The BCIT Perinatal Nursing program, in collaboration with perinatal professionals from across the province, hosted the first-ever Perinatal Connect Day at the Burnaby Campus on November 4, 2025. The event brought together over 45 nurses, educators, and frontline perinatal care professionals who have a shared commitment in advancing perinatal care through collaboration and education.
A response to a growing need
The event, launched in response to the growing demand for connection among frontline perinatal care professionals, was designed to break down silos and create a unified provincial network. It provided a vital platform for sharing cutting-edge clinical practices and addressing shared challenges in perinatal care, ultimately aiming to improve outcomes for families in every region of BC.
A day of practical learning and collaboration
The day was filled with insightful presentations and thoughtful discussions. Sessions like Golden Beginnings: Redefining Skin-to-Skin Care as Essential Care and Making a Difference with Movement: Maximizing Physiologic Labour equipped attendees with practical strategies to implement immediately in their practice.
“Events like this are crucial for our community,” shared one registered nurse from Fraser Health. “It’s not often we get dedicated time to learn with and from colleagues across different health authorities. This collaboration directly translates to better, more unified care for the families we serve.”
The event also underscored BCIT’s leadership in perinatal education. Siwon Kim, BCIT Perinatal Specialty Nursing Program Head, noted, “Our goal was to create a space where theory meets practice, and where perinatal professionals can build the relationships that strengthen our entire care continuum. The energy at Perinatal Connect Day 2025 is a testament to the dedication of this community.”
Learn more about the BCIT Perinatal Nursing Specialty program, including its industry-focus and applied curriculum.
Looking ahead to Perinatal Connect Day 2026
Due to overwhelming positive feedback—with 100% of survey respondents indicating they would attend again—BCIT is looking to make Perinatal Connect Day an annual event.
“We are excited to welcome even more learning opportunities next year, with plans to expand workshop formats, introduce new topics suggested by this year’s participants, and grow our provincial network of care,” shared Siwon. “Planning is already underway for the 2026 event, which is focused on delivering even more value to our perinatal community.”
Siwon added, “Perinatal Connect Day is more than a gathering for industry professionals. It reaffirms a shared commitment to excellence in perinatal care across BC, while highlighting the pivotal role that BCIT has in fostering the lifelong learning and collaboration that the healthcare system relies on.”
For information about future Perinatal Connect Day events, please contact Perinatal Nursing Specialty.
(This article was written with assistance from ChatGPT on November 9, 2025. Edited and fact-checked by Siwon Kim.)