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Dalhousie Hosts the 1st Annual Atlantic Canada Nursing Games

When we think of nurses, it’s easy to simply picture someone in scrubs who provides you with hospital care. What is often not fully recognized or appreciated is the strength of character that’s required in the nursing profession. Nurses are passionate, creative, team-oriented, caring, and responsible; and that only scratches the surface. These qualities, however, were all clearly on display from March 6-8^th, when the Dalhousie School of Nursing hosted the first ever Atlantic Nursing Games.

Until this year, Dal and other Atlantic universities could participate in Nursing Games in Ontario or Quebec. However, the high cost of sending a team of students meant that fewer Atlantic universities were participating –  Dal hasn’t sent a team in the last four years.

Recognizing the importance of the Nursing Games to their student experience, Jessi Janes and Shana Vidito, the Games’ event coordinators and first-year students in Dal’s accelerated Nursing program, were inspired to bring the Nursing Games to the Maritimes. Teams from Cape Breton University, Memorial University, and St. Francis Xavier University were invited to take part, along with two teams from Dal Nursing. In total, 90 competitors from across the Maritimes participated.

The weekend was packed full of activities. There were sports competitions in dodgeball, ultimate frisbee, soccer and basketball. The Games, however, went beyond athletics. In the true spirit of nursing, there was also an educational trivia night, as well as a simulation lab put on by the Dal Nursing lab instructors. Anyone in the vicinity of the Games felt the collegial spirit: from the participants’ smiles, to each team’s determination to give the activities their all, to the new friendships and life-long memories being formed.

Building a Sense of Community

The Nursing Games are about more than competition. According to Vidito, they provide an “all-inclusive nursing environment where we get to network.” Janes and Vidito further described the events as “a weekend full of nursing pride,” which was set up “perfectly for nursing spirit.” The participants also displayed many of the qualities that are vital for nurses, such as teamwork, participation and being outgoing.

Participants from Dal and the visiting schools had positive feedback on the Games. Matt Mahoney, a participant with Dal Nursing, said that it provided an opportunity to “meet lots of people” and for “good competition.” Garrett Chisholm, a member of the St. Francis Xavier team, agreed, stating that it was a “good oppourtunity to connect with other schools and to get to know classmates better.” Jillian Smith of Cape Breton University added that she would “absolutely” participate in the Games again.

A Team Effort

An event of this magnitude isn’t possible with the support of many. “We’re so grateful to the sponsors, the other participating universities, the Dal nursing communities and the other teams who stayed to help clean up,” says Vidito.

Both coordinators are hopeful that they will be able to pass the torch to one of the participating schools to host next years Nursing Games in Atlantic Canada, and to keep alive what already promises to grow into a long-standing and powerful tradition.