The College of New Caledonia's Quesnel campus officially opened its new nursing lab Monday with CNC President Cindy Heitman, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health Jennifer Rice and instructors from the faculty of health sciences in attendance.
"Students at the College of New Caledonia will now benefit from new equipment and a newly renovated laboratory classroom to train the next generation of nurses right here in Quesnel," Rice said at the opening. Rice said the government has funded 600 nursing seats at post-secondary institutions across B.C. "This new nursing lab will make a difference in providing hands-on learning for nursing students here in Quesnel."
The college received nearly $1 million from the ministry of post-secondary education and skills training to upgrade the existing classroom into a fully functional lab. The new lab includes machines nursing students will encounter in the real world like ceiling lifts to safely move patients from beds into wheelchairs.
The lab also includes sim dolls, which look like people and can simulate different types of medical problems. The instructors demonstrated one of the dolls being able to simulate crackling breath sounds and the ability to call for help. They said simulations like that help nurses be better prepared and have less anxiety when they graduate and work with patients.
The new lab will increase seats for nursing students and open the way for students to take the Northern Collaborative Baccalaureate in Nursing program which CNC offers in partnership with UNBC and the Health Care Access program which is offered in partnership with Northern Health.
"It's the kind of space we want to provide at every CNC campus so learners can gain and perfect their skills and make a difference in any field they choose," CNC President Cindy Heitman said. Heitman said the lab is a great place for students and a space like it will help everyone who interacts with the healthcare system by training healthcare workers in an environment they can refine their skills best.
Christine McCann, clinical operations manager at GR Baker Hospital in Quesnel said that ensuring the best quality of care is a priority.
"All of us at one point in time will go through the system, whether we want to or not, and being able to see how that comes to fruition through education and all the way into the workforce is really important," she said. She added GR Baker hired all 14 student nurses that went through the hospital this year. "We really hope that the experience with Northern Health, the practicums and clinical assignments really fosters desire to stay in the north. That's what we want to see."
A news release from CNC said graduates from the college's School of Health Sciences have an over 90% employment rate in a field related to their program. It added that many students receive job offers before they've graduated the program and healthcare is projected to be one of the largest employers over the next decade.