FALL 2024 Newsletter
Social prescribing student movement
- Advocate and raise awareness of social prescribing
- Publish Newsletter: share updates, research, and news about social prescribing
- Support the social prescribing pilot project in Newfoundland and Labrador
- Social Event - Coffee break
- Physical Activity Event - Walk
- Research reviews of relevant studies
- Social media activities to spread the word about social prescribing
- Celebrate Social Prescribing Day
- Support Bill-S233
- And recruit more volunteers...
Meet our new members!
Chloé George
Social Media Team
Darcie Stapleton
Event Team Lead
Medical Students Group
Rebecca Penney
Nursing Student Team Lead
Jessica Gulliver
Knowledge Translation Team
Nursing Student Team
Azam Abkhiz
Treasure
(non-student member)
Daniel Drake
Social Media Team
FALL 2024 Newsletter
Interview
What does social prescribing
mean to you?
We followed up with fourth-year nursing student, Rebecca, about what social prescribing means to her to get an idea just how social prescribing can be utilized throughout the healthcare system to promote wellness! Check out the interview below!
Rebecca Penney
4th-Year BSc Nursing Student
Q. How can nursing students contribute to the social prescribing process in a clinical setting, and what specific tasks might they be involved in?
Nurses are uniquely positioned to make significant contributions to social prescribing. During their initial interactions with patients, nursing students can identify both social and physical deficiencies that may be alleviated through targeted social prescriptions... More
Q. What skills and knowledge should nursing students develop to effectively support and implement social prescribing strategies?
A comprehensive understanding of the Social Determinants of Health enables students to effectively address specific barriers to health and wellness that patients may encounter. By employing therapeutic communication, nursing students can... More
Q. How can nursing students collaborate with other healthcare professionals and community organizations to enhance the effectiveness of social prescribing?
Student nurses collaborate closely with healthcare providers, such as nurse practitioners and physicians, to identify patients who may benefit from social prescribing. This collaboration allows them to discuss and determine the most valuable programs... More
Q. In what ways can nursing students assess and identify patients who might benefit from social prescribing interventions?
Assessing the impact of Social Determinants of Health is a key approach through which nursing students can identify patients who may benefit from social prescribing... More
Q. What challenges might nursing students face when engaging in social prescribing, and how can they prepare to address these challenges effectively?
To effectively tackle the challenges nursing students encounter in social prescribing, it is essential that they possess a comprehensive understanding of the concept. Currently, social prescribing is not integrated into the BScN curriculum... More
FALL 2024 Newsletter
Spotlight
Student-Led Projects
:Making an Impact
Jade Lee, BSc. Kin. (Hons.)
Healthcare professionals’ perception of social prescribing as a way to enhance physical activity for seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador
Jade’s honours research initiated from a small project in a kinesiology course, where she became inspired by the concept of social prescribing. As a kinesiology student, Jade was particularly interested in promoting physical activity for older adults through social prescribing, an area with limited research. Her study focuses on gathering healthcare professionals' perspectives on the potential role of social prescribing in utilizing physical activity interventions for older adults in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The findings suggest that social prescribing could improve access to community programs, offering seniors more opportunities to engage in physical activity. However, the primary challenges for healthcare professionals in integrating social prescribing into the healthcare system are understanding what social prescribing is and how its pathway functions. The first step is to help healthcare professionals gain a better understanding of social prescribing. Jade’s study aims to address these knowledge gaps and emphasize the potential of social prescribing in primary care.
This study is meaningful as there was no study focusing on seniors’ physical activity promotion using social prescribing in our province. However, a limitation of this study is its small sample size. Therefore, Jade is looking to recruit a larger number of healthcare professionals to gather more data.
FALL 2024 Newsletter
Current
Research!
Evidence in Social Prescribing
The special issue of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada: Research, Policy, and Practice (Volume 44, No. 6, 2024) dives into the expanding field of social prescribing in Canada. This emerging practice in health promotion aims to enhance health and well-being by connecting patients with non-clinical services, thereby addressing broader social determinants of health.
The issue highlights the growing interest in social prescribing as a means to prevent chronic diseases by tackling lifestyle factors and social conditions. It emphasizes the necessity of integrating social prescribing into healthcare systems to foster holistic health through collaboration between healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, and community organizations.
Editorial: Social prescribing in Canada: health promotion in action, 50 years after the Lalonde report
- Discusses the increasing interest in social prescribing as a way to address social determinants of health.
- Highlights the importance of integrating social prescribing into healthcare systems to promote holistic health.
- Examines the implementation of social prescribing across various regions in Canada.
- Identifies key challenges such as the need for standardized practices and better integration with healthcare services.
Mulligan K, Card KG, Allison S. Social prescribing in Canada: health promotion in action, 50 years after the Lalonde report. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2024;44(6):241-3. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.44.6.01
Features perspectives from various experts on the future direction of social prescribing in Canada
- Building the social prescribing student movement in Canada by Muhl C et al.: It highlights the progress made by the Canadian Social Prescribing Student Collective in building the social prescribing movement in Canada and emphasizes the importance of students' roles. This commentary includes a call to action to further enhance the social prescribing student movement in Canada.
- Food Prescribing in Canada by Little M et al.: This approach improves nutrition by linking patients with resources for better food access and healthier diets. Evidence suggests it enhances fruit and vegetable intake and reduces food insecurity, though further evaluation is needed to assess its effectiveness and cost efficiency compared to other public health dietary programs.
- Nature Prescribing by Vaillancourt A et al.: This approach involves recommending time spent in natural settings to support health and wellness. It should also acknowledge and incorporate Indigenous cultural practices related to nature-based healing, ensuring cultural inclusivity.
- Black-Focused Social Prescribing by Ramirez S et al.): This approach aims to provide tailored health services to Black individuals, ensuring equitable access and addressing specific challenges faced by diverse ethnic and cultural groups. The issue calls for ongoing evaluation and integration of Afrocentric perspectives to meet community needs effectively.
FALL 2024 Newsletter
Events
Upcoming Events
Well-Being Week events are happening across the province
Our chapter will be hosting events both on campus and on social media.
Join us to learn how to improve your health and wellness!
Breathe, stretch, and balance – Flow into Wellness with Monday Yoga sessions.
Look out for Health Literacy Game posters around campus. Play along and you could win a prize! See more details on our Instagram.
FALL 2024 Newsletter
Canada's Social Prescribing Conference will take place in Toronto this September! This is the first international event hosted by the Canadian Institute of Social Prescribing (CISP) to raise awareness of social prescribing and explore the global movement for promoting health and well-being in communities.
Newfoundland and Labrador will participate in a panel discussion on the final day to review social prescribing and the future of health and community in Canada. The province will highlight its advancement of the Health Accord NL strategy to address social determinants of health, aiming to improve overall health outcomes. Social prescribing is being emphasized as a key intervention, and the province is piloting this approach for seniors, integrating it with family care teams to enhance support and well-being.
At this event, the Canadian Social Prescribing Student Collective (CSPSC) will also participate to showcase the incredible work and movement led by students across their local communities. On day one, CSPSC will lead a workshop to discuss how students empower and support social prescribing in their communities.
For more information about the conference and details of the event schedule, visit the official site HERE.
