Congratulations to all our graduates! We wish each and every one of you the very best in your new beginnings and wherever your path may take you!
Congratulations to Natasha Kuchta, who was our recipient of the ARNM Gold Medal Award for highest academic and clinical achievement!
Our Pinning Ceremony has great meaning; the pins mark transition from education and preparation into the profession of Nursing, which is a hard but rewarding profession to be in.
Last night was full of encouragement of how you are not a good nurse because you gave your pills on time but because you took the time to acknowledge people as humans and not a number. It’s the little things that make the best nurses.
Thank you to all the supporters (families and friends, pets, coffee or wine) that helped our students through the rough patches and to the staff for being who you are and organizing a lovely Pinning Ceremony
Written by: Jennifer Johnson LPN
Nursing Lab Manager
As we start a new journey together, the Nursing Department would like to welcome all returning Nursing students, faculty, and staff; our new intake of students; our new faculty; and our new chair, Patrick Griffith. We’re looking forward to a great academic year!
Students, faculty, and staff are already hard at work in various courses and support roles throughout the Nursing Department. This new academic year will give us more community engagement, student achievements, faculty development, international opportunities, health information, and our fourth Research and Innovation Day. Stay tuned to our blog to hear about interesting events, amazing work, and useful tips coming out of our department!
Post written by Meagen Chorney – Nursing Instructor
Extreme heat can have many implications for health care professionals. Knowing who is at the greatest risk of experiencing adverse health effects related to extreme heat is of great importance in the acute care and community settings. Additionally, from a systems perspective, health care facilities need to prepare for extreme heat events to ensure the safety of their patient population (Health Canada, 2011).
The graph below highlights the current and projected number of days exceeding 30 degrees Celsius for Canadian cities. You can see an increasing trajectory of the number of hot days for each Canadian city identified in the graph. The number of days with a maximum temperature of 30°C is projected to double by 2021-2040 and more than triple by 2081-2100, likely resulting in further heat-related mortality. Overall, Canada is projected to become much warmer, and urban areas tend to experience higher temperatures due to the urban heat island effect. Read More →
On the morning of June 6, 2018, 13 members of the Nursing Department at Red River College celebrated their convocation from the Masters of Education program at the University of Manitoba. This dedicated group of instructors was a part of the RRC M.Ed. cohort who studied together to achieve this milestone. The focus of study for these instructors was in Adult and Post-Secondary Education. We are proud to bring our expanded knowledge base to the instruction of our students!
Pictured are the 13 newly minted “masters”
(front row) Richel Roque, Kim Pinel, Monica Burfoot, and Winona Burgess
(back row) Kate Tate, Monica Nash, Bonnie Peers, Sandra Holben, Bernadette Mandrick, Karen DiPietro, Karen Parker, Tyler Steiner, and Navdeep Sekhon
Pictured are the 13 newly minted “masters”
(front row) Richel Roque, Kim Pinel, Monica Burfoot, and Winona Burgess
(back row) Kate Tate, Monica Nash, Bonnie Peers, Sandra Holben, Bernadette Mandrick, Karen DiPietro, Karen Parker, Tyler Steiner, and Navdeep Sekhon
The Nursing Department also had seven more instructors who graduated this past year with their Masters of Nursing. Congratulations to Rebecca Cameron, Joanne Loughery, Deb Miller, Tammy Moran, Jennifer Morin, Tara Roberts, and Corrina Zacharkiw!
Post and photo by Bernadette Mandrick – Nursing Instructor
With an increase in forest fires within the province of Manitoba, it is time to refresh your memory regarding the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and how air quality can impact health.
It is important to assess your risk in terms of the Air Quality Health Index. Some populations are at an increased risk of experiencing the health effects related to air quality. These populations include individuals with cardiovascular conditions (angina, previous heart attack, stroke, heart rhythm problems), respiratory illnesses (asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer), and individuals with diabetes, as this population will often have cardiovascular disease. Young children and seniors, those active outdoors, and pregnant women are also at higher risk.
People who are otherwise healthy may have the following symptoms:
• irritated eyes
• increased mucus production in the nose or throat
• coughing
• difficulty breathing, especially during exercise
Some people may be unaware that they have lung or heart disease. Consult your doctor if you have any chest pain or tightness, sweating, difficulty breathing without exertion, consistent cough or shortness of breath, fluttering in the chest, or feel light headed.
