This evening (Sept 25), 170 nursing graduates from RRC Polytech are being given their pins and being inducted into the nursing profession. The ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre and nearly 1,000 people are expected to attend.
The class of 2024 is the largest nursing class to graduate since the pandemic, consisting of three cohorts coming from the Notre Dame Campus in Winnipeg, and the Winkler and Portage campuses. During their practicum placements many of these nurses worked in rural and remote communities, as far south as Altona and Killarney, and as far north as Pimicikamak Cree Nation.
"We've heard from the placement hosts that they can't wait for our students to become members of their working teams," said Lesley McGuirk, Associate Dean of Nursing. "This is a testament to their hard work and dedication to the profession. Not just to do well in school and put the skills they've learned at RRC Polytech to use, but to make an impact wherever they are for patients and their fellow healthcare professionals. We are extremely proud of each of the 170 graduates today."
"RRC Polytech is proud to be one of the largest trainers of health care professionals in the province," said Fred Meier, President and CEO, RRC Polytech. "Healthcare employers and patients across Manitoba know they can count on our graduates to provide compassionate and needed care and this cohort of graduates is going to exemplify this throughout their careers."
Nurses are a crucial force in patient care and these new nurses receiving their pins today are now ready to work in Manitoba, filling vital positions, supporting healthcare systems in communities throughout Manitoba, and ensuring the best care is available for those seeking it.
"A strong healthcare system begins with a strong workforce, and nurses are at the core of that" said Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care, Uzoma Asagwara. "Every nurse makes the choice to spend their career caring for others. I want to thank every new graduate from RRC Polytech's program for making that choice and wish you all the best as you start on this path."
Each grad has their own story for entering the profession and many of them have already entered the workforce post-graduation. Brett Smith is now working in HSC Trauma Surgery GD3, and Tiana Wyryha is working in Children's Emergency where she did her senior practicum. They are two graduates with different backgrounds but the same passion to make a difference.
"Becoming a nurse was not always what I had planned for myself. My life experiences brought me to the nursing program at the age of 30, seeking a career that provides me with more fulfillment and purpose which is exactly what I found in the nursing program," said Smith. "The nurturing environment created by both staff and fellow students at RRC Polytech has truly inspired my growth."
"From a young age I've always known I've wanted to become a nurse. Being able to help those in need is such a rewarding experience. My biggest inspiration is my mom who's been nursing for over 30 years," said Wyryha. "My experience at RRC Polytech was unforgettable. The nursing program is very hands on right from the beginning. Over the past four years I've developed many inspirations that connected me with staff and fellow students which I hope to enhance during my nursing career."
The pins will be given to the graduates by three of their instructors, and representatives from the Manitoba Government, the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, and the Association of Regulated Nurses of Manitoba will be in attendance, in addition to RRC Polytech's President and CEO, Fred Meier and Acting Dean of the School of Health Sciences and Community Services, Kerri Korabelnikov.
A nursing pin is a badge worn by nurses to identify the nursing school from which they graduated. They are traditionally presented to newly graduated nurses by faculty at a Pinning Ceremony as a symbolic welcome into the profession.
The Bachelor of Nursing (BN) Program at RRC Polytech is a duration of 32 months and runs at the Notre Dame, Portage and Winkler campuses. RRC Polytech also takes several licensed practical nurses (LPNs) into the program each year to get their Bachelor of Nursing degree and become registered nurses (RNs).
