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Nursing

Nursing students standing next to a Nursing simulation dummy in a hospital

Fostering Caring Relationships

York’s School of Nursing offers three BScN options, all at York’s Keele campus: a 4-year Direct Entry program, a 2nd-Entry program, and a Post-RN Internationally Educated Nurses program. Our programs develop reflective and socially responsive practitioners to ensure health for all through nursing excellence. Students learn to collaborate in an interprofessional team, advocate and lead in the provision of care though opportunities that foster in-depth knowledge, critical thinking and lifelong scholarship.

For more information on York’s Nursing degrees, visit the Nursing website.

York’s Nursing programs use transformative teaching/learning strategies that blend theory and practice, culminating in a final practicum experience. All undergraduate nursing programs – 4-Year Direct Entry, 2nd Entry and Post-RN Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) – are approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Graduates receive a Specialized Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) degree enabling graduates to write the registration exam approved by the CNO. Graduates must meet essential professional practice requisite skills and abilities (e.g., cognitive, communication, interpersonal, behavioural, psycho-motor, sensory and environmental capacities) and specific College requirements to become members who can practice with the title “Registered Nurse”. Transfer students from other nursing programs are not accepted into the 4-Year Direct Entry nor 2nd Entry nursing programs.

Nursing video description transcript

Programs

4-year Direct Entry BScN program

The School of Nursing’s new stand-alone 4-Year Direct Entry Program offers all four years at York’s Keele campus and is designed for students who have no previous nursing education. Interprofessional thinking and collaboration are integrated throughout the program, culminating in a nursing capstone course which aligns with a final practicum experience.

For more information, please visit:

yorku.ca/health/nursing/undergraduate-programs/4-year-programs/

2nd Entry BScN Program

The School of Nursing’s 2nd Entry Program builds on prior university learning and is available to students who have completed a university degree in any discipline or have 60 credits or more toward a university degree. The program builds on prior university learning thus enabling students to complete the program in two calendar years through concentrated and continuous learning in six terms.

For more information, please visit: 

yorku.ca/health/nursing/undergraduate-programs/2nd-entry

Post-RN Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) BScN Program

The IEN program is specifically designed for internationally registered nurses who graduated from nursing programs outside of Canada. The program recognizes the strengths of internationally Registered Nurses and provides a 20-month program to enable students to transition to the Canadian healthcare system, demonstrate entry-to-practice competencies, and meet specific College requirements to become members who can practice with the title “Registered Nurse” in Canada.

For more information, please visit: 

yorku.ca/health/nursing/undergraduate-programs/post-rn-internationally-educated-nurses

Nursing students and professors assessing a patient in a simulated patient scenario

Sample Core Courses

  • Development as a Professional Nurse
  • Ethics and Health Equity in Interprofessional Practice
  • Health Assessment
  • Leadership, Change and Innovation
  • Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Knowledge Integration
  • Reflection and Relational Practice in Professional Nursing

Experiential Education in Nursing

Hands-on learning is at the core of the Nursing program and integrated through practicum field placements for all students with health care providers, and through our Nursing Simulation Centre, Nursing Skills Lab and Computer Simulation Lab.

NEW: Specialized streams in High Acuity and Critical Care, and Mental Health, Illness and Addiction are available to students within the curriculum of the 4-year Direct Entry BScN program and the 2nd Entry BScN program as a potential career pathway for students interested in careers in these areas.

Nursing Simulation Centre

Students in York University's nursing programs utilize the Nursing Resource Centre (NSC) to support them in meeting their clinical skill and professional development learning needs. The NSC is located on the third floor of the Health, Nursing and Environmental Studies Building (HNES) and serves up to 1200 nursing students. Opened in February 2006, the 5000-square-foot Nursing Simulation Centre is divided into two unique spaces; the Nursing Skills Lab and the Computer Skills Lab.

