Three registered nurses who work in the Battlefords Union Hospital Intensive Care unit are among several in Prairie North and Prince Albert Parkland health regions who have completed SIAST's new critical care nursing program.
Graduating from the program recently were David Spencer, Brittany Loranger and Megan Wiese.
According to a SIAST press release, the critical care nursing program was developed with input from both urban and rural critical care nurses, educators and managers to ensure a standard level of education is available to registered nurses interested in working in a critical care environment. Offered on a full- and part-time basis, the critical care nursing program replaces the existing basic critical care nursing program by introducing updated curriculum and best practices.
"In a rural intensive care unit there are unique needs, as there are in an urban intensive care unit," says Joleen Klassen, critical care nursing program head. "This program brings together the needs of both centres and creates a standard level of education to meet the needs of all critical care nurses in the province."
SIAST worked in partnership with hospitals in Saskatoon and Regina and with rural intensive care units to develop the program's curriculum.
"We are excited about this unique partnership with the health regions," says Klassen. "It's through their input that we are able to develop a program that meets the needs of both students and employers in the delivery of quality education that is accessible to registered nurses throughout the province."
The program's first students began their part-time studies in January and completed the program in May.
"We are extremely proud of our three ICU nurses who took on the challenges of the course as they continued their demanding workload at BUH," says Pat McWatters, nurse manager of BUH ICU.
" We applaud their dedication and commitment to enhancing critical care for their patients, and improving consistency in care and communication throughout the health system. Our hospital and health region are thrilled to be partners with SIAST and the other health regions in developing and delivering this important program."
Graduates of the program may seek employment in critical care settings such as medical intensive care, cardiac care and surgical intensive care units.
The program is set to expand to the rest of the province in September 2014. Students work through the online program modules from their home community and then complete the clinical practice education requirement close to home.
"This program provides students the opportunity to maintain their home and work commitments while furthering their education," says Klassen.
Registered nurses interested in exploring critical care nursing as a career can visit http://gosiast.
