MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Are nursing students really deep learners?
No full textSurface and deep learning approaches significantly influence nursing students’ educational outcomes and clinical readiness. Surface learning emphasizes rote memorization, often leading to limited application in real-world settings. In contrast, deep learning fosters critical thinking, integration of knowledge, and practical skills essential for patient care. Recent studies (e.g., Dolmans et al., 2016; Khong & Tanner, 2024) highlight that active learning strategies and reflective practices enhance deep learning in nursing curricula. This abstract evaluates evidence-based approaches to promote deep learning, including problem-based learning and blended educational models, ensuring nursing students are equipped to meet complex healthcare demands.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Raj Narnaware 
Supporting Internationally Educated Nurses Through Effective Preceptorship: A Canadian Perspective
No full textBackground: Canada\u27s healthcare system has historically relied on internationally educated nurses (IENs) to address persistent nursing shortages. In 2022, IENs comprised 64% of the net increase in registered nurse supply, with 23,256 internationally educated registered nurses representing 10.2% of the total Canadian RN workforce.
Purpose: This manuscript examines the historical contributions of IENs to Canadian healthcare, analyzes contemporary integration challenges, and presents evidence-based strategies for developing effective preceptorship programs to support IEN workplace integration and retention.
Methods: A literature review was conducted examining international and Canadian research on IEN experiences, integration challenges, and preceptorship models, supplemented by historical analysis of IEN contributions to Canadian nursing from colonial times to 2024.
Key Findings: IENs face multifaceted integration challenges including language and communication barriers, unfamiliarity with Canadian workplace culture and professional practice standards, experiences of racism and discrimination, and various personal and systemic obstacles. Effective preceptorship requires comprehensive, culturally responsive approaches that extend beyond traditional orientation programs designed for domestically educated nurses.
Conclusions: Successful IEN integration demands coordinated efforts from clinical educators, employers, educational institutions, and policymakers to develop evidence-informed preceptorship programs. These programs must address clinical competencies while incorporating cultural humility, extended mentorship, organizational support, and systemic inclusion strategies. Investment in comprehensive preceptorship is essential for maximizing IEN contributions to Canadian healthcare while promoting retention and quality patient care
Examining Nurses\u27 Demographic Variations on Supervisory Support and Work Environment Perceptions: A Secondary Data Analysis
No full textIntroduction: The increasing emphasis on creating healthy work environments is driven by their impact on both nurse and patient outcomes. Previous evidence has established a link between supportive nursing leadership and work environments, but demographic characteristics have not been adequately explored. This study aims to investigate whether demographic variations among nurses influence their perceptions of supervisory support and work environment.
Methods: Secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional quantitative survey was utilized to recruit registered nurses employed in a government-owned and corporate-controlled (GOCC) tertiary hospital in the Philippines from September 2022 and October 2022. The primary data were collected through a demographic questionnaire, the validated Supervisory Support Scale tool, and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool. Inferential analyses were employed to examine differences between study variables. Data processing was performed using Microsoft Excel 2022 and the R program, with a significance level set at 0.05.
Results: The original dataset with a sample of 519 registered nurses was predominantly composed of non-married female nurses with bachelor’s degrees and varying clinical experiences. The secondary data analysis revealed no significant differences in work environment and supervisory support perceptions in relation to nurses’ demographic characteristics.
Conclusions: This study provides critical insights into the Philippine nursing workforce literature by demonstrating that nurses’ demographic variations alone do not significantly influence their supervisory support and work environment perceptions. These results suggest that shifting the focus to broader factors beyond demographic variations among nurses may play a more critical role in shaping nurses’ work environment and supervisory support perceptions. Future research should explore the potential intersection of systemic factors such as leadership competencies, psychological safety, and workplace policies in shaping the nursing workforce dynamics
Mind the Service Gap: Improving UNISON for Public Safety Workers
No full textThe client and community partner for this Design capstone project is UNISON, a web-based application that allows public safety organizations to effectively manage limited resources in order to proactively respond to public safety incidents. This year-long digital experience design (DXD) project allowed students to apply design thinking and the design process to solving real-world problems. The fall semester focused on defining the scope and context of the design problem. Research during this phase was conducted with UNISON and various stakeholders and included methods such as interviews, co-design sessions, and surveys. Design artifacts from these methods include affinity diagrams, various charts and tables, and a final presentation that sums up the discovered issues and opportunities for improvement. Two solutions were proposed, a redesign of the user interface and the creation of a mobile app, both of which were approved by the client to be further developed in the following term. Activities during this second phase focused on the iterative development and refinement of the proposed solutions and included methods such as prototyping, user testing, and additional co-design exercises with the client. The outcome is a product with a more intuitive and helpful user interface that has already been deployed by UNISON. Additionally, the new mobile application will benefit front-line public safety workers in particular by offering critical information at the right time and in the right place.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Isabelle Speran
Supporting Learner Development Through Self-Assessment
No full textGiven the scale and pace of change of sustainability challenges in the world today, it is vital for students to develop into expert learners who can assess their abilities and knowledge and identify future learning needs. Self-assessment is not a straightforward task and requires support to develop. The current study examined the effect of using self-assessment over time, combined with reflection, on students’ abilities to develop self-assessment skills. The study was conducted in an undergraduate course that uses project-based, problem-based learning to engage students in real-world projects regarding sustainability. The findings indicate that while students can engage in quantitative self-assessment, there are concerns with accuracy and metacognition. Reflection regarding their self-assessment contributes to addressing these issues. In addition, to be effective, students require guidance on how to recognize and explore what they do not yet know. Finally, they also need support in recognizing learning as an active process that occurs over time. This study frames self-assessment as a tool for developing informed judgment of their own learning and future learning needs rather than as a tool for summative assessment of past learning. Implications for future research are discussed
