UBCO researchers are saying we need to rethink current strategies used to prevent youth suicide.

The old proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” also applies to preventing youth suicide, according to UBC Okanagan researchers who found that community support is essential.

In Canada, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among children under 14 and the second for youth and young adults between 15 and 34 years old. The UBCO Faculty of Health and Social Development researchers say governments, schools and community agencies need to rethink how youth suicide prevention efforts are designed.

And work together on the issue.

“Suicide among young people is a major public health issue and is among the leading causes of death among children and youth around the world,” says Dr. Katrina Plamondon, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and study co-lead.

The study, led by UBCO’s Equity Science Lab, involved youth, emerging adults, caregivers and service providers through community partnerships. Discussions showed that resilience is not only a personal trait, but also something shaped by supportive communities.

“Most prevention strategies continue to focus on individual behaviours, coping skills or risk profiles,” says Dr. Plamondon. “But this approach overlooks the powerful influence of social, structural, political and environmental conditions on youth wellbeing, and often fails to prevent an incredibly tragic loss of life.”

The study, published recently in Critical Public Health, points to mounting evidence that links suicidality to systemic racism, rural isolation, environmental contamination and inequitable access to basic resources such as clean water and safe housing.

“Despite this,” says study co-author Dr. Shelly Ben-David, “youth voices are rarely included in designing prevention strategies.”

Dr. Ben-David, Associate Professor with UBCO’s School of Social Work, says that many high school students, young adults, caregivers and community service providers all had a voice in this study. The team used collages, stories and metaphors—such as the Japanese art of kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with gold—to encourage deeper reflection.

“Many participants saw resilience as something repaired and rebuilt ‘with many hands’, showing that young people need care, connection and supportive environments to be resilient,” she adds.

Across all groups, there was a common message: resilience is action taken together. Study participants say resilient communities help youth feel they belong, build strong relationships and feel supported in a positive environment.

“These are key areas to focus on if communities truly hope to reduce youth suicides and promote collective thriving,” adds Dr. Sana Shahram, Assistant Professor with the School of Nursing.

Focusing on community–based strategies and place-based interventions opens the door to more effective suicide prevention, explains Dr. Shahram, who co-directs the Equity Science Lab with Dr. Plamondon.

“In this study, we heard from young people and the supportive adults in their lives, showing that resilient communities are active, engaged places where youth feel not only sheltered from harm, but empowered to contribute, collaborate and express themselves,” she adds.

This approach means addressing the current social and structural determinants of health that shape young people’s lives, instead of putting all the responsibility on the individual to cope and recover.

“There is an urgent need for community-based approaches that invest in youth, not only because adults in their lives want to protect them, but also because everyone’s fate is inherently tied to their thriving,” Dr. Shahram adds. “Together we can create a pathway to reimagining how communities organize around suicide prevention and create environments where our young people can truly thrive.”

Along with faculty in the School of Nursing and the School of Social Work, the study was conducted with support from Melissa Feddersen, manager of UBCO’s Campus Wellness and Education team.

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A UBC Okanagan researcher is raising concerns about how a popular social media platform is making nicotine pouches trendy among young people. Photo by Swenico on Unsplash.

While originally created as a way to help people stop smoking, a UBC Okanagan researcher is raising concerns about oral nicotine pouches being portrayed as trendy and pleasurable, especially among young people.

Dr. Laura Struik, Associate Professor in UBCO’s School of Nursing, recently published a study examining how the social media platform TikTok appears to promote nicotine pouches, particularly the brand Zyn, as a lifestyle rather than a way to quit smoking.

“Oral nicotine pouches have become a popular alternative nicotine product, especially among youth,” she says. “This is concerning, given the substantial health risks associated with nicotine use at an early age. Popular, youth-led social media channels are being used to promote these products as a source of pleasure and indulgence.”

The study, published recently in JMIR’s Formulative Research, analyzed 250 videos that, according to TikTok’s engagement metrics, generated 16,488,662 likes, more than 114,120 comments and almost two million shares.

“Understanding the ways that people communicate about these products on social media is critical to informing public health efforts aimed at protecting youth from the harms of nicotine,” Dr. Struik adds.

Prolonged use of oral nicotine pouches can lead to serious health problems, she says, including gum recession, tooth decay, harmful mouth bacteria, oral cancer and heart issues. Although about six per cent of videos showed these effects, most portrayed use of oral nicotine pouches as an enjoyable and normalized lifestyle product among youth.