Do you know how to use the AQHI? Read More →
The Nursing Department is preparing to compete once again in the International Nursing Skills Competition, hosted by the Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Last year, students Elyse Griffith and Rachel Rubin won 2nd place overall and 1st place in the international category! To hear more about Elyse and Rachel’s experience, check out Elyse’s blog post.
As we get closer to summer vacation, the Nursing Department is in the process of choosing two new students to represent Red River College. Once chosen, the students will train with instructors Allyson Cooper and Sandy Alguire before heading to Shanghai, China in November to put their simulation skills to the test!
Stay tuned to find out which two students will be heading to China in the Fall!
Post written by Meagen Chorney – Nursing Instructor
As part of the Nursing Department’s initiatives to develop international relationships and opportunities, we are sending two BN students to Denmark for summer school!
Caitlyn Edwards and Alycia Dettman were selected through an interview process to attend the international summer school, International Health: Welfare Technology and Dementia, hosted by Via University College. The students will spend two weeks in Aarhus, from August 6th – 16th, as they “get a unique chance to collaborate with other professions. The programme includes theory and visits to elder care centres which are at the forefront of using health- and welfare technologies” (Via University College, 2018).
The vision of Red River College is to be recognized globally, as we serve a global population in Winnipeg. Peer reviewed evidence shows travelling assists with cultural competence. Additionally, we (like many countries) have an aging population. We want to educate nurses about how interesting and fulfilling a job working with older adults can be. Read More →
Last November, faculty from Denmark visited us in Winnipeg, touring our city and learning about Red River College. This past February, the Nursing Department was able to reciprocate.
Members of the Nursing faculty had the opportunity to visit Denmark as part of our efforts to develop international relationships. Our faculty met with representatives from Via University College and experienced the wonderful sights Denmark has to offer.
Read More →
The RRC Nursing department is undertaking a number of international nursing relationships. From Denmark to China, RRC faculty and students are meeting with, collaborating with, and even competing against nurses from around the world. Throughout the month of May, we’ll be highlighting the international activities of our department over the past academic year and the future of RRC Nursing on an international stage. To start with, we have a visit from Denmark, but check back every week this month for new posts!
Last November, the RRC Nursing department welcomed Karen Frederickson, Associate Dean, Head of International Affairs; Lisbeth Sorenson, Head of Nursing Education; and Randi Conti, International Coordinator, from Via University College, a multi-campus post-secondary institute in Denmark. The three Via University College faculty members travelled from Denmark to Canada, meeting with RRC and a college in Ontario, as part of their efforts to form international agreements with Canadian educational institutions.
Karen, Lisbeth, and Randi stayed in Winnipeg for two days, touring the city and RRC with their hosts from our Nursing department. RRC faculty shared the best of Winnipeg with our guests, from the Canadian Human Rights Museum to the Exchange District to Assiniboine Park. Touring around Winnipeg by car, our guests also got to see the major Winnipeg hospitals as well as visit the RRC Main and Notre Dame campuses. At NDC, Karen, Lisbeth, and Randi toured the ETV studio, nursing labs, and sat in on a class for a few minutes. They also visited one clinical site, Norwest Community Health Coop on Keewatin, where the nurses from Canada and Denmark shared their perspectives on primary health care as well as public health practices and research opportunities. Read More →
The Career Symposium was held this year on April 16 – 18, 2018 at the RBC Convention Centre. Red River College had a strong presence at the Career Symposium with over two full rows of booths and engaging activities for prospective students to participate in.
Over ten thousand people attend the Career Symposium each year, and with over 185 exhibitor booths and multiple speakers over the three days, the event proved to be very successful. There were crowds of grade 9 – 12 students brought in by the bus loads (literally)! Others who attended include those individuals who were out of school but interested in seeking a career. Parents and teachers were also present at the event.
The Nursing Department hosted a booth, which included multiple posters, an ongoing slideshow presentation, a model of a heart, stethoscope, oximeter, multiple pamphlets, and other sources of information.
Students who approached the Nursing booth and expressed an interest in any of the programs were offered a ballot to enter a draw for a chance to win a prize. Read More →
