In addition to work placements, WIT and Whitfield collaborate on cancer research and the provision of education programmes
WIT recently helped a group from Columbus State University see how private health care is delivered in Ireland and compare the Irish and American models of health care with a visit to Whitfield Clinic.
WIT’s Department of Nursing and Healthcare has developed strong links with Columbus State University over the years. A group of academic staff and nursing students visit the Nursing Department in Waterford Institute of Technology every year. This year as part of their trip the group visited Whitfield Clinic.
While in Whitfield Clinic, the group were given a guest lecture by Catriona McDonald, Director of Operations at UPMC Whitfield Cancer Centre and an informative tour of the clinic by Ms Jo Breheny who coordinates all undergraduate nursing student placements in Whitfield and is pivotal to the successful relationship WIT and Whitfield have developed over many years.
The group also received informative education sessions on accreditation and quality. The Columbus students really enjoyed the visit as one student said: “the facilities in Whitfield are state of the art and the staff are so welcoming”.
Sara Kennedy, lecturer at WIT explained the background to the relationship with Whitfield Clinic.
“We started sending students to Whitfield in 2007 in order that nursing students experience private healthcare treatment. Students have evaluated these placements very highly and Whitfield Clinic make a very important contribution to nursing education in the region as a result. The staff and facilities in Whitfield make it an excellent placement for nursing students and students of Applied Health Care.
According to Catriona McDonald, Director of Operations at UPMC Whitfield Cancer Centre, the centre has worked with WIT PhD students over a number of years and welcomed the visit of the University of Columbus students.
“The scale and scope of research projects we have collaborated with WIT is quite extensive and exciting. Dr. Wojciech Sasiadek, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, has worked with WIT over many years on research projects such as Radiobiology (the effects of radiation cells on the body) and Psycho-oncology and Amanda Barry, Principal Physicist recently hosted a 12 week placement for a WIT Physics student in 2015 and I lecture to the WIT Nursing students on Psycho-oncology.”
Mr. David Beirne, CEO Whitfield also welcomed the partnership with WIT students. “Here at Whitfield, we are delighted to welcome visiting students to our site and view the facilities. We view this visit as an opportunity to further develop our relationship with WIT, visiting students and to develop research links which will ultimately encourage funding and permit post graduate research.”
Whitfield Clinic provides student placements for Nursing students in General, psychiatric and intellectual disability nursing. In addition students who undertake a BSC in Applied Health Care students are also placed in Whitfield Clinic.
In addition to work placements, WIT and Whitfield collaborate on Cancer research, and are committed to collaborating with Whitfield clinic through our provision of education programmes such as higher diploma and Master programmes to facilitate the ongoing professional development of the nursing staff.
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