Public invited to Jan. 15 demonstration of new web-based stop-smoking resource

What: Public presentation — QuitNow Men, tools for men to quit smoking
Who:

• John Oliffe, Professor, School of Nursing, UBC Vancouver
• Gayl Sarbit and Paul Sharp, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention
• Jonathan Schmid, Context Research

When: Thursday, January 15, noon to 1 p.m.
Where: RHS 129 Reichwald Health Sciences Centre, 1088 Discovery Avenue, UBC Okanagan

While many people may intend to quit smoking, it’s a hard addiction to kick.

UBC Okanagan is hosting a public session to promote the new online and gender specific QuitNow Men program. The first program of its kind, QuitNow Men is a web-specific option that offers new tools and tactics to help men quit smoking.

Developed by a team of UBC researchers and QuitNow experts, QuitNow Men will be launched on January 12, and will be available to all men in BC who want to take up the challenge in 2015 and break the addiction.

Among activities to recognize January’s National Non-Smoking Week, QuitNow Men will be the topic of interest during a special presentation at UBC Okanagan on Thursday, January 15, starting at noon.

Innovative features of this new smoking cessation resource will be demonstrated and feedback from the initial participants who used the website resources will be reported.. In addition, information about the strategies that are being used to market this new stop smoking resource to men across Northern British Columbia will be described.

John Oliffe, Professor, School of Nursing, UBC Vancouver will highlight the program, along with  Gayl Sarbit and  Paul Sharp from the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, and  Jonathan Schmid from Context Research.

This free event is open to the public and takes place at room 129 at the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre, 1088 Discovery Avenue, UBC’s Okanagan campus. Men who are hoping to quit smoking are encouraged to participate.

To attend in person, via webinar or teleconference, please register at: http://quitnowmen.eventbrite.ca

–30–

The post UBC Okanagan introduces QuitNow Men to help men kick the habit appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing is looking for volunteers who could spend three hours with first-year Nursing students next week.

First-year nursing students go into clinical practice for the first time in January and are excited about starting their hands-on nursing careers. To help them practice basic skills learned during their first term, a four-day “Living Lab” experience is planned for January 13 to 16.

The public is invited to participate as “patients” for the first-year students. This volunteer activity would include being a patient in bed (wearing a hospital gown over light clothing) and being assessed by one or two nursing students.

Being assessed would include being asked questions about your health and then allowing the students to examine your vital signs, listen to your lungs, listen to your heart and palpate pulses, listen to bowel sounds, and complete a simple neurological exam.

If you would like more information, or to sign up, please contact either Maggie Bannerman (maggie.bannerman@ubc.ca  or 250-681-3354) or Lynnelle Erbacker (lynnelle.erbacker@ubc.ca  or 250-503-4884).

— 30 —

The post First-year UBC Nursing students seek patient volunteers appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Shiela Epp, third from left, is surrounded by volunteers from the California’s Orange County sheriff’s department (in the white t-shirts), Dreamlift buddies and two of the Operation Dreamlift children, Charlotte (to Epp’s left) and Hayley, far right.

Spending dawn to midnight with a total stranger isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But for UBC’s Sheila Epp, the opportunity to escort a child on a day-long trip to Disneyland far outweighs the personal exhaustion that comes with this duty.

Every second year Wendy’s Operation Dreamlift sends a plane load of children from BC’s central interior to Disneyland for the day. Epp, associate director of the School of Nursing, volunteered as a pediatric nurse to spend the entire day with children chosen by the dreamlift program as they fly to and from California to explore Disneyland. The most recently trip — the 56th out of Kelowna — took place just before Christmas.

The children in the program are suffering from life-limiting illnesses and without the community and medical support that it provides, these children might never experience the thrill of Disneyland, she says.

“Spending the day with these kids was truly a privilege and I felt honoured to be a part of this a very special day for them,” says Epp.  “One of the children referred to me as her fairy godmother and said it was the best day of her life.”

The post UBC nurse helps make dreams come true at Operation Dreamlift appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Kelowna-Lake Country Member of Parliament Ron Cannan and Global Gala organizing committee member Michelle Bolen.

An estimated 300 people enjoyed African-themed food, entertainment and a silent auction as the Okanagan School of Nursing 4th-year students held their annual Global Gala at the Laurel Packing House on Saturday Nov. 23.

