Supporting our Future Nurses
FACE OF THE FUTURE Second year Langara College student Kay McPhee was one of the BCNU-sponsored students who attended the Canadian Nursing Students' Association Western Prairie Conference in October.
BCNU celebrates National Nursing Students' Week
Nursing students are the future of our profession and our union. They are the activists and advocates of tomorrow. BCNU is proud to support nursing students, and the union is committed to providing them with opportunities to help them enjoy successful and rewarding careers.
Every November, nurses' unions, associations and educators celebrate National Nursing Students' Week. BCNU recognized the occasion this year by hosting a one-hour virtual information session for nursing students interested in knowing more about the important role the union plays in nurses' working lives.
The event saw 48 students from around the province tune in to an online Zoom session on Nov. 17, where BCNU North West region council member and student nurse council liaison Teri Forster presented Student Nurses: Future Members.
The session was a valuable overview of the many benefits that free student membership provides.
BCNU student membership allows access to a range of union supports and resources that are designed to better ensure that new nurses are set up for career success. Student membership also provides access to BCNU workshops and opportunities to attend BCNU regional meetings, conferences and educational events focused on issues from human rights and equity to professional practice.
Approximately one-quarter of nursing students in the province are registered as student members of BCNU. Forster encourages all students to join the union, especially given the growing challenges health-care workers face today.
"There are more reasons than ever for nursing students to sign up to be a BCNU student member," says Forster. "We know student nurses are entering a fractured health-care system and we want to arm with them with as much support and information they'll need to transition into their career positively."
According to a 2019 BC health ministry report, 13 percent of new graduate nurses indicated their intent to leave the profession due to lack of support in the workplace and undesirable working conditions. A startling 25 percent claimed they would actively discourage someone from going into nursing.
And that was before the pandemic. Today, new graduates are walking into a nursing shortage and two declared provincial health office emergencies in the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid crisis.
"Nurses have been under terrible duress," Forster acknowledges. "But BCNU is committed to being part of the solution. If we can help prepare a student nurse by providing them access to networking and educational opportunities, we hope they will have a higher rate of success and stay in the profession."
"If we can help prepare a student nurse by providing them access to networking and educational opportunities, we hope they will have a higher rate of success and stay in the profession."
Forster points to the Student Nurse Education Bursary that is funded by members and vendor donations gathered at BCNU's annual conventions as a great example of nurses supporting each other and their community.
She is also proud of two new bursaries the union established in 2021. "This year we introduced the Student Nurse Advocacy Bursary and the Indigenous Student Nurse Education Bursary," she reports.
"All 2022 bursary applications will open in January, and I encourage eligible student members to apply."
Forster says the students attending the Nov. 17 info session were also very curious about the Employed Student Nurse Program. Launched 20 years ago, the program enables third- and fourth-year students to gain clinical experience in health-care facilities in special paid part-time or part-year positions. These positions support a nursing unit's normal staff complement and students work under the direction of a unit manager.
"This is a particularly popular program for student and current nurses alike. Students are our future and finding ways to build relationships will increase retention and support throughout the profession," she explains.
Sponsoring participation in annual nursing conferences is another important way BCNU supports students. Forster says the switch to online education and virtual events following the arrival of COVID-19 has reduced travel costs and allowed BCNU to fund more student attendance at 2021 conferences.
"We sponsored 18 students for the Canadian Nursing Students' Association Western Prairie Conference in October and had funding for more," Forster notes, adding that she encourages more students to apply in future. "The feedback we received from the students we sponsored showed they were participating in learning sessions on issues that weren't covered in their post-secondary education."
Kay McPhee is one of the BCNU-sponsored students who attended the CNSA conference. "I'm always grateful for the educational opportunities conferences can provide, but even more so when it betters my whole life," says the second year Langara College student.
McPhee says a session on nutrition was one of the most eye-opening experiences of the conference. As a student she's struggled to eat well given her busy schedule. "I often don't know how to eat appropriately for long or overnight shifts," she reports, and says the session host encouraged her to reach out to a nutritionist to start working on her eating habits and be better prepared to do her job.
McPhee is grateful for the chance to attend the educational event. "Thank you again for these sponsorships," she says. "They help us become the best nurses we can possibly be."
BCNU is also helping student members attend the CNSA National Conference taking place Jan. 22-23, 2022. The theme of the virtual event is Nursing Outside of the Box!
"BCNU has sponsored four students from each of our 16 regions to attend this conference," Forster reports.
Forster encourages working nurses to connect with students and share their own experiences as workers and union members.
"Nursing has been known to be one of those professions where there is often a relative who has inspired a future nurse," she notes. "I hope my fellow nurses will remind any family and friends who have nursing students in their lives that there are a lot of valuable benefits to getting them signed up as a free student member."
BC nursing students can become a BCNU student member here or email studentnurse@bcnu.org for more information.
UPDATE (Winter 2021)