Laurentian University’s School of Nursing offers their students an exceptional education with distinct nursing programs dedicated to both their English and French-speaking students. The School has been offering undergraduate nursing education for over 50 years and graduate education for over 20 years and reflects Laurentian’s commitment to educate healthcare professionals who are deeply connected to their communities.
Dr. Christina McMillan Boyles, Director of the School of Nursing/ École des Sciences infirmières says, “Laurentian offers both English end French undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing, providing the opportunity for Francophone students to receive education that fully embraces their language and culture, while ensuring access to healthcare services in French.”
Undergraduate programs
Through interactive collaboration among students and faculty, laboratory technologists, and clinical educators, Laurentian University’s English and French language undergraduate baccalaureate programs integrate stimulating theoretical classroom learning with dynamic learning in laboratory, acute, and non-acute settings.
McMillan Boyles says, “The French undergraduate program goes a step further by providing the opportunity for Registered Nurses to obtain their baccalaureate degree online. This flexibility allows busy professionals to advance their careers while continuing to work in the healthcare field.
McMillan Boyles says, “Our baccalauréat en sciences infirmières pour infirmiers et infirmières autorisés, is designed for college or CEGEP-educated candidates who are registered nurses and wish to obtain a bachelor’s degree.”
Laurentian also offers a French-language program that allows Registered Practical Nurses to get their degree to become a Registered Nurse. McMillan Boyles shares, “Our passerelle pour infirmiers et infirmières auxiliaires autorisés program provides a gateway for RPNs with a licence to practice nursing in Ontario who wish to become Registered Nurses.”
Pathways to graduate degrees
Laurentian’s Master of Science in Nursing program is the same curriculum in both English and French and designed for working professionals who want to advance their level of education. McMillan Boyles adds, “At the graduate level, our School also offers a primary healthcare nurse practitioner program in collaboration with eight other universities across Ontario.”
Something unique that the School offers is the ability for both English and French undergraduate nursing students, as well as students enrolled in the French-language, post-RN online program to take master level elective courses. McMillan Boyles says, “These options give students a taste of graduate level education before they complete their undergraduate degree.”
In response to community demand, the School of Nursing/ École des Sciences infirmières also offers a Master of Health Administration program in both French and English, a collaboration between the Faculty of Education and Health and the Faculty of Management at Laurentian University. McMillan Boyles says, “This program is for those who are interested in graduate education and who want to pursue leadership positions in healthcare organizations. This is the second year we are offering the English program and the first year that we’re offering the program in French.”
There are different streams that students can take in their nursing education. The MScN program includes thesis, advance practice, course-based, and nurse practitioner sections. McMillan Boyles says, “Laurentian has a large suite of programs designed to build the capacity of Registered Nurses and healthcare leaders in the North and beyond.”
Reach across the province and beyond
Since the early 2000s, the reach of Laurentian’s nursing program has expanded across the province. McMillan Boyles says, “With our multiple collaborations over the years, we’ve been able to offer a Laurentian University degree to students not only in Sudbury and northeastern Ontario but also in Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Kingston, Cornwall, and Brockville. We are proud of our history of collaboration with institutions across the province to offer nursing education.”
Laurentian has responded to the changes in various requirements to ensure that their graduates meet entry-to-practice requirements as outlined by the College of Nurses of Ontario and eligibility to write the national licensing exam. McMillan Boyles adds, “The French post-RN online program has over 700 nurses from across Ontario and into Quebec who are working toward their baccalaurèat en sciences infirmières degree because it’s offered in French and being entirely online, it’s accessible.”
Laurentian has been graduating educated and skilled nurses in its English and French-language undergraduate programs for over half a century. Their credentials will widen their career path and benefit their patients and communities.
Filling healthcare gaps
Laurentian graduates begin working immediately in settings like Health Science North, public health, and community clinics. Nurses educated in Sudbury are more likely to remain working in Northern Ontario. Their French-language Nurse Practitioner program in particular has seen amazing results. McMillan Boyles says, “Being able to communicate in one’s first language can make a world of difference, because it reduces anxiety, promotes safety, and ensures nothing gets lost in translation. Laurentian nurses play a crucial role in addressing healthcare gaps in Northern Ontario.
Laurentian’s undergraduate programs are accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing and have received program approval by the College of Nurses of Ontario. As such, their students have an opportunity to write the national licensing exam. Christina McMillan Boyles adds, “Our programs also undergo IQAP, the Institutional Quality Assurance process as outlined by the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance. Each program is of high quality, which is something to be proud of.”
Making a difference
Laurentian University’s nursing graduates are shaping the future of Northern Ontario in ways that truly matter, and the nursing programs are a pipeline for healthcare professionals who are making a positive difference in their communities.
Graduates of Laurentian’s nursing programs not only possess the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to competently practice the discipline of nursing, they are also connected to their communities through language and culture.
Healthcare professionals who understand the needs of those to whom they provide care, leads to better care and trust in Ontario’s healthcare system.
Discover the educational opportunities and career possibilities in Laurentian University’s School of Nursing programs