Grad student uses technology to open doors for learning and health care innovation

Bikram Sekhon’s nursing career is all about technology. As an undergrad, he explained his community health practicum — at The Alex Community Health Centre — as part of a video series on what nursing students can expect to focus on in each term.

After graduating, he was back at The Alex as a registered nurse and assistant manager and is now with Alberta Health Services in rural outreach. He has returned to the Faculty of Nursing as a graduate student and member of the Clinical Simulation Learning Centre’s (CSLC) research team. And he is on screen again, this time in the faculty’s strategic plan video.

Technology vital in health-care education and nursing research

“Technology is central to my practice — not just because I’m technically a Millennial, but because it plays a vital role in my daily work,” says Sekhon. He adds that his introduction to simulation in his undergraduate education inspired his interest and use of technology in health care. 

“That integration of technology enhanced the quality of my learning and really sparked a passion in me to discover more ways to look at technology in health-care education and research,” he says. “The research we are involved in on the CSLC team is all about technology as well.”

Faculty to emphasize improving curriculum and teaching practice

Curriculum evaluation and evolution is a Faculty of Nursing strength and in the new strategic plan, Leading the Pursuit of Nursing Excellence, more emphasis will be placed on improving curriculum and teaching practice as well as the necessary professional development to get there. Work behind the Collaborative for Advancement of Nursing Education pillar aims to create learning environments that foster discovery, creativity, clinical excellence and an appetite for lifelong learning — all areas to which Sekhon is committed.

"My nursing work is very mobile"

“My nursing work is very mobile; I can get a call or text on my phone to meet a client where they are at, and I am able to do an assessment, call up information that is secured and administer treatment right there,” says Sekhon. “In my research, I want to open doors for other innovations that will assist students and nurses to provide excellent health care, create upstream initiatives and facilitate effective learning.”

Learn more about Leading the Pursuit of Nursing Excellence, the Faculty of Nursing's 2017-2020 strategic plan.