Russian Sage at the Beach House Summer 2012
People often ask what I’m doing these days and what projects I have on the go. When I’m not in the garden—the Russian sage is performing beautifully this year–I’m managing the work of the Association of Registered Nurses of BC (see my July 22 Memorable Moments post below). My role includes working closely with the Board of Directors in overall coordination of our activities to develop a new professional nursing association in British Columbia.
As some of you know, I have remained interested in and connected to a project in India. The University of British Columbia School of Nursing and the Canada-India Education Society (CIES) have had a longstanding relationship with health care and nursing education initiatives in Punjab state through the Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust. From 2001 to 2005, I worked as a consultant on a primary health care project that focused on community-based activities in villages near the Guru Nanak Mission Hospital and its affiliated College of Nursing at Dhahan-Kaleran in Nawanshahr District.
Following a visit to India in February 2011 by a small delegation from CIES and UBC (see my Highlights of 2011 post), a new relationship was begun with Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS). All nursing colleges in Punjab state, including the Guru Nanak College, come under the umbrella of this large university located in Faridkot, in western Punjab.
Map of Punjab State and Districts
The overall goal of the new partnership is to provide for an exchange of educational and research opportunities to build capacity bilaterally. Specific objective are to contribute to the professional development of nurse educators, strengthen graduate nursing education and increase research capacity throughout the colleges associated with the BFUHS system. I am pleased to serve on the Baba Farid Partnership Advisory Committee of the UBC School of Nursing and was delighted to meet with two nursing faculty members from BFUHS in June while they were visiting UBC. I look forward to similar exchanges as this partnership develops.
Nora Whyte
August 14, 2012