Aseil Elaskari photo by Ryan Wilson IWK
IWK Health and Dalhousie University have launched a new nursing placement pilot to help create new pathways for Black nursing students to learn, grow, and build their careers at IWK Health.
Aseil Elaskari is the first participant in the program. She is in her final year of Dal’s nursing program. She’s just a few weeks into her placement with IWK’s Reproductive Mental Health team and has been enjoying it.
“This is my first placement with IWK and it’s been really great so far,” she said. “I feel very supported and I’m learning a lot.”
For Aseil, deciding to pursue a career in nursing is a family affair. She is following in the footsteps of her older sister.
“I was able to see firsthand how the career has been for her. It’s flexible, has a lot of variety for where you can work, and is rewarding,” she said. “I like that I’ll be able to give back to my community because I was born and raised here.”
The pilot is part of IWK Health's commitment to advancing its EDIRA Strategy, this pilot directly supports the Workforce Representation and Workforce Equity and Belonging pillars, which focus on creating a workforce that reflects the communities it serves and ensuring all team members feel valued, supported, and that they belong.
“Some people are not seeing themselves represented in our organization,” said Angela Johnson, Director, Health Equity, Safety and Wellness. “We want to provide an environment where they feel welcome and included.”
Through the pilot, five per cent of all clinical nursing placements at IWK Health will be reserved for Black nursing students from Dalhousie University who will be identified through an existing program administered by the university.
Placements are guaranteed, creating a meaningful opportunity to strengthen representation within IWK’s future nursing workforce while providing students with valuable clinical experience in a supportive learning environment.
The pilot will initially focus on African Nova Scotian students and students of African descent, the long-term vision is to explore similar opportunities with other equity-deserving and cultural communities as IWK Health works to build a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of Nova Scotia.
The support provided through the program has been a real plus for Aseil.
“I feel like I belong here,” she said.