A TOUGH PATH |
TO A GENTLE CAREER»

‘Sacrifice’ is the key word among
Northwest Community College nursing students

- "You t use up your savings,
- you use up your RRSP and
-you borrow from your

family." |

- Of the 18 students registered
-when Northwest _ Community
|. College implemented a registered,
ou P purses. training- program in
eho -- November of 1990, 11 stayed with
“| it and are currently finishing the
; fifth of six required tritnesters.

- According to program admin-

_istrator Johanne Fort most stu-
- dents who left the program did so__
. for reasons other than’ academic’
failure. Most left for personal
reasons, some finding the.course_
was not what they wanted, and -
some transferring _ to other- pro- .
grams, Others left for a year to
- earn money go they could pay the

‘next year’s tuition and ‘expenses.

Fort says there is a wide
variety of students in the pro-
pram, including a few men.

_ Although some students are right
| out of school, it appears most are.
‘mature. students, with 27 being.

the average .age for first year
students. |
- The regular intake for the

| program is now 24 students per
"year, Fort says the college. has 36

applications right now, for the.

“start of the next course in Novem-

ber. However, not all applications

are complete as some students are

awaiting final remarks. Even 80,

it appears that a waiting list is 7

already forming for the nursing
program at Northwest Commun-

ity College. Any students on a

waiting list can take the support
courses of psychology, biology and

32 | Terrace Review — May 15, 1992 -

sociology to ease the workload i in

~ the first year. The support courses ,

are of first year university level
which any students ,can take,

“provided they have the prerequi-

sites.:

and a half years. Each trimester
is 12 weeks, with a break between

each trimester. The course is set
_up-so that the students proceed

through the trimesters, increasing
their skills at. each level. Their

responsibilities ' are - gradually.

increased as they work their way

“up to dealing directly with —

patients in hospital. .

First year students are
required to spend one day per
week in clinical work ata hospi-
tal, dealing directly with the
patients. Second year students
start out with clinical work two
days a week and work up to three
days. The clinical time is spent in
hospitals in Terrace, Kitimat and
Prince Rupert. The remainder of
their time is spent in classes at
NWCC.

The final step of the program
is a 16-week preceptership, in
which the students will work one-
on-one with a nurse in a hospital.

As the students progress, they

take on more and more of the
nurses role. Fort says it is a

guided learning experience and
the focus is on getting the stu-—

nce eee

The nursing. program consists .
of six trimesters and a four month
‘preceptership,. spread over two

ee

a

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