Funding will enhance Nursing education

Students in the Nipissing/Canadore collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will be better prepared for the demands of their career thanks to new simulation equipment and scenarios, funded by the Productivity and Innovation Fund (PIF) competition. The Nipissing/Canadore collaborative program received $507,000 in simulation equipment as well as financial support for faculty to develop simulation scenarios and participate in simulation training through the PIF competition.

Simulation equipment and expertise is especially relevant in Nursing education, where clinical education requirements must regularly adapt to a changing health system and patient needs. In 2013, the Council of Ontario Universities Office of Health Sciences highlighted multiple challenges faced by nursing students transitioning into their role as registered nurses. Simulation-based training among undergraduate nursing students can help respond to these challenges.

In 2005, the government provided a significant investment to Schools of Nursing across the province to purchase simulation equipment, providing support for the development of clinical simulations to be used across the undergraduate curriculum. Through the PIF competition, Schools of Nursing across Ontario will receive just over $5. 5 million for this work and support students’ practicum experiences so that new nurse graduates are better prepared for the workplace.

The project is led by Queen’s University School of Nursing faculty in partnership with thirteen university schools of nursing, four colleges, and Ontario’s Simulation Network (SIM-one). PIF funding enables acquisition of new simulation equipment through a bulk purchasing strategy and development of new clinical simulation education modules and adaptation of existing modules to enhance transition into safe practice. The resulting modules will be available through open access to all university and college partners.