Rural Nursing Certificate Developed
August 20, 2007
The University of Northern British Columbia is working with Northern
Health and the BC Ministry of Health to deliver a new program
specifically designed for nurses anywhere in BC who want to gain
additional skills and certification in rural nursing.
The Rural Acute Care Nursing Certificate will include coursework, workshops, and a practical component. The courses will be offered via distance education (mostly using the Internet) for students who are working as nurses in communities around BC.
“The development of this program followed consultation with more than 200 nurses in 51 rural communities throughout BC,” says UNBC Nursing professor Martha MacLeod. “This program is really the result of what those nurses have told us and it has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Provincial Chief Nursing Officer Council, and of course Northern Health, which is a vital partner in all of UNBC’s health science programs. We wanted to ensure we developed a concentrated program of courses that cover the essential knowledge and clinical skills required to work in rural community hospitals.”
Courses in the Rural Acute Care Nursing Certificate will begin this fall. It’s expected that about 40 students will be part of the first intake. The program is comprised of courses that can be applied towards completing a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from UNBC. "One of the benefits of a nursing career in Northern British Columbia is the range of practice opportunities of which nurses can avail themselves. This program adds to the range of nursing education we can offer to Northern students," said Northern Health CEO Cathy Ulrich.
“Whether they have diplomas or degrees, the fact is that many nurses throughout the province gained their education from urban institutions that may have only provided brief exposure to rural issues,” adds Dr. MacLeod. “Rural nurses have told us that rural nurses need different skills than their counterparts in large hospitals. This program will address those differences.”
Nursing is one of UNBC’s largest programs. It currently has about 480 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels at its teaching sites in Prince George, Terrace, and Quesnel. This past spring, 67 students graduated from the Nursing program, the highest number among all UNBC degree majors.
Contact:
Martha MacLeod, Nursing professor, UNBC – 250.960.6768
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622
The Rural Acute Care Nursing Certificate will include coursework, workshops, and a practical component. The courses will be offered via distance education (mostly using the Internet) for students who are working as nurses in communities around BC.
“The development of this program followed consultation with more than 200 nurses in 51 rural communities throughout BC,” says UNBC Nursing professor Martha MacLeod. “This program is really the result of what those nurses have told us and it has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Provincial Chief Nursing Officer Council, and of course Northern Health, which is a vital partner in all of UNBC’s health science programs. We wanted to ensure we developed a concentrated program of courses that cover the essential knowledge and clinical skills required to work in rural community hospitals.”
Courses in the Rural Acute Care Nursing Certificate will begin this fall. It’s expected that about 40 students will be part of the first intake. The program is comprised of courses that can be applied towards completing a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from UNBC. "One of the benefits of a nursing career in Northern British Columbia is the range of practice opportunities of which nurses can avail themselves. This program adds to the range of nursing education we can offer to Northern students," said Northern Health CEO Cathy Ulrich.
“Whether they have diplomas or degrees, the fact is that many nurses throughout the province gained their education from urban institutions that may have only provided brief exposure to rural issues,” adds Dr. MacLeod. “Rural nurses have told us that rural nurses need different skills than their counterparts in large hospitals. This program will address those differences.”
Nursing is one of UNBC’s largest programs. It currently has about 480 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels at its teaching sites in Prince George, Terrace, and Quesnel. This past spring, 67 students graduated from the Nursing program, the highest number among all UNBC degree majors.
Contact:
Martha MacLeod, Nursing professor, UNBC – 250.960.6768
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622