Content creators made videos showing how easy, discreet and shareable the pouches are, as well as the ability to use several pouches at once. Many showed people using the pouches doing everyday activities, such as working or exercising, to highlight how easily they fit into day-to-day life.

“One particular brand was framed as empowering, exclusive and socially desirable, where using the brand meant that you were part of a movement,” says Dr. Struik.

That particular movement used a common hashtag under videos where that brand was mentioned, signalling membership in a shared identity group.

“When a hallmark of brain development during adolescence is identity development, where teens explore who they are and experiment with different behaviours, like the use of nicotine products, it becomes really clear why these pouches would be especially appealing to a young person,” she adds.

The findings not only underscore how these nicotine pouches are being shown in a positive light on youth-led social media platforms, but also explain their growing popularity among young people.

“Social media serves as a powerful tool for the tobacco industry in normalizing the use of their products among youth—a profitable demographic for the industry because of young people’s propensity to become addicted to these products,” she adds. “This is a runaway train that we will be chasing after for years. They are not cessation products; they are nicotine addiction starters.”

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UBCO School of Nursing faculty Rishma Chooniedass, Nelly Oelke and Dennis Jasper, far right, celebrate Schynel Howe and Sheila Marentette, both centre, as they complete the Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Stream in the Master of Science in Nursing program.

Two years ago, UBC Okanagan launched a unique pathway to support Indigenous nurses with a new Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Concentration.

The Master of Science in Nursing Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Pathway has clear goals, explains Dr. Kathy Rush, Graduate Program Coordinator in UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing. It aims to address racism in health care, support Indigenous nurses and those working with Indigenous peoples, organizations and agencies, and bring Indigenous knowledge into mainstream nursing education and practice.

“Nurses are often seen as the backbone of the health-care system because they make a difference at every level,” says Dr. Rush. “Indigenous nurses are especially critical—transitioning between patient care and policy, and working with communities to support mental wellness, promote health and prevent illness.”

To complete this pathway in the Master of Nursing program, students must complete 12 credit hours of related Indigenous Wellness Concentration coursework and either a thesis or capstone project, as well as finish 18 additional course credits.

The initiative is offered at UBC’s two campuses, Thompson Rivers University, the University of Victoria and Trinity Western University. Before it launched, a home circle consisting of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, nurses and UBCO students, faculty and staff was established to help create essential sections of the concentration.

“The home circle focused on the needs of our community, and we are grateful for the wisdom and knowledge that guided us in developing this program,” explains Dr. Rush. “The success of this program is theirs, along with our students.”

And just recently, the Okanagan campus celebrated the province’s first two graduates to complete the pathway.

Sheila Marentette was working with the First Nations Health Authority when she learned about the new concentration. Even though she questioned whether she could return to university after an established nursing career, she applied and was thrilled to be accepted.

“I was working with communities across BC to explore how health and wellness services could be redesigned to honour Indigenous values, culture and strengths,” she says. “It was incredibly meaningful work that deepened my understanding of relational care, but I wanted a more formal way to build on that knowledge. This course came at exactly the right time.”

At the same time, Marentette was reconnecting with her family roots. While she had a Métis card as a young adult, she only recently began to explore what that truly meant. She also learned her memère was Cree-Métis, and her husband is Huron-Algonquin.

“This course felt like an invitation to walk more deeply into both my personal and professional path. But it isn’t just about learning—it was also about unlearning, reconnecting and remembering,” she adds. “I gained a deeper understanding of Indigenous approaches to research and care, and a clearer sense of who I am, where I come from, and what kind of nursing leadership I want to embody.”

Schynel Howe also completed the program this year., She was working as a home-care nurse in an Indigenous community when she started classes at UBCO. Although she had already begun her master’s program, she was invited to take a pilot course for the new concentration and knew it was the right fit at the right time.

“I had already wanted to focus on an Indigenous topic, so this pathway made sense to me,” she says. “I found the courses impactful and transformative, and I wanted to continue learning more. This was the perfect opportunity.”

When the program was introduced in 2023, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research contributed almost $700,000 to support its development and UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Fund provided $99,900 to establish the Okanagan Home Circle as part of the provincial collective.

“There is no other collaboration or program like this in Canada,” says Dr. Rush. “The goal is to increase the number of Indigenous nurses, improve Indigenous health, and support students, faculty and nurses in learning about anti-racism and health equity through respectful long-term collaboration.”

