OTTAWA,
ON, Nov. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - Carleton University has launched a new tech-forward
nursing program with the first intake of students starting in the
fall of 2025. The university partnered with Queensway Carleton
Hospital to transform nursing education and accelerate the entrance
of new nurses into the healthcare system, with up-to-date skills
and education to support patient needs today and for future
generations. The program is the first new nursing program to come
out of an established Ontario
university in over 20 years.
"I'm thrilled to be here at Carleton
University as we announce Ontario's first new nursing program in 25
years," said Premier Doug Ford. "As
we invest $50 billion in more than 50
new and upgraded hospital projects across the province, we're also
investing in the health-care workforce Ontario families are counting on. Today's
announcement is part of that ongoing work, which includes the
largest medical school expansion in over a decade, so we can
continue connecting more people in Ontario to convenient care close to
home."
"The new nursing program is truly innovative and will equip
graduates to work in today's hospitals and healthcare settings and
help transform our healthcare system," said Jerry Tomberlin, Interim President and
Vice-Chancellor at Carleton University.
The compressed three-year program will see students graduate
with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and prepare them for the
workforce by:
- Early and frequent clinical placements to provide expanded
hands-on experience
- Indigenous built curriculum which seeks through partnership and
storytelling to decolonize healthcare delivery concepts, creating
healthcare providers who strive for cultural competence and
understanding
- Concentrations in:
- Data Science to enable the more advanced use of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and other technology to improve the delivery of
high-quality, personalized clinical care in response to
Canada's healthcare crisis
- Neuroscience and Mental Health to support the needs of
communities and healthcare providers including resilience training
from day one
The program has obtained approvals from the College of Nurses of
Ontario and the Ministry of
Colleges and Universities and applications are now being accepted
through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre at
www.ouac.on.ca.
The coursework will be delivered in a hybrid manner,
incorporating hands-on learning at Carleton
University or a clinical placement site. Education and
training will involve using simulated environments or scenarios
(like virtual practice or mock situations), artificial intelligence
(AI) technology and opportunities for students or learners to gain
hands-on experience early on in their education through internships
or practical training sessions.
"This accelerated program will get more nurses into the field
faster as students will graduate in three years instead of four and
begin clinical placements sooner. This type of hands-on
training is essential to give nurses confidence when entering the
workforce and provide the skills they need to have an immediate
impact," said Yvonne Wilson, Vice
President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Executive at Queensway
Carleton Hospital.
"This nursing program is the result of a partnership between
Carleton University and Queensway
Carleton Hospital and meets a growing need," said Danielle Manley, Director (Nursing Program) at
Carleton University. "Ontario is currently short 26,000 nurses,
according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the
gap is expected to grow to 33,000 by 2028."
The two organizations have worked together on conceptualization,
curriculum development and clinical practicums – ensuring the
program keeps technology at the forefront, designing the program to
support current and future healthcare providers' mental health and
reflecting the current, on-the-job challenges of nursing in
Ontario.
"As a nurse educator familiar with the various current
curricular models in place, the opportunity to reconsider how we
educate our future nurses is an exciting and long-awaited change,"
shared Manley. "To have the chance to reshape nursing education in
partnership with our community and with students at the center of
our model is the chance of a lifetime. The anticipation to welcome
the first cohort is palpable on campus as we countdown to the first
day."
SOURCE Carleton University