The evening’s festivities raised more than $10,000. Proceeds go towards students travelling to Ghana, Zambia and India for six-week practicums in March 2014. The nursing students pay their own way for travel to Africa and India to work in health clinics and teach infant and maternal health in remote villages.

The students are also raising fund to build a health clinic in the village of Chansehgu, Ghana. To date more than $6,000 has been raised toward a goal of $10,000. More information on this initiative can be found at: http://gogetfunding.com/project/ubc-okanagan-clinic-in-ghana

—30—

The post Nursing Global Gala raises more than $10,000 appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Dancing, shopping, and eating African-inspired food is how the campus community can help send nursing student’s to Africa to promote important health initiatives.

On Saturday, November 23 at 6 p.m. at the Laurel Packing House a group of fourth-year year nursing students will host the annual Global Gala fundraiser. It includes an African-inspired meal, dancing, live band, cash bar, silent auction, and short presentations by previous students.

Money raised at the event will allow for the purchase of healthcare supplies that will accompany the student’s going to Ghana, Zambia, and India.

The students are paying for their own travel fees, so 100 per cent of the funds will go towards improving healthcare.

Tickets to the Global Gala are $50 each or $375 for a table of eight and are available by emailing nursinggala2013@gmail.com or calling 250-874-0784.

For more information and visit the Global Gala 2013 Facebook page.

The post Nursing students help promote health in Africa with Global Gala fundraiser appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Protect yourself with a flu shot

Health, Safety and Environment, in partnership with the School of Nursing, the Southern Medical Program, and Safeway Pharmacy, will be hosting influenza information and vaccination clinics on campus during Thrive Week.

The flu vaccine will be provided free of charge to faculty, staff and students during the flu clinics.

Remember to wear a short sleeved shirt and don’t forget to bring your BC Services Card or CareCard.

These clinics are support a dynamic collaboration of students, faculty and staff are working together to help reduce the likelihood of employees catching the flu this season.

This Flu Crew consists of fourth-year nursing and second-year medical students who want to help the campus community make an informed decision about flu prevention. They’re looking to help employees understanding how serious the illness can be and how the risk of acquiring and spreading the flu can be minimized.

Look for the Flu Crew in bright coloured shirts across campus over the next few weeks.

Clinic dates

Monday, November 4, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursday, November 7, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Clinic location

Administration building foyer

For more information and resources concerning influenza and its prevention, visit: www.ubc.ca/okanagan/hse/health/flu

The post Flu vaccination clinics Nov. 4 and 7 appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Increasing nursing presence in the village will help improve health for residents

Fourth-year nursing students from UBC’s Okanagan campus will be travelling to Ghana, Africa, for seven weeks next spring, where they will help villagers build a permanent health care centre, work in diverse health care situations, and promote global health.

The nursing students will be spending some of their time in Chanshegu, a rural village in northern Ghana that has limited access to child and mother health care.

“Through funds raised, we’ll be purchasing the building materials and medical equipment for a four-room hut, and offering support wherever we are needed during the construction,” says Lisa Vinge, one of three fourth-year nursing students involved with the political action project.

“We also plan to contact the Ghana health ministry with the goal of securing a grant for a permanent health care worker. Our group has been fundraising since September to pay for the health centre. Donations in support of the initiative are still welcomed.”

The village chief, Yossafe Bugli says, “Our lives are very good here, but I am worried about our women during childbirth. They need help so they do not die”.

Health care for the villagers in Chanshegu, which has a population of about 400 people, consists of one yearly visit from the community nurse who provides immunizations. It is expected that the Ghana Ministry of Health will likely provide more health care professional visits if there is a permanent structure at the village.

“I am excited that this project is happening,” says Muriel Kranabetter, associate professor in nursing at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “The village has been asking for this type of help for several years. The students’ efforts will make a significant difference in their lives”.

The students have done several bake sales, sold caramel apples, raffled off two tickets to the Journey Concert in December, and various other fundraisers during their semester.

For more information please contact:

Lisa Vinge
Fourth-year nursing student
The University of British Columbia
Okanagan campus
Email: lisa.vinge@gmail.com

The post Nursing students help villagers build health clinic in Africa appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Nursing students from UBC’s Okanagan campus shared their knowledge about global health issues through a series of classroom visits with Grade 11 and 12 students at Kalamalka Secondary School in Vernon.