While both Howe and Marentette have finished the program, they won’t officially cross the stage until next spring’s graduation. Howe now works in the field of mental health and substance use, using what she learned in the program in her daily work.

Marentette says the program was one of the most enlightening experiences she’s had.

“This pathway is a gift. It is an approach to health and healing with humility, curiosity and heart. And it challenges you in the best ways,” she says. “It’s also a step towards reconciliation that acknowledges the wisdom and ways of the first people of this land. The strength of the program lies not only in its academic content, but in its ability to shift how you see the world, your work and yourself.”

The Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Stream in the Master of Science in Nursing program is partially funded by the BC Ministry of Postsecondary Education and Future Skills. To find out more, visit: nursing.ok.ubc.ca/indigenous-initiatives.

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UBCO is adding more micro-credentials to its nursing options, providing flexible opportunities for learners to add to their professional skill set.

UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing is strengthening its focus on primary care nursing education with the introduction of two new micro-credential programs.

Micro-credentials are short, focused programs that teach skills needed for specific jobs or industry needs. Offered mostly online, they are designed to be focused and competency-based, making it possible for people to quickly gain in-demand skills while remaining in the workplace. Micro-credentials can be used individually or stacked to create a broader qualification.

Building on the successful launch of two School of Nursing micro-credentials earlier this year, these new programs address critical skills gaps in community-based health care across British Columbia and beyond, explains Sheila Epp, Associate Professor of Teaching in the Faculty of Health and Social Development.

“These programs are designed to provide nurses with advanced clinical skills for improved patient outcomes through early detection, care coordination, and ongoing care management,” she says.

The first new offering—Caring for Select Populations in Primary Care Nursing—will prepare nurses to deliver culturally safe, trauma-informed care to individuals facing health challenges or barriers to accessing medical services. Learners will gain competencies based on Canadian Family Practice Nurses Association frameworks, with an emphasis on inclusive approaches that address social determinants of health.

“Nurses are a critical link for expanding primary care access through team-based models, which can help reduce barriers for certain populations like individuals with mental health conditions or substance use disorders,” adds Shannon Moore, UBCO adjunct professor and primary care registered nurse. “The micro-credentials will help bolster scarce services like gender-affirming or reproductive care, or give nurses more time for visits with newcomers to Canada requiring translation services.”

Early next year, UBCO will also introduce the Health Promotion, Prevention and Screening in Primary Care Nursing micro-credential that will focus on preparing nurses to become leaders in preventive health-care. The program blends evidence-based approaches with practical training, giving learners the tools to design community health initiatives that respond to emerging public health needs.

“Nurses recognize the significant burden on the health system of chronic illnesses,” says Melanie Wilson, Associate Professor of Teaching. “This course will focus on health promotion, prevention and early screening—an important part of health care and shifting nursing practice upstream. These approaches are especially important for communities and populations that are underserved by the health-care system.”

The micro-credentials, offered through UBC Continuing and Professional Education are part of UBCO’s initiative to create stackable credentials that allow nursing professionals to progressively build expertise while maintaining their current positions. Graduates receive digital badges recognizing their achievement and specialized competencies.

These non-credit programs are open to registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and final-year nursing students across Canada. They offer accessible and flexible learning options for working professionals looking to advance their careers.

UBC Okanagan is now accepting applications for the fall and winter micro-credential offerings, including the new Caring for Select Populations in Primary Care Nursing and Health Assessment for Primary Care Nursing programs.

For more information, visit: nursing.ok.ubc.ca/home/primary-care-nursing-programs.

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It’s been 20 years of caps tossed and applause as UBCO celebrates the class of 2025.

This week more than 2,600 students will graduate from UBC Okanagan—the largest graduating class the Okanagan campus has celebrated since opening its doors in 2005.

“Graduation is always exciting, but here at UBC Okanagan, where we’re a close-knit community, it’s truly special,” says Dr. Lesley Cormack, Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. “Our exceptional programs, research opportunities for students, and commitment to student success help foster an inclusive and empowering environment. The heartfelt cheers at graduation come from the fact that everyone genuinely knows and cares for each other.”

It’s been two decades of milestones and growth for UBCO. When the campus opened its doors in 2005, there were 3,500 students. Today, there are nearly 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 137 programs. The campus itself has also grown significantly over the past 20 years, with the addition of new lecture theatres, student residences and cutting-edge research facilities.

