Number of nurses has increased 10 per cent since inception of nursing strategy in 2001
The British Columbia government is infusing another $15 million into its provincial nursing strategy to recruit, retain and educate nurses, according to the provincial health minister.
“With this year’s funding, we have raised our total investment in B.C.’s nursing strategy to $189 million since 2001. This has allowed us to improve opportunities for Aboriginal nursing, build internship programs for new graduates and support leadership opportunities for nurses in each health authority," said Health Minister George Abbott.
Since its inception, the province’s nursing strategy has provided funding to create new educational spaces, offered nurses around the province opportunities in continuing education, funded projects to ensure that nursing care meets the health needs of Aboriginal communities and established workplace initiatives to support the well-being of nurses.
As part of the strategy, the province has committed to launching a three-year accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program at the B.C. Institute of Technology. This will enable students to graduate in three years, with the first intake of students expected in August.
“We have already nearly doubled the number of nursing education spaces in our province and are continuing to expand opportunities for student nurses,” said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. “B.C. is graduating record numbers of nurses, with nearly 13,000 degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded by our public post-secondary institutions since 2001.”
As of April 2008, there were 41,269 nurses with a practising license in B.C., up by more than 10 per cent from 2001.
“With this year’s funding, we have raised our total investment in B.C.’s nursing strategy to $189 million since 2001. This has allowed us to improve opportunities for Aboriginal nursing, build internship programs for new graduates and support leadership opportunities for nurses in each health authority," said Health Minister George Abbott.
Since its inception, the province’s nursing strategy has provided funding to create new educational spaces, offered nurses around the province opportunities in continuing education, funded projects to ensure that nursing care meets the health needs of Aboriginal communities and established workplace initiatives to support the well-being of nurses.
As part of the strategy, the province has committed to launching a three-year accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program at the B.C. Institute of Technology. This will enable students to graduate in three years, with the first intake of students expected in August.
“We have already nearly doubled the number of nursing education spaces in our province and are continuing to expand opportunities for student nurses,” said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. “B.C. is graduating record numbers of nurses, with nearly 13,000 degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded by our public post-secondary institutions since 2001.”
As of April 2008, there were 41,269 nurses with a practising license in B.C., up by more than 10 per cent from 2001.
