U of S College of Nursing Yorkton Campus welcomes first students

The College of Nursing believes students should have the opportunity to "learn where they live". Until the start of this program, students in the Yorkton area completed their pre-professional year (year one) at Parkland, but then had to relocate to Saskatoon, Regina or Prince Albert to complete years two thru four in the College of Nursing. As a result of the new partnership with Parkland College and support of Sunrise Health Region, students are now able to complete their U of S BSN degree at Parkland College in Yorkton and most clinical components in the Sunrise Health Region.

"The College of Nursing is excited to celebrate our first Yorkton BSN class today," said Lorna Butler, dean of the College of Nursing. "We are pleased to collaborate with Parkland College and Sunrise Heath Region to offer our BSN program to students in another Saskatchewan community. We look forward to great things to come from the Yorkton BSN Class of 2017."

"This partnership offers great opportunities to the Parkland Region and the province as a whole," said Parkland College president Fay Myers. "We are happy to celebrate these students as they take another step on the road to their nursing careers."

"It is a pleasure to welcome the first students into our health care facilities to complete the clinical practicum components of their education," said Suann Laurent, president and CEO, Sunrise Health Region. "As a learning organization we look forward to sharing our expertise with the students and to continued collaboration with our partners in health education."

Over the years, nursing education has had traditions come and go, but based on feedback from alumni and students, the College of Nursing has re-established the traditional pinning ceremony to celebrate students' progression throughout their BSN program.

During the celebration today, nursing students were welcomed into the program and received their Year two pin from Yorkton resident and U of S alumna Patricia Kachman.

"The pins are a symbol celebrating the effort that was needed to complete the students' education to this point. The new progression ceremony is a great way to celebrate these milestones, as they move through their years in the program," said Butler. "Students were looking for a way during their placements to communicate with community members about their level of their education and we believe this pin, which we're hoping they will all wear proudly during their practicums in the Sunrise Health Region, is the perfect way to do so."

While in Yorkton today, the College of Nursing also recognized local media and presented Thom Barker and Yorkton This Week with the University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing 2014 Extending Our Reach Media Award. The award is an opportunity for the College of Nursing to acknowledge and say thank you to a media partner who has gone above and beyond to provide a positive profile for the College of Nursing over the past year.

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For more information, contact:

Kylie Kelso

Communications Officer

U of S College of Nursing (306) 281-8448

kylie.kelso@usask.ca



Brendan Wagner

Communications Officer

Parkland College (306) 728-6595

b.wagner@parklandcollege.sk.ca



Sharon Tropin

Director of Communications

Sunrise Health Region

(306) 786-0144

sharon.tropin@shr.sk.ca