Year: 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2020

YELLOWKNIFE, NT – Laura McBride, Clinical Coordinator for the Surgical Unit of Stanton Territorial Hospital, has been chosen as the 2020 Preceptor of the Year for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Aurora College. She was nominated by graduating BSN student John Mark (JM) Mabilog.

The Preceptor of the Year award is presented annually by the Aurora College BSN program to a preceptor who goes above and beyond expectations in promoting student learning and achievement, serves as an outstanding role model for Registered Nursing practice, promotes the preceptor role among colleagues in practice, and demonstrates excellence in teaching and learning. Graduating students are invited to submit a nomination letter for a preceptor they feel meets these qualifications.

In addition to the above criteria, Mabilog describes McBride as being a caring preceptor who creates a supportive environment and provide many opportunities for students to meet their personal learning goals. Faculty note McBride’s efforts to support her colleagues in fulfilling the preceptor role and her ability to give the feedback necessary for students to grow into excellent practitioners. McBride has preceptored Aurora College BSN students for several years.

Aurora College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program faculty and students congratulate Laura McBride on receiving this award, which was presented at Stanton Hospital recently as part of the National Nursing Week celebrations.

Aurora College appreciates and recognizes all of our preceptors, as well as the practicum and clinical supervisors who provide mentorship, guidance, and professional wisdom to all of the students in our School of Health and Human Services programs. Aurora College is accepting applications for programs beginning in fall 2020. Apply online at www.auroracollege.nt.ca

Quotes:

“Aurora College is grateful to Laura McBride and all preceptors who graciously teach and mentor nursing students. Our program success relies on their commitment. Volunteering to be a preceptor is an additional responsibly to working nurses, especially during a pandemic. Preceptors are role models and have a lasting impact on student learning, Aurora College appreciates and honours preceptors. Happy Nurses Week!”
-Jodi Brennan, Chair, School of Health and Human Services, Aurora College

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Aurora College delivers academic upgrading, trades and industrial training, certificate, diploma and degree programs to more than 3,000 full and part-time students at three campuses, 21 Community Learning Centres and other community sites in the Northwest Territories. Community-centred post-secondary programs reflect Northern culture and the needs of the Northern labour market. Aurora College’s research division, Aurora Research Institute, conducts, supports, and licenses research in the NWT. Research centres are located in in Inuvik, Yellowknife and Fort Smith.

For more information, please contact:
Jayne Murray                                                                           
Manager, Communications & College Relations 
Aurora College                                                             
Phone: 867-872-7021                                                   
Email: jmurray@auroracollege.nt.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2020

YELLOWKNIFE, NT – Aurora College is inviting residents of the NWT to help celebrate our nursing students and faculty during National Nursing Week, May 11-17, 2020.

This year’s theme – Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Nursing the World to Health – is especially poignant in 2020 as the world has watched nurses bravely take on various leadership roles on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, putting their own health and safety at risk to help and save others. Standing alongside Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses on the front lines are Personal Support Workers, who perform hands-on daily care for our most vulnerable citizens.

This year’s graduates are entering their professional careers during an unprecedented situation. In addition to the normal course work, practicum and clinical experiences, and national and College exams, they took on extra responsibilities supporting the territory’s pandemic response. Students became COVID-19 screeners at hospitals and primary health care facilities, were support workers at various facilities, and provided support wherever requested by the health care system.

During National Nursing Week, Aurora College’s School of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be holding several virtual events for students, graduates, and faculty. These will include announcing the recipient of the Preceptor of the Year Award, and of the Academic and Clinical Excellence Award, which is presented by the Registered Nurses Association of NWT and Nunavut to a graduating Bachelor of Science in Nursing student.

This year, 39 students are expected to graduate from the School of Health and Human Services at the College: Bachelor of Science in Nursing – 22; Personal Support Worker Certificate – 9; Practical Nursing Diploma – 3; Post-graduate Certificate in Remote Nursing – 3; and Community Health Representative Certificate – 2. Including the 2020 cohort, Aurora College has seen more than 350 nurses and more than 180 personal support workers graduate from its programs. The majority of those graduates have remained in the north, and have consistently provided first-class care to their clients. Aurora College graduates are working in every hospital, health care facility, and long-term care home in the territory, as well as in the majority of NWT communities.

