Nursing and the world — limitless possibilities
Our nursing program emphasizes the skills essential to work in the primary healthcare environment with a variety of opportunities for clinical practice.
By enrolling in the BN program, students have the opportunity to practice in a wide variety of sites locally and provincially, and possibly nationally and internationally in intensive care units, small neighbourhood health clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centres, community agencies, research and policy centres, correctional services and businesses.
Nurses assess infant and toddler growth and development and promote healthy child rearing in the many northern, rural, urban and ethnic communities of Canada. They run health and safety programs in factories; they discuss policy in government; they work with children, teenagers, adults and the elderly.
In Canada, nurse retirements, an aging population, and growth in new and emerging healthcare initiatives and technologies, is creating new and exciting opportunities for and within the nursing profession.
Nursing undergraduate programs
A Bachelor of Nursing (basic) from UNB qualifies graduates to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) set by the Canadian Nurses Association.
Salaries of RNs range from about $68,000 for RN 2 to $94,000 for Master prepared Nurse Practitioners all depending on location, education and level of responsibility.
If you are of Aboriginal descent then you might be interested in UNB's Aboriginal Nursing Initiative.
Skills acquired
The BN program instills a deep-rooted sense of purpose and professionalism. You will build skills to enhance your personal growth and professional development; RNs use high-tech equipment, perform complex procedures and lead and manage staff. Our program emphasizes the teamwork, leadership and clinical decision-making skills that are essential for working in the primary healthcare environment.
You'll also benefit from UNB's presence as a research powerhouse; 80 per cent of the research conducted at New Brunswick universities happens at UNB, with over $51 million in research funding awarded annually.
Five abilities
The Bachelor of Nursing program emphasizes five abilities essential for working in primary healthcare:
• Applied knowledge - applying knowledge from nursing and other disciplines in the arts and sciences.
• Communication - clearly conveying accurate information while in practice.
• Critical thinking/analytical skills – learning to accurately evaluate situations and formulate decisions.
• Professional identity/ethics - applying personal and professional identities to complex situations.
• Social justice/effective citizenship - becoming responsible global citizens.
