Co-operation agreement between IUBAT and Vancouver Community College

IUBAT and Vancouver Community College recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding. In summer 2011, the first group of VCC students will visit IUBAT with their instructor. Pat Bawtinheimer, Dean of VCC’s School of Health Sciences says, “I know that everyone is excited about this opportunity for our BScN students. We are confident that this experience will provide invaluable learning for them. We anticipate a very positive working relationship with IUBAT in the future.” To which Dr. Alimullah Miyan Vice-Chancellor of IUBAT responds, “I am a firm believer in co-operative learning. Our colleagues from Canada as well as our International Office will do everything possible to make your students and faculty welcome in our growing campus. From the beginning of this university in 1991 we have been fairly successful in evolving a multicultural environment. The co-operation with Vancouver Community College will reinforce this.”

A new student initiative

Karen Lund reports that a group of second year students has come up with a plan that during every semester break (following exams) they would stay a week in one of their local villages. While there they would conduct community health assessments and health teaching sessions.  They plan to go in rotating groups of 4-5 nursing students along with an intern doctor. The visits would take in areas where one of the group has a family network for infrastructure support and local credibility.  This group includes both Bengali and Nepali students with hopes that the plan may someday include their Nepalese villages as well.  

Karen comments, “This is a milestone!  It is the first time our students have come to me with their own well thought-out plan for volunteer service.  Our years of teaching compassionate care seem to be bearing fruit at last.  It has been our goal to see attitudes change so that our graduates eventually lead nursing, reaching out to develop humanitarian initiatives in their home countries.  I’m still idealistic enough to think this might be the start of the sea change.  Thanks so very much to all the volunteers who have led by example and given our students confidence in themselves !!”  

Protecting students from Hepatitis

We have been concerned for some time about this workplace hazard because hepatitis in all its forms is so common in Bangladesh. The initial testing and subsequent immunizations cost $20-40 per student. This is a lot of money, which many families cannot afford. So we send a big thank-you to the donor  who gave us $1000 to pay for Hepatitis B protection for the nursing students.