Practical nursing refresher course coming to MHC

By KELLEN TANIGUCHI on April 21, 2021.

ktaniguchi@medicinehatnews.com@@kellentaniguchi

Medicine Hat College’s school of health and community services is offering a new practical nurse refresher certificate this fall.

The one-year program is meant to help nurses re-enter the field with the current skills and knowledge required by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta.

“It’s a combination of theory, hands-on experience, learning in labs and a clinical practicum at sites within Alberta,” said Dr. Harrison Applin, dean of the school of health and community services. “The nurses who will be taking the course, they are coming back so they can re-join the workforce.”

Applin says the program is in response to a need to identify health-care professionals who may have had their licence expire because of life events, or something else. He adds they need to come back in through their licensing body, the CLPNA, which the college has worked closely with in developing the certificate program.

The industry has changed as well, and Applin says it’s important nurses get hands-on experience before re-entering the field.

“There has been a lot of changes in the industry,” he said. “The biggest one is that the Licensed Practical Nurse scope of practice changed I think in March last year where they had a number of skills added to their practice … this program essentially increases their scope of practice back to where it would be.”

The framework for the certificate is entitled the “concept of caring,” says Sandy Fritz, chair of health, in a news release.

“It’s a more evolved practice,” she said. “It is taking the knowledge that they already have and centralizing the concept of caring which means using health assessments that consider the physical, social, emotional, culture and spiritual needs of clients.”

Applin says they are dedicated to ensuring students are highly competent and confident as they go back into the workforce and support healthcare in Alberta.

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