UBC Schools of Nursing and Health and Exercise Sciences join forces
Grade 5 Casorso Elementary student Anthony Kurkjian tests his flexibility in the Human Kinetics lab at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. The elementary students had the opportunity to add to their book lessons by getting some hands-on experience thanks to their teacher and the Schools of Nursing and Health and Exercise Sciences.
They take different approaches, but the goal is the same, so working together makes sense.
The School of Nursing and the School of Health and Exercise Sciences (HES) at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus both aim to help people live healthier lives and the two schools have formed a new partnership, benefiting both the respective programs and the public.
The schools are working together to educate the next generation about staying healthy.
Nikki Reiter, lab coordinator in HES, says it is important to make the link between health and exercise.
“Exercise is just as important as traditional medicine,” says Reiter. “Exercise is preventive medicine. I think people traditionally see nurses and doctors as the authority on health, but exercise must be brought in as well.”
Corinne Crockett, a clinical assistant with the School of Nursing, says UBC students from both areas of study were on hand to teach a group of visiting Casorso Elementary School Grade 5 students about their bodies and exercise.
“We’re really hoping to show them the body is an integrated group of systems,” says Crockett, adding if the children are taught how to take care of their health when they are young, they will continue healthy practices as they get older.
The School of Nursing’s human patient simulators give the students an introduction to how the body works.
“They listen to heart sounds and lung sounds – on themselves and our patient simulators,” says Crockett.
The Casorso Elementary students then headed to the Human Kinetics Lab where they went through a series of exercises.
“It’s giving the kids experience in exercise,” says Lisa Wong, a lab coordinator in HES. “It’s helping them to understand what it means.”
Certified personal trainers were on hand, adding their expertise to the lessons offered by nursing and human kinetics students.
“It’s not only medicine you need to be healthy,” says Reiter. “We want to show the kids you also need exercise. Most kids are in pretty good shape in Grade 5; we want to teach them how to stay in shape when they are older.”
For Casorso teacher Lisa Marques, bringing her class to campus was the perfect opportunity to add some hands-on experience to what they learn in the classroom.
“When things are put in context like this, the kids understand it more,” says Marques. “It gives them a better idea of how the body works.”
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