Clinical simulation available in the NSC allows students to engage in learning through the use of low, medium and high fidelity mannequins as well as case studies / scenarios and software programs. Clinical simulation involves the use of artificially created events that nurses are likely to encounter in practice - events which demand a high level of clinical decision-making and/or implementation of psychomotor skills. Simulation technologies place emphasis on integration and application of knowledge, skills, and critical thinking.

Additionally, simulation affords nurses the opportunity to experience error-inducing situations without jeopardy to themselves or patients. Clinical simulation and lab activities are integrated into the clinical and theoretical components of nursing education by the six programs by the School of Nursing at York University (Collaborative, 2nd Entry, Internationally Educated Nurse BScN programs, and the Nurse Practitioner MScN program).

In all of these programs, simulated case scenarios enhance students’ confidence, competence, and synthesis of learning.

The Nursing Skills Lab

Nursing Skills Lab (HNES 304) is a simulated hospital environment that has been created to support nursing students with their clinical skill development. The overall space houses adult medical surgical beds, a pediatric area which includes bassinets, cribs and isolettes, as well as two isolation rooms. The bed spaces are divided by curtains to provide privacy, and IV poles and appropriate lighting are available. Seven of the adult beds also have been equipped with a head wall system that supports simulating oxygen and suction capability. The NRC is equipped with four SimMan mannequins. These bed spaces are equipped with cameras to record student learning activities for simulation debriefing.  In addition, the NRC has a complete Vital Sim Family, SimBaby mannequin, Virtual IV simulator, a variety of neonate mannequins, and an extensive collection of anatomical training models, and the necessary medical equipment and supplies to provide students with an adjunct to their clinical placement learning. Nursing students can practice everything from inserting a catheter to changing dressings. Additionally, the two divided spaces are equipped with podiums, computers with internet access and projectors/screens for use in lecturing.

The Computer Simulation Lab

The Computer Skills Lab (HNES 303) has 24 workstations and access to all of the computer services normally available through York. It provides the opportunity for students to develop clinical decision-making and critical thinking skills through interactive computer simulation exercises and review of audiovisuals.

Careers in Nursing

You are in an exciting field at an exciting time. The demand for caring, qualified professionals with an education in Nursing is increasing due to an aging and growing population and workforce, new technologies, a focus on primary care and restructured health care systems.

York’s nursing graduates are working as Registered Nurses in hospitals, as public health nurses for municipal public health agencies, and as clinical nurse managers in hospices, to name just a few of many examples. Other career options for nurses include:

Home health care

Nurses provide a variety of care to people in their own homes. Good communication skills, an ability to teach family members and the ability to work independently are important for careers in home health care. Most home care nurses work for home care agencies, but some are self-employed.

Primary health care

Following post graduate studies, nurses as primary health nurse practitioners, have responsibilities in caring for patients as part of a health care team in neighbourhood health centres, nursing homes, and/or other locations. They provide services such as health promotion, disease and injury prevention, acute and chronic disease management, rehabilitation and support.

Public health

Nurses with an interest in health promotion, health education and illness prevention in populations often choose careers in public health.

Long-term care

With today’s aging population, demand is growing for nurses in leadership roles in seniors homes, nursing homes, rehabilitation hospitals, respite care facilities and palliative care hospices.

Global Health care

With globalization, nurses are becoming leaders in creating changes globally in such areas as health and well being, health systems, nonprofit /profit sectors, research and education.

Hospital tertiary care

These nurses are integral members of health care teams who work in acute care settings.

Nursing Alumni

Murphy Ash
Chemotherapy RN & Professor, Joseph Brant Hospital, Humber College & Seneca College
Halima Mohidin
Registered Nurse, Surgical Unit, Toronto Western Hospital
Cassandra Melo
Registered Nurse in Charge, City of Toronto Long Term Care Homes Division
Jenny Nguyen
Operating Room Nurse, Toronto Western Hospital

Contact Nursing

 (416) 736-5271

nursing@yorku.ca