NP Program Receives 7 Year Program Approval
Nurse practitioner program receives highest level of program approval while overcoming pandemic challenges.
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing is proud to announce we have received the highest level of approval possible (seven year approval rating) from the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan (CRNS) for our Nurse Practitioner programs.
To ensure graduates are educated to provide safe, competent, quality care and meet the criteria for provincial Nurse Practitioner (NP) licensure through a national certification exam, our programs are regularly reviewed by the CRNS regulatory body.
USask College of Nursing offers students two primary care nurse practitioner program options – the Master of Nursing Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner and Postgraduate Degree Specialization Certificate Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner. The programs began in 2006 and 2009 (respectively) and have grown to where demand for the program exceeds the number of seats annually. The nurse practitioner programs admit students from across Canada.
“Our nurse practitioner programs, in partnership with CRNS, piloted a new competency-based program assessment model that will be used with other nursing programs in the province,” said director of the nurse practitioner programs Dr. Mary Ellen Labrecque (NP, PhD). “The review process is an opportunity for constructive dialogue, between the CRNS and nursing education programs, and among the faculty and staff within a program, to ensure safe competent care is the primary outcome of our educational programming.”
The program approval process began at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring the College of Nursing to find a way to deliver laboratory activities online. Faculty and staff were innovative and collaborated to deliver a number of activities virtually, including a suture skill building session.
“We are proud to share this wonderful news about our nurse practitioner program,” said College of Nursing dean Dr. Solina Richter (DCur). “Working through a program approval during a pandemic brings uncertainty, but everyone involved in the nurse practitioner program worked together and successfully achieved the highest level of approval from the CRNS.”
The College of Nursing would like to thank all faculty, staff, instructors, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) examiners, and students who have been involved in designing and delivering our nurse practitioner programs.