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
In case you haven’t heard, after many years of trial and error, the Province of Manitoba has finally signed a contract for the new IV pumps, and it’s not Baxter! Here at RRC Polytech, we are pleased to announce that we had a great opportunity and have already purchased and received the new B. Braun Infusomat® Space Infusion Pump System to offer training in the fall term to our students.
The province has a plan to start introducing these pumps in small specialized areas first this summer and to have it rolled out to all facilities over the next year. Of course there’s going to be bumps along the way and our students are going to see both IV pumps over this transition period, so we’re ready and going to be teaching them both.
Myrna Davis has been hard at work to incorporate both IV pumps into our program starting in the fall! Better too early than too late! Thank you Myrna for being on top of this big news!
Thank you RRC Polytech for allowing us to be on top of the best teaching possible for our students!
Congratulations to this year’s award winners! It’s been another different year to say the least and we weren’t able to celebrate as usual with our luncheon, but none the less, the awards were celebrated virtually and in spirit and were well deserved!
The Association of Registered Nurses of Manitoba Medal of Excellence Award – Emma Marie Collins :
This award was established for a graduating nursing student with the highest cumulative GPA and has excelled clinically throughout their program.
Jean Burrows Scholarship – Julie Dow :
Jean Burrows was chair of the Nursing Department from 1974 to 1998. Created upon her retirement, this award recognizes outstanding academic achievement for students at the end of the first year of the BN program.
The Bernice Parrott Award was established to provide financial assistance to a deserving student after term six of the BN program. This award recognizes the hard work and effort that all students put forth as they complete the requirements of the program.
Bernice Parrott Award – Emily Pollard, Geraldine Real, Alyssa Sinclair, William (Bill) Gibson, Shannon Bianca Hiebert Sawatzky, Kira Lourenco, Zachary Penner :
Kira Lourenco
Nursing Students Endowment Scholarship – Samantha Thompson, Emma Collins :
These awards were established because of the foresight of students who in 1997 established an endowment fund. Each student, as part of their tuition fees, contributes to this endowment fund. In 2001, a portion of this money was dedicated to the creation of these awards. Since then, the class of 2002 made a sizeable contribution from their own fundraising efforts.
Nursing Legacy Award – Julie Dow, Robyn Lafreniere, Jaina Cairns, Jamie Harland, Janina Hryndzio, Mallory McIntyre, Emma Collins, Jamie Lytle, Maria Rowena Santos, Gabrielle Greenberg :
This award was established by combining donations from a number of sources. The Stanton family, the Duncan family, and Phyllis Aaron along with the Nursing faculty have made substantial contributions. The award recognizes outstanding clinical performance of students from year one to year three of the nursing program. The Nursing Techniques 3 award recognizes a year one student who excels both in the academic course work and the performance of Nursing Skills.
Thorey Johnson Nursing Award – Ryan Rempel, Rickie Lucas :
In honour of their mother, Mrs. Johnson’s daughters have established this scholarship to be presented to a nursing student who has expressed a special interest in rural nursing practice. The recipient has demonstrated an interest in front line nursing work in a hospital environment; a high level of skill in the clinical setting, sound academic achievement, and a caring and compassionate attitude with patients.
Rickie Lucas
Nursing Leadership Award – Brynn Clifford, Inbar Lichtenstein :
This award is for deserving students who have gone above and beyond in support and leadership of their peers. It was established by the Awards Committee, with nominations from faculty and peers.
Brynn CliffordInbar Lichtenstein
Discipline of Professional Nursing Award – Julie Dow (1 & 2), Kezia Balzer (3 & Research), Emma Collins (4 & 5) :
This award is presented to students for their outstanding achievement in the courses of Discipline of Professional Nursing 1-5.
Mary Langhan Nursing Award – Alyssa Reimer :
This award is presented to a 3rd year student who has demonstrated a high level of skill in the clinical setting and has expressed a special interest in obstetrics and gynecology.
Karla Ferens Memorial Entrance Award for Health Care Aide – Hallee Holmlund, John Thomas Sellick :
The Karla Ferens Memorial Entrance Award for Health Care Aide was established by family and friends in memory of Karla Ferens, a 2011 Red River College graduate of the Health Care Aide program. The award recipient has displayed the same accomplishments exhibited by Karla Ferens: Involvement in sports and leadership qualities.