Aurora College’s HSS programs could not provide the level and quality of education they do without the continued support of our many partners, including our preceptors (experienced nurses who serve as mentors and role models for students); the hospitals, health care facilities and long-term care facilities that provide practicum placements; the various professionals and Elders who share their wisdom through guest lectures and on-the-land experiences; and our partner in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program – the University of Victoria.

The World Health Organization has also designated 2020 as Year of the Nurse and Midwife in honour of the 200^th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.

Applications are being accepted for Aurora College programs that begin in this fall. Apply online at www.auroracollege.nt.ca

Quotes:

“Aurora College is incredibly proud of the students and faculty in our Nursing and Personal Support Worker programs for the way they have contributed to the response to the pandemic. Their professionalism, caring and commitment, especially during this challenging time, is inspiring.”
–              Andy Bevan, President, Aurora College

“Our students have shown such adaptability and resiliency during this time of uncertainty – they are our leaders of the future. I encourage students to embrace their new learning and use their voice; we know they are ready to shine.”

“Our small and mighty faculty is willing to tackle whatever is ahead for providing excellence in education – they lead our students by example and are absolutely awesome!”

–  Jodi Brennan, Chair, School of Health and Human Services

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Aurora College delivers academic upgrading, trades and industrial training, certificate, diploma and degree programs to more than 3,000 full and part-time students at three campuses, 21 Community Learning Centres and other community sites in the Northwest Territories. Community-centred post-secondary programs reflect Northern culture and the needs of the Northern labour market. Aurora College’s research division, Aurora Research Institute, conducts, supports, and licenses research in the NWT. Research centres are located in in Inuvik, Yellowknife and Fort Smith.

For more information, please contact:
Jayne Murray                                                                           
Manager, Communications & College Relations 
Aurora College                                                             
Phone: 867-872-7021                                                    
Email: jmurray@auroracollege.nt.ca       

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2020

INUVIK, NT – Aurora College is one of six colleges to share in the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s College-Industry Innovation Fund awards announced recently by William Amos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

Aurora College’s research division, Aurora Research Institute (ARI), has been awarded $170,375 through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s College-Industry Innovation Fund to conduct wind assessment research with a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) wind monitoring unit.

LiDAR technology is ideal for use in remote and northern locations, as it is mobile and can be deployed more quickly and at less cost than the wind towers traditionally used for site assessment studies. Reduced time and costs for site assessments may encourage more private sector partnerships in developing wind energy projects in the Northwest Territories and other remote communities across Canada.

Wind energy holds a great deal of promise as a more economical and environmentally-friendly electricity-generating option than the current diesel-powered generation plants in remote communities across the NWT and much of northern Canada. This investment will help to further understand the benefits of using LiDAR technology for wind studies in remote and northern conditions.

Quotes:

 “Wind energy technology can help communities decrease their reliance on diesel fuel for electricity generation while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Wind power can offer more stable pricing for electricity, which would benefit individuals, communities, and businesses.”
–              Joel McAlister, Acting Vice President, Research, Aurora College

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Aurora Research Institute (ARI) is the research division of Aurora College.  The mandate of ARI is to improve the quality of life for residents of the Northwest Territories by applying scientific, technological and Indigenous knowledge to solve northern problems and advance social and economic goals. To achieve this mandate ARI conducts, supports, and licenses research throughout the NWT.  ARI is headquartered in Inuvik, and has regional research centres in Inuvik, Yellowknife and Fort Smith. Website: www.nwtresearch.com

For more information, please contact:

Jayne Murray                                                                           
Manager, Communications & College Relations 
Aurora College                                                             
Phone: 867-872-7021                                                    
Email: jmurray@auroracollege.nt.ca