a) Department of Training & Staff Development
Excellence in teaching is one of the core values of the Department of Nursing. The many learning opportunities offered through the Department of Training & Staff Development ensure that there are a variety of programs to meet your learning needs.
We offer over 20 workshops per year, attended by over 350 nurses. Participation in professional meetings locally, nationally, and internationally is encouraged. Whether you need to refine your knowledge in Skin Care or learn a new computer application, you will find help in Training & Staff Development. We are pleased to offer bursaries to nurses who are pursuing their Baccalaureate education as well as scholarships for studies at the Master’s and Doctoral level. We have a very active Canadian Nurses Association Certification Program and will assist you as you join the ranks of 100’s of specialty certified nurses across Canada.
We take continuing education very seriously and as a Manager, Advanced Practice Nurse or Clinician, we know you provide better care to our patients and families when you care with the most up to date knowledge and skills behind you.
We aim for the best for our patients and we aim for the best for you! You can contact the Training and Development Office for more information at local 5449, or visit us in Room B-102 to meet our staff and view the upcoming opportunities.
b) Hospital-Wide Courses
In addition to the learning activities you will find on your particular unit, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Educators and Nursing Experts have developed a number of workshops and seminars available to nurses hospital-wide. These evidence-based programs will help to meet your specific learning needs in particular clinical areas and enhance the transfer of knowledge into your practice.
Here are some examples of currently offered opportunities: 
Workshops
c) Preceptorship
Nurses who wish to develop the skills and knowledge they need to precept newly hired nurses during their orientation or student nurses during their clinical stages are welcome to attend the Preceptorship Workshop. This workshop is offered 2 -3 times per year and is led by a team of Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Educators.
The workshop addresses:
- How to create a supportive and trusting, learning environment
- The application of theory to clinical practice in an acute care setting
- Development of critical thinking and judgment skills
- How to formulate realistic learning objectives and identify appropriate learning opportunities
- Communication skills, including giving feedback and the evaluation process
- Case study presentations of unique scenarios
On completion of the course the Preceptor will:
- Continue ongoing professional development of skills as a Preceptor
- Be an active participant within a supportive network of fellow preceptors
- Use the principles of reflective practice
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of roles and responsibilities of Preceptors
d) Nursing Grand Rounds
Nursing Grand Rounds (NGR) provide all nurses with a forum to share expertise, innovations and new developments in the profession of nursing. Speakers include graduate nursing students, clinical experts and invited guests. Presentations may include the following:
- Research studies
- Case studies
- Best practices on selected interventions
- Research literature review of selected themes
- Selected topics including
- The Cost of Pressure Ulcers: Financial and Human
- The Therapeutic Nursing Plan: What is it?
- How to Ease the Discharge of Geriatric Oncology Patients
- Promoting Teamwork in Care: Strategies to Enhance Collaboration
Nursing Grand Rounds are held on Wednesday mornings at 10am and refreshments are served.
e) Unit-Based Education
Ongoing learning and professional development activities take place on your Nursing Unit. The goal of these activities is to provide you with the opportunity to update your skills and increase your knowledge. Topics discussed will vary depending on your unit’s patient population and your learning needs and interests.
You will have the opportunity to participate in:
- In-services
- Nursing and interprofessional rounds
- Team meetings
- Workshops, certifications, training on new equipment,
- Individualized sessions with Clinical Nurse Specialists and Educators
f) Conferences & Professional Associations
There are a number of opportunities to attend conferences locally, nationally and internationally each year. We believe that nurses benefit from the learning experiences they have when they meet and share their experiences with others in their field. The networking exposure to new methods of care delivery and the latest research ensure that our nurses can lead the way to better care at the Jewish General Hospital.
Nurses are encouraged to submit abstracts for poster or oral presentations. Resources such as a librarian, staff at the Center for Nursing Research, clinical nurse specialists and an illustrator are available to guide and support nurses through this process. Through the years, our staff have attended and provided leadership in key conferences in Psycho Education, the Canadian Pain Society, Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses, and Palliative Care to name a few.
We also promote active membership in professional associations. Many JGH nurses provide leadership through executive committee or board membership and conference planning committees. Here are some professional associations that our nurses are involved in:
Canadian Nurses Association, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nursing, Society for Vascular Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau Honour Society of Nursing, Canadian Council of Cardiovascular Nurses, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Canadian Pain Society, Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, Canadian Federation of Mental Health Nurses, Society of Otorhinolarygology and Head-Neck Nurses and the Association des infirmières et infirmiers d’urgence du Québec.
g) CNA Certification
CNA Certification Bursary and Gustav Levinschi Scholarship
h) Department of Nursing Annual Symposium-Nursing, Health and Healthcare
The Department of Nursing Annual Symposium-Nursing, Health and Healthcare is held annually and is sponsored by the Nursing Department of the Jewish General Hospital. Renowned and recognized experts in their fields are invited as guest speakers and present on a wide variety of topics of current and important interest to Nurses.
This event brings together Nurses and interested Health care professionals from within Montreal, the Quebec community, as well as neighboring parts of the USA. Each year Nurses from all areas of practice set aside this day to participate in a day of professional and personal growth and development. We invite all nurses to offer their suggestions and to join our conference planning team in organizing for another successful educational event.
Conferences
i) Council of Nurses
As a nurse at the Jewish General Hospital, you will be a member of the Council of Nurses (CII). The CII’s mandate is to formulate recommendations to the Board of Directors and to the Nursing Executive Committee on:
- promoting the quality of Nursing care and ensuring patient safety
- promoting professional development of Nursing Practice
- ensuring appropriate distribution of Nursing care
- evaluating and maintaining Nursing competencies
j) Education Leadership Council
All nurses involved and interested in education, leadership and professional development activities.
What is our goal?
To develop and promote nursing education and leadership activities at the JGH with the goal of fostering excellent, safe, humanistic, family-centred, and culturally sensitive nursing care, based on the highest standard of research evidence and in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Hospital’s Department of Nursing.
What are our objectives?
- To collaborate on clinical, educational, research and administrative issues
- To disseminate information regarding practice/equipment changes and research initiatives
- To create and participate in professional development activities
- To liaise with hospital-wide committees
- To support the integration and orientation of new nurses
k) McGill Medical Simulation Centre
As part of the network of McGill academic institutions, we are fortunate to be able to use the exciting new McGill Medical Simulation Centre. This affords many of our teachers the opportunity to develop programs using a variety of high-fidelity simulation mannequins and equipment as well as one-way exam rooms for on-site supervisions.
Click here for more information http://www.mcgill.ca/medsimcentre/
l) Interprofessional Education
Interprofessional education is highly valued at the JGH. Research has shown that interprofessional education, where professionals from different disciplines learn together in a team approach, improves care and collaboration, patient safety, and patient satisfaction.
Our interprofessional initiatives include joint patient care and family rounds, where team members work together to develop a plan of care. Many educational forums are open to members of all disciplines and we promote collaboration on presentations from interprofessional members. Interprofessional education is also reflected in our quality improvement initiatives, morbidity and mortality rounds, as well as incident, accident and critical incident reviews.
We also participated in the McGill Educational Initiative on Interprofessional Collaboration: Partnerships for Patient and Family-Centered Practice, a research project funded by Health Canada and was co-led by Dr. Purden, Nurse Scientist from the JGH Center for Nursing Research.
McGill Educational Initiative on Interprofessional Collaboration