EDS Hub Newsletter
EDS Hub • EDS Hub • EDS Hub • EDS Hub • EDS Hub
Edition 1
What’s in this issue:
• Launch Event
• Diversity Mapping
Project
• To BME or not to BME,
Is that the Question?
• Diversity in Service User
and Carer Involvement
• Key events
• Spiritual Board
Game
• WebCT Diversity
Learning Rersources
• Consultancies
Ethnicity, Diversity & Spirituality (EDS) Hub
EDS Hub launched
by Aru Narayanasamy & Ethelrene White
We are delighted to report that the inauguration of the
EDS Hub on 30 September 2008 went well and according
to plan. Ethelrene and Liz Perrell organised the event
which was attended by 30 delegates involved in ethnic
and spiritual diversities across the region. The launch ’took
off’with a speech by Professor Mark Avis, the Head of
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy, who
outlined the evolvement of the EDS Hub. This was followed
by Sir Stephen Moss, Patron of the hub, about the
importance of responding to ethnic and spiritual
diversities in health and social care as part of holistic care.
He shared with the delegates, in a light hearted way, some
of the contributions that some members, namely Ethelrene
and Aru, had made. They worked collaboratively on
projects commissioned by him when he was Director of
Nursing Services at the Queen’s Medical Hospital Trust,
Nottingham.
Aru Narayanasamy then continued by charting the events
that led to the formation of the Hub and the news about
his National Teaching Fellowship Award. Aru shared the
news that he was privileged to be awarded the prestigious
Teaching Fellowship Award by the Higher Education
Academy in recognition of his work, promoting ethnic
diversity and spiritualities teaching and learning, nationally
and internationally. He expressed his gratitude to
colleagues who had worked with him to make the progress
in this important area. The award has £10,000 assigned to
it, for future development of the subject area and the work
of the EDS Hub.
Ethelrene concluded the presentation by drawing
attention to work of the champions and campaigners who
had worked relentless, often in challenging circumstances,
to promote ethnic and spiritual diversities in health and
social care. She expressed her gratitude to the Patrons and
members for supporting the establishment of the EDS
Hub. The event ended with lunch and tour of poster
presentations about the Hub, members’ current projects
and display of key champions representing diversities.
EDS Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/eds
Launch Event
Some of the participants
Launch Event
Some of the participants
Diversity Mapping Project
by Aru
We are delighted to announce that the EDS Hub has
secured an award of £23,700 from the Teaching Quality
Enhancement Funding (TQEF) to map out when and
how the various themes on diversity in all course
curricula in the Division of Nursing at this university are
addressed. Ostensibly, the project aims to achieve the
following:
•
Ensure that diversity themes are firmly embedded in
the school’s curricula, ranging from pre-registration
to post-registration and post graduate courses.
•
Implement diversity awareness and its realities, for
all staff, of the School of Nursing, Midwifery &
Physiotherapy.
•
Ensure that the approach to diversity teaching prepares
students to be fit for practice as active promoters of
diversity in healthcare practice.
•
Construction of School’s website for diversity themes.
The project will enable all nursing courses to be revised
to reflect the needs in the market place/work place,
which are not currently being fully satisfied. This is a
timely project and is extremely relevant, due to rapid
proliferation of health care developments that are
responsive to the diversity of people seeking health
care. The project will contribute through reconfigured
diversity themes and better teaching to the increasing
demand for care programmes that are responsive to
diversity in health care. Finally, it develops students
who are fit for practice and able to engage in delivering
nursing care that is appropriate to meet diverse health
demands.
Research Assistants have been appointed to assist Aru
Narayanasamy, as the project leader, to undertake the
mapping exercises. The project e-learning resources for
students and teachers are being developed, which will
be available as Web CT material in October 2009.
The EDS Hub has
secured an award of £23,700
from the Teaching Quality
Enhancement Funding (TQEF)
EDS Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/eds
To BME or not to BME?
Is that the question?
Diversity in Service User and
Carer Involvement
The presentation by David Henry, Equality and Diversity
Lead, Forensic Division of the Nottinghamshire
Healthcare Trust, Rampton, held on 29th February 2009
was an interactive one.
‘The best way to learn about different cultures is to talk
to people.’ So said members of a group that Anne Felton
and Joan Cook met as part of work to increase the
diversity of service users and carers involved with the
School, which is one of the points in the Strategy for
Service User and Carer Involvement. The Service User
and Carer Advisory Group acknowledges that the group
itself is not currently diverse in ethnicity or gender, and
would like to increase the diversity of its membership.
