Courtesy Beaverlodge FCSS
March 27, 2024
Virtual practicum pilot project at 草莓污视频导航 delivers long-distance value to small Alberta town
A group of 草莓污视频导航 students is working to support the health and social needs of a small Alberta town hundreds of kilometres away, without ever stepping foot in the northern community.
The students, undergrads from the faculties of Social Work and Nursing, are part of an innovative pilot project. For their practicum placements, the setting is entirely virtual. The students are working remotely with the local (FCSS) agency in Beaverlodge, a town of about 2,500 residents located a five-hour drive northwest of Edmonton.
The practicum project has broken new ground on several fronts since its launch in fall 2023. For the students, it鈥檚 been an eye-opening introduction to how community health services are delivered in a rural setting. The interdisciplinary model of the practicum is a first for the two faculties, dramatically expanding the students鈥 perspectives. And even as the practicum pilot 鈥 now in its second semester 鈥 moves ahead, a three-year study supported by a is exploring how this innovative, flexible online model of work-integrated learning can be supported and made sustainable.听
Appreciation for rural health challenges
The practicum鈥檚 blend of social work and nursing perspectives appealed to Rachel Pennell, who was part of the inaugural cohort during her fourth year of studies. She鈥檚 now employed as a family network facilitator for the Greater Foothills Family Centre in High River.听
鈥淚 only have a social work perspective, that鈥檚 my background in education,鈥 she says. 鈥淪o it was interesting to learn about community nursing and some of the tools they use in their assessments.鈥
A highlight for Pennell was witnessing a heartfelt response from more than 150 youth to a survey designed by the students, asking what new services they would like to see in their town.听
鈥I think that there鈥檚 a real need for access to mental health services in small towns,鈥 she says. 鈥淭here are so many small towns and rural areas who could use the help of students doing the work of surveying and planning, for example. And especially being virtual, it鈥檚 great we have this opportunity we wouldn鈥檛 have had before.鈥
Reanna Stockman, FCSS program services co-ordinator in Beaverlodge, welcomed the students鈥 help and energy identifying and supporting local needs in a setting very different from the big city. 鈥淚n rural communities, you might not be able to see the doctor when you want to, or you might not be able to go to a shelter, or you might not be able to get a free meal. The FCSS is a one-stop shop and often you鈥檙e the only support the community has.鈥
Technology supports growing need for practicum learning
The project has its roots in the two faculties鈥 experiences during COVID and post-COVID, which opened the door for virtual practicum opportunities to emerge out of necessity, explains PhD, associate professor in the Edmonton campus of the and principal investigator of the study supported by the Teaching and Learning Grant.听
鈥淎nd we recognized the value of supporting rural, remote communities across the province, where students can have engaging learning experiences in the field and have opportunities to apply theory onto practice.鈥
The faculties see rising demand for experiential learning even as local workplaces grapple with fewer resources and increased complexity, explains associate professor (teaching) in the and co-principal investigator. 鈥淪o, we have to be creative and not overburden the system,鈥 she says.听
鈥淲ith that lens, utilizing one practicum placement for two programs, we were going to be able to reach partners we had never been able to reach before through the virtual.鈥
The first practicum saw eight students working remotely with Beaverlodge FCSS; the second practicum has a dozen students. The faculties鈥 interprofessional field teams provide structure and supervision, giving them a front-row seat as students embrace new perspectives, learn from one another, and collaborate with the community partner.听
Connection points and relationships
鈥淭here are so many connection points through this practical opportunity that might not be available to students in a typical social work placement,鈥 says a registered social worker, practical development specialist and field co-ordinator in the Faculty of Social Work. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e working with other social work students and a cohort of nursing students. They鈥檙e connecting with a leader in a rural community. They鈥檙e getting supervision from multiple professions, building and working in relationship.
鈥淭hat is so huge, I think, to this,鈥 Grant adds.
Watching students learn to navigate a team has been rewarding for a registered nurse and sessional instructor in the Faculty of Nursing. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not just one person trying to take on all these issues and concerns," she says.听
"You have a whole team of people you can turn to, leveraging each other鈥檚 skills and strengths and awesomeness.鈥澨
鈥淏ut we鈥檙e not from the community. We鈥檙e very intentional about coming alongside the community and not trying to tell them how to fix things or tell them what to do, because we really don鈥檛 know,鈥 Loates adds. 鈥淗aving Reanna as the local partner has been a key piece of being able to learn about Beaverlodge and learn about the things happening there.鈥
Journey of learning from each other
The first practicum class focused on a needs survey of youth, helping FCSS identify priorities and ideas for future programs. The first class also set in motion a needs survey of senior citizens, which continues in the second cohort. More ideas for FCSS emerged as the students met online, reviewed the data, and gathered additional resources, Stockman says.听
鈥淒uring our cold spell when it was -51C, we had a homeless individual who had nowhere to go. The students started working on an infographic of resources I can connect people to, should that happen again.鈥
Learning how community nursing impacts lives came as a pleasant surprise to Kwame Blackman, a second-year student who says he always equated nursing with working in hospitals. 鈥淲orking with Beaverlodge FCSS really showed me the breadth of what nursing can be.鈥
Emily Williams, another second-year nursing student, reports a 鈥180-degree flip鈥 in her understanding of health care during the practicum. 鈥淚 went into nursing thinking it鈥檚 about curing people,鈥 she says.听
鈥淲orking with social work really gave me a more empathetic view of nursing. It鈥檚 not just being there by the beside. It鈥檚 actually sitting down and taking the time to get to know the person before you diagnose anything medically. It鈥檚 been really amazing.鈥
草莓污视频导航 Nursing is committed to providing community experiences for students that aim to strengthen rural and remote health care. Through experiential learning, students build confidence and resilience as they become advocates and change agents in health systems. 听