Calendar 4a

INside ONline a

Briefs 5

Learning Resources 6-7

§ | ) F THE DOUGLAS COLLEGE NEWSLETTER & APRIL 1997

Psychiatric Nursing: From
Wayalla to New Westminster

IN

Douglas
College

 

 

It’s a classic example of how the
Internet is changing our professional lives:
Two years ago, Psych Nursing instructor
Bridget Ting flicked on her computer to
scroll through Nursenet. One message in
particular caught her eye, from a South
Australian lecturer looking for sabbatical
travel and research opportunities. Ting
responded, and set in motion a process that
brought Siva and husband Chris Lowings
to visit Douglas College this semester.

“In her message, Siva expressed an
interest in addiction and aboriginal health
issues,” says Ting. “I’ve seen interesting
work on acupuncture and addictions in
Seattle, and I also work with Native Health
projects in the Downtown Eastside. I
thought Vancouver would be a good base
tor her.”

“It was Bridget’s friendliness that
really caught us,” the Lowings add. Both
are mental health professionals who love
to travel. Siva, an RN and an R Psych N,
holds an MA in Primary Health Care
(Addictions) and a PhD in Education
Science (Classroom Gender Differences).
Based at the University of South Australia
(USA) in Adelaide, she works on outreach
projects in Indonesia and Fiji. Chris, also

 

Chris and Siva Lowings say “gidday” to Dean Bev Miller at a goodbye party held for

them in the Department of Psychiatric Nursing.

 

an RN and USA clinical instructor, is the psychiatric nursing communications aggression, one grief and another one
completing his MA in community-based classes as a highlight of their College euphoria, so student nurses learn how to
mental health nursing. visit. cope in actual situations. Douglas College
is unique for this — it’s really given me
During their six-week stay in January “Using actors to role-play behaviors _ ideas to take back to Australia.”
and February, the Lowings were able to with students is just brilliant,” Siva

observe many local projects. Both point to enthuses. “One actor might display verbal continued on page 3