First 5 Aboriginal Nurses to Fast Track and Graduate from U of R Nursing Program

From left to right: Dr Robin Evans (Associate Dean, Undergraduate), Dr david Gregory (Dean Faculty of Nursing), Chris Barlow (Program Head SCBScN), Robin Woodhouse McKenzie (student), Tegan Pfefferle (student), Sarah Weeks (student), Dr Netha Dyck (Dean of Nursing).

First Five Aboriginal Nurses Fast Track and Graduate from the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

This past August, five Aboriginal nurses graduated one year early from the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (SCBScN) program, which is offered jointly by the University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. As part of the very first graduating class of this new collaborative degree program, they became the first Aboriginal graduates of the program – and that is why they made it on RezX’s Indigenous Accomplishments of 2014.

The graduates were to convocate in 2015 if they had followed the usual course of studies. But they fast tracked by taking classes year round with very few breaks, so were able to graduate a year before other students. This is quite an accomplishment to juggle heavy program demands with personal commitments – and not have a summer break.

The SCBScN program is unique in that students have the opportunity to interact with patients in their first year of the program. This four year, direct entry program is offered in Regina (187 seats), Saskatoon (150 seats) and Swift Current (8 seats). Students in their third year also have the opportunity to apply for the accelerated option, completing their nursing education in three years instead of four.

One of the graduates who RezX talked to was Mindy Cameron, who took her studies in Saskatoon and said the program fit her personal needs when she applied.

“I needed to find a job that followed me, instead of following it, and the good thing about nursing is, you have a job when you’re done,” she explains.

Like many others who start in nursing, it can be a little intimidating. But Cameron easily overcame that with a support group of fellow students and nurses.

“The biggest thing is you feel so alone in the beginning, but then you meet all the other women and you make really good friends and help each other through it,” she says.

Cameron says her decision to become a nurse was also about empowerment.

“I had to do something for myself. Being a mom made me feel confident, and I felt it would be empowering to be more helpful.”

The SCBScN’s Aboriginal Nursing Student Achievement Program (ANSAP) provides Aboriginal students on campus with support services to ensure program success. Both the University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic have Aboriginal advisors available to provide one-on-one support throughout the application process and nursing studies.

Applications are received each year between October 1 and February 15.

Contact nursing@uregina.ca or nursing@saskpolytech.ca for more information.

– Story by Chris Tyrone Ross