Author Archives: lizachoi

A Salute To Our Mentoring Program

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Since the inception of the EAL Nursing Student Support program, a key element of its success has been the vibrant mentoring portion of this innovative program.  We felt it was important to purposely structure this activity so that all members allied with this group could receive high quality mentoring.   It began with training a number of senior nursing students to act as mentors for EAL nursing students.  This peer mentor program has been effective well beyond our expectations. EAL nursing students have found having a peer mentor invaluable in learning about Canadian culture, getting assistance on academics, and having a fellow student to listen to their challenges and successes. In many cases, friendships were forged, bridges crossed, and insights were shared.  In addition, peer mentors seemed to gain on a personal and potentially professional level through their participation in this program.  They learned about themselves and began to truly see that mentoring is a bi-directional activity in which both parties benefit.  Due to the importance of mentoring, we have dedicated this month’s EAL newsletter to this crucial aspect of our wonderful support program. Thank you to all our mentors!!

L. Choi and The EAL Nursing Support Program Team

 

Editorial by Charmaine Law, RN, BN, Alumni, MRU School of Nursing

Are you bored with the snow yet? I know I am! Although it is still snowing, every so often, with all

these unexpected warm days, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel during these wonderful months of spring. With more and more warmth and sun, it shows that the season is slowly approaching. Spring brings buds on trees and flowers from seeds, which also means that the semester will end soon and summer break is coming! As another school year passes, this is a great time to look back and reflect on ourselves and how much we’ve grown within the school year.

As nursing students, one might think we do enough reflections, right? I have come to realize that reflection is a very helpful tool in life. Whether we are reflecting on our growth in knowledge from all those textbooks we read, or through the experience we encounter in our daily lives, we always end up with one conclusion: it shows us that we definitely grew and learned in different ways, and we have learned lessons that we can carry into the next phase of life.

 

More Than Just Volunteering by Charmaine Law, RN, BN, Alumni, MRU School of Nursing

Liza and students PictureVolunteering. This word is defined as something you freely offer to do. That’s what I thought I was getting into when I started with EAL Nursing Support Group. Truthfully, I joined because my friend mentioned this volunteering program and asked if I wanted to join with her. Little did I know what I had signed up for. I didn’t know anything about this support group, nor did I know what I had to do, but I did know I liked volunteering so I thought I would give it a shot.

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Benefits of the Peer Mentor Program by Megyu, MRU Nursing Student

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Three happy peopleEAL support group provides help for nursing students who have English as an Additional Language (EAL). There are many amazing programs offered to help students succeed, including: workshops that assist with writing, pronunciation, communication and group gatherings and the Peer Mentor program.  Mentors are the peer tutors who are nursing students  volunteering with the EAL group. Nursing faculty from the EAL group partner these mentors with students who require help to work together on subjects they find challenging.  Peer mentoring could benefit students who receive this guidance, and even students who serve as Peer Mentors.

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Our Current Favorite People: Mentors! By Caithlyn Passion, RN, BN, Alumni, MRU School of Nursing

Girl thumbs upThis semester, the EAL Nursing support group is celebrating the Mentoring experience and the wealth of togetherness it brings to our faculty. We acknowledge that each student and faculty member has the remarkable potential to become a great teacher and coach! Over the past few years, our group has witnessed the beauty of our Nursing students and staff connecting with each other as volunteering Peer Mentors and group facilitators to create that positive, supportive environment that Mount Royal University is best known for.

So, what exactly have our mentors accomplished and why are they so important? First, we are grateful to our student volunteers who take the role and responsibility of pairing with fellow EAL students in need of academic and networking support. In sharing their  experiences, from clinical rotations to study tips, successes and failures, our Peer Mentors prove their readiness and willingness to see their classmates and future colleagues succeed. Next, our volunteer faculty instructors and support staff are the ones modeling for us the qualities of relentlessness and passion. They go above and beyond, ensuring that students are aware that their care and devotion to teaching is not limited to classroom time. Attending to the needs and well-being of EAL students is important.

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