IWK Health and Dalhousie University Launch Pilot Program for Black Nursing Students
A new pilot program launched in September by IWK Health and Dalhousie University aims to bring Black nursing students into the workforce. The five-week initiative, which will run for a year, seeks to improve health equity and patient trust through representation.
IWK Health in Halifax has partnered with Dalhousie University to launch a pilot program aimed at bringing Black nursing students and people of African descent into the health-care system early in their careers. The initiative started in September and is scheduled to last for one year.
Nursing student Aseil Elaskari completed a five-week placement with the IWK’s Reproductive Mental Health team in mid-October. Elaskari stated that the program opened her eyes to mental health nursing, a field she is now considering working in after graduation.
Angela Johnson, director of health equity, safety and wellness at IWK, noted that two more students will participate in the project in the coming weeks. The IWK has capacity for five to seven students this semester, with potential for expansion depending on demand.
Johnson cited research indicating that Black patients who receive care from Black providers report better health outcomes. The program aims to foster an improved sense of comfort and understanding for patients seeing representatives who look like them, while supporting potential long-term systemic change in patient care through increased representation.