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Registered Nurse program coming to North Battleford

Nov 2, 2017 | 2:00 PM

Local area residents interested in becoming registered nurses in the future will now be able to complete the fourth year of their studies at North West College in North Battleford.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” said Tavia Laliberte, president and CEO of North West College. “In addition to students being able to take their last year here in the Battlefords, there will also be an opportunity when they actually apply for the Bachelor of Nursing Program to indicate that they want to be part of the Battlefords cohort. So when you apply to the program you’ll be able to see there is an actual cohort that is specific to the Battlefords.”

She said in their fourth-year, students in this cohort will have access to services and support locally at North West College.

People can apply for the program directly through Saskatchewan Polytechnic.

“Students interested in the program can come and see us at North West College and we can assist them through the process,” said Laliberte.

The Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) program expansion to North Battleford came about as a partnership among North West College, Prairie North Health Region, Saskatchewan Polytechnic and University of Regina.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic School of Nursing dean Dr. Netha Dyck said in a statement the program will help both students and employers. 

“The opportunity to study nursing and take part in clinical placements close to home improves access for North Battleford area students, which in turn will ultimately benefit the Prairie North Health Region and local health care providers,” she said.

University of Regina Faculty of Nursing dean Dr. David Gregory said about 55 per cent of SCBScN grads end up working in the location where they completed their practicum in year four of the program, so this will help bring more graduating registered nurses to Prairie North Health Region.

Starting in Sept. 2018, up to 16 students from the North Battleford area entering the first year of the program will take their first three years of studies in Saskatoon and the fourth year in North Battleford.

North West College had been advocating for a full local Registered Nurse program for a long time.

“When this program came about there was an interest in how we might have a program in the Battlefords similar to what Great Plains [College] did in Swift Current,” said Laliberte. “So we’ve adopted that model. It’s been in the works for probably four or five years.”   

Prairie North Health Region CEO David Fan said in a release Prairie North staff will be able to mentor the grads-to-be in the values and skills of the nursing profession, to provide “compassionate, competent” care.

 

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

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