July 18, 2005 for immediate release

After receiving approval from the Registered NursesAssociation of BC and gaining UNBC Senate approval, the UNBC Nursing programwill offer a new master’s degree program starting this fall that will educatefamily nurse practitioners.

The Family Nurse Practitioner master’s program is apractice oriented, theory-based degree that will prepare graduates to beindependent practitioners, leaders, role models and educators in primary healthcare. Coursework will be completed over two years (full-time) or four years(part-time). Upon graduation, these advanced practice nurses will care forpeople of all age groups from a general family practice perspective. They willbe involved in diagnosing, prescribing, ordering diagnostic tests, and managingdiseases, disorders and conditions. Although the role of the family nursepractitioner includes some activities in common with physicians, they are notsubstitute physicians. In fact, most family nurse practitioners work in teamswith physicians, nurses, and other allied health professions.
 

The Northern Health Authority is now beginning toemploy graduates of nurse practitioner programs and it will continue to expandnurse practitioner employment over the coming years. A key feature of the UNBCMScN: Family Nurse Practitioner program will be to ensure graduates areparticularly educated to work in northern communities and improve the healthcare of northerners.

“Degree programs geared to educating nursepractitioners are new to BC, but other provinces have had experience with nursepractitioners for many years,” says Dr. Ian Blue, Chair of the Nursing program.“Experiences from throughout Canadahave shown that nurse practitioners are particularly well-equipped to work inrural communities and in hospitals like PGRH that serve a large region. We’retraveling to communities throughout the region to present information about theprogram and get feedback from health care professionals.”

The nurse practitioner program is adding to UNBC’srecent expansion of teaching and research that is oriented to the health careneeds of northern and rural communities. Other examples include the NorthernMedical Program, a master’s degree in Disability Management, the expanded UNBCNursing program, and the new BC Rural and Remote Health Research Network.

Schedule of Upcoming Information Sessions:

July19 – Prince Rupert

July 20 – Masset, Port Clements, and Queen Charlotte City

August 8 – Terrace and Kitimat

August 9 – New Aiyansh, Hazelton, and Smithers

August 10 – Houston and Granisle

August 11 – BurnsLake, Fraser Lake,Fort St.James, and Vanderhoof

In each location, representatives of the FamilyNurse Practitioner program will meet with local health care professionals inhospitals, local clinics, or health centres.

  Contact:

Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622