TNMU professors had internship training at MacEwan University (Canada)
From October 14 to November 1, 2019, Director of the Academic and Research Institute of Nursing, Associate Professor of the Department of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and General Patient Care Svitlana Yastremska and Deputy Director of the Academic and Research Institute of Nursing, Associate Professor of the Department of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and General Patient Care Liudmyla Mazur completed their internship program at MacEwan University, Edmonton (Alberta, Canada)
The internship was part of a collaboration agreement between MacEwan University (Canada) and Ternopil National Medical University and was funded with the support of the Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre (URDC) in Canada and by its Director, Larysa Haiduk.
The purpose of the internship was to get acquainted with the methodological approaches to the organization of research in the field of nursing, postgraduate education of nurses and the work of the Online Learning Center at MacEwan University and to discuss the issues of further cooperation between the faculties of the MacEwan University, URDC and TNMU.
TNMU delegation met with MacEwan University President, John McGrath. The President was greeted with a letter from TNMU Rector Mykhaylo Korda and a booklet about our university. At the meeting, the purpose of the visit was discussed and further ways of cooperation between educational institutions were outlined.
TNMU representatives also met with Fred McGinn, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Community Studies and the Faculty of Nursing, Jill Vihos, Head of the Department of Interprofessional Education and Simulation Learning, DIESL, Kimberley Howard, Head of MacEwan International Department.
Svitlana Yastremska and Liudmyla Mazur delivered reports about Ternopil National Medical University, Academic and Research Institute of Nursing, training programs for students and teaching methods for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
With the support of Christine Shumka, TNMU representatives were involved in a discussion during a webinar on the organization and conducting of qualitative research, held by collaborators of the University of Georgia (Athens, USA) and University of Alberta.
TNMU team also met with Olenka Bilash, Professor at the University of Alberta, to discuss the theoretical background, methodology for qualitative research, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various forms of qualitative research, mixed and quantitative research. An agreement was reached to hold a workshop on qualitative research at TNMU. The staff of the Faculty of Nursing , Elizabeth Burgess-Pinto, Judee Onyskiw, discussed the features of mixed research in nursing. Assistant of the Faculty of Nursing Mary Asirifi presented the results of her work for the PhD degree in which the methods of mixed scientific research were used.
Elizabeth Burgess-Pinto discussed the future perspectives of the Global Health project and developed a preliminary plan for the May 2020 session in TNMU. The 2020 Spring Course will be the third session of the Global Health project, co-hosted by faculty members at MacEwan University and TNMU, and involving students from both educational institutions.
TNMU team got acquainted with the work and features of the simulation center training and examinations. Associate Professors S. Yastremska and L. Mazur participated directly in two simulation training sessions. In a hands-on session with standardized patients, nursing students worked in teams based on a scenario developed by the Center for Simulation Training. There were videos and further discussion of team actions when working with the patient (debriefing). The neonatology simulation session was conducted on pre-programmed interactive dummies, with students doing the first nursing examination of a newborn baby.
Associate Professors S. Yastremska and L. Mazur attended a roundtable discussion with Lynn Feist and Online Learning Center staff. The main challenges that arise when learning online were identified, the ways to solve them and the similarities and differences between them in Ukraine and Canada were outlined.
TNMU representatives also got acquainted with the specifics of the work of nursing clinics and public health centers. With the assistance of Barb Borkent, a lecturer at MacEwan University, they observed the work of the Alberta government’s refugee assistance program and the work of refugee centers. They also visited the WestView Health Center under the direction of Nursing Master Ellen Elliott, which, in addition to outpatient and emergency care, has a hospice and long-term care unit, as well as a large home care unit. The clinic serves a community of approximately 1 million people, with more than one thousand patients being treated at home.
Larissa Haiduk discussed further prospects of cooperation development with the support of URDC and possible projects in the following areas:
– postgraduate education of nurses in Ukraine (postgraduate courses),
– continuing postgraduate education in nursing,
– organization of joint Ukrainian-Canadian teacher training courses,
– cooperation with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, in particular the teachers exchange programs and the development of joint programs in basic disciplines (natural sciences, English for professional purposes),
– participation in joint international scientific projects and grants.
Information about the visit of the TNMU delegation is covered in the publication of the press service of MacEwan University on the university’s website.
TNMU representatives express their sincere gratitude to the administration of the I.Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University for their support, assistance and opportunity to participate in an internship program at MacEwan University, Edmonton, Canada.
Svitlana Yastremska,
Liudmyla Mazur.