Martha MacLeod, Professor

Davina Banner-Lukaris, Assistant Professor 

Heather Correale, Assistant Professor

Lyle Grant, Assistant Professor 

Susan Johnson, Assistant Professor

Lela Zimmer, Assistant Professor

Janet Baillies, Adjunct Professor

Jennifer Beaveridge, Adjunct Professor 

Dana Cole, Adjunct Professor 

Anne Cooke, Adjunct Professor 

Alice Dupler, Adjunct Professor 

Rosemary Graham, Adjunct Professor 

Karen Harlos, Adjunct Professor 

Leah Hunter, Adjunct Professor 

Suzanne Johnston, Adjunct Professor 

Connie-Marie Lapadat, Adjunct Professor 

Adam Lund, Adjunct Professor 

Peter Newbery, Adjunct Professor 

Eileen Owen-Williams, Adjunct Professor 

John Pawlovich, Adjunct Professor 

Sarah Pawlovich, Adjunct Professor 

Colleen Regehr, Adjunct Professor 

Lesley Robertson-Laxton, Adjunct Professor 

Cathy Ulrich, Adjunct Professor 

 

Website:  http://www.unbc.ca/nursing/practitioner.html

 

The Master of Science in Nursing:  Family Nurse Practitioner is a practice-oriented, theory-based degree that prepares graduates to be autonomous practitioners, leaders, role models, and educators in primary health care.  The focus of the Family Nurse Practitioner stream will be general family practice—that is care for individuals, families, groups and communities across all life stages.  Family Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses with advanced education, and skills to provide a broad range of health care services from a holistic nursing perspective.  In British Columbia, the goal of Family Nurse Practitioners is to improve client health outcomes by increasing accessibility to health care services, expanding clients’ health care options, and filling gaps that presently exist in health care delivery.  Although the role of Family Nurse Practitioners includes some activities in common with physicians, they are not substitute physicians.  They will order diagnostic tests, diagnose, prescribe,  and manage diseases, disorders, and conditions within a professionally regulated scope of practice.  They will practice in a variety of health care settings, and work in close collaboration with other health care professionals and service providers.

 

The Master of Science in Nursing:  Academic Masters Program is an advanced nursing practice degree that is theory-based to prepare graduates to become autonomous practitioners, collaborators, nurse researchers, leaders, educators, change agents, and role models.  Graduates of the academic stream will work in a variety of health care settings as clinical nurse specialists, educators, administrators, and researchers, and will work with diverse populations across all age groups.

 

The program is designed to allow professional nurses to complete their degree within two years (three semesters per year) of full-time study or four years of part-time study.  The first year is common to the two streams:  Five core nursing courses built on undergraduate disciplinary learning, and focus on community and program development and evaluation; engaging in debates influencing health care policy; applying research and undertaking evidence-based practice;  promoting the health of Indigenous Peoples; and developing nursing knowledge in relation to advanced practice nursing in northern BC.

 

In addition to the core nursing courses, four nurse practitioner specific courses focus on medical sciences, and one course focuses on the ethics and regulations governing nurse practitioner practice.  Also required are two clinical practicum courses, and one internship course.  On-site clinical laboratory instruction is required prior to the two practicum placements and the internship.  Placements for all clinical experiences will be in northern communities.  A final paper completes the degree.

 

In addition to the core nursing courses, two advanced practice courses, one in advanced qualitative research approaches in health and human sciences and one in quantitative research and analysis in nursing and health care, are required.  As well, students must take at least one three-credit elective in nursing or a related discipline, and complete an independent research thesis.

 

 

In addition to the admission application requirements outlined in Section 1.0 of the Graduate Academic Calendar, applicants are required to submit for consideration of admission: 

• Three letters of reference, at least one of which must be from a health professional from the prospective student’s most recent practice setting.  For prospective students who have been out of an academic program for more than ten years, three letters of reference from a practice setting, one of which must be from the most recent practice setting will be acceptable.
• An academic transcript showing undergraduate courses in nursing theory, health assessment, and community health nursing.
• Nursing practice resume or curriculum vitae.
• Evidence of a criminal records search.

For Family Nurse Practitioner Stream:

 For Academic Stream: 

• Applicants must have current active registration (in the jurisdiction in which the student resides while taking the program).

Requirements

 

Core Courses:	15 credit hours
Nurse Practitioner Courses:	36 credit hours
TOTAL:	51 credit hours

 

 

Core Courses:	15 credit hours
Advanced Practice Courses:	6 credit hours
Elective:	3 credit hours
Thesis:	12 credit hours
TOTAL:	36 credit hours

NURS 604-3	The Healing and Well being of Indigenous Peoples
NURS 606-3	Developing Nursing Knowledge
NURS 607-3	Applying Research and Evidence to Practice
NURS 703-3	Health Program Planning, Community Development and Evaluation
POLS 603-3	Social and Health Policy in the Context of Health and Health Care

 

 

NURS 602-3	Pathophysiology
NURS 603-3	Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
NURS 720-6	Practicum:  Integrating Primary Health Care I
NURS 605-3	Pharmacological Management and Therapeutic Interventions
NURS 730-6	Practicum:  Integrating Primary Health Care II
NURS 608-3	Ethics, Accountability and Responsibility for Practice
NURS 790-9	Nurse Practitioner Internship
NURS 798-3	Nurse Practitioner Project

 

NURS 604-3	The Healing and Well-being of Indigenous Peoples
NURS 606-3	Developing Nursing Knowledge
NURS 607-3	Applying Research and Evidence to Practice
NURS 703-3	Health Program Planning, Community Development and Evaluation
POLS 603-3	Social and Health Policy in the Context of Health and Health Care

 

 

NURS 609-3	Qualitative Research Approaches in Nursing and Health
NURS 610-3	Quantitative Research in Nursing and Health

 

At least 3 credit hours of graduate level study (i.e., at or above the 600 level).  The purpose is to broaden the student’s depth and scope of learning on a particular topic of interest.  The supervisory committee will ensure the appropriate selection of relevant elective course(s).

 

NURS 799-12

Thesis

MScN (academic) students must write and defend an independent research thesis.  The thesis entails research in a topic area developed in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee.  Oral examination is required as per University regulations.

 

 

All students are expected to maintain RNABC/CRNBC practicing membership throughout their program, and provide evidence of registration annually.

 

 

Costs associated with study in the MScN are the responsibility of the individual student, including transportation costs, and any expenses involved in academic studies, lab, and clinical practica.  This includes travel, accommodation, and living expenses associated with required clinical practice or travel to campus for required face-to-face course work.   See Fees.