NURSING SPACES NEARLY DOUBLE, GRAD NUMBERS HIT RECORD

VICTORIA – Government has nearly doubled the number of nurse education spaces, producing a record number of graduates who have received close to 13,000 nursing degrees, diplomas and certificates since 2001, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell said today.

“We’ve added hundreds of post-secondary spaces for nurses every single year, and as a result, opportunities for students to follow their dreams of a career in nursing have increased tremendously at public institutions across the province,” Coell said. “Because of this unprecedented expansion, we are graduating more nurses than ever before in the history of B.C.”

The Province has funded 3,786 new spaces since 2001, an increase of 93 per cent, including another 439 spaces under Budget 2008. As well, 23 nursing programs have been created since 2001. Government is now funding 56 nursing programs in B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions, including 16 four-year bachelor of science in nursing degree programs, and one accelerated BSN that can be completed in three years.

“A wide range of programs is vital in meeting the needs of the variety of students who have their hearts and minds set on a career in nursing,” said Susan Duncan, chair of the Nursing Education Council of B.C. and dean of Thompson Rivers University’s School of Nursing. “We look forward to the continued development of new and innovative options for students in the nursing profession.”

Since government began expanding nursing education, B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions have awarded 12,862 degrees, diplomas and certificates to nursing graduates who have either entered the profession for the first time or have upgraded their skills to work in high-demand areas.

“In the Conversation on Health, British Columbians told us that continued investment in educating new nurses was critical to the future sustainability of our world-class health-care system,” Health Minister George Abbott said. “Between the ministries of Advanced Education and Health, our government has committed literally hundreds of millions of dollars in new investments to educate, attract and retain nurses to serve patients across British Columbia.”

Last year alone, 2,361 nurses graduated in B.C., up from 1,343 in 2000-01. More than half received their bachelor of science in nursing, most of whom will go on to become registered nurses in B.C., or are already RNs and are completing their degree. The rest earned qualifications as practical nurses, psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners and specialty nurses in areas like emergency room and intensive care. Some nurses also earned master’s and PhDs, which prepare them to teach nursing, or to take on more responsibility in clinical settings.

“Good programs and good educators are the key to continuing to expand nursing education in this province to prepare for the needs of our aging population,” Coell said. “We’ve created new master’s and PhD programs to increase the number of nurses with advanced qualifications who will be able to replace the large number of faculty members retiring each year.”

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