Helping to make health care make sense

Self-diagnosis, what our mothers told us and the arrival of the internet can often be the only source of medical information people adhere to when it comes to their health care. 

Third and fourth-year nursing students produce a weekly community radio show aimed at improving health literacy, demystifying health matters and separating what is true and verifiable from what is made up. 

Sandy Alexander, a VIU Nursing Professor, says a student pitched the idea for a radio program as a component of a health promotion course 15 years ago. 

“We know community radio has a huge impact on how people get their news and producing this show plays a significant role in developing the skills of future front-line healthcare workers,” she says. 

The radio program became part of the community clinical practice under supervision by faculty and radio station staff. The students look at community and societal health, global health and they research credible evidence to provide important health information to their listeners. 

Topics covered include: Shedding Light on Periods, Press Play on Menopause, Indigenous Health, MAID Misconceptions, Men's Health and Caring for Caregivers Recovering from Addiction. 

The students invite expert guests to be interviewed on the show. 

“One program was about food sustainability and a speaker from Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank inNanaimo helped dispel myths about who the agency helps,” says Sandy. “The students learned that anyone needing help can use the food bank, contrary to a common belief you can't access the service unless you meet a certain income threshold. Even students can go there. It’s not stigmatizing or marginalizing, it’s food that's free, and it is very much like a grocery store.”

Notable guests have included Gabor Mate, a family physician on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and a renowned addiction expert and author. His talk at the Nanaimo Port Theatre many years ago sold out. 

“The fact that the students reached out to him, and he came on the show and was interviewed was really exciting,” says Sandy. 

What students are saying

Fourth-year Nursing student Lara Jeletzky says developing a radio program that provides education on health topics relevant to their community fueled her appetite for nursing research. 

“I found A Sound Constitution to be an incredibly unique and impactful community practice placement. Being a part of the project allowed me to grow my capacity for providing health information to my local community while inspiring my passion for community health nursing. I will take the learning forward into all my future nursing roles. I believe this community practice placement enhanced my nursing practice in countless ways.” 

Jaime Michieli, a fourth-year Nursing student, said, 

“I have gained a newfound confidence in my ability to communicate with others and present reliable peer-reviewed research in a way that is easy to understand. Public speaking has never been a strength of mine; however, being a part of A Sound Constitution has greatly improved my ability to deliver valuable information to our community clearly and professionally, and this skill has been helpful in many aspects of my life.”

The instructors and students are quick to advise that the conversations about health issues and care does not replace the advice of your health-care provider. 

The students record up to eight shows per season in a VIU audio booth and deliver it to CHLY radio 101.7. The new season, with new student hosts, launches Thursday, February 27 between 2 to 3 pm and is rebroadcast on Spotify and YouTube.