Five Years of Nurse Education in Wanganui!

Five Years of Nurse Education in Wanganui!

The School of Nursing at Whanganui UCOL celebrates its fifth birthday this year.

The birthday will be marked with a tea party next week at the Whanganui UCOL campus, for past and present students, and health sector and community supporters of the school.

Acting Site Coordinator Bronwynne Anderson says a highlight will be a large cake in the star shape (and colours) of the New Zealand Registered Nurse (NZRN) badge.

Over the last five years the school has trained and graduated more than 85 nurses. Bronwynne says most of them have remained in Wanganui and contribute daily to the health sector in the region.

The school is also celebrating a remarkable track record over the five years, with a 100 per cent pass rate in the Nursing Council of New Zealand State Final examinations.

Enrolments for the 2009 Bachelor of Nursing programme are strong and UCOL’s Director of Nurse Education Brian Gilchrist says the school can look forward to an even brighter future.

“As part of our continuous improvement, a new curriculum for Nursing is going through our approval process. Last month we hosted a successful visit by members of the Nursing Council and the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics Quality (ITPQ) panel, to discuss and assess the proposed changes. They visited the Whanganui UCOL Nursing site – and were particularly impressed with the brilliant new facilities there.”

Brian says if the new curriculum is approved, it will be introduced next year, adding that it is an important time to be making positive changes. “We want to ensure our programme continues to produce excellent graduates who in turn contribute to the national nursing workforce at a time when there is an acute shortage of skilled registered nurses.”

The birthday celebrations will be held at Whanganui UCOL in Rutland Street at 3.30 pm on Wednesday 29 October. Dr Nick Nicol, Dean and General Manager of UCOL’s Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, will welcome guests.

Whanganui UCOL’s three year Bachelor of Nursing programme equips graduates with the knowledge and skills required for a nursing career in acute medical/surgical facilities, community health, and mental health and child health agencies. Most graduates take up career opportunities in hospitals, community agencies, Maori health education, iwi-based health centres, pharmaceutical companies, government departments and employment overseas.

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