"Helping people is what I want to do for the rest of my life," says Vladyslav Nychyk, Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate. Nychyk is excited to start his career in North Battleford, giving back to the community where he grew up.
He was awarded the University of Regina Faculty of Nursing and Saskatchewan Polytechnic Leslie and Irene Dubé School of Nursing Deans' Medal at convocation in June. The Nursing Deans' Medal recognizes academic achievement and the dedication and adaptability of students.
Image credit: Saskatchewan Polytechnic
At age ten, Nychyk and his parents immigrated to Canada from their small village in Western Ukraine. He's grateful his parents made the move to provide a better life and more opportunities.
In high school, Nychyk got involved in his community working as a lifeguard. It was there that he learned more about nursing from co-workers pursuing the field. It was a perfect fit with his passion and skills.
"Nursing is very rewarding," he says. "I always wanted to give back somehow."
The SCBScN program was the obvious choice for Nychyk because of the hands-on and practical experience.
"I'm really glad I chose this program because of the high number of clinical hours and labs that we did," he says. Nychyk got real-world experience in labour and delivery, mental health, pediatrics, orthopedic surgery and emergency care.
"The emergency department was the greatest learning experience. Things can go sideways quickly," he says. On his second day of clinical practice, Nychyk witnessed the rapid decline of a patient's condition. Despite the team's efforts to stabilize his heart, the patient had to be transported by Stars Air Ambulance.
Nychyk says the Simulation Learning Centre played a huge role in preparing him for situations like that. "It's crucial for us to be able to learn from our mistakes and the sim labs gave us that opportunity," he says. Simulation centres are essential to nursing education, providing realistic practice in a safe and controlled environment.
"The Simulation Learning Centre replicates real-world scenarios and supports the development of critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills," says Christa MacLean, dean for Sask Polytech's Leslie and Irene Dubé School of Nursing, Health Sciences and Community Services.
"Scenarios in the simulation centre bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering a standardized approach to learning for all nursing students. The centre also enables students to engage in teamwork and communication exercises while collaborating with other healthcare students."
Nychyk also values the connections he made with his instructors and classmates, and as a member of the Saskatoon Nursing Students' Society. Convocation was a chance to reconnect, catch up and reflect on memories with them.
Walking across the convocation stage to receive the Deans' Medal, Nychyk is proud of his accomplishments over the last four years and looks forward to giving back to his community. He plans to return to school in five years to become a nurse practitioner and open a family care clinic.
Learn more about the SCBScN offered jointly by Sask Polytech and the U of R at sasknursingdegree.ca.
For more information
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www.saskpolytech.ca
