On May 13 and 14, the College’s Applied Health Institute foyer was transformed into a hub of inspiration and pride celebrating the “power of nurses to transform health” – the theme for this year’s National Nursing Week (May 11-17).
Organized by Jackie Crawford and Jaymie Tyrer, Clinical Supervisors within NC’s Myhal School of Nursing, the two-day event featured interactive activities and displays that engaged the college community and honoured the impact that nurses have on patients’ lives.
Empowerment cornhole with bedpan targets offered participants a chance to discuss resilience strategies and what nurses need to feel empowered before taking a shot at winning prizes, nursing memorabilia and photos honoured the past, and a collaborative banner titled, “Nurses impact lives by …” invited the NC community to complete the powerful statement.
There are plans for the three-by-six-foot banner to be displayed within the Myhal School of Nursing as a visual testament to the profession’s influence.
During the week, healthcare partners visited the College to tour the innovative labs where future nurses are learning the skills required to become compassionate and resilient healthcare providers.
On May 13, nursing leaders from Niagara Region Public Health, including Diane Vanecko, Chief Nursing Officer, and Bev Richter, Nursing Practice Specialist, were welcomed to campus by NC Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Sinéad McElhone and the Myhal School of Nursing’s Associate Dean Courtney Evers and Associate Director, International Nursing Graduate Studies and Clinical Education, Sarah McGeown. Public Health partners with the College to provide valuable placements for nursing students.
During their tour, Vanecko and Richter engaged with nursing faculty, staff and students and received a glimpse at the construction of the future Health Education Building, currently underway at the Welland Campus. Once open in 2027, the expansion will create spaces for an additional 800 students studying in NC’s in-demand healthcare program areas, including nursing.
National Nursing Week also provided an opportunity for the College to highlight the innovative nursing research led by professor Dr. Holldrid Odreman and his ONSET group of student researchers. Recent research includes a pilot study that explored how escape room design elements compare to traditional classroom learning, bringing together nursing (BScN and PN), PSW and paramedic students in scenarios aimed at strengthening teamwork competencies that are critical in patient care settings.
The team submitted an e-poster presentation on the study to the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) website for National Nursing Week and presented a poster at Niagara Health Knowledge Institute’s sixth annual Research Day on May 7.
Related:
Celebrate the power of nurses during National Nursing Week
Nursing a new era of research
Nursing research team uses escape room model to study interprofessional collaboration
