“...what students learn at our school can impact entire populations...”
Ms. Law is a key leader for all operational activities for the GW Nursing Office of Clinical Practice & Community Engagement (OCE) which includes the Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement; the Center for Aging, Health and Humanities; Global Initiatives; and Community Engagement Initiatives. Ms. Law’s “office was formally established last year and though GW Nursing students, faculty and staff have been performing notable work in the community for years, the office serves as a central resource to forward these efforts in the framework of strategic direction.”
“Numerous strategies are used to coordinate and advance our partnerships.”
While there are many strategies used to advance GW Nursing’s partnerships with the community and other higher education institutions, Ms. Law has focused on two main strategies. The first strategy of the two aims to create “a long-term shared purpose with partners” even as a multitude of “short-term challenges have presented themselves during COVID-19.” The second strategy focuses “not only on developing community activities, but defining innovative models for service learning opportunities that address diverse community health needs.” For example, Ms. Law discussed the process of “co-branding course materials and partnering with other higher education institutions.” Currently, GW Nursing considers creating an autism graduate certificate program with a university in Tunisia. Although this particular program is under consideration and in early stages of development, there are a variety of other graduate and post-master’s certificate programs at GW Nursing.
“The biggest challenge for community engagement this year is safely operating at clinical and community sites.”
Ms. Law noted that “even though we had to cancel our global trips, OCE was very creative and had many agile solutions.” GW Nursing stood up the GW COVID testing centers, allowing students to aid in the pandemic efforts and also obtain clinical hours. Ms. Law sang high praises of Dr. Karen Drenkard, Associate Dean for Clinical Practice and Community Engagement, who led these efforts in collaboration with university leadership. GW Nursing also “partnered with the Alzheimer's Association for an interprofessional case study simulation, and the American Diabetes Association where students were able to virtually teach and interact with the community.” Ms. Law also explained that GW Nursing’s Global Program Associate, Ms. Hannah Hahn, proved ingenious in working with global partners to “develop videos on properly wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and also handwashing techniques.”
“...thinking quickly on our feet, despite the numerous challenges...”
Administratively, Ms. Law noted that OCE is such a new unit that she and her colleagues are “still forming the direction together.” After Ms. Law’s “first week in her new role, everyone was moved to a remote working environment.” During the pandemic, Ms. Law emphasizes the importance of “extending grace to one another; people are people first and work colleagues thereafter. Though the pandemic poses it’s challenges, nothing is insurmountable for GW Nursing.”
“...be patient with one’s self and remain open to everything; opportunities will present themselves...”
Amidst the uncertainty, Ms. Law encourages students to “remember that career paths are not linear.” Ms. Law explains, “you may have to hop onto a few lily pads and you may be redirected onto a path that you hadn’t formerly considered. Your education is of paramount importance. This is the tool that you will use to make informed decisions.” Ms. Law encourages students to “reach the highest capability of knowledge and integrate what you learn with your independent thought and creativity. This is what makes you, YOU. And we need YOU in the future of the intersection of healthcare and academia.”
“Service-learning heightens one’s consciousness and increases one’s awareness.”
To a student unsure about taking a CES course, Ms. Law encourages students to “go for it, at least to expand your own personal consciousness and cultural awareness.” Ms. Law asserts that “faculty members are an integral component of partnerships and reciprocity; they are anchors for this work and crucial to culminating our values as a school of Nursing.” Ms. Law also asserts that CES courses are “not just about students benefiting, but also about the community benefiting. At GW Nursing, we focus on four primary pillars - teaching, research, scholarship, and service. By pursuing a service-learning course, students are immersed in a dedicated environment that informs their responsibility to improve the health of the communities they serve.”
“...centering interdisciplinary collaboration to benefit patients...”
Currently, Ms. Law’s favorite initiative in an upcoming “virtual interprofessional case-study simulation about children with asthma. It includes GW Nursing, GW Law, the Milken School of Public Health, and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences in partnership with the DC Asthma Coalition, Impact DC Asthma Clinic of Children’s National Health Sciences, and the Children's Law Center in DC. The event “was designed with a focus on the attainment of Interprofessional Education Collaborative’s (IPEC) core competencies,” explained Ms. Law. The case study will facilitate IPEC’s “development of interprofessional collaborative competencies necessarily required moving beyond profession-specific educational efforts to engage students of different professions in interactive learning with each other” (“Interprofessional Education Collaborative,” 2016, p. 3).
We are honored to have Ms. Law serve as a Nashman Affiliate member. To learn more about Nashman Affiliate Faculty and Faculty Learning Communities, click here. If you’re interested in designating your course as a Community Engaged Scholarship course, click here.
“The GW Nursing Office of Clinical Practice & Community Engagement aspires to be the central resource for GW Nursing faculty, staff and community partners in providing mutually beneficial student service-learning opportunities; faculty development opportunities; and research endeavors to improve the health of communities.”