Kalamalka Secondary School students plan trip to Panama to turn knowledge into action

Nursing students from UBC’s Okanagan campus have partnered with the Students Without Borders Academy (SWBA) program at Kalamalka Secondary School to help Grade 11 and 12 students learn about global health issues.

High school teacher Dave Fehr welcomed UBC nursing students Amanda Fehr, Ashlyn McAmmond, and Melissa Stoesz into his classroom to teach the SWBA students about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) put forth by the United Nations in 2000. The MDGs are eight international development goals that the United Nations, and at least 23 other international organizations, have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. They include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, reducing child mortality rates, improving maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.

“Including the student nurses in the Students Without Borders Academy classroom sessions provided a new perspective to the Millennium Development Goals,” says Dave Fehr. “The health care lens through which they created their lessons added a real-world heartbeat to a potentially academic process.”

Fehr, McAmmond and Stoesz developed learning modules about the MDGs and engaged with the high school students over 12 weeks to teach them the basics of global poverty, inequity, and inequality.

SWBA students will be applying the classroom lessons to real-life situations during a month-long school trip to Panama this January, where they will take part in development projects, experience Indigenous Panamanian culture, and donate much-needed school supplies to local children.

“Our goal has been to share our knowledge of global health issues with these students so that when they travel to Panama they will be more aware of barriers to equity and equality and better understand ways these barriers can be removed,” says Amanda Fehr.  “The SWBA students have welcomed us into their process of organizing large fundraisers. Money raised will go to provide an improved education experience for Panamanian children.  It is great to see such young leaders organizing meaningful events for the betterment of others.”

SWBA students have organized a Vernon’s Got Talent show to be held December 7, a formal charity banquet on November 23, and a benefit concert in downtown Vernon on November 30.   One hundred per cent of proceeds will go directly to SWBA efforts in Panama.

The post UBC nursing students unite with Vernon school to raise global health awareness appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Barb Hoy, Kelowna Run for the Cure Co-Director, presents nursing student Robyn Kosugi with the Post-Secondary Challenge Team Captain Leadership Award

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation presented Robyn Kosugi with the Post Secondary Challenge Team Captain Leadership Award recently for her incredible efforts leading the School of Nursing team in the 2012 Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.

Kosugi led more than 57 team members to help raise $7,833 for this year’s run.

“The UBCO nursing faculty is a unique group and it is great to be able to get together to support a cause that is personally important to many of us, and is in line with our career choice,” said Kosugi.  “Last year we created the team and after seeing the incredible support and spirit in our first year, it was a huge motivation to make 2012 even bigger.”

To find out more, read the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation media release.

The post Nursing student wins team captain leadership award appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Nursing handbooks will improve health care initiatives in Ghana and Zambia

Fourth-year nursing students at UBC’s Okanagan campus are raising funds to produce an assessment handbook for African nursing students that will serve as a resource for developing their practice, improving quality of care, and decreasing numerous preventable deaths.

Many African nursing students do not have textbooks or educational resources to guide their practice, notes Tracy Sellinger, a fourth-year nursing student involved in the project.

“I am so passionate about this project,” she says. “This is going to have a huge impact in the lives of nursing students in Ghana and Zambia, and their future patients. Access to resources and education is such a critical part of health care. This nursing assessment handbook will aid them in skills that are crucial to the benefit of health initiatives in Africa.”

Every year an international practicum to Africa is offered to fourth-year students in the School of Nursing at UBC’s Okanagan campus. Last year, handbooks were created by two former nursing students, Julet Symington and Inderjit Pannu, and were personally delivered to second-year nursing students in Africa, who were delighted to receive the books — but unfortunately there were not enough to go around.

This year, the UBC nursing students plan on printing a larger number of assessment handbooks so both first- and second-year nursing students in Africa will receive a concise version. The handbook has been modified and crucial new information has been added.

“The goal of this UBCO nursing students’ project is to empower African nursing students who, despite not having a wide range of resources, have the basic tools to perform a thorough assessment and provide quality patient care,” says Sellinger.”The UBCO nursing students have been fundraising since September and will continue throughout November. Community support has been, and will continue to be, essential to our success, and it will go a long way in supporting nursing efforts in Africa.”

Anyone who would like more information about the nursing students’ project or to make a contribution to their cause can contact Tracy Sellinger at 250-862-6453 or tracy_s9@hotmail.com.

The post Nursing students raise funds to create educational resource for Africa appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.