John Thomas Sellick
Community Service Award – Taylor Rizzo-Johnson, Naomi Brodland :
This award is presented to a second and a third year student who has volunteered for a community agency while maintaining sound academic achievement.
Naomi Brodland
Karen Wall Indigenous Nursing Student Award – Ashley Prince :
This award is presented to a 3rd year student of Canadian Indigenous heritage who has achieved academic success in the BN program, and has demonstrated leadership and community service.
Elizabeth Scaife Memorial Award – Iris Alcantara :
This award is presented to a BPIEN (Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Nurses) student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated exceptional clinical performance.
Christianne Bonin Memorial Award – Michelle Herms
Jaime Manness Hike Manitoba Award– Erica Wilken :
This award is present to a second year student who exemplifies a love for hiking and the outdoors with good academic standing. The award was established to honor a RRC alumna and instructor who wanted to share her passion for Manitoba’s wilderness.
Erica Wilken
Written by Jennifer Johnson – Nursing Lab Manager with descriptions of awards courtesy of the Nursing Awards Committee
Amber Moffat shares her experience and insight since graduating from the Red River College/University of Manitoba Joint Baccalaureate Nursing (JBN) Program in 2008:
Amber Moffat
Where are you now?
I am currently working in Whitehorse General Hospital as a float nurse, clinical nurse leader, and acting clinical care manager. I did my final practicum at WGH back in 2008 and have worked throughout the Yukon since then!
How easy was it to find a job after graduation?
Finding a med/surg job after graduation was quite easy; I found it harder to find the right work life balance. Part-time, full- time, and overtime were all options so I worked hard to find what worked best for me.
How did you manage the responsibility of going from student to nurse?
That was a while ago now…I remember having lots of hot baths with cookies and tea. Actually one of the things I did back then was learn how to knit on night shifts. One of the senior nurses showed me and even to this day, it is one of the ways that I deal with stress.
Thinking back, what were the most important lessons from school that you took into the workforce?
There were a lot of important lessons but one that always stood out to me was a lecture titled “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread” and it was a lecture on feeding patients. It’s funny the things you remember.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were a student?
I just recently moved into a different house about a year ago and when I was going through my belongings I found a letter to my future self that I wrote when I was doing a particularly challenging clinical placement. In that letter I wrote to myself asking if I was ever going to belong in a place like this (hospital); if I would always just be focusing on tasks or if I would ever actually be able to help people. I am currently the acting clinical care manager of the med/surg unit at WGH and I sometimes bring this letter out to show new grads who may be going through something similar. Being a student and a novice nurse is only a season and soon you’ll look back and see that it was only a moment!
Thank you Amber for sharing your experience and words of wisdom!
Congratulations to all our graduates from all campuses; Winkler, Portage, and Notre Dame; as well as the LPN-BN Pathway.
If you were like me and everyone else, I was thankful we got to watch the Pinning Ceremony virtually and got to acknowledge all the well deserved graduates for a job well done! Thank you to everyone who took part in putting this Pinning Ceremony together!
This was our first group of graduates from our rural sites, and as they go on to start their careers in Nursing, another group started.
Everyone, students and staff, have worked so hard to accommodate this difficult time, but you did it!
Thank you to the students for being so flexible in a time of need.
I would like to say a special congratulations to this year’s Association of Registered Nurses of Manitoba Gold Medal award that went to Emma Marie Collins!
Congratulations to all RRC Polytech Nursing Graduates of 2021! Wish you all the best in your future as nurses!
I’ll leave you with a quote from one of the speakers: “Don’t strive to make your presence noticed; just make your presence felt”
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.
Nursing students with just some of the donations from Agape Table for their site. Students: Nate Abarca, Kaye Aguilar, Jasmeen Sohal, Stephanie Ross, and Julie Dow
You are invited to the 2021 Bachelor of Nursing Program Pinning Ceremony!
The 2021 graduates of the Red River College Baccalaureate Nursing Program will be celebrated in a virtual Pinning Ceremony today (December 16th, 2021). A copy of the program can be found here.
LET’S HELP STUDENTS HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS EVERYONE DESERVES!
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.
