USask and Government of Saskatchewan Celebrate Nursing Graduates
Post-Degree students celebrate completion of accelerated nursing program.
The first cohort of University of Saskatchewan (USask) nursing students have graduated from a reinstated accelerated program aimed to help address staffing challenges in the province.
This month, 28 students who are part of the USask College of Nursing’s Post-Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing (PDBSN) program will officially become one step closer to entering the Saskatchewan health-care workforce as a registered nurse (RN).
“Our faculty, staff and leadership are extremely proud of the achievements of this group of PDBSN students,” said Dr. Solina Richter (DCur), dean of the College of Nursing. “We look forward to following these graduates as registered nurses and interprofessional health care providers within the Saskatchewan health-care system.”
The purpose of the PDBSN option is to recognize previous university achievements of qualified students and give them the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in a shortened period of time. Due to uncertainties during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022), the accelerated nursing program was temporarily on hiatus as the college navigated health restrictions to ensure all nursing students could finish their program requirements.
The early return of the program in the 2022-2023 academic year was made possible by the Government of Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resource (HHR) Action Plan. Funding provided through this initiative enabled USask to admit students to the PDBSN program in January 2023. Additional students from this initial cohort will complete their fast-tracked nursing degrees in April 2025.
“Our government remains committed to supporting health professionals at every stage of their career as part of our province’s ambitious HHR Plan,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “Our goal was to create more opportunities for students and new grads to study and work in Saskatchewan and build a rewarding career right here. We look forward to the contributions of these new nursing graduates in the communities they’ll serve.”
Alongside the reinstated PDBSN program, the USask College of Nursing also used funds provided by the HHR action plan to expand the Learn Where You Live programming, which provides accessible nursing education in 10 locations in Saskatchewan, including rural and remote communities.
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