Trinity Western University has launched its School of Nursing.

Last week an audience consisting of special guests, mayors from both the City and Township of Langley, staff, faculty, and students heard details from a variety of speakers including TWU President Dr. Jonathan Raymond, and TWU’s Dean of the School of Nursing, Dr. Landa Terblanche.

Terblanche who has been leading the department towards a school says, “We as a faculty are very excited about this change towards more independence and the strengthening of our ability to attain the potential of nursing education at Trinity Western University.”

The vision of TWU's School of Nursing is to “foster values-based nursing, educational vitality, excellence in scholarship in practice, and transformation through Christian graduate nursing education.”

TWU is well known for it’s nursing program. Established in 1993, the Department of Nursing has seen a steady rise in enrolment. Each year there is a large demand for entrance into the highly competitive program. Like all classes at TWU, the Nursing Program is kept small – only 50 first-year students receive acceptance per year.

“Our professors know our students individually and our small classes allow students to begin clinical practice within their first year of education,” says Terblanche. “Students can also obtain international experience by enrolling in courses like Transcultural Nursing.”

Since its inception TWU has sent teams of nursing students to various international sites such as Guatemala and Zambia, where students have had the opportunity to experience health care in an international setting.

TWU President Jonathan Raymond said, “We produce outstanding nurses that go out in to the world and address addiction and address human trafficking and they address AIDS in Zambia and they go out as servant leaders. So this is a great day! This celebrates the launching of a school that is in the fight to address the world’s greatest needs.”

When asked what the benefit of a School of Nursing would provide for TWU Terblanche responded, “The diversity of nursing education and scholarship in the school enables us to offer undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs and courses. As a result, students will have access to programs from a Christian perspective, the benefits and inspiration of cross-fertilization between graduate and undergraduate programs, and increased research opportunities.”

She is quick to share that TWU nursing students, after graduation, go on to work in a variety of nursing environments such as maternity, ER, Mercy Ships and missionary organizations. Many other students are either busy, or have completed graduate studies as well.

“Reports from employers are very positive,” says Terblanche. “I have heard them say, ‘whenever I see a resume from a TWU grad, I immediately put their resume on top to interview them.’”

Besides producing exceptional nursing students, becoming a School of Nursing will allow TWU full advantage of partnerships, collaborations and ongoing connections between undergraduate and graduate programs, including the professional bodies such as the College of Registered Nurses of BC, and BC Academic Health Council.

Says Terblanche, “The School of Nursing will ultimately continue to embody thoughtful Christian perspectives in a healthcare environment faced with increasingly complex ethical, technical, organizational, and social challenges.”

The School of Nursing is approved by the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia and TWU is a member of the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing.

For more information on the School of Nursing visit: http://www.twu.ca/academics/science/nursing