Careers in Patient Care: A Look at Former Students from Nursing and other Health Programs that Focus on Patient Care

Transcription

1 DACSO Diploma, Associate Degree, & Certificate Student Outcomes Careers in Patient Care: A Look at Former Students from Nursing and other Programs that Focus on Patient Care Every year, B.C. s public post-secondary institutions train thousands of nurses and other health professionals who provide care directly to patients. Who takes these patient care programs? Are they satisfied with the education they receive? How are these former students doing in the labour market? Introduction B.C. s population is aging. 1 This simple fact will have a two-pronged impact on health care: many current health professionals will be reaching retirement age, just as the aging population s need to access health services will be increasing. In response to projected shortages of health professionals, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development (ALMD) has increased the number of funded spaces for students in health programs at postsecondary institutions. Included in that increase have been new programs and additional spaces for student nurses, because nursing the single largest health profession in B.C. is one of many professions facing critical shortages. The government strategies to support the recruitment, retention, and education of nurses include a commitment to train more Licensed Practical s (), Practitioners, Registered Psychiatric s (RPN), and Registered s (RN). In addition, there is increased priority being given to the training of those entering Overview INFORMATION PAPER Volume 5 Nos. 1 & 2 Special Edition Summer 2009 ISSN This paper is from a series presenting information on subjects of interest, using data from the British Columbia Diploma, Associate Degree, and Certificate Student Outcomes Survey. This Information Paper and others are available at gov.bc.ca/dacso/ DACSOPublications/ DACSOPubs.aspx In 2006, DACSO survey respondents included 1,958 former students who had taken health programs that focussed directly on patient care. These programs included Resident Care Attendant (RCA), Licensed Practical Nursing (), and others, such as nursing university transfer, health technologies, dental hygiene, nurse upgrading, paramedic training, and various therapies. At the time of the survey, most of the former students from patient care programs were employed. Compared with respondents from other Applied programs, they were much more likely to have more than one job; however, the total number of hours they worked per week was slightly less, on average, and their hourly wages were significantly higher. Almost all of the employed former patient care students said that their jobs were related to their studies; former and RCA students were most likely to say their jobs were very related. Respondents from RCA programs and programs tended to rate their programs highest on the quality of instruction, with former RCA students giving very high ratings to all aspects of their educational experience.

2 the diagnostic technology professions, which are required to support people effectively through the health care system. The province is also facing a critical shortage of home support/resident care attendants. The demand for these health care workers has escalated dramatically since the government announced its commitment to create 5,000 new assistedliving and long term care beds throughout the province by the end of Many of these health care professionals train in certificate and diploma programs at B.C. s public post-secondary institutions. The graduates and near completers from patient care programs at these institutions have provided information to the 2006 BC College and Institute Student Outcomes Survey (now the Diploma, Associate Degree, and Certificate Student Outcomes Survey) that is used in this paper. Programs British Columbia s public post-secondary institutions offer training at the diploma and certificate level for a variety of occupations in patient care. Of the former patient care students who were eligible for the 2006 Survey, almost 40 percent had studied to become Home Support/Resident Care Attendants or Licensed Practical s. There were also a considerable number who were studying to be Registered s, with smaller numbers in nursing upgrading programs or nursing specialities. Other popular programs included Medical Laboratory, Assisting and Hygiene, Emergency Medical Technician and, and Mental Worker. For this paper, survey respondents from patient care programs were grouped into eight categories; in these categories, the largest number was from Resident Care Attendant programs, although the group from Licensed Practical programs was almost as large (see table below). Excluded from patient care programs are the health programs that have a focus other than direct patient care, such as medical office assistant, health care administration, and animal health technology. Since 2002, the entry-topractice requirement for registered nursing in B.C. Survey Respondents has been a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The transition from diploma to BSN occurred between 2002 and 2005, with the last diploma graduates completing their studies in Currently, university transfer registered nurse programs ladder into the third year of baccalaureate nursing programs. (Information on baccalaureate nursing programs starts on page 14.) Former patient care program students in the 2006 survey Eligible for Survey Response Rate Resident Care Attendant/Home Support % Certificate programs, 3 to 12 months long. Licensed Practical % Certificate programs, 7 to 12 months long. Nursing/Registered /RPN % Diploma or university transfer programs; most are 13 to 36 months long. Includes Psychiatric Nursing % Includes medical laboratory and diagnostic sciences; diploma and certificate programs. They vary in length. Hygiene/Assistant % Certificate programs in dental assisting, which are 7 to 12 months and diploma programs in dental hygiene, which are 13 to 36 months. Other Programs % A variety of diploma and certificate programs, including mental health worker, pharmacy technician, occupational health, and other therapies. They vary in length % Includes specializations and refresher courses; they arecertificate programs and vary in length, about half are 7 to 12 months. /Emergency Medical Technology % Consists of Advanced Care, a diploma program that is 7 to 12 months, and Primary Care, a certificate program that is 3 to 6 months. Page 2

