Phases
Project Description
This pilot program provided opportunities for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) to re-enter into meaningful employment in their fields. This integrated program positioned language needs as a central component of its delivery mode that fostered learner success by breaking down the language and cultural barriers which are currently preventing IENs from entering the profession.
“My communication now is better that is because of this class. Now, I am not hesitate talking to our RN’s and supervisor from work. I am not scared to clarify things and give positive feedback to others. I also learned not to judge other culture though, I am not really doing it but I am more aware now of the differences of culture. I learned how to give more respect to the choices of people from other culture. I don’t only see myself as Filipino but I see it as a person with full of understand for other people with different culture. Overall, there is a big improvement in myself and communication skills"
- IPNDIEN learner
Phase I
Phase I: Recruitment and Staffing
- Information sessions were held on campus and in the community, and all potential learners underwent an hour long interview at which time they were referred to ILVARC for Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) assessment
- The instruction team attended bi-weekly meetings to ensure integration of skill areas with nursing content
- Nursing classes were staffed from the pool of instructors in the School of Health, Justice and Human Services at Bow Valley College
Phase II
Phase II: Assessment and Program Delivery
- All learners were assessed twice using the CELBAN (institutional) and twice using the CLBA
- Delivery of the program was organized into two stages. The first two semesters of the program were delivered in the ELL Division of the Centre by ELL instructors and content area instructors, the final three semesters of the program were all nursing classes.
- All of the graduates have passed their licensing exam and are working in health care
- Success rates for cohort 1 are 82% overall
- By August 2012, 88% of learners in cohort 2 graduated with a BVC Practical Nurse Diploma
Project Highlights
The Centre introduced a scenario approach to support learners to acquire interculural communicative competence and sociocultural competence. The opportunity provided learners with a chance to practice the communication skills required of nursing professionals in Canadian health care settings, an essential experience in all nursing programs for IENs. Not only did learners benefit from this in their coursework (clinical) but their future success in the health care workplace depends on this practical and situational experience. The scenario approach developed for this project was especially useful and thoughtful in its design. As an internally funded component of this project at Bow Valley College, it is one that the Centre has adapted for other contexts.