Part of the Sackville Memorial Hospital is now serving as a training ground for nursing students as part of an accelerated nursing program being offered by a private university.
Officials gathered in Sackville, N.B., on Monday to mark the official opening of Beal University Canada’s nursing program.
Students are already getting training in the renovated wing of the hospital, with the first group set to graduate in August.
“Looking at our school here today, all of a sudden we have a large number of nurses from New Brunswick, training in New Brunswick, graduating in New Brunswick who will likely stay here,” Health Minister John Dornan said.
“In fact, a significant fraction of our early classes have indicated an interest in practising in New Brunswick.”
Tia Richard, who was born and raised in Sackville, is among the university’s students. She says being able to study at home allowed her to enter the nursing field.
“I’ve been wanting to do nursing for quite a few years. I have four kids at home so there was no other option to travel to Fredericton or Halifax, where the other universities were,” she said.
Sackville Memorial Hospital’s ER is only open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily due to staffing issues.
The community’s Rural Health Action Group says it’s already considering how it can entice students to stay and work in Sackville.
“There’s a lot of things that other places are doing and we’re trying to do an inventory on that like perhaps paying some of the debts, perhaps providing an extra amount or perhaps providing them a place to stay here,” group member John Higham said.
For more on this story, watch the video above.