UBC’s graduation traditions began in Vancouver in 1916. While many continue at UBC Okanagan, the campus has added its own flair, including a bagpiper-led procession and cap tossing—which ended up being revived in Vancouver after President Benoit-Antoine Bacon experienced it while presiding over UBCO’s 2024 ceremonies.

“A UBC grad ceremony is special regardless of which campus it takes place on,” says Dr. Cormack. “However, it is especially rewarding to celebrate with traditions that are unique to UBC Okanagan and our history as a campus.”

Graduation 2025 begins Thursday morning with students in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies donning gowns and mortarboards to mark a major milestone in their lives. Ceremonies continue Friday with students graduating in the Faculty of Health and Social Development, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Management, and the School of Engineering.

A significant milestone this year is the first cohort of five students who will receive their Bachelor of Nłeʔkepmx Language Fluency degrees. In direct alignment with UBC’s commitment to reconciliation, the BNLEK to creates new speakers in communities whose languages are critically threatened.

This year will also mark the third cohort of Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency graduates. Dr. Cormack says the university is honoured to play a role in language preservation and there are plans for more language programs to be introduced in the future.

“Language and culture are deeply intertwined,” she says. “Preserving and revitalizing the precious Indigenous languages of British Columbia is essential to reconciliation and reversing the harms of past attempts to erase Indigenous cultures. I’m incredibly proud of our inaugural BNLEK graduates for their perseverance and deeply grateful to the dedicated faculty, staff and community partners who bring this program to life.”

A look back at UBC Okanagan’s milestones during the past 20 years can be found here: ok.ubc.ca/20-year-anniversary

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UBCO is offering a post-degree program in primary care health for registered nurses that should help address the needs of Canada’s provincial health-care systems.

To address the challenges in primary health care—including the shortage of physicians—Canada’s provincial health-care systems have been moving towards team-based care.

In anticipation of the pivotal role of nurses in this transformation, UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing has launched a post-baccalaureate certificate in primary care nursing.

“Primary care is the first line of clinical services and the best means to prevent, screen for and manage disease,” says Dr. Nelly Oelke, Professor in the School of Nursing. “Nurses who complete this post-baccalaureate certificate will be ready to join primary care health teams and bolster this first line. This will lead to better health care outcomes, and in turn relieve the burden on our hospitals.”

While undergraduate nursing programs prepare nurses to practice in most settings, the emphasis for those nurses is on acute care. To work as a member of an interprofessional team in primary care, nurses require additional competencies, explains Dr. Oelke.

UBCO’s new certificate in primary care nursing will build leadership and competencies through two theory courses and a practicum course which help students apply their knowledge and skills. The delivery is online and flexible to accommodate working registered nurses. During the practicum, students work with a preceptor—an experienced nurse, nurse practitioner or physician who provides guidance and mentorship—in the student’s community if feasible.

“The certificate is unique in Canada in that it is open to registered nurses across all provinces,” says Dr. Clare Harvey, Director of UBCO’s School of Nursing. “This new post-baccalaureate certificate, in combination with our school’s primary care practice essentials micro-credentials, sets UBC Okanagan up as an education hub for primary care nursing.”

The first intake for the Post-Baccalaureate Primary Care Nursing Certificate begins in February 2025. Registration is open to registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in BC and across Canada. An online information session takes place on Friday, November 22. To register for that information session, or to learn more about the program visit: nursing.ok.ubc.ca/home/primary-care-nursing-programs

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Each year UBCO nursing students raise funds through the Global Gala to travel to African communities and participate in health-care related projects while learning about the culture. On one such trip to Nyobok, Ghana, student Emma Miller had the opportunity to make shea butter with Project GROW. Photo credit: katienugent.com.

What: Global Health Gala
Who: UBCO School of Nursing, in partnership with health-care partners in Zambia and Ghana
When: Friday, November 22, doors open at 6 pm
Where: Revelry Kelowna, 1383 Ellis Street, Kelowna

Nursing students at UBC Okanagan are organizing a gala and silent auction as a fundraising and awareness initiative for the university’s Global Health Practicum program.

For more than 20 years, UBCO nursing students have travelled to Ghana and Zambia on a Global Health Practicum. The practicum is part of the students’ final clinical practice experience and provides an opportunity to learn and teach collaboratively with their community health-care partners.

