COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Nursing program at the University of Lethbridge, in collaboration with Lethbridge Polytechnic, is designed to prepare students for professional nursing practice through an integrated blend of classroom theory, laboratory learning, and extensive clinical experience. The curriculum covers a wide range of healthcare settings including acute medical and surgical care, continuing care, pediatrics, maternal and child health, mental health and addictions, community health, and rural nursing. Students develop foundational knowledge in health concepts, communication, assessment, pharmacology, and evidence-informed practice while also building critical thinking, clinical judgment, and relational skills essential for patient-centred care. Early courses introduce nursing fundamentals, cultural safety, intersectionality, and Indigenous perspectives on health, while later courses focus on increasingly complex care situations such as disruptions in health, mental health challenges, and community and population health. Hands-on praxis courses and practicums allow students to apply their learning directly in hospitals, rural facilities, and community environments under supervision. Advanced coursework emphasizes leadership, global health, digital health, and research utilization in nursing practice. In the final stages of the program, students complete intensive preceptorship experiences where they assume greater responsibility for patient care, preparing them for independent practice as Registered Nurses and eligibility to write the NCLEX examination.