IUBAT students as nursing leaders

Visiting faculty member Susan McNeill of Vancouver Community College Nursing Department writes: “Today I checked in on our practicum and internship students at ICDDR,B and left feeling proud and inspired. They are taking on leadership roles and tactfully modelling quality care with compassion. Shahed Chowdhury (BSN 2012, wearing blue in this photo) is a teaching assistant at IUBAT who is dedicated to staying in Bangladesh and changing the perception and quality of nursing. Although the number of grads may be small, they have the potential to ‘punch above their weight’ and make a real difference.”

 

Audit for BHP completed

Accountability is an important principle for our project. Recently one of our founding directors, John Richards (on the left in this photo with volunteer Amaan Banwait) donated several thousand dollars to pay for the first audit of the Bangladesh Health Project. This audit of project finances from 2008-2010 was completed by Chartered Accountant Mahmoud Virani of Vancouver. (IUBAT is also fully audited in Bangladesh.) Virani’s audit report has been approved by the Mid-Main Community Health Centre Board of Directors. Copies of the auditor’s report are available upon request and will be posted on our website shortly. We are grateful for John’s on-going and generous support. With very few exceptions, such as our auditing and book-keeping services in Canada, virtually all donated funds are spent in Bangladesh.

Opportunities to help develop Bangladesh nursing

We are working with our teaching hospital and college partners on academic program development and quality improvement. (The photo is from a recent workshop at IUBAT on nurse education.) One of our project goals is to create a BSN program for learners who have English as a second language, which meets international standards. In future, this curriculum might be shared with global partners through a Creative Commons arrangement. We need help to develop and format our digitally-based materials for this approach. Another area for volunteer support is quality assurance and accreditation. Such programs are fairly new to Bangladesh, but IUBAT is at the forefront of their development. This foundational work could also have international benefit. Please contact us if you are interested in these opportunities.

 

Nursing Week 2009 still a hit

In summer 2009, Vancouver nurse Lynn Buhler taught Community Health Nursing at IUBAT. Early during her stay, the IUBAT Nursing Student Society organized a boisterous celebration of Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Lynn writes, “Ever since my wonderful trip to IUBAT & Bangladesh – I have not experienced Nursing Week without thinking of the fantastic students and staff and volunteers that manage to make the School of Nursing a reality. In honour of Nursing Week I would like to get back to donating to the school and in particular providing support to individual nursing students that need a little bit of financial help.” Thank you Lynn for your commitment and support.

 

Our teaching partners, CWCH and U of Vermont

Each year, a group of BS (nursing) students studying under Dr. Hendrika Maltby  at U of Vermont visit Bangladesh and IUBAT as part of their community  health field experience. In January 2012, their fieldwork included observation and practice at one of our teaching hospital partner sites, CWCH - the Centre for Woman and Child Health in Savar. Photos show students working with CWCH Nursing Director, Sister Margaret Sarkar. At the request of the CWCH medical director, Dr. Khurshid Talukder, Dr. Maltby provided some feedback, noting that the students were very impressed with how much can happen with the resources at hand.  "It was powerful to see how the millennium development goals are being put into action at CWCH." "This experience helps me to realize that patient care can be provided without the use of fancy equipment.  It is about how compassionate you are and how much you are willing to give." Overall, praise for CWCH is high and students appreciated the opportunity to spend time there.

 

BSN grad earns Norway scholarship

IUBAT graduate Bimala Rai (BSN 2009) has earned a full scholarship to attend the University of Oslo International Summer School. From late June to early August, she will enrol in a Masters level course in International Community Health. According to the UiO website, the course focuses on global health issues such as human rights, equity, and the social dimensions of health, with a focus on child health, sexual reproductive health and rights, communicable diseases, and chronic conditions. Bimala will study with students from a wide variety of backgrounds: different countries, professional training, academic training, work experience, and cultures. We know she will be a strong representative for South Asian nurses and will bring new skills home with her.

IUBAT grads to write Nepal registration exams

For the first time ever the Nepal Nursing Council is holding a Registration Exam for new nurses this May. A group of IUBAT College of Nursing graduates returned to Nepal after completing their education in Bangladesh. Recently they applied for and received equivalency for their IUBAT BSN degree at Tribhuvan University, the major public sector university of Nepal. This means that IUBAT BSN graduates can now write the new Nepal Nursing Council Registration Exam.  Good luck to all the IUBAT graduates. We are proud of you!