“The global gala is a chance for our community to raise awareness of health inequity and leadership,” says Jenna Linford, Bachelor of Science in Nursing student. “Bringing people together to inspire change and learn more about global health is a privilege, and I am grateful to be a part of this powerful event.”

All net proceeds from the gala support the needs of community partners in Ghana and Zambia, including health-care supplies, medications, community clinics and other health initiatives.

For the next practicum in Zambia in early 2025, community partners have identified the need for medical supplies including an obstetrical doppler, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, isolation gowns and privacy dividers. The student team’s fundraising goal for this year is $10,000.

This year’s gala takes place at Revelry Kelowna on Friday, November 22, with doors opening at 6 pm. The evening will feature a three-course dinner, live music with Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Giselle Sanderson, a silent auction with more than 40 local business sponsors and a program of speakers to learn more about the global health partnership.

The public is welcome to attend this fundraiser. For more information, prices and to purchase tickets visit: events.ok.ubc.ca/event/school-of-nursing-global-health-gala

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An expert panel of elite athletes will share their tips and knowledge about female physiology when it comes to running and endurance sports, on November 4 at UBC Okanagan.

What: Lacing Up for Life: The Science of Women’s Running and Sports Performance
Who: Elite athletes including Stephanie Brown, Malindi Elmore, Dr. Jessica Piasecki and Melissa Spooner
When: Monday, November 4, doors open at 6 pm; event starts at 6:30 pm
Where: Room RHS 260 LT, Reichwald Health Sciences Centre, 1088 Discovery Way, UBC Okanagan

Whether it’s an informal jog around the block, a goal to lose weight or training for a marathon, there is a lot more for women to think about when it comes to running than simply buying a good sports bra and well-fitting shoes.

Next week a panel of elite athletes will discuss the science and unique physiology behind women’s running.

“Lacing Up for Life: The Science of Women’s Running and Sports Performance” will dive into the myths, challenges and joys of running throughout a woman’s life. This event is hosted by UBC Okanagan’s Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, in partnership with Westcoast Women in Engineering Science and Technology and the UBC Okanagan Heat

The expert panel will share their tips and knowledge about female physiology when it comes to running and endurance sports.

Dr. Piasecki, with the United Kingdom’s Nottingham Trent University, explains that a lot of the research conducted within sport aims to support women to be active throughout their lifespan to whatever level they desire.

“The rise in participation of women in sport over the previous years has been outstanding—a trajectory we hope remains throughout the future,” she says. “I am looking forward to showcasing and discussing some of our recent work at this event and sharing key findings that women can use in their daily lives. I also think by sharing our stories about our own lived experiences we can empower other women to reach their goals.”

Panellists are:

• Stephanie Brown: Brown is a local athlete who is a former elite road cyclist as well as a runner. She works as a certified physical therapist while balancing elite running—with a 3:02 marathon personal record—and parenting.
• Malindi Elmore: Elmore is a member of the Athletics Canada team and participated in the 2004, 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. She has also competed in Ironman at the professional level, recording a sub-nine-hour time. She has acquired three degrees while pursuing elite sports and is currently the head coach of the UBC Okanagan Heat cross-country and track program.
• Jessica Piasecki: Dr. Piasecki, an Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, studies female physiology and women’s sport, and her research extends from youth to master athletes. She is a member of the UK Athletics Team and represented Great Britain in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Summer Games.
• Melissa Spooner: Spooner is a local coach, entrepreneur and Iron(wo)man. She holds three Ironman titles and placed fourth at the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. She is a local business owner and coach who has successfully built her education in nutrition and passion for triathlon into her profession.

This event is free, open to the public, and perfect for anyone interested in the science behind women’s sports performance—runners, parents, volunteers and sports enthusiasts alike—says UBCO’s Dr. Jenn Jakobi, event organizer, Institute Director and NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering.

While the event takes place in person, people can also attend virtually. A Q&A session will follow the formal presentation. To register, visit: Lacing-Up-For-Life.eventbrite.ca

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UBC Okanagan experts provide a variety of tips to help make those first few days in the classroom as stress free as possible. Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash.

Between the rush of buying school supplies, new clothes for rapidly growing children and squeezing in a few last days of fun, most parents have very few minutes to think up a strategy for a smooth transition into the new school year.

UBC Okanagan experts are providing some tips—everything from literacy advice, to getting enough sleep and healthy eating—to ensure those first few days in the classroom are a success. These are not only for the parents, but also for those attending school.

