The NurseNetwork at UCalgary is a private and informal online community group for nurses, nursing students and members of the wider health-care community to connect, share strategies and find support.
It was created over a year ago during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet a need recognized by the Faculty of Nursing at UCalgary, with plans to be carried forward into the current 2021-22 academic year. There is a simple registration process to join. All members will need to be approved by UCalgary administrators.
NurseNetwork is a great place for new nursing graduates to stay connected with their peers and network with practising RNs.
Select the Members tab above to start browsing for other members, and make a connection! As of February 23, 2022 there were 87 people in the group, the majority of whom are nurses with varying backgrounds and both junior and senior nursing students.
The NurseNetwork at UCalgary is a private group.
Information can be shared between two people or in a wider forum on the Discussion Page among the complete registered group. As such, this platform is a safe and private place to connect with peers around critical strategies or to seek help with a simple task. Members are encouraged to use the discussion page to introduce themselves, comment on any activities or research occurring in their nursing practice, ask questions, offer constructive advice and share news and events.
Members
Registration details and invitations to join the group will be extended to professionals in the nursing community as well as nursing students, nursing faculty, UCalgary alumni and alumni from other universities, and the wider health-care community.
The purpose of this group is to offer a private online venue for nurses and health-care workers to:
- Share information about their area of practice or study (that is not deemed confidential)
- Exchange clinical, wellness and safety tips
- Share latest evidence and how it is being applied in different health settings
- Connect with people in health care at a critical time
- Discuss critical strategies
Purpose & Objective
The launch of this community group was requested by members of the Faculty of Nursing who expressed a need for a networking group for nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This online community is a private place for health-care professionals to share clinical tips and strategies specific to COVID-19, for now, and potentially resources and other information following containment of the virus. The goal is to help unify the nursing community during a critical time, to give them a central place to collaborate and find support.
Main functions of the online portal
- Enables two like-minded people to connect online via chat or video
- Provides a venue for larger group discussion (an idea hub visible to all members of the group)
- Offers resources (includes relevant materials, studies, webinars, links to groups and associations, news, events to check out and more)
- Is facilitated by a coordinator who provides resources, answers questions, engages membership and addresses their needs as requested
Connection to NurseMentor
Information about NurseMentor, UCalgary Nursing’s mentoring group for undergraduate students also hosted on this Mentor Link platform, will be available to members of the NurseNetwork through the resource pages.
Members of either group may wish to be part of both in order to expand their network and peer groups. These connections are optional and suggested only as a means to grow personal networks and provide or seek available supports. Contact Aimee with questions: aimee.mains@ucalgary.ca
Registration process
- Prospective members of the health-care community will receive a link to join.
- Register by answering questions about education background, job title, phone number (optional) and a code of conduct to read and sign.
- Sign up as a Community member or alumni.
- Select to join “private group” vs. public group if you are alumni.
- Registrations take minimum 48 hours to approve.
- Once approved, members will receive information on how the platform works and how to start connecting with their new network.
Events
If you have an idea for an event to be hosted on this platform, suggestions are welcome.
Past and Upcoming Event dates:
Group launch: Fall 2020
Meet & Greet: March 2021
Mental Health Workshop: March 2022. Date & location TBD