Practical Nursing Program at Vancouver Career College
Vancouver Career College provides high quality healthcare education to students who are passionate about making a difference. The School of Healthcare offers numerous diploma and certificate programs in sectors such as pharmacy assistant, medical office admin, dental office admin, health and nursing. Each of Vancouver Career College’s healthcare programs is combines in-classroom theoretical teaching with hands-on, practical training. Each program includes a practicum placement that allows students to gain real-world experience before graduation. This combination of training gives Vancouver Career College grads an advantage when competing for Canadian healthcare jobs.
Vancouver Career College, Abbotsford Campus
2702 Ware Street
Abbotsford, BC
V2S 5E6
Vancouver Career College, Burnaby Campus
5021 Kingsway St.
Burnaby, BC
V5H 4A5
Vancouver Career College, Kelowna Campus
1649 Pandosy Street
Kelowna, BC
V1Y 1P6
Practical nursing (PN) is the second largest nursing group in Canada. PNs combine nursing knowledge, skill and judgment to treat health conditions, promote health, prevent illness, and assist clients to achieve optimal levels of health and wellness. Practical nurses use the nursing process to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the outcomes of holistic care provided to diverse clients and their families throughout their lifespan, as disease progresses, as well as through palliative stages.
As a regulated nursing profession, PNs practise within the provincially established scope of practice, competency standards, and code of ethics.
Mary Nicholls
Vancouver Career College lab coordinator
I am the lab coordinator in the practical nursing program. I have been here since 2007 and I have been in this role since 2008. I have been practicing Licensed Practical Nurse for thirty eight years and I still currently practice at Surry Memorial Hospital.
Nursing and Health Facts
As of 2013, there is a demand in British Columbia for 18400 more health workers.
The BC Labor Market predicts that nursing employment will continue to grow in the coming years.
Mary Nicholls
Vancouver Career College lab coordinator
I feel that our students are very prepared and it shows with the last three national licensing exams. We achieved a hundred percent pass rate; so, it makes us here at Vancouver Career College very happy. We know that we have prepared them to not only pass the national exams, but be out there practicing safely.
Nursing and Health Facts
According to Work BC, it is projected that 56% of Licensed Practical Nursing job openings will be from retirements and 44% will be from expansion.
Nurses play a pivotal role in the quality of our healthcare. The Licensed Practical Nursing field is expected to grow approximately 2.3 — 2.8% by 2020
Ariana
Vancouver Career College graduate
You are like a family here when you come to Vancouver Career College. Right from the moment I came and talked about the program Vancouver Career College staff and faculty offered me everything — all the information I needed and they showed me around the school. I felt really welcomed and that was a huge deciding factor for me.
Nursing and Health Facts
The average age of nurses is 43.4 years of age (Source: Canadian Institute of Health Information)
The nursing workforce is aging. As people in this field grow older, employers will be looking for younger nurses to take their place.
Megan
Vancouver Career College student
I always wanted to be a nurse. It has always been a dream of mine. When I contacted Vancouver Career College it was very easy to enroll. I have been graduated for eleven years from high school, but it was very easy to transition and to come to college.
Nursing and Health Facts
In a Statistics Canada census, 51% of Licensed Practical Nurses work in hospitals, 37% in nursing homes, and only a small percentage work in local health centres.
These areas indicate where employers will be looking to hire new nurses in the coming years.
Sabita
Vancouver Career College instructor
The most rewarding part of my job is to have the Vancouver Career College students succeed. Here at the college we provide the one on one training with the students as well; so, I am always with the students and I am able to watch each and every student work through every skill set. Also, at the Vancouver Career College we have small class sizes where the students can benefit from the program.
Post-secondary education is a necessity in today’s workplace, and can be the deciding factor in whether or not a job candidate makes it to the next round of the application process. While relevant field experience is also important, a fundamental post-secondary education shows employers that students are serious enough about their future.
This fact has proven true in a number of reports, including one from the Bank of Montreal (BMO), the Vancouver Sun reports. According to the study, a total of 70 per cent of Canadian employers look for candidates with post-secondary education, and of those, one-third are looking for applicants who have specialized educational backgrounds, including training in healthcare, legal studies and business.
“On average, the better educated you are, the more likely you will find work,” Sal Guatieri, BMO senior economist, stated in a press release. “The employment rate for post-secondary graduates was 71 per cent in 2011, compared with 62 per cent for those with just a high school diploma and only 40 per cent for those who did not finish high school.”
Vancouver Career College 