Mar 6, 2012

Vancouver, BC –Two nursing students from Langara College have been named as finalists in a national competition to improve health practices in Canada.

Kate Hunc and Katie Adam have made it to the final stage of the Health Council of Canada’s Innovation Challenge. The competition invites college and university students to identify innovative policies or practices in Canadian health care, to analyze them, and to consider alternative applications for them within the country.  

Kate and Katie, who are in the fifth term of their Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at Langara, entered the competition with an analysis of the Extended Care Paramedic (ECP) program currently being piloted in Nova Scotia. The program sees specially trained paramedics assigned to a number of nursing homes in the Halifax area, where they are able to provide timely non-emergency and emergency medical services to residents at the bedside. Kate and Katie examined how the program prevents unnecessary transfers to hospitals, creates a better experience for patients, and reduces congestion in health facilities.  

“We are honoured to have been shortlisted for this exciting award,” said Kate, “and we hope our entry’s success proves that nursing students can contribute to a national dialogue about health care renewal.”

The pair beat out hundreds of entrants to be named to the shortlist. They are competing in the Health Practice category as a group, and are up against one team from McMaster University and another from the University of Saskatchewan.  

"Kate and Katie have defined what it means to be innovative thinkers," said Ajay Patel, Langara's Division Chair of Health Sciences. "Their commitment to their work is commendable, and this recognition is well-deserved."

The winners of the competition will be announced on March 26th, and they will receive a $1,000 prize and the chance to apply for a summer internship at the Health Council of Canada office in Toronto.  

“This challenge is an opportunity for us to hear from the next generation of health leaders about what they see working for the future,” says John G. Abbott, CEO, Health Council of Canada. “Time and time again we hear what is wrong with the health care system. This challenge was about finding what is working so that we can learn from it and possibly share it more broadly in the future.”  

The Health Council of Canada is an independent national agency that reports on the progress of health care renewal. The Council provides a system-wide perspective on health care reform in Canada, and disseminates information on leading practices and innovation across the country.

About Langara College
Langara College, located in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada, provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies programs and courses to more than 23,000 students annually. The College’s expansive academic breadth and depth allows students to choose their own educational path.

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Annie Mullins
Communications Officer
Communications & Marketing Services
T 604 323 5058
amullins@langara.bc.ca