nursing schools vancouver island

Vancouver Island University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program prepares you for the professional role of a registered nurse and allows you to work in a variety of settings.

Our BSN program prepares you for the professional role of a registered nurse and allows you to work in a variety of settings.

The program is located in our Faculty of Health and Human Services on the Nanaimo campus. The faculty offers one of the largest selections of health care programming in Canada, with more than 600 courses across all campuses. At VIU, health care programs are highly respected by industry professionals for their innovative approaches to learning and real-world experience opportunities.

The four-year, full-time BSN program includes studies in humanities, social sciences, biological sciences and nursing theory through classroom lectures and labs, as well as hands-on clinical practice sessions. As a student, you will engage with people from diverse backgrounds and will develop essential communication skills. You will also become an active participant in your own learning throughout your time with us. Your instructors are caring professionals who encourage you to engage with them at any time during your studies—so be sure to take advantage!

You will graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to assess individuals and families, plan, implement and evaluate care, collaborate on interprofessional health care teams and participate in quality improvement activities.

• You will graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to assess individuals and families, plan, implement and evaluate care, collaborate on interprofessional health care teams and participate in quality improvement activities.
• You will be able to engage with people and communities to promote their health, well-being and self-advocacy.
• The program is nationally accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) as well as approved by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
• A minimum grade point average of 65% on all courses required for graduation is necessary for successful completion of this degree.

The BSN program is offered at the Nanaimo campus through a combination of face-to-face, online and blended learning.

In this program, you’ll be using a dynamic and interactive learning environment. The highly supportive faculty are committed to your success and are accessible to you throughout the program. You can work at your own pace, accessing your courses anytime 24/7 from any location as long as you have an Internet connection.

The curriculum is based on the College of Registered Nurses of BC’s 2016 Standards for Practice.

The curriculum is based on the College of Registered Nurses of BC’s 2016 Standards for Practice.

The standards are a set of guidelines and expectations that support nurses to provide safe, competent, ethical, and accountable care. The standards describe what the public can expect from registered nurses at all stages of their careers in every practice setting, province-wide. Visit the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) website for more information on these standards.

View our RN program’s [Student Handbook](http://www.viu.ca/pdf/2017_2018/Nursing_Handbook_2017-18_final_.pdf) for further information about the learning environment at VIU’s nursing program including professionalism and academic honesty.

In your first year of study, you will expand your understanding of nursing practice by learning how to provide holistic person-centred care across the life span.

• Health promotion and disease prevention
• Caring for clients across the lifespan in a variety of settings
• Interprofessional collaboration with other health care providers
• Bioethics, legal and policy implications
• Specialty areas of nursing

You will explore nursing leadership theories, communication techniques and how to manage relationships with other professionals working within interprofessional teams.

You will explore nursing leadership theories, communication techniques and how to manage relationships with other professionals working within interprofessional teams.

You will also examine communication models, such as therapeutic communication, as well as cultural differences that can affect communication with patients. You will apply these skills to simulated, and clinical practice environments.

In second year, you will increase your knowledge further by learning how to integrate ethical principles into your practice and by developing logical thinking processes that help you manage complex health care situations when providing safe, effective care.

In the second year of your BSN degree, you will expand further on the fundamental knowledge and skills you acquired in year one. You will gain greater insight into how to integrate ethical principles into your practice and develop logical thinking processes that help you manage complex health care situations when providing safe, effective care.

You will also continue exploring your role as an advocate for patients as they navigate the healthcare system. The program focuses on building your knowledge of nursing concepts and processes to support these areas of focus with courses like Health Care Ethics, Communicating with Clients, and Transitions to Professional Practice.

Your third year focuses on expanding your physical assessment skills to include specialized areas such as the pediatric population or urgent/critical patients.

Your third year focuses on expanding your physical assessment skills to include specialized areas such as the pediatric population or urgent/critical patients.

In your final year, you’ll combine the knowledge and skills you’ve learned with a desire to provide the best care possible to patient populations in a variety of health care settings. You’ll also:

• work full-time in practice settings under supervision from registered nurses and physicians
• begin to think critically about professional issues that are relevant to theoretical and clinical practice

In the fourth year of study, you will apply all that you have learned in your classroom studies and clinical placements in order to prepare yourself for entry into practice as a registered nurse.

In the fourth year of study, you will apply all that you have learned in your classroom studies and clinical placements in order to prepare yourself for entry into practice as a registered nurse.

This year includes two additional clinical placements in a variety of health care environments. In addition, students are introduced to case management and community health nursing practice while they gain experience in administering medications and intravenous fluids.