A Review of The Artistry of Teaching in Higher Education: Practical Ideas for Developing Creative Academic Practice
No full textThe Artistry of Teaching in Higher Education: Practical Ideas for Developing Creative Academic Practice presents a definition of artistry and the characteristics of artistry in higher education. This review offers an overview of the book, including a summary of the chapters, which highlights the breadth and variety of topics covered. The reviewer analyzes how the book relates to her practice, both as an artist and educational developer, and outlines its strengths and shortcomings. The broader implications for higher education in a Canadian context are discussed, and the reviewer raises further questions for consideration with respect to artistry and its implications for educational development and SoTL
IEN Ready Toolkit: A Global Health Advocacy Action Plan for Ethical Nurse Migration
No full textInternationally educated nurses (IENs) are essential to global health systems, yet they continue to face exploitation, discrimination, and unethical recruitment practices during migration. The IEN Ready Toolkit is a strategic, education-based intervention developed to equip IENs with critical knowledge on ethical recruitment, legal labor rights, contract red flags, and available support resources. Informed by global standards from the World Health Organization (WHO), International Labor Organization (ILO), and International Council of Nurses (ICN), the toolkit is designed as a mobile-compatible, self-paced course offering continuing education (CE) credits. Developed through an iterative, culturally sensitive process, the toolkit is co-informed by IENs and labor experts to ensure accuracy and real-world relevance. The course will be hosted on a learning management system (LMS) and piloted first in the United States, with plans for expansion to other destination countries. Implemented through SIENNA, the toolkit not only aims to empower IENs with essential knowledge but also fosters broader accountability among employers and recruiters. By proactively addressing knowledge gaps and building IENs’ confidence to recognize and report abuse, this initiative contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focused on decent work, health equity, gender equality, and access to justice. The IEN Ready Toolkit serves as both a practical learning resource and a global advocacy tool for ethical nurse migration
The Inhumane Reality of Contemporary Solitary Confinement
No full textThis paper argues that modern prison systems degrade incarcerated individuals through their use of solitary confinement, and this dehumanization only gets exacerbated through the significant inaction shown by legislative bodies. Drawing on the works of Sykes, Smith, Guenther, Hattery, Casella, Reiter and Aranda-Hughes, this research examines how systems of solitary confinement strip prisoners of identity, autonomy and fundamental humanity. It explores the psychological and physical consequences of extreme isolation, supported by harrowing inmate testimonies, and critiques the structures that continue to perpetuate these inhumane practices. In particular, it questions the failure of Canadian policies such as Bill C-83 to offer a meaningful sense of solitary reform. This essay concludes that solitary confinement not only fails to accomplish its goal of prisoner rehabilitation, but serves as a vessel of institutional dehumanization that demands urgent ethical and policy reconsiderations
Exploring Weed Extracts for Beta-Glucosidase Inhibitors: Screening Secondary Metabolites Through Soxhlet Extraction and TLC Bioautography
No full textPlants have long been utilized for their medicinal properties. However, the therapeutic potential of common weed species is often disregarded. Due to their abundance and adaptability to different environments, these plants tend to grow everywhere, including locations where they are unwanted such as the beloved ornamental lawn; this leads to weeds being viewed as a nuisance rather than something that can be utilized for discovery. Within this study, the chemical composition and potential therapeutic properties of various weed species found in Alberta are explored specifically for beta-glucosidase inhibition. The plants were air-dried and ground, then sequentially subjected to Soxhlet extraction using methanol, ethyl acetate, and hexane solvents. Extracts were screened using bioautography to detect beta-glucosidase inhibition. Bioautography combines thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with a colorimetric enzymatic assay that reveals enzymatic activity. Following the separation of potential compounds, the plate is allowed to dry and then sprayed with a substrate (6-Bromo-2napthyl-β-D–glucopyranoside) and fast blue B solution; then subsequently sprayed with beta-glucosidase, the plate is then incubated at 37°C for 10-20 mins and observed for inhibition presented as a colourless spot. The discovery of novel biochemicals that serve as beta-glucosidase inhibitors can pave the way for the development towards treating various diseases associated with beta-glucosidase activity, including diabetes, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), cancers, and lysosomal storage disorders. Inhibition was clearly detected in the sow thistle hexane extracts with the presence of three different compounds, the other plants with suspected inhibition include, but are not limited to woolly burdock, purple loosestrife, and Japanese knotweed, however, further testing would need to be done as the inhibition remains unclear.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tina Bot
Normalization and Civility: Attitudes and Trends Around Mask-Wearing among MacEwan Students in Fall 2024
No full textCOVID-19 remains a prominent threat years after its initial sweep across the globe. Despite this, public health measures have fallen to the wayside; vaccine supplies face delays, rapid test kits are difficult to access, and mask-wearing now lacks the attention it received years prior. In this project, I examined current attitudes and trends around mask-wearing among MacEwan University students. Using grounded theory (Starks & Trinidad, 2007), I conducted one focus group with three MacEwan students, and qualitative observations from three different locations at MacEwan University. Mask-wearing on campus has become less common overall, and the mask’s once-salient status as an emotionally and politically charged symbol has lessened compared to previous pandemic years. Further, mask-wearing is not seen as a necessity to maintain public health or an intrusion on one’s autonomy, but as an individual choice for individual protection, adopted only in particular circumstances. As COVID-19 and other health crises continue to threaten our health and well-being, examining current attitudes around mask-wearing and mask mandates can provide direction for further action to mitigate COVID-19 and prevent future pandemics