In the presentation, David asked us to ruminate on the
big questions of the day with regard to Race, Ethnicity,
Identity and Language, all the “usual suspects” in the
ongoing debate about the rights and wrongs of our
continuing engagement in the debate about issues of
Equality and Diversity. Is it really valid to continue
haranguing people who actually express no interest in
the conversation, or should we be concurring with the
notion “I detest your views Sir, but I will defend to the
death your right to express them”
In this interactive presentation, delegates had the
opportunity to engage in a thought provoking discourse
on diversity. David gave us some thought provoking
ideas to take with us about our approaches to diversity
in health care. Our gratitude goes to David for
presenting an important topic which will prevail for a
long time. We are hoping that David will be returning to
challenge us again about our approaches to diversity in
education and practice.
BME, and the
burning question
Service users and carers have raised points about
individual differences, cultural beliefs, language barriers,
not making assumptions, and knowing about ‘persons
of a different background, different types of culture,
different ways of working, different views on life’. Nurses
should have the awareness to ask about patients’ needs
and preferences, and be willing to communicate. The
EDS Hub is a key way of helping this to come about,
particularly through supporting lecturers’ own
knowledge and confidence in teaching about diversity.
Recent work has concentrated on building links with
mental health groups, and groups have been involved in
discussions such as developing Problem Based
Learning scenarios. Members of an African Caribbean
mental health group spoke about the need for health
workers to recognise cultural references, ask people
about their aspirations, and to appreciate the importance
of spirituality as part of the whole person, and as a source
of support. Work with groups can lead to longer term
involvement, such as some members of focus groups of
older people now meeting students in the classroom.
On the other side, some opportunities disappeared with
the ending of the ‘citizenship conference’ in the Diploma /
BSc in Nursing. E-learning can also reduce direct
classroom contact, but does bring opportunities to link
to media clip libraries which include sections specifically
recording experiences of minority ethnic community
members, alongside a wide range of people talking
about health subjects - see www.healthtalkonline.org,
www.patientvoices.org.uk, and www.ceimh.bham.ac.uk.
Joan Cook, User Involvement Development Worker
Self Help Nottingham and the Division of Nursing.
EDS Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/eds
We are delighted to announce key events
We are delighted to announce two seminars to be hosted by the EDS Hub towards the end of this year.
Professor Wilf McSherry and Professor Mark Johnson have agreed to do two seminars closely related to
diversity in health care.
Seminar 1:
‘Treatment versus Care’: reintegrating
spirituality and dignity
Tuesday 24 November 2009
10am to 12pm
Venue: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy,
Room C48, C Floor, QMC
By: Professor Wilf McSherry,
Wilf McSherry is Professor in Dignity of Care for Older
People at Staffordshire University. He has conducted
extensive research into spirituality and dignity and is
well known nationally and internationally for his
pioneering work. Wilf has published extensively in the
field of spirituality, dignity and health care of older
people.
For further details contact: EDS.nottingham.ac.uk
Seminar 2:
‘Communication in healthcare: Issues
and some pitfalls - the need for proper
interpretation’
Tuesday 15 December 2009
10am to 12pm
Venue: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy,
Room D94 D Floor, QMC
By: Professor Mark R D Johnson, Professor of Diversity in
Health & Social Care, Director, MSRC/CEEHD, De
Montfort University
Mark R D Johnson is ‘Professor of Diversity in Health &
Social Care’ and Director of the Mary Seacole Research
Centre at De Montfort University, Leicester
(www.dmu.ac.uk/msrc). He is Clinical Lead of NHS
Evidence – ethnicity and health, a service provided by
the UK Centre for Evidence in Ethnicity Health and
Diversity at De Montfort University and Warwick
University Medical School to help staff in the NHS and
social care to access ‘best available’ evidence affecting
the provision of care to a multi-ethnic population.
(www.library.nhs.uk/ethnicity). He is also editor of the
international journal Diversity in Health & Care
(http://www.radcliffe-oxford.com/dhc), and has over
thirty years experience of research into inequalities in
health and the provision of services for a diverse,
multi-ethnic society.
For further details contact: EDS.nottingham.ac.uk
Key Events
for your diary
Hosted by
The Ethnicity, Diversity and Spirituality (EDS) Hub,
University of Nottingham
We are delighted to announce that the EDS Website:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/eds is accessible
on-line.
EDS Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/eds
Spiritual journey
board game
Spiritual journey
board game
Spiritual journey board game as an
educational tool for teaching spirituality
in higher education - Dr Aru
Narayanasamy and EDS Team
This educational game was developed in response to the
concern in health care education that despite evidence
about the importance of patients’ spiritual needs,
spiritual care education is impoverished (McSherry 2007;
Narayanasamy 2008). Although conventional teaching
strategies including lectures and group sessions have
been tried with varying degrees of success in teaching
and learning spirituality, the sensitive nature of this
subject appears to hinder academics and students’
engagement with this topic due to fear of vulnerability
and disclosure of personal beliefs and values. This
educational board game is proposed as an alternative
strategy for the teaching and learning of this complex but
important subject.
