How much clinical practice is in the program?

Clinical practice is incremental throughout the BScN program, reflecting ongoing growth and development of students' knowledge and nursing skill set.  Clinical practice is also supplemented and supported by time spent in nursing practice labs and nursing simulation lab.

• Year 1:  Students practice basic nursing care with older adults in the long-term settings for one morning a week in the winter term.

• Year 2:  With its focus on the acquisition of holistic assessment skills and the addition of more complex nursing skills, students practice occurs in hospitals and/or other facilities on adult medical and/or surgical units.  One placement takes place in the fall term and another in the winter term.

• Year 3:  The focus is on special areas across the lifespan, students have clinical practice in each of the three different clinical rotations (e.g. mental health, complex adult and, pediatrics or obstetrics).

• Year 4:  Students complete 3 six-week clinical placement courses in which the student is linked to a nurse preceptor.  These placements are in various nursing settings across health care sectors and in diverse locations.

What types of clinical practice do nursing students experience?

As a professional program, we create clinical learning experiences that reflect the many settings where registered nurses work.  Our students practice in acute care hospitals, rehabilitation, long-term care and psychiatric care settings.  Our students practice in a variety of community-based environments including public health, home nursing, schools, industries, correctional facilities and health centres.  Students work collaboratively with individuals, families, groups, communities and populations.

Is there a choice for clinical placements?

The first three years of the BScN program, clinical placements are usually in small groups of seven or eight students with a "clinical instructor".  The choice of placement is determined by the curriculum focus of each year.  The first three years expose nursing students to the variety of settings for nursing practice.

Fourth year students will be provided an opportunity to indicate their preferences for placements.  At least one of the 3 six-week placements must be done in the Thunder Bay region.  Students may have the opportunity to practice "out-of-town", across Canada and Internationally.  All expenses involved in these (out-of-town) placements are the student's responsibility.