When Shari Hurst completes her nurse practitioner studies, she will become a primary care provider to up to 1,000 patients in the Victoria region.
Hurst, a registered nurse of 25 years who specialized in cardiology, is among 34 students completing their final year of the University of Victoria's Master of Nursing, Nurse Practitioner (NP) program.
When they graduate, students will become qualified family nurse practitioners, playing a crucial role in connecting the about 400,000 people in BC without a family doctor to primary care providers.
For Hurst, the NP program offers the promise of an exciting new career and a chance to serve her community in a distinct way.
I wanted to do something different. I wanted to expand and meet the broader needs of the community. I'm passionate about being a primary care provider."
Shari Hurst, nurse practitioner student
National Nursing Week takes place from May 12 to 18. This year's theme, the Power of Nurses to Transform Health, speaks to the vital, varied roles that nurses play in the healthcare system.
UVic is one of four universities in BC that offers graduate-level training for nurse practitioners to work in primary health care. Since the program started in 2003, UVic has graduated 315 nurse practitioners.
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with a broader scope of practice, including the ability to diagnose and treat health issues, order and review lab and diagnostic tests, prescribe medications and treatments, fill out extended health forms, and initiate referrals for people to see other health care specialists.
Last September, UVic added 15 new seats to its NP program, thanks to $532,500 in provincial funding. The funding boost has helped to expand the number of seats available in UVic's NP program to 50 places.
The blended online and in-person program includes courses on advanced assessment and diagnostic reasoning practice, practicums in primary health care settings, and hundreds of hours of theory, covering the care of children and families, as well as adults.
Sarah Pirani, UVic nursing faculty member. Photo credit: Geoff Howe
Sarah Pirani, an assistant teaching professor in UVic's School of Nursing, says students from across BC are enrolled in the rigorous and competitive NP program. She says in a full-time role, 1,000 patients can be assigned or "attached" to each nurse practitioner.
With 34 students graduating this year and 50 next year, she says thousands of people could potentially find a primary care provider.
There is huge potential for nurse practitioners in BC."
Sarah Pirani, UVic nursing faculty member
In mid-March, second-year nurse practitioner students visited UVic's campus for four days where they had the opportunity to practice together for their clinical exams at UVic's Student Wellness Centre.
Linus Scott, a registered nurse who worked in youth mental health for five years before enrolling in UVic's program, says he appreciates that nurse practitioners work with people when they're healthy, not only when they're sick.
You're supposed to be able to see a nurse practitioner when you're well. You're not supposed to be acutely ill before you get help."
Linus Scott, nurse practitioner student
Hurst says she values that nurse practitioners bring their skills as registered nurses to the role, especially their ability to relate to others.
"We remember our foundation in being a registered nurse and take that holistic approach to medical care," she says. "We are providing equal care and doing it through a different lens."
Both nurse practitioner students plan to join primary care clinics in Victoria when they pass their regulatory exams.
Read more about UVic's nurse practitioner program.
