What was the purpose of the International Council of Nurses 2019 Congress?

ND: With a theme of Beyond Healthcare to Health, the Congress served to celebrate nursing’s contributions over the 120 year history of ICN, as well as to discuss significant issues and trends that are impacting nursing throughout the world. There was discussion on issues such as nursing leadership in global health transformation, safe nursing staffing interventions, patient safety, advanced practice nursing, the widespread human trafficking and the need for expansion of primary health care. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a strong presence at the Congress with a compelling message regarding nursing’s role in global health leadership.

What was your involvement in this event?

ND: It was an honour to present at the 2019 ICN Congress. My presentation was focused on the purposes, components and benefits of a teaching portfolio in advancing the scholarship of teaching in nursing education. Teaching portfolios are increasingly being used around the world as a key strategy for faculty reflection on their teaching and learning practices, as well as improvement in teaching performance.

I also had the opportunity to moderate a concurrent session. It was inspiring to learn about innovative teaching methods in nursing education, from eight presenters coming from China, Taiwan, Singapore, United States, Oman, Japan and Australia.

CA: I presented a poster articulating the Rady Faculty Office of Interprofessional Collaboration’s (OIPC) innovative two-year inter-professional collaborative care (IPCC) curriculum that was implemented in September 2016 and involves health profession students in nine programs in the colleges of nursing, medicine, rehabilitation sciences, pharmacy and dentistry and dental hygiene.

College of Nursing dean Dr. Netha Dyck and College of Nursing professor and Rady Faculty vice-dean, education Dr. Christine Ateah at the International Council of Nurses 2019 Congress.

Did the event allow any opportunity to build relationships with other nursing educators around the world?

ND: The congress provided the unique opportunity to network with international nursing leaders and engage in discussion with our dynamic ICN president Annette Kennedy and chief executive officer Howard Catton. We discussed the opportunities for nursing leadership in transforming global health, as well as the growing excitement related to hosting the upcoming ICN Congress in Montreal in 2023.

CA: We were also honoured to participate in a reception hosted by the Canadian Nurses Association for the Canadian delegates on Canada Day.  The CNA president Dr. Claire Betker welcomed special guests- the high commissioner of Canada to Singapore, Lynn McDonald, as well Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, who strongly advocated for the re-establishment of a chief nursing officer position for Canada.

What were some of the other highlights?

ND: Another unique and gratifying experience was to meet with our Korean nursing colleagues and learn about the Korean Nurses Association’s nomination of two nurses for the Nobel Peace Prize. Marianne Stoger and Margaritha Pissarek dedicated more than 40 years of their lives to the selfless act of caring for patients with Hansen’s Disease and creating an environment of healing and hope.

CA: This was my first time attending the ICN Congress and meeting nursing colleagues from so many countries was remarkable. It is clear that despite the differences in our approaches to issues, there are far more similarities within our profession.

“A person who saves a life is a hero. A person who saves 100 lives is a nurse.” – ICN president Annette Kennedy

What do you hope to see come out of your visit to Singapore?

ND: Networking with colleagues from around the world aligned well with one of our initiatives within the College of Nursing. We are currently developing an international framework for engagement in international partnerships to promote and support collaboration in education and research. The congress provided a great opportunity to explore opportunities for collaboration and in some cases strengthen existing partnerships. Interestingly, the congress also served to strengthen collaboration with academic leaders and colleagues from Canada.

We hope the establishment of a chief nursing officer for Canada will come to fruition, as a result of the strong advocacy from the WHO and ICN. The congress also served to celebrate the contribution nurses make every day. A special quote from the ICN president summed up the sentiments: “A person who saves a life is a hero. A person who saves 100 lives is a nurse.”

We would also like to participate in the Nursing Now campaign and the nightingale challenge, providing leadership opportunities for nurses and midwives.

CA: I was pleased at the positive feedback and interest in the Rady Faculty’s approach to inter-professional education. I anticipate connecting with a number of international colleagues who expressed interest in developing similar approaches in their countries’ health professional education programming.

About 80 people attended the noon-hour session at the Frederic Gaspard Theatre on the Bannatyne campus. Representatives of the College of Nursing, located on the Fort Garry campus, attended via webcast.

Dr. Brian Postl, dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and vice-provost (health sciences), began by outlining the decentralized budget model that the university will implement on April 1. Moving to current priorities, Postl pointed to interprofessional collaboration across the faculty’s five colleges (Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Rehabilitation Sciences) as a strong focus.

“We are working hard to establish a new (faculty) chair to promote interprofessional education and innovation,” he said.

Postl said the Rady Faculty’s planned Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing is nearing approval by the U of M Senate and, it is hoped, will be launched in the coming months. He went on to summarize the five-year strategic framework for the Rady Faculty, encouraging all stakeholders to read the plan in draft form and send feedback to fhscomm@umanitoba.ca.

Dr. Sara Israels, vice-dean, academic affairs, reported on the Rady Faculty’s new Office of Educational and Faculty Development and on the transition to a faculty-wide process for promotion and tenure. She also noted the establishment of an awards committee that spans the five colleges. “We need to nominate more people in our faculty for external awards,” she said.

Dr. Jeff Sisler, vice-dean, continuing competency and assessment, spoke about the recent creation of a new web platform which features online registration, learning and event management for high-quality continuing professional development programs. Sisler noted that a faculty-wide working group on internationally educated health professionals is exploring “the work we need to do around helping new Canadians enter practice in their chosen professions.”

Dr. Christine Ateah, vice-dean, education, reported on topics including the new interprofessional collaborative care (IPCC) curriculum for all Rady Faculty students. First-year students are now assigned to small faculty-wide cohorts that complete certain assignments as a team. In response to a question about interprofessional clinical practice opportunities, Ateah said the scheduling of the five colleges poses a challenge, but there is strong potential for student-led learning.

Dr. Catherine Cook, vice-dean, Indigenous health, gave an update on the Rady Faculty’s draft Truth and Reconciliation Commission Action Plan. Among the key themes of the nearly finalized plan are honouring traditional knowledge systems and ensuring support, mentorship and retention of Indigenous students. Of the latter, Cook said, “We do have a faculty-wide working group . . . and it’s our hope to address any gaps and build on strengths.”

Dr. Kevin Coombs, assistant dean, research, spoke on behalf of Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-dean, research. From a funding perspective, Coombs said, there is a growing emphasis on collaborative health research conducted by teams and clusters. Coombs presented graphs showing positive results, such as the fact that the Rady Faculty’s research funding increased by 16 per cent in the past year. “Keep up the good work,” he said.

View the full PowerPoint presentation for the Town Hall.

Watch the one-hour webcast of the Town Hall.