College’s new
care reforms

emographics, economics,

politics...there are many

reasons why health care is
changing from an illness to a health focus
in which individuals and families
supported by health care professionals
will take more responsibility for
maintaining health and for recovery from
illness.

But the shift in health care is more far-
reaching than its effect on health care
consumers and care-giving institutions.
The implications are profound for
educators of health professionals.
Educational programs are needed that
address the changes that are occurring in
health care.

In order to address these issues,
Douglas College and Kwantlen University
College in Surrey will implement the
Collaborative Nursing Program of British
Columbia starting in September, 1996.

This program is designed to educate
nurses to be effective practitioners in
meeting the needs of a changing client
population within a changing health care
system. Current programs have prepared
nurses to work mainly in traditional
hospital settings.

The new program will prepare nurses
to work with individuals, families, groups
and communities within a variety of
settings as well as acute care hospitals. In
all settings, nurses’ practise will focus on
keeping people healthy and preventing
illness. For people who become ill,
nurses’ practise will focus on restoring
health. This will include helping people
to care for themselves and also helping
families to care for one another. As well,
graduates of the new program will be
active participants in ongoing reform of
the health care system assessing its
effectiveness and contributing to ongoing
change.

The new program uses an innovative
educational design that is well suited to
preparing the kind of professional that is
required in health care today. The
program is rich in clinical experience
where students come face-to-face with
peoples’ experiences of health and
healing. From real-life experience

students come to know the role that
nurses play in helping people stay healthy
and cope with illness. Critical and
creative thinking and compassionate care
are emphasized in the program ina
climate supportive of individual rights
and diversity. Technology and computers
are used to prepare students for practise
and also as a learning tool. Students in
the program are active participants in the
learning process. Their interests are
recognized and they are given choices in
planning their educational experience.
This design is meant to ensure that
students will become effective
practitioners who are committed to and
capable of on-going learning.

Faculty at Douglas College and
Kwantlen University College will work
together to provide nursing education in
their combined regions serving the Lower
Fraser Valley. As well, they will
collaborate with eight other partner sites
throughout B.C. that also offer the

nursing program reflects health

Collaborative Nursing Program of B.C.
This is advantageous to students who may
wish to transfer from one site to the other.
As well, it will result in effective use of
resources and sharing of expertise.

The Collaborative Nursing Program is
a four-year program leading to a
Baccalaureate degree in nursing. It has a
diploma exit after three years of study.
Diploma graduates will be eligible to
write national licensure exams and to
become registered nurses in B.C.
Progression to the degree portion of the
program will depend on the number of
seats available. The program will be
offered on a full-time or part-time basis.
Advanced credit will be offered to
Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered
Psychiatric Nurses and to Registered
Nurses.

Information about this program is
available from the Registrar’s Office at
527-5478 and from admissions at
Kwantlen University College at
599-2000. I

 

Let’s celebrate!

 

 

 

 

The Psychiatric Nursing Department is celebrating the inauguration of a revised
curriculum based on the ‘caring’ model, and the first class of students was
welcomed in September. The new curriculum model is designed to enable the
psychiatric nursing graduates to be more responsive to societal needs by
focusing learning on practise experience, and fostering critical thinking and
creativity in a supportive learning environment.