Nursing students advocate for all marae to have AEDs
Wintec nursing students are advocating for all marae to have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) installed.
Nesca Bowlin, Academic Staff Member at Wintec | Te Pūkenga Centre for Health and Social Practice had the privilege of travelling to Whakatane to visit our nursing students on the final week of their Rural Health Immersion Programme industry placements in February.
As part of their placement the nursing students presented a PowerPoint outlining the deficit of AED in marae in Whakatane, Bay of Plenty. The presentation was held at Whakatane Hospital to a multiprotection group consisting of public health funders, heads of schools, doctors, nurse educators, psychologists and Iwi representatives. Currently there is only one AED installed on a marae in the region.
L-R Krista Dumble, Nesca Bowlin and Kate Elliot. Both Krista and Kate are graduates from the Enrolled Nursing programme and will shortly graduate from the Bachelor of Nursing programme.
“The students pitched the idea that all marae should have AED installed. This proposal was justified, as the waiting time for ambulance response was over the recommended waiting time for cardiac arrest in rural locations. This proposal recognised a need and suggested an achievable solution.
“This innovative presentation was received with great enthusiasm by local health professionals. A local paramedic even stood to endorse this proposal. In fact, members of the Whakatane BOP DHB took the students’ ideas to the next step, drafting applications to fund the project. Success gaining this funding will enable AEDs to be placed in all marae in the Whakatane region, with associated training provided to mana whenua,” Bowlin said.
Bowlin said the Rural Health Immersion Programme coordinators in Whakatane report the calibre of nursing students Wintec produces is exceptionally high.
“Job offers have been made by the managers of practice clinics to entice our nursing students to return to Whakatane. This feedback is affirmation to both students and Wintec staff,” she said.
While on placement, students held a pop test quiz on pharmacology.
“Our Wintec nursing students competed with other students from multiple universities. Our nursing students won the pharmacology quiz against 5th year medical students from Auckland University and fourth year paramedic students. In discussion with our nursing students, they attribute their success to the Clinical Reasoning for Medication paper lead by Jenny Song and me. In particular, the students praised Somina Devi teaching the pharmacology component in the paper.
“It is with great pride that I report the accomplishments of all nursing staff who worked as a team to produce excellent students,” Bowlin said.
