A nursing education that spans the province

Life inside a hospital can be stressful, but nursing school graduate Kara Sundberg has found the perfect way to use the nurturing skills needed as a nurse outside the hospital to help her relax.

“I focus my free time on working with animals and I have been fostering dogs in my area for years,” says Sundberg. “This has turned out to be a wonderful stress reliever after a long, chaotic shift on a busy medical unit.”

Sundberg, who is originally from Nanaimo, will be completing her nursing coursework this summer at Selkirk College in Castlegar, BC. During her time at UVic, Sundberg made a considerable impression, and will be awarded the certificate of outstanding academic distinction in the Faculty of Human and Social Development at convocation.

Sundberg earned her first degree from UVic in biology, and found herself working in forestry and fisheries as a result. “But I eventually developed an interest in human physiology and pursued nursing,” she says.

Unlike those peers who stayed in Victoria, Sundberg had a more geographically diverse experience by enrolling in a joint UVic-Selkirk College program to take her third and fourth-year courses at UVic. Similar UVic programs are in place for three other BC colleges, including Camosun.

“It was a challenging four years, but it was a great experience,” she says. “The instructors were incredibly personable and supportive, and the small class size and diversity of practicum experiences provided me with a great learning environment. I also wanted to get involved in my community and thought nursing was a good fit for this,” says Sundberg.

Currently Sundberg is working as a new graduate nurse on a medical unit at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson, B.C.

“I hope to gain as much experience as I can over the next year or two and eventually specialize,” she says. “My interests are in mental health, community health and residential care.”

“I’m not sure where this new career will take me in the coming years, but I am excited to find out.”