The Nursing Simulation Centre (NSC) in York University's School of Nursing hosted two community engagement events this summer to help local youth gain knowledge and interest in the health-care profession. The first event – part of the NSC’s collaboration with the Faculty of Science’s Science Engagement Programs – brought close to 70 elementary school students, in Grades 7 and 8, to the centre for an experiential learning opportunity aligned with their summer camp curriculum. The second event welcomed members of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance, who led a hands-on workshop for high-school students.
"The School of Nursing’s Simulation Centre is excited to work with nursing students to support future health-care professionals," said Laura Nicholson, a professor in the School of Nursing and director of the NSC. "Annually, since 2018, the Nursing Simulation Centre has been working with high-school student groups and various camps to showcase elements of nursing to prospective students."
As part of the Science Engagement Programs visit to the NSC – a collaboration celebrating a decade of inspiring the next generation of health-care professionals – students from York U's Mini-Med School 1.0 and 2.0 summer camps were treated to a morning full of engaging experiences complementing their camp curriculum focused on exploring the science behind the health-care system. The objective for the Mini-Med School 1.0 workshop participants was to learn how to take a pulse, while the Mini-Med School 2.0 students learned how to measure blood pressure.
The NSC was able to host these prospective future health-care leaders because of the support provided by the enthusiastic team of facilitators made up of York U graduates and current students from direct-entry, collaborative and second-degree undergraduate nursing programs. The facilitators were organized by Igor Kabanov, director of the Nursing Student Tutoring, Ambassadorship & Mentorship Programs (NSTAMP), a student-led peer support organization that provides services to help ensure nursing students have a positive experience at York U.
For the other NSC community outreach initiative this summer, the centre worked closely with James Ehiagwina, president of the York University chapter of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance (CBNA-YU), and the wider CBNA team to plan and implement a three-hour workshop for high-school students from the Greater Toronto Area.
Outreach and planning for the workshop were supported by the York U-TD Community Engagement Centre (CEC), which seeks to support Faculties in community engagement initiatives. The CEC also provided bus tickets for student attendees, in an effort to reduce barriers to participation. Facilitated by members of CBNA and NSTAMP, the workshop taught participants how to put on personal protective equipment and assess a patient, among other practical skills.
"This summer, the sessions were facilitated by record numbers of nursing graduates and current students," said Nicholson. "The professionalism, knowledge and skill displayed by the facilitators was outstanding. They displayed not only passion for the nursing profession but a commitment to educating the next generation."