“Kindness matters,” says Dr. John Tyler Binfet, Okanagan School of Education and Director of Building Academic Retention through K9’s program

Having students engage in kind acts within the school or broader community not only encourages perspective-taking and optimizes student wellbeing, it also has a reciprocal effect for teachers who themselves are known to experience heightened stress. Kind acts don’t need to be big Broadway productions; rather, they can be quiet acts that only the initiator knows about. These might include:

• leaving hidden sticky notes of encouragement in library books;
• leaving a quarter in the vending machine to surprise the next user; or
• not laughing at a joke that belittles someone

When teachers situate kindness front and centre in the classroom, they support their students’ wellbeing, nurture supportive learning environments where students can thrive and invest in creating a work environment where their best teaching can be showcased.

“Take steps to encourage literacy at home,” says Dr. Jessica Chan, Okanagan School of Education and Director of the Reading, Language, and Mathematics Lab

There are several ways families can support their children’s literacy development at home, even if your child may not enjoy reading independently. Parents and caregivers can share family stories and encourage their children to write or draw the story. It doesn’t have to be a story—it could be a family recipe or learning about the origins of the family. They can read a book together by taking turns and talking about what they’ve read together. Diversify the types of books chosen to read, like fantasy stories, graphic novels and non-fiction. It can help encourage children to explore new interests, which might inspire new learning opportunities.

“Make sure everyone gets a good night’s sleep,” says Dr. Elizabeth Keys, School of Nursing and a member of the Canadian Sleep Research Consortium

A good routine and getting enough quality sleep are vital for school-aged children and teen’s learning and general wellbeing. Parents can estimate how many hours of sleep their children need, what time they need to get up and how much time is necessary to get ready in the mornings. Then set the alarm clock—and bedtime—accordingly.

Parents can also do a few things to help with the process:

• Limit screens one hour before bed,
• Find a way to relax like reading or listening to music or a podcast an hour before bed
• Get plenty of bright light in the morning
• Getting enough physical activity during the day
• Keeping the routine going seven days a week and maintaining a regular sleep-wake schedule, even on weekends

“Pack a well-nourished lunch,” says Dr. Sally Stewart, School of Health and Exercise Sciences

A lunch kit packed with nourishing food goes a long way to fuel the brain and the body and getting children involved when it comes to packing lunches—including taking them shopping, helping with the cooking and packing their own lunches—so they will be more likely to eat what they pack.

Have drawers or bins in your fridge and cupboards organized into three groups:

• fruits and veggies
• proteins including cheeses, lean meats, hardboiled eggs, nut butters, seeds and yogurts
• grains such as crackers, muffins, pitas and cereals.

Make sure there is at least one item from each bin in the lunch. Let them choose what, and how much.

Finally, having fun and colourful containers and reusable bags is fun for your children but also good for the environment. Balance and variety in food choices and having foods that you and your children enjoy are a part of nourishing life.

“It’s not too soon to talk about vaping devices and nicotine pouches,” says Dr. Laura Struik, School of Nursing

New nicotine products, like the increasing variety of vaping devices or the recent introduction of nicotine pouches this past year, have proliferated school environments, including the elementary grades. It is never too early to talk with children and teens about these products.

It is important to recognize that use of these products among youth is strongly tied to how they become embedded in youth cultures both online and offline, including in schools. Having conversations with your children about what they observe and think about these products and how their friends are navigating these products, is a critical step towards protecting them.

These conversations can confirm that they have a safe, non-judgmental space to chat, will prompt them to critically think about their options, might bring forward questions and opportunities to collaboratively find answers and ultimately, can empower them with making an informed choice before entering the classroom.

“Check your child’s vaccine status for any outstanding vaccines,” says Dr. Marie Tarrant, School of Nursing

Interior Health notes that childhood vaccination rates show that 69 per cent of two-year-old children and 55 per cent of seven-year-old children are immunized against illnesses such as measles, rubella, mumps and polio, far below its goal of 95 per cent.

Regarding immunizations, it is important for parents to speak with someone they trust—whether it’s a family doctor, public health nurse or nurse practitioner—about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Primary health-care providers may be reluctant to have those conversations because they have a trusting relationship with their clients. But it’s important that all primary health-care providers assess children’s vaccine status and then have those conversations with parents, because they’re often the most trusted person in their network.

