Province invests in UNBC’s nurse practitioner program, facility renovations

Twenty new training seats are being added to UNBC’s nurse practitioner program.

This morning, the provincial government announced it expanded the number of seats at three universities in B.C. which also included UBC (30 seats) and the University of Victoria (15 seats).

In addition, UNBC is receiving $4.1 million dollars in provincial funding for facility renovations.

“As UNBC’s nurse practitioner program has grown to welcome more students, each new graduate will expand access to high-quality, patient-centred care across British Columbia. This growth is particularly meaningful in northern and rural communities, where many graduates choose to practise. Their presence helps ensure residents can receive timely health services close to home while strengthening the province’s overall health system.” – Catharine Schiller, chair of school of nursing, UNBC.

In 2018, the province launched its primary-care strategy to increase patient attachment and access to quality, team-based and person-centred primary-care services throughout the province.

Training more nurse practitioners will help increase B.C.’s network of care and will address gaps in underserved populations, such as those in rural or remote areas.