September 28, 2004

Contact: Dave Stephen,
Phone 604-864-4611
Fax: 604-859-6653
E-mail: dave.stephen@ucfv.ca

First class of practical nurses graduates from UCFV

They’re educated, enthusiastic, and ready to help address the need for licensed practical nurses in British Columbia.

The University College of the Fraser Valley recently marked the graduation of its first Practical Nursing class. The 19 new graduates are now prepared to work in acute care settings in hospitals and long-term-care settings. Many of them have already landed permanent or casual positions.

“This was a very intensive year-long program with very few breaks,” commented UCFV Practical Nurse program coordinator Eleda McQuarrie. 

“The students had to be very diligent and dedicated to complete it successfully,” added Health Sciences director Wanda Gordon. 

Jackie Morrison of Langley relied on the support of her family during the intensive year of study for her Practical Nurse certificate.

The program mixed classroom instruction at UCFV’s Chilliwack campus with clinical placements at various Fraser Health Authority health care facilities. 

The addition of the Practical Nursing program rounds out UCFV’s Health Sciences offerings, which also include a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (leading to licensing as Registered Nurse), a 24-week Resident Care/Home Support Attendant program, and a one-year Certified Dental Assistant certificate. 

“The LPN role has been utilized in more settings and greater numbers over the past five years, making the opportunities for people with this education very significant,” said Gordon. 

Two fresh graduates who are looking forward to putting their skills to good use are Melissa Martz of Chilliwack and Jackie Morrison of Langley. 

“This was a really intense program — we all cried together at times — and getting through was really tough, but now we feel really prepared for the workplace,” said Martz, who harboured dreams of a health care career while working in the fast food industry after high school. “I like the idea of being an LPN because you get to spend a lot of time focused on patient care.” 

Morrison, a 39-year-old mother of three, was working with her husband in a home-based business before switching to a long-held goal of a nursing career. 

“It’s very rewarding to take on such a major change at this point in my life and to try something different,” she said. “Completing this program was an accomplishment for the whole family as I juggled full-time mum and full-time student responsibilities.”

Both graduates had high praise for the “awesome” level of instruction at UCFV.

UCFV will graduate one class of practical nurses every year in this busy 12-month program. On the same day that graduates were celebrating with an afternoon reception, new students were undergoing orientation.

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