Frequently Asked Questions - Nursing

Nursing is a demanding and rewarding profession that requires a unique blend of personal qualities, professional attributes, and practical abilities. Prospective students are encouraged to reflect on the following characteristics to help determine their fit for the profession. This information is based on the Requisite Skills and Abilities for Becoming a Registered Nursing in Alberta (2022).

Key Attributes of a professional nurse include: 

• Compassion and empathy when caring for individuals and families
• Attention to detail and strong critical-thinking skills
• Accountability, resilience, and the ability to adapt to changing situations quickly
• Multitasking abilities and readiness to respond quickly in urgent or unpredictable circumstances
• Professional communication skills for interacting with patients, families, and healthcare teams

Important things to consider: 

• Am I prepared for shift work, including nights, weekends, and holidays?
• Am I comfortable working with bodily fluids and performing hands-on care?
• Can I function effectively in fast-paced or high-stress clinical environments?
• Am I able to meet the physical demands of nursing, such as standing or walking for long periods, assisting or lifting patients, and performing repetitive tasks?
• Can I manage emotionally challenging situations, including patient suffering, grief, and end-of-life care?
• Can I give and receive constructive feedback professionally?
• Am I able to uphold strict ethical standards, confidentiality, and patient privacy?
• Am I committed to providing inclusive, culturally safe care?
• Can I manage my time effectively to balance academic, clinical, and personal responsibilities?

You can search the Transfer Equivalency Database for course equivalency. Courses cannot be assessed until a student has applied to the University of Lethbridge. 

Applicants to NESA programs who have declared their Indigenous ancestry at the time of application will have special consideration designed to help address the traditional underrepresentation of Indigenous people in health professions.

Iniskim, the University of Lethbridge, provides access to educational programs, work-integrated learning options, scholarships, awards and bursaries, and other opportunities that benefit Indigenous Peoples of Canada in support of its commitment to Reconciliation. 

The Attestation of Indigenous Identity Form is a process to verify Indigenous Ancestry through a signed attestation to ensure opportunities for Indigenous Peoples of Canada at Iniskim, the University of Lethbridge are awarded accordingly. Attestation of Indigenous Identity helps guide institutional planning to continue to make Indigenization a priority. If submitted, this information is used for statistical purposes to measure system effectiveness over time and to develop programs, services and policies to improve Indigenous learner success at Iniskim, the University of Lethbridge. 

Proof of Indigenous ancestry is not required at this time.

The NESA BN Programs are competitive because of the volume of applications that we receive. 

We have 129 seats in the Bachelor of Nursing program, and 32 in the Bachelor of Nursing After Degree, which typically receive over 700 applications combined. For previous years’ competitive average, click here. Please note that the competitive GPA cut off will change each year and this information should only be used as a guideline.

Our BN programs are delivered in person only. 

Our Master of Nursing (MN) offers accessible online courses for practitioners who already hold a Bachelor of Nursing degree who want to further their nursing education.

Nursing programs vary in their course sequencing and curriculum structure. As a result, all nursing-related transfer credit will be evaluated by the Admissions, Transfer, Readmission & Health Experience Committee , and transfer credit cannot be guaranteed. Applicants seeking to transfer into a Nursing program are also required to submit a letter of intent as part of their application.

Non-nursing courses may be eligible for transfer credit; however, LPN-specific nursing courses are typically not transferable. You can search the Transfer Equivalency Database for course equivalency. Your courses cannot be assessed unless you have applied to the University of Lethbridge. 

Due to the structured nature of the Bachelor of Nursing program, students are required to complete Nursing courses in the order in which they are assigned; you are not able to condense or ‘double up’ on semesters. However, we do offer a Fast-Track option which enables a portion of each cohort to complete the BN Program by the end of December, rather than the end of April of the fourth year.

If you haven’t taken all the required classes in high school or did not receive a competitive grade, you can take classes at the University of Lethbridge to boost your competitive average. We accept a mixture of both high school and post-secondary grades towards the competitive average. More information can be found here. 

The University of Lethbridge does not offer pre-assessment of credentials, degrees or courses.

You can search to see if the courses you are inquiring about are in the Transfer Equivalency Database. Otherwise, you will need to apply for admission to have your documents evaluated. Your courses cannot be assessed unless you have applied to the University of Lethbridge.  

Please reach out to the Academic Advisor if you are experiencing any of the following (not an exhaustive list): 

• Academic difficulties 
• Professional difficulties (such as a concern with a peer or Academic Staff)
• You have questions about your program sequencing/transfer credit
• You would like to be connected to a resource on campus.
• You are concerned you may fail a course 

Conversations between the advisor and students are always confidential unless the student gives permission for the information to be shared, or such information indicates a risk to other students/clients or to the student’s own safety.

Use the form found here to change your name with the University. It’s important to also inform the Nursing office of any name changes (nursing@uleth.ca ) to ensure continued access to Digital Health platforms. 

No, we do not offer any scheduling changes. Students must attend the classes they are scheduled for.

You may be able to work as an HCA (Health Care Aide) and/or as an UGN (Undergraduate Nurse) after the completion of a certain number of practice hours and/or certain practice competencies. More information can be found through Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health websites. 