The light hearted strategy of this educational game aims
to inspire participants to gain insights into spirituality in
patient care. The learning outcome of this game should
improve spiritual care education, therefore benefiting
health and well-being. The game draws attention to
human potentials and vulnerability in terms of meaning
making and purpose, connectedness, hope, love, peace
and tranquillity, compassion, caring and so on.
Participants should be able to appreciate through the
game what caring companionship means to those in
suffering when experiencing crisis and vulnerability as a
consequence of illness or personal catastrophes.
EDS Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/eds
This educational game sets 2 to 6 players on a personal
spiritual journey to gain insights into how people use
spirituality as a coping mechanism in their lives
(Narayanasamy 2008). The game will prompt students to
explore their own spiritual growth and development.
In several trials of this game, nursing students and
practitioners, as players, have undertaken the spiritual
journey as an introduction to spirituality and well being.
The game has been refined following evaluation
feedbacks from game participants.
The game comprises of a board, a dice, rules and
instructions, and facilitator’s guidance notes. The game
ends when the winner reaches the final destination on
the board, which constitute spiritual fulfilment in terms of
spiritual growth and development. At the end of the
game, the facilitator will proceed to explore what
participants have derived from the game in terms of
spiritual awareness in the context of health and wellbeing.
References:
McSherry, W (2007) The Meaning of Spirituality and
Spiritual Care within Nursing and Health Care Practice.
London: Quay.
Narayanasamy, A (2008) Spirituality in Nurse Education:
Personal Reflections, In Baldochinno, D & Ross, L (ed)
Spirituality: The Human Dimension in Care. Malta:
University of Malta publications, pp81-89.
For details about this spiritual game, please contact:
Aru Narayanasamy,
Email: EDS@nottingham.ac.uk.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Matters in Caring
We take this opportunity to announce that the EDS Team
has developed a Web CT learning resource on the above
themes to promote anti-discriminatory practices. The aim
of this learning resource is to explore and provide
guidance on diversity, including visible and hidden
diversities in care. Following reviews by critical readers,
this learning resource should be accessible to all nursing
students at this university. A subscription service is being
planned for external agencies to access diversity
resources. This interactive Web CT material sets the
context of equality, diversity and inclusivity before
inviting participants to tackle anti-discriminatory
practices. Resource users are strongly encouraged to
complete the various activities and undertake further
reading to derive full benefits.
Visible diversity refers to ‘race’, gender and physical
attributes, whereas hidden diversities include political
opinion, sexual orientation (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender), ethnicity, teaching and learning styles,
regionalism, class, family history, and religion which are
not always amenable to first impressions but
nevertheless impact care practice. Diversity and
inclusivity should be part of the caring programme
because they are important part of our humanity.
Therefore we need to take a holistic approach to our
fellow human of diverse background in suffering, health
crisis and need. Diversity needs are important when
assessing and planning care management delivery.
There is evidence to suggest that caring promotes
healing when the various dimensions of humanity are
part of health care strategies. The social and health care
practitioners equipped with competencies related to
diversity and inclusivity are considered to be effective as
social and health care professionals. Social and Health
care and healing require more than mechanistic and
procedural approach to care management delivery.
Cultural safety and cultural negotiation in health care
environment is necessary. Service users and their
families/friends and practitioners derive most satisfaction
when these dimensions of care are addressed as part of
health care.
To complement this learning resource, we have
developed the following Web CT resources to facilitate
nursing students to address diversity issues specific to
their nursing branch (specialities). These resources
include:
EDS Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/eds
•
Seven Steps to Spiritual Growth and Development –
Guide for Students.
•
Ethnicity and Cultural Diversity: Caring for Adults.
•
Ethnicity and Cultural Diversity: Caring for Children
and their Family.
•
Ethnicity and Cultural Diversity: Caring for Mental
Health Clients.
For details about these learning resources, contact
Dr Aru Narayanasamy,
Email: EDS@nottingham.ac.uk
Consultancies on diversity
issues at work place
We have expertise within The EDS team offering
consultancies on diversity issues at a competitive
rate. We are able to develop and support diversity
champions/professional development advisers at
workplace.
For details contact:
Dr Aru Narayanasamy or Dr David Howard,
Email: EDS@nottingham.ac.uk
This newsletter has been produced by The Web and
Media Team, School of Nursing, Midwifery and
Physiotherapy, The University of Nottingham.
Ethnicity, Diversity & Spirituality (EDS) Hub
The University of Nottingham
School of Nursing, Midwifery & Physiotherapy
Division of Nursing
A floor
Queen’s Medical Centre Campus
Nottingham, NG7 2UH
Tel +44 (0)115 823 0808
Fax +44 (0)115 823 1208
Email: EDS@nottingham.ac.uk