By Bob Hall
January 10th, 2025
Filling an essential gap in the region’s frontline health care needs, the first cohort of graduates from Selkirk College’s Practical Nursing Program are now out in communities making a difference.
Spurred by staff shortages across the sector, the Provincial Government provided funding for new seats at post-secondary institutions across British Columbia in late-2022. Students in the Selkirk College Practical Nursing Program began the two-year diploma program in January 2023 at the Trail Campus with eight students from the program graduating this past November.
Essential to the continuity of care, licenced practical nurse’s (LPN) scope of practice is geared towards stable patients and predictable outcomes. Generally working in a team that includes registered nurses and doctors, LPNs work in a variety of settings that includes hospitals, long-term care homes, doctor’s offices, clinics, extended care facilities, acute care centres, community hospices and private homes.
“The graduates of the first Practical Nursing Program cohort are a group of compassionate, dedicated and fierce individuals who worked hard alongside their instructors to develop and refine their skills and professionalism as nurses,” says program coordinator Sarah Lechthaler. “They conquered challenges with humility and grace. I am incredibly proud of every single one of them.”
Nursing shortages in rural regions of the province have weighed down the health care system. The goal of the program was to help train and retain nurses, improving access to health care that is relevant to rural communities. With graduates having a clear pathway to employment in a high-demand field, the program supported their career growth and is ultimately contributing to the local economy.
Lechthaler has worked in health care sector and education field since 2005. Herself an LPN, Lechthaler says those looking for this particular health care career were forced to relocate for their education prior to 2023. Even though many of these locals intended to come back, they were drawn away from the West Kootenay and Boundary region after being offered positions in the communities where the program was offered.
“Supporting residents of the region to further their education to support their families and contribute to the strengthening of their local communities by providing safe and appropriate care is a real important step,” says Lechthaler, who began teaching in the Health Care Assistant (HCA) Program at Selkirk College in 2014 before moving into a leadership role. “More local graduates contribute to an overall improvement of the sustainability of local health care systems.”
The Right Choice for a New Mom
Drawn by the outdoor winter recreation opportunities in the West Kootenay, program graduate Syndel Rogowski moved west from Manitoba in 2018. Her first step into the health care field came in 2019 when she graduated from Selkirk College’s HCA Program in 2019 and went to work for Castlegar Home Support.
Employed on the frontlines through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic strengthened Rogowski’s desire to further explore options. She applied for the four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program, but changed course after becoming pregnant. In the early stages of her maternity leave, she found out about the new Practical Nursing Program being offered at Selkirk College.
Though her son was only seven months old when Rogowski started the program in 2023, support from her partner and mother-in-law made it possible to take the bold step as a full-time student. Once in the program, the small class size and supportive learning environment helped Rogowski grit her way through the rigors of school work and practicums.
“I really do love it, I have a big passion for this career,” Rogowski says. “Having the health care assistant background was super helpful because I knew how to communicate in that setting and knew what to expect. Now, I have the nursing knowledge to better advocate so we ensure the best outcomes for the patients that I work with.”
An excellent student, Rogowski was quickly hired by Interior Health to work at Talarico Place in Castlegar where she is now part of the team at the long-term care facility.
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The program’s second cohort began the two-year program in January 2025 and the start-date for the next intake will soon be announced. Individuals interested in this career can also explore first steps in the Health Care Assistant Certificate Program that is accepting students for February 2025 and September 2025. A 30-week program that includes blended on-line and in-person instruction, learners spend 10 weeks on theory, 10 weeks in lab/theory and then complete a 10-week clinical practice. There is also the Pathways to High-Demand Careers route which helps those looking for academic upgrading opportunities get the proper pre-requisites for a number of different programs at Selkirk College.
Find out more information about how to enter this rewarding program at: selkirk.ca/practical-nursing
