Georgian College will offer a new standalone, four-year bachelor of science in nursing degree beginning next September.
Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop, who is also the Progressive Conservative MPP for Simcoe North, announced the new program at the Barrie campus Thursday afternoon.
The new program builds on Ontario’s recent changes allowing both publicly assisted colleges and universities to offer a baccalaureate degree in nursing to increase opportunities for students to access a high-quality education.
This includes standalone bachelor of science in nursing (BScN) programs offered at universities, colleges and through collaborative university-college partnerships.
Sara Lankshear, a registered nurse and Georgian College’s associate dean for nursing, said the program will make a significant difference.
“We know right now that the students who go, that leave the community, actually then end up not returning to this community to practice,” she said. “Students, people that live in this community, can now get all four years of their degree in this community, and then actually practise in this community.
"They will stay here as opposed to going into the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and not coming back.”
Lankshear says Ontario’s nursing shortage is a problem now and could be more so in the future.
“What we are really expecting is a significant increase in those early retirements, because of the pandemic,” she said. “People are just exhausted and tired, so we’re anticipating the retirement numbers over the next couple of years will increase significantly.”
As part of the province’s recently announced $35-million investment to increase enrolment in nursing education programs in publicly assisted colleges and universities across Ontario, the province is also providing as much as $564,308 to help increase enrolment in nursing education programs at Georgian College, supporting the training of 62 new practical nursing students.
Janice Skot, president and CEO of Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), noted the Barrie hospital is looking at both doubling its size and another facility south of the city.
“We’re projected to hire 3,000 additional staff,” she said. “Now they (nurses) are going to be here, now they are going to be available to us. They can choose their careers locally.”
Georgian College president and CEO MaryLynn West-Moynes said need and partnerships have led to the four-year BScN degree being offered.
“COVID has only served to intensify the nursing shortage,” she said. “These are tough jobs, these are important jobs. As a community college, we need to be part of the solution.”
“This is an important milestone for post-secondary education in Ontario as Georgian College becomes one of the first colleges to offer standalone nursing degrees,” said Dunlop. “By allowing colleges and universities to have standalone degrees, our government is increasing choice and reducing barriers to access high-quality, local education for our students.
“There’s a gap between the current nurses and what is needed. We need more nurses," she added.
To become a registered nurse in Ontario, and be registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario, individuals must obtain a bachelor of science in nursing degree.
Investing in nursing education supports the province’s long-term care staffing plan that was launched last year. At the centre of this plan, the hours of direct care for residents in long-term care will be increasing to an average of four hours per day during four years. To implement this initiative, the province will be making overall investments of $1.9 billion annually by 2024-25.
Georgian College will welcome the first cohort of new nursing students starting in September 2022.
