Students showcase ‘Visionary Nursing Leadership’

Final year registered nursing students at the SVG Community College Division of Nursing Education on Friday, April 19, demonstrated their knowledge and skills during a career showcase.{{more}}

Deputy dean and co-ordinator of the event Sister Beverly Liverpool told SEARCHLIGHT that the activity was in keeping with the practical component of a course called Nursing Professionalism, that is taught to the registered nursing students in their final year of training.

The showcase was held at the Division of Nursing Education at Largo Heights, under the theme: “Visionary Nursing Leadership.”

Forty-eight students participated in the event, which is in its third year.

The overall aim of the career showcase, according to Liverpool, was to assist the third year registered students to examine areas of specialty that are available for Vincentian nurses.

The students focused on five specialized areas, two of which are traditional areas and three, emerging/futuristic areas.

The traditional areas were: Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Anesthetist.

Nurse Researcher, Forensic Nursing, Occupational health and safety Nurse were the emerging areas.

During the presentations, students displayed changes that are envisioned within the Health Care System in the next 20 years, under the categories: Changes in Disease Pattern, Changes in Patient Care, Expanded Technology, Increasing Autonomy and Other.

“This is an annual event, but we used to have it as an in-house activity, with the other junior students to view. This year, however, we decided to open to the public…” Liverpool said.

She explained that the students were very enthusiastic about the event and this was demonstrated by their hard work and commitment to ensuring everything was in place for the showcase.

“They went as far as purchasing their own materials to make the futuristic uniforms that you see them in, as well as the decorations you see, they were the ones responsible.

“It’s a great initiative for not only them, but also for the first and second year nurses … who would have the opportunity to see what lies ahead in the future for nursing,” Liverpool added.

“This is a marvellous opportunity for us, me in particular, as we have the chance to demonstrate to the public what we have been educated on here. Generally people see is as just nurses and think we only dress wounds or cares for a sick patient, but they do not know what our job really entails and this is indeed a great way to show,” Tafari Jeffery of the Nurse Anesthetist division told SEARCHLIGHT.

Speaking on behalf of her group, Alicia Adams, a student in Forensic Nursing, one of the emerging areas, explained that her field is one with a huge responsibility, as they work closely with the police on certain crimes and she looks forward to taking up her new role after graduating.

At the end of the career showcase, marks were awarded for creativity, accuracy, organization, adequacy of content and neatness, etc.(AA)