the inaugural mobile blood donor clinic.
Marc Guay
On Tuesday, January 20th the Faculty of Health facilitated the inaugural mobile blood donor clinic at the Langley campus. In the early proposal phases for this event, it was uncovered that all KPU campuses were registered as “Partners for Life” with the Canadian Blood Services organization, with the exception of the Langley campus. Our KPU Langley campus is now an officially registered partner with this organization. The initial goal for this event was in the collection of 36 units of blood. Despite a shortfall by only 2 units, the organization has deemed the collection of 34 units as a successful event. Once established, communications regarding future blood donation events will be distributed throughout the Langley campus and surrounding community.
Purdy’s Chocolates – Fundraising Campaign
Marc Guay
The Faculty of Health held a fundraising event from the sale of Purdy’s chocolates prior to the holiday season. Proceeds from the total sales and donations amounted to $540. A currently enrolled student in the Faculty of Health program was the recipient of this gift. I am certain that the student was “extremely grateful” for receiving this gift and in making the holiday season a little brighter. A sincere “Thank You” to all who participated in this fundraising event.
KPU holds its first Open House at the Richmond Campus
Michele LaVie
The buzz in the air was palpable as the Faculty of Health participated in KPU’s first Open House at the Richmond Campus on Thursday, November 6th 2014.
The event, billed with the Find Yourself Here theme, featured many exciting activities including selfie photo stations with social media photo posts, bean bag toss with Kwinten our KPU university mascot, trivia games, popcorn station and take a photo with popup life-like Dean Wayne Tebb, mug shots with criminology, lab experiments, Chinese tea exhibition, traditional calligraphy, Chinese desserts, resume writing and many more engaging interactive activities.
The Faculty of Health BSN PB program students were on hand with Laurel Tien for a blood pressure clinic. John Yang, our TCM Program Coordinator, educated the public on pressure points to prevent the flu and presented an info session on the TCM program. Many thanks to faculty members Jim Morton, Donna Malyon and our Associate Dean, Jean Nicolson-Church, who were on hand to greet the public and answer questions.
Prizes included tuition waivers, electronics, design fashion show tickets and social media prizes of bookstore merchandise and gift cards.
The inaugural Richmond Open House was a huge success, attracting over 400 community guests. We are already looking forward to next year’s event!
The next Faculty of Health issue will be published in October 2015. Newsletter articles are welcome at any time, please contact Davinder.Cheema@kpu.ca for a template for your submission.
Thank you!