Yes. More information on scholarships and awards can be found here.

As a nursing student in a professional program, you are expected to demonstrate academic integrity, professionalism, and accountability while meeting high standards in coursework, clinical performance, communication, and ethical conduct. You must also be prepared to manage a rigorous workload, maintain patient safety, and uphold the values of the nursing profession. See the link here for more information on the Student Code of Conduct policy. Additionally, the NESA BN Programs has Policies and Guidelines which students must adhere to. More information is found here. Unprofessional behaviour is a serious matter and will be treated as such. 

Absolutely! Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Nursing Student Club and the University of Lethbridge’s Nursing Student Association (NSA) are a great place to start – contact them at nsa@uleth.ca. Students can also connect with:

• NESA Committees and program events such as Open Houses and tours

• Undergraduate Research opportunities through faculty-led projects

• Peer mentorship initiatives within the BN program

• Campus clubs, committees, student leadership positions, and volunteer roles available through ULethbridge’s Student Union

A residency requirement is the minimum number of credits or courses a student must complete directly through the university, rather than transferring them from another institution. NESA programs have an institutional residency (minimum credits at the university overall), and a faculty residency (minimum credits within the Faculty of Health Sciences that must be completed at the university).

For more information on the residency requirements for NESA please see here.

Only under extenuating circumstances may students in the Faculty of Health Sciences obtain special permission to study at another university to receive credit at the U of L for any course(s) taken on another campus. Permission must be obtained before enrollment at the other university. Contact the appropriate Advisor in Health Sciences for more information.

See the Transfer Course Database here.

Students may be able to complete a non-nursing class at ULethbridge while attending the Lethbridge Polytechnic if their schedule permits it. Please reach out to an academic advisor if you are interested (nursing@uleth.ca).

All degree requirements must be completed within seven years (six years for BN-After Degree) of completion of the first Nursing course used for credit towards the degree, with a time limit for retention of individual course credit of seven years for Nursing courses and ten years for Human Anatomy and Human Physiology courses.

Additionally, due to the highly structured nature of the program, a student may not be able to take classes out of sequence.

Yes, you may have to complete mandatory Connect Care training. We are dependent on AHS to schedule Connect Care training dates for us, due to this, dates could fall outside of the Academic Calendar. 

Please reach out to our Accessible Learning Centre here for assistance.  Prospective students are encouraged to read the following document published by the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) to determine if nursing is the right fit. Requisite Skills and Abilities for Becoming a Registered Nursing in Alberta (2022).

The Southern Alberta Medical Program (SAMP) will train undergraduate medical students at the University of Lethbridge and in rural communities across southern Alberta. Please reach out to them directly at samp.info@uleth.ca for inquires about admissions and pathways. 

If the course is a Nursing theory, Human Anatomy and Physiology, or a class within Health Sciences, and you receive below a C-: 
Please reach out to the Academic Advisor immediately as it could impact your progression into the next semester. 

If the course is non-Nursing/Health Sciences (such as the Social Science elective) and you receive an F: 
Please reach out to the Academic Advisor to inquire about impacts on your GPA and when to sequence the course.

If the course is a clinical/praxis course: 
Due to NESA policy, it requires removal from the program and the student must wait one full year before reapplication into the program; acceptance is not guaranteed. If you are concerned about a clinical course, please contact the Program Coordinator (LP) or the Assistant Dean of Nursing (Uleth) or the Academic Advisor immediately. 

For more information, please see the handbook here.

No. All clinical experiences in the NESA BN Programs are mandatory. Even if you have prior coursework or nursing-related experience, you are still required to participate fully in all assigned clinical placements. Each clinical course is designed to meet specific program and accreditation requirements, and skipping clinical hours is not permitted.

All placement sites and instructors are randomly assigned to ensure equitable and high-quality learning experiences for all students. Placements can occur during days, evenings and weekends and may be in locations that are not accessible by public transit. 

One strength of the NESA BN Programs is a close connection with rural communities in Southern Alberta. Students are responsible for the cost and arrangement of transportation to and from affiliating agencies. The program cannot accommodate student requests for changes in practice site locations. 

Yes, as a pre-professional program, students are required to attend all classes/laboratory sessions/practice courses/nursing orientation sessions. More information can be found here. 

You will not be permitted to attend clinical practice without valid CPR or N95 Mask-Fit Testing. Please ensure you are monitoring your expiry.  Unfortunately, the University of Lethbridge is not offering CPR recertification or mask-fit testing at this time. Students will need to arrange these requirements independently through local agencies in Lethbridge. As course offerings can be limited and tend to fill up quickly, we strongly encourage booking early to ensure timely completion.

The NESA BN programs offer a wide variety of clinical experiences. At this time, we do not offer specialization opportunities. 

No. Nursing clinical placements are unpaid learning experiences.

Any concerns should be communicated to the Program Chair (at Lethbridge Polytechnic) or the Assistant Dean of Nursing (University of Lethbridge) as soon as possible. 

See here for a list of pre-clinical required documents: