Linda Norman-Robbins, the recently retired director of the Western Regional School of Nursing, talks about the program during a recent interview with The Western Star.
That’s the year Norman-Robbins was hired to move nursing education on the west coast into a baccalaureate degree program. Back then, she remembers being told the program would eventually transition from Western Health to what is now Grenfell Campus, Memorial University.
The school is located at Monaghan Hall, connected to Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook. The school began offering a bachelor of nursing (collaborative) program in 1996. The students take their elective courses at Grenfell. The program achieved full seven-year accreditations in 2001, 2008 and again this year. Graduating nurses have filled vacancies in hospitals and health care settings throughout western Newfoundland, the province, the country, and beyond.
Yet, the uncertainty remains.
When and how, not if
Robbins retired in 2014 after 28 years as director. She is proud of the program and the professionals it has educated along the way. It has grown under the leadership of two or three individuals, she says, a remarkable accomplishment given the questions that loomed.
For her, transitioning from Western Health to the university was always a matter of when and how, not if. As the years passed, administration at the nursing school would be included in discussions pertaining to its future. However, Norman-Robbins said there was never got a straight answer when inquiring about its status.
“If we asked Western Health, the answer would be it is up to Grenfell,” she said in a recent interview. “If we asked Grenfell, they would say it was up to Western Health.”
On many occasions, the key partners — including provincial government officials — offered their commitment to bringing the program under Memorial. Robbins said there were times she felt certain things would progress, but for the most part the file seemed to get no priority or action.
Both Memorial president Gary Kachanoski and Grenfell vice-president Mary Bluechardt have publicly committed their desire to make this happen.
Eastern Health’s Centre for Nursing Studies is in the same position, waiting to move under the Memorial umbrella. Several government ministers have confirmed the commitment to move this file.
Sense of urgency
There had never been a more pressing need to push this file in a timely manner until now.
The province has committed to building a new regional hospital in Corner Brook, but the plans do not include a school of nursing.
While there has never been a straight answer as to when the new hospital is expected to be built or open, there had been suggestions construction would start on the long-term care facility in 2015 and the acute care hospital in 2016.
Delays or not, the time to complete the project is also widely speculated. Whenever in the next decade that happens, the school of nursing will need a home. There is no known plan for construction of a new department at Grenfell to house it.
The move would not be a small investment, and the provincial government has been preaching a need for fiscal restraint during times of economic decline.
There has never been any indication to Robbins the school would just phase out and close, but doubt rises.
“In all of this uncertainty, it has to be one of the options that we do consider,” she said. “Is there a plan for our demise that we don’t know about?”
That’s not her belief, but she would like to hear of confirmation of a commitment to eliminate the fear.
The former director says the situation is an issue for recruiting faculty, and could even be weighing on students or prospective students.
While there was always an attempt made by Grenfell faculty, staff and students to incorporate the school of nursing into the university setting, Robbins admits it never quite felt like they belonged. There has always been a sense of isolation, she said.
Also, it seems nobody has ever taken up their fight, and she was restricted in her ability to speak as an employee of Western Health.
It was never a public priority of opposition members or municipal leaders, she feels. While she does not know how the community in general feels about the school, she hopes there is support.
“I think the future of our nursing school is very important to health of the community,” she said.”I would certainly think it is one more institution that we really want to hold onto.
“We need to open the dialogue, and we need to hear from the powers to be about what is going on.”
Upon her retirement, she vowed she would lobby for action. She is ready to fight.
The Western Star contacted representatives of the provincial government departments of Advanced Skills and Education and Department of Health and Community Services, Western Health, the Western Regional School of Nursing, and both the Grenfell and St. John’s campuses of Memorial University.
Not one person agreed to be interviewed for this story. Some organizations issued a statement, while others declined or deferred comment.
• Department of Advanced Education and Skills, from spokesperson John Tompkins on behalf of Minister Clyde Jackman
The emailed statement referenced the 2005 White Paper on Public-Post-Secondary Education recommending discussions toward implementing a model to see the administration of nursing education within Memorial University.
Discussions exploring it have occurred that would see both Western Health’s Western Regional School of Nursing in Corner Brook and Eastern Health’s Centre for Nursing Studies come under Memorial University, which currently has the School of Nursing at its St. John’s campus.
“A consolidation of this type would be a complex undertaking involving the health authorities, Memorial University and the provincial government, and I expect all parties will give consideration to this as they begin the process of planning for Budget 2016,” Thompkins wrote.
• Department of Health and Community Services
Spokesperson Tina Williams said Minister Steve Kent was unavailable for comment.
• Western Health, from spokesperson Tara Pye
“Western Health fully supports the integration of the Western Regional School of Nursing to Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland,” she wrote. “While the integration of Western Regional School of Nursing into Grenfell Campus has not taken place, Western Health is pleased to continue to work closely with MUN-Grenfell Campus for the delivery of programs and services to students of the Western Regional School of Nursing.”
Her statement also addressed the continued partnership to integrate students into the university setting, and the high quality of the nursing program.
• Western Regional School of Nursing
Director Cathy Stratton was not made available for comment.
• Grenfell Campus, Memorial University
Spokesperson Pamela Gill wrote that vice-president Mary Bluechardt deferred comment to president Gary Kachanoski.
• Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, statement issued by spokesperson Dave Sorenson
“Memorial University supports the consolidation of nursing programs in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
The statement references the three schools of nursing, with the Centre for Nursing Studies (CNS), and Western Regional School of Nursing (WRSON) not being on a university campus.
“Planning has been underway since 2005 for the Centre for Nursing Studies and Memorial University’s School of Nursing to become a Faculty of Nursing at the St. John’s campus of Memorial University, and for WRSON to be part of Grenfell Campus, Memorial University.”
The statement also referenced the ongoing partnership with Eastern and Western Health, and work on joint curriculum and evaluation committees, academic councils between Memorial and the schools of nursing. That also is true for various events.
Sorenson wrote he has not aware of any talk of eliminating the Western Regional School of Nursing, and that an implementation plan would be developed at the appropriate stage.
