Prairie College's Perfect Formula for Nursing: Combining Technique with Compassion
 The Prairie College of Applied Arts and Technology (PCAAT), in Three Hills, Alberta, offers a truly unique humanitarian approach to its LPN (licensed practical nurse) program. Prairie College is the first school with an LPN training facility in the province that offers international humanitarian missions, for credit.
The idea originated with ten first year LPN students. Funded by businesses from the Three Hills community they embarked on a three week mission to Mucombeze, Mozambique. The idea of crediting the students for humanitarian endeavours progressed from the success of the pilot project.
The first year LPN students accompanied by two health care aid students, three instructors and the PCAAT’s Dean, Candy O’Connor, set up a clinic and treated between 200 to 400 people a day with illnesses such as Malaria, AIDS, eye and ear infections and TB. The nurses also traveled through hours of bush in search of those patients immobilized by their illness.
The nurses reflected on their trip in their school paper:
“Visiting people in their homes left a lasting impression on me. The grass huts, dirt floors, and living conditions were different than anything I’ve ever experienced.” Emily Cleveland, a second year health care aid student, said.
The trip gave both students and staff a whole new perspective on their career.
“You can never look at anything in the same way again.” Deanna-Marie Schellenberg, a second year student, said, “I’m more passionate about nursing as a result of the trip. We learned a great deal about different diseases. It feeds that visceral instinct of ‘wanting to help’ which is the soul of nursing itself. There are huge cultural differences, but the one constant that you bring back with you is the need for communications skills - listening, assessment and critical thinking- with an over-riding realization of limited resources.”
“We did a debriefing every night for everyone involved to process what we had seen during the day to make sure there was an outlet for the emotion attached to life-altering experiences.” Dean O’Connor said.
The trip struck a cord with everyone involved and has inspired the consideration of a humanitarian travel assignment as a staple to the Prairie College, LPN program.
“Our international commitment extends our ability to service our students in a profoundly unique way. The experience supports the values of both the college and the nursing community. We use the international exposure as a base for building empathy and compassion in our nurses,” Dean O’Connor said.
Prairie College’s revamped program has led to an increase in student numbers, with thirteen students in Year 2 and eighteen in Year 3. The program now draws students from as far as Ontario and California.
The heart of the LPN program is Year 1 courses and an additional six-week practicum in Continuing Care. Year 2 focuses on Acute Care practicum during the winter session and Community Focus and Comprehensive practicum in the spring.
Prairie College is also planning a two year internship program for its LPN graduates. When introduced, it will focus on training graduates to be leaders by coordinating mission trips and giving spiritual guidance. One of the main benefits of the internship program is the ability for graduates to commence their career while strengthening their hands-on skills. At the end of the internship program students will also graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies.
A strong sense of community surrounds the Prairie College campus as well as the Three Hills area. The rural setting also allows students to form a close-knit college community based on common interests and goals.
“There are few distractions in a rural setting,” Deanna said, “we form close bonds working and studying together, there’s a tighter circle of accountability.”
It is evident that the low student to teacher ratio allows closer interaction and forms lasting bonds throughout the Prairie College community.
“I have deep relationships with my students,” says Wendy, “they’re like extended family. “I work to build strong connections that allow me to draw out the best in them.”
The students at Prairie College unite in their common beliefs and selfless aspirations. Prairie College’s LPN program is just one example of why the school is so successful and why graduates are working in industries that they are passionate about.
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