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Brand faith
WSU unveils special hijab
for clinical practice.
M
uslim nursing and midwifery
students at Western Sydney
University now have the option
of wearing its first branded hijab for
clinical practice.
Dr Rakime Elmir, co-creator of the
program and WSU deputy director of
clinical education, said the hijab – which
is an optional part of the clinical uniform –
It takes a village
Flinders University reveals plans
for ‘visionary’ health precinct.
S
outhern Adelaide’s economy is set
to boom after plans were released
for Flinders Village, a $1.5 billion
health and education precinct.
Located at Flinders University’s Bedford
Park campus, the village will include
a health research building, patient
accommodation, a hotel for visitors,
student accommodation and shops.
The health research building will focus
on mental health, infectious disease and
personalised health delivery.
Dr Rakime Elmir. Photo: WSU
has attracted a great deal of interest across
the university.
It’s set to be introduced in other courses
where there is a clinical component.
The branded hijab was created alongside
guidelines and digital assets that are
available to teaching staff, clinical facilitators
and Muslim students.
Elmir said the project involved
collaboration across the university and
broader community.
“As a Muslim, I knew it was vital that
community spiritual leaders, the broader
Photo: Supplied
Independent analysis commissioned by
Flinders University predicts the village will:
∞ Bring 5000 extra international students
to Adelaide
∞ Generate in excess of $150 million in
annual export earnings for the state
∞ Create 10,000-plus construction jobs
over the construction phase
∞ Provide an extra 3000 student beds.
The project, which will be South Australia’s
biggest health and education precinct, will
have an open-plan, sustainable design and
provide affordable, quality accommodation
for students on campus.
Vice-chancellor Professor Colin Stirling
said the precinct is part of the university’s
community, our students and staff all
had the opportunity for input,” Elmir
said. “This ensured that a balance could
be achieved between equipping Muslim
nursing and midwifery students with the
skills and tools needed to be confident in
the job, while encouraging the practice
of their beliefs.”
Co-creator of the program Sue Willis,
the university's director of academic
programs (clinical), said there is a significant
gap in available resources addressing
the unique cultural and religious beliefs
and requirements of Muslim nursing and
midwifery students.
The resources aim to address issues such
as clinical uniform requirements, nursing
care of different genders, bearing forearms
to undertake aseptic hand wash, and
taking time from the clinical environment
for prayer.
“The appetite for these resources
was overwhelming,” Elmir said.
“When we put a call out for a student
discussion forum on this topic, more
than 150 students registered – so there
is clear support and interest for these
resources.” ■
long-term plan and will complement its
existing investments.
“Flinders Village is a key part of
Flinders’ overarching plan for growth and
development. It will complement the
university’s existing investments in the
Tonsley Innovation District, support the
Flinders health precinct and leverage the
$125 million investment by the federal and
state governments in the Flinders Link rail
extension that will connect our campus
with the Adelaide CBD,” Stirling said.
“The university plans to leverage the
investment in the train connection to
attract private capital for the development
of Flinders Village in ways that will grow
the university and unlock the enormous
potential of Southern Adelaide.”
Stirling added the precinct will also
benefit SA’s research base and economy.
Flinders University has a strong record
of establishing integrated health precincts
– theirs was the first medical school in
Australia to be integrated into a public
hospital.
The building of the health research centre
is expected to start by mid-2020, with the
entire village to be progressively completed
between 2022 and 2030. ■
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