TORONTO, February 5, 2001 -- The School of Nursing at York University’s Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies is holding a Nursing Job Fair tomorrow, Tuesday, February 6, to assist students in finding jobs and meet the growing demand for nurses by hospitals and health care agencies across Ontario.
There are more than 140 third and fourth-year students in York’s Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (BScN). Fourth-year students will have the opportunity to meet recruiters from more than 20 Ontario hospitals and health care facilities. Not only will these students be the first to graduate from the School’s Collaborative BScN program this spring, but they will also be the first students to graduate from a collaborative nursing program in Ontario, giving them a leg up in pursuing a nursing career. Third-year students will have the opportunity to explore prospects for summer jobs at the fair.
"Ontario is experiencing a shortage of nurses," said Atkinson School of Nursing Director Kathleen Macdonald. "Our fourth-year students in the collaborative nursing program are still months away from graduating but are already in demand by health care institutions across the province. In addition, the health care agencies attending the fair have asked to meet with third-year students, not only to offer them opportunities for summer employment, but also to foster relationships with them prior to graduation with an eye to becoming their employer of choice in the future."
In April 2000, the Ontario Government announced legislation to take effect January 2005 which requires all new nursing graduates to hold a four-year honours degree in nursing in order to be eligible for certification as a registered nurse.
Established September 1997, York’s Collaborative Nursing program provides a four-year integrated honours degree in nursing that is delivered in a geographically articulated model which builds on the strengths of both the college and university nursing education systems. Students complete the first two years of their nursing education at a partner college -- Seneca College (King City), Georgian College (Barrie) or Durham College (Oshawa) -- followed by two years of study at York. Atkinson’s School of Nursing, which was established in 1993, also offers a Post RN degree program for nurses already practising in the field, and several academic certificates.
The job fair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will take place in the Vari Hall Rotunda, York University, 4700 Keele Campus.
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For further information, please contact:
| Kathleen Macdonald Director, Atkinson School of Nursing York University (416) 736-5271 kathem@yorku.ca |
Mina Singh Atkinson School of Nursing York University (416)736-2100 x 66439 minsingh@yorku.ca |
Ken Turriff Media Relations York University (416) 736-2100, ext. 22086 kturriff@yorku.ca |
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