A new nursing lab and technology upgrades are now complete at the 91原创 campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), allowing the university to expand its program and graduate more nurses.
A new nurse training facility opened at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 91原创 on Tuesday that will enable a near 50 per cent increase in graduates.
鈥� 91原创 Advance Times (@91原创Times)
Tuesday, 91原创 MLA Andrew Mercier, minister of state for workforce development, joined KPU Faculty of Health students and instructors for a ribbon-cutting and a tour of the new education space, a former classsroom converted to a practice ward with simulated patients at the 91原创 campus.
鈥淲e know we need to train nurses so they can begin their careers and provide the care that British Columbians need,鈥� Mercier said, 鈥渢o make sure that we鈥檙e graduating the nurses we need for the next decade.鈥�
91原创 East MLA Megan Dykeman called it a 鈥渕assive accomplishment.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e really fortunate to have this campus right here in 91原创,鈥� Dykeman remarked, describing the KPU nursing program as 鈥渁lready successful and highly respected.鈥�
With the additional 115 new nursing seats, the university now offers 364 seats annually up from 249, a 46 per cent increase.
Sharmen Lee, dean of the Faculty of Health at KPU, said the new facility has been nicknamed 鈥淜PU Hospital鈥� because it resembles a hospital ward, with its beds and simulated patients.
鈥淚f you look at it it pretty much looks like a hospital,鈥� Lee commented.
鈥淚n fact, we kind of joke about the fact that when you walk through those doors, you鈥檙e in KPU hospital.鈥�
READ ALSO: KPU prepares for pending increase in nursing students
Nursing student Samantha Mostoghiu compared the level of training to what she received when she was working for a private company in healthcare and group homes with quadruplegics and seizure disorders
鈥淭hey give you eight weeks, really condensed education training,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd then they let you go into the workforce. If I would have had the opportunity to have the proper education, and schooling, and practice I could have done a much better job.鈥�
University president Dr. Alan Davis called the new facility 鈥渁 great vote of confidence for us.鈥�
KPU鈥檚 nursing programs are based at the university鈥檚 91原创 campus, which now has five nursing labs, four simulation labs, and a home care lab, in addition to classrooms and study areas.
The nursing labs are each equipped with life-sized computer-controlled patient simulators that manifest a wide array of physiological and neurological symptoms allowing learners to fully immerse themselves in a simulated health care environment.
READ ALSO: B.C. funds 602 new seats at post-secondary institutions to address nursingshortage
Last year, the province announced funding for an additional 602 new nursing seats at 17 post-secondary institutions to deal with the shortage in nurses in B.C., in addition to the about 2,000 already in existence.
At the time, B.C. Nurses鈥� Union president Aman Grewal called the new nursing seats a 鈥減romising鈥� step.
鈥淣urses staffing levels were already critical before the pandemic, responsible for creating cracks in the system that have only deepened,鈥� Grewal said.
鈥淣ow, our nurses are tired, they are burnt out and they need more support.鈥�
鈥淲hat we need is more nurses,鈥� she added.