“Be prepared for emotional changes, which are normal at this time of year,” says Dr. Jessica Lougheed, Psychology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Children and teens might feel excited, nervous, anxious, happy, scared or several of these feelings all at once. Teens may be more irritable than usual or have more intense emotions than typical. Remember that anxiety can breed avoidance. Children and teens, even adults, will often procrastinate on things they find stressful. However, avoidance often comes with the ironic consequence of adding stress in the long term, even if it reduces stress in the short term. Putting things off can lead to consequences such as not having enough time to complete a task well. If you notice anything that looks like procrastination or avoidance, see if you can help your child or teen break up the scary task into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Have patience. Returning to school in the fall means that every single person’s schedule in the home is going to change to some extent. It may take a few weeks before everyone feels comfortable with the change.

Finally, savour the positive things. Being grateful for the good things that can show up at this time of year can help you stay level-headed if and when things don’t go as expected. Your children will be in school only for so long.

“Test out a trial run, before school starts,” says Dr. Shirley Hutchinson, Psychology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

One major reason we feel anxious or nervous is due to uncertainty. It’s human nature to want to know what to expect so we can plan accordingly. Unfortunately, we can’t always predict every outcome and this lack of certainty can generate uncomfortable feelings. But don’t worry—one effective way to manage these feelings is by reducing uncertainty. For example, if your child is nervous about taking the bus on the first day of class, do a practice run to familiarize them with the route. If they are concerned about finding classrooms, visit the school ahead of time. The more information you gather, the less anxious they will feel because you’re reducing the unknown.

Remember, feelings of nervousness and anxiety are similar in arousal to excitement and anticipation; it’s all about how you interpret these feelings. The first day of class can either be scary or exciting; it’s up to you to choose how you label it.

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A new UBCO School of Nursing study examines how nurses and nurse practitioners deal with the ethical issue of medically assisted death.

Whatever your perspective on Canada’s evolving legislation on medical assistance in dying (MAID), actually putting the law into practice is often where ethical dilemmas arise.

This is especially true for the health-care professionals who provide it. Registered nurses and nurse practitioners, in particular, play a large role in medically assisted death. Until recently, their experiences have not been well documented.

Dr. Barb Pesut, Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing, recently led a study that describes how nurses are wrestling with the moral complexities of implementing current and future MAID legislation.

“Changes in legislation require changes in practice on the ground,” says Dr. Pesut. “It is important that those affected by those changes have a voice.”

Dr. Pesut’s research, recently published in the Global Qualitative Nursing Research journal, points to how nurses have changed their approach to talking to patients about MAID. When legislation was first passed in 2016, nurses were not permitted to introduce the idea of assisted death unless patients brought it up themselves. Even then, nurses were to respond cautiously so as not to risk being seen to coerce patients, Dr. Pesut explains.

The nurses interviewed in the study say they now take a more person-centred approach rather than a risk-centred one.

“Nurse practitioners felt that the potential for coercion is far more likely if MAID is introduced during times of transition or crisis, such as entry into long-term care or significant health decline,” says Dr. Pesut. “In their view, it’s better to have the conversation on MAID alongside other options during times of stability. Patients can then identify what best meets their needs and aligns with their values.”

Nevertheless, nurses say they are challenged to make the time for these conversations in a busy health-care environment and to communicate patients’ wishes with other health-care providers.

The study also asked nurses about how they are making moral sense of legislation that has expanded MAID eligibility to people for whom death is not reasonably foreseeable—and the potential expansion to people whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness. The nurses struggled not so much with individual rights and freedoms but rather with issues of health-care equity.

“Patients facing stigma such as those using substances and frequent users of the system might be more likely to believe that MAID is their only viable option,” says Dr. Pesut. “Nurses also expressed concern about the system’s failure to effectively serve those living with chronic medical conditions and disabilities. The legal debate of MAID as a treatment option should deeply consider these realities.”

In fact, in February 2024, the Government of Canada legislated a three-year delay of MAID for those whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness based on feedback stating the health-care system was not yet ready.

Dr. Pesut’s study found that one of the most important safeguards, particularly for a person whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable, might be a robust primary care relationship that provides sufficient time and holistic care.

“Despite Canada’s health-care challenges, there are innovative ways to ensure those applying for MAID have access to care providers, including nurses, who can work alongside them to ensure their choice is for the right person, at the right time and for the right reasons.”

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