What skills will I learn in each year of the program?
Year 1
In first year, you will learn important foundational skills. Skills included but not limited to:
- Relational practice including communication
- Documentation
- Conducting a health history
- Vital signs
- System assessments (cardiovascular, respiratory, GI, GU, etc...)
- The rights of medication administration (i.e. the right patient, the right medication, the right route, the right time, the right frequency, etc...)
- Lifts and transfers
- Specimen collection
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Year 2
The second year focuses on maternal/child, mental health and community. Skills included but not limited to:
- Relational practice including communication
- Documentation
- Health assessments (newborn assessments, perinatal, mental health assessments)
- Community assessments (Windshield surveys)
- Stages of labour
- Maternal and infant nutrition
- Safe medication administration
- Aseptic techniques
Year 3
The third year focuses on patient care in the acute and chronic setting. Skills included but not limited to:
- Relational practice including communication
- Documentation
- Perioperative nursing care
- Post-operative exercises
- Pain management
- Care for the client with acute wounds-stitches, staple removal, burns and post-operative ostomy assessment
- IV medication administration
- Care for the client with neurological issues
- Respiratory assessment, oxygen therapy and chest tubes
- Urinary catheterization and management
- Care for the client requiring TPN, CVAD, and nasogastric tubes
- Teaching self-management techniques in complex illness
- Management of pressure ulcers and chronic wounds
- Hospice palliative care
- Care for clients requiring pulmonary care (suctioning, tracheostomy, and COPD)
- Assessment of EENT (ears, eyes, nose and throat), breast and testicular exams
Year 4
Year four takes place primarily in the clinical setting as you work towards becoming a novice nurse. Prior to entering the setting you will complete a skills blitz in The Hub integrating all skills from each year.