New roles and priorities drive Usask College of Nursing program
“Be what the world needs” is the recently adopted motto of the University of Saskatchewan (Usask). “Now, more than ever, the world needs registered nurses,” replies Dr. Solina Richter, dean of the university's College of Nursing. While daily news reports of the overwhelming pressures on the nursing profession during the COVID pandemic might have discouraged some high school graduates from entering the profession, the heroism and leadership of registered nurses has inspired many young people to follow in their footsteps. The Usask College of Nursing has made major advancements in the development and delivery of programs to address the need on all fronts.
“The college has listened to the residents of Saskatchewan and redistributed the finite number of nursing education seats throughout the province, ensuring all students have access to quality nursing education,” says Richter. There has been particular emphasis on providing remote-learning access to Indigenous students in northern Saskatchewan. “We have a long history of Indigenous student success and are recognized as having the highest number of self-declared Indigenous nursing students in the country,” says Richter. About half of those students reside in the Prince Albert and northern regions, where more than 300 students have completed the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program since it was first offered in 2011-12.
“By giving students the opportunity to learn where they live — in La Ronge, Ile-a-la-cross and Yorkton — we are decreasing the likelihood of rural and remote communities experiencing a nursing shortage, as these graduates will be more likely to stay in their home communities,” explains Richter.
Distributive learning – a multimedia method of instruction to reach remote students – at the College of Nursing supports the University of Saskatchewan's overall commitment to Indigenous involvement in all its programs and initiatives. “Saskatchewan has a large Indigenous population, particularly in northern Saskatchewan,” says Richter. “In order to provide quality nursing care, we must actively contribute to a representative nursing workforce that is responsive to the needs of the province. At Usask, nursing education is inclusive of rural and remote areas in the province that have been previously underserved.“
This commitment to distributive learning across Saskatchewan has spurred the adoption of comprehensive technology tools. “We have been connecting faculty, staff and undergraduate students through a variety of teaching and learning technologies between campuses in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and sites in Yorkton, La Ronge and Ile-a-la-crosse,” says Richter. The College's graduate nursing programs also use distributive technology. For example, the Nurse Practitioner program allows students to advance their education without having to relocate to a campus.
Simulation plays a critical role in distributive learning at the College. “Think mannequins that breathe, cough and have high blood pressure,” says Richter. “When students participate in simulation, they can problem solve and develop skills before interacting with an actual patient. Nursing students can translate and implement the theory content they learn in the classroom and apply it by responding to specific nursing scenarios and then reflecting on how they performed.”
Virtual reality technology is also used in nursing education. Virtual technology puts the student “right there”, with all the sounds, the urgency and the complexity, where they have to draw upon their education to deliver the right outcome. As with simulation, the technology avoids presenting any risk that would be in an actual clinical situation, and allows a thorough, objective evaluation of the experience. This technology is just beginning to be introduced into the Usask nursing program, but its potential as an educational tool is immense.
Sophisticated education addresses not only the need for nurses, but also for what nurses are now expected to do. As Richter points out, “When people used to think of nursing, they thought of hospital-based nurses. And while many nurses still practice on the front lines and in community and public health, the career path of a nurse has changed. Nurses work in corrections, mines, and forensics, as flight nurses, nursing officers and travel nurses. Nursing scholars conduct research on food security, oral health, substance use disorders, vulnerable populations, aging, diabetes and so much more. With advanced nursing education, nurses become nurse practitioners who can prescribe medication and order imaging. Registered nurses become educators, regulators, as well as managers and senior administrators in health authorities and educational institutions.”
A faculty member at the College recently emphasized that, “Nurses are neither angels, heroes or charitable caregivers; they are professionals and leaders.” The point is that, while it is understandable during these pandemic years to praise nurses, the general public needs to better understand the essential and expanding roles of registered nurses. In the words of Dean Richter, “They are the backbone of our health care system.”