Fall Dean's Seminar Promotes Wellness for Educators and Healthcare Professionals

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"Care for the Carers" Dean's Seminar instructors Hope Ballentine (left) and Emily Richardson (right) work with a group of students on poster presentations.

Too often, professionals in careers like healthcare and education invest so much time and energy into caring for others that they neglect to care for themselves. Ill-equipped with strategies to promote their own wellness, there's a serious need for education around preventing burnout and exit from these vital fields.

That's the foundation of the College of Education and Health Professions' fall Dean's Seminar titled "Self-Care for the Carers: A Deep Dive into the Unique Chronobiology, Nutrition, Movement, and Psychosocial Needs of People in the Caring Professions." 

The Dean's Seminar was created as part of the College of Education and Health Professions' WE CARE strategic plan. Each semester, the seminar focuses on a different complex societal challenge at the intersection of education and health.

The course this fall emphasizes the importance of the human body and mind's needs for optimal function in high-stress careers like nursing and teaching.

Abigail King, a junior in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, was motivated to take "Care for the Carers" after her great experience in last semester's Dean's Seminar course, "Addictions."

"The class last semester really opened my eyes to a whole new realm of public health," King said. "This semester, I feel the class is much more on a personal level of how I, myself, can benefit."

King said the wide range of course topics helps to emphasize and promote the "importance of taking care of your own body."

Topics like obtainable eating habits and "deskercise" (desk exercise) provide students with strategies to improve their well-being before they enter service-oriented professions. 

Senior Sara Leder said she was inspired to enroll in "Care for the Carers" after watching her mother serve as a caregiver for another family member. She said learning about the importance of sleep in all aspects of daily life has been particularly enlightening.

"I have gained useful, applicable skills and knowledge in this class that will help me to make the most of my future career in medicine and my life as a whole," Leder said. "From a better understanding of nutrition and self-care to useful tools for practicing mindfulness and wellness, I have a better understanding of what my body requires to thrive, not just survive."

The course is co-taught by Hope Ballentine and Emily Richardson, two Eleanor Mann School of Nursing professors. John Pijanowski, a professor of educational leadership in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, serves as a guest lecturer.

Ballentine said the interdisciplinary environment and smaller class size allow students to collaborate with peers from various majors.

"We have really enjoyed seeing the students' creativity and determination to care for themselves so that they can care for others," Ballentine said. "We've also seen some budding advocacy as students understand the importance of ensuring their future workplaces and even legislatures prioritize employee health. The future of the caring professions looks really bright."

At the end of the course, small teams of students will present posters aimed at optimizing the health and well-being of a person in a high-service profession. WE CARE leadership team members will judge the posters, and the first-, second- and third-place groups will receive awards. The posters will travel through each College of Education and Health Professions building in the spring semester so students who did not attend the seminar can learn from their peers.