3 Data for this paper Data for this paper came primarily from the 2006 BC College and Institute Student Outcomes Survey this survey is now called the Diploma, Associate Degree, and Certificate Student Outcomes (DACSO) Survey. The analysis uses information from 1,958 survey respondents who had taken health programs that focus directly on patient care; this number is 61 percent of the students who left these programs 9 to 20 months earlier. programs that have a focus other than patient care, such as medical office assistant, health care administration, and animal health technology, are excluded from the patient care group of programs used in this paper. Overall, there were 16,248 respondents to the 2006 survey, of 28,541 eligible former students from B.C. s public colleges, university colleges, institutes, and Thompson Rivers University. Note: Four of the institutions included in the survey (three university-colleges and one college) became universities in Twenty-six percent of respondents were from Arts and Sciences programs, which consist of courses in the liberal arts, humanities, and sciences, and generally lead to further studies. All the other programs including the patient care programs that are the focus of this paper are Applied, i.e., programs designed to lead to employment in a specific field. In this paper, comparisons are made between respondents from the selected patient care programs and respondents from other Applied programs. A significant portion of the former students from patient care programs at colleges and institutes were from Nursing and Registered programs. Many of the students from these programs went on to study for a degree, since as of 2002, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) has been required for new registered nursing program graduates who wish to practice in B.C. (Licensed practical nurses do not require a degree.) To provide information on nurses who have completed a BSN, information from the Baccalaureate Graduate Survey (BGS) conducted in 2006 with 2004 graduates of nursing programs is included in this paper. Findings from the BGS are not merged with the DACSO results; they are reported separately at the end of the paper. Data on learning English as a second language came from the 2005 DACSO survey, as respondents were not asked the ESL question in the 2006 survey. Note: all percentages are out of valid responses to questions; don t know and refused responses are excluded. Students Who are the students who take programs related to patient care? Because nursing and patient care are traditionally female-dominated occupations, it is not surprising that the former students from these programs who responded to the survey were mostly female. Characteristics In comparison with 2006 survey respondents from other Applied programs, the former students who took patient care programs were older than other students, on average, and much more likely to be female (84 percent). They were also more likely to be parents. In particular, former students who had taken, Resident Care Attendant/Home Support (RCA), and Licensed Practical () programs were older than Nursing/ RN/RPN students, and the majority of each of these three groups had children. Characteristics of former Applied students 32 84% 41% Patient Care Programs 44% 25 20% Other Applied Programs Female Parent Median age Note: Family status was while they were studying; age is at the time of the survey. Page 3

4 Characteristics of former nursing students Aboriginal identity 36 90% 53% 88% 27 96% % 87% 54% RCA 5.8% 3.0% Nursing/RN/RPN 2.2% 3.4% 1.9% Other 4.0% 24% 0.0% 2.9% Nursing/RN /RPN RCA Other Applied 4.8% Female Parent Median age Note: Family status was while they were studying; age is at the time of the survey. The proportion of female respondents from other patient care programs varied more, although the majority were female, except for the /Emergency Medical Technology () programs, where males significantly outnumbered females. The former Hygiene/Assistant () students were the youngest group and virtually all were female. 71% Characteristics of respondents from other patient care programs 31 32% 99% 25 20% 79% % 38% 26% Respondents from patient care programs had high rates of previous post-secondary education 60 percent said they had taken post-secondary studies before enrolling in their recent programs. The rate for former s was the same; it was higher for former students who had taken programs (69 percent) and highest for those who took programs (77 percent). Former RCA students were not as likely to have had prior postsecondary education; nevertheless, their rate of 44 percent was a close match to the overall rate for all survey respondents of 43 percent. Relocated In the 2006 survey, 23 percent of survey respondents from all Applied programs said they had relocated from their home communities to take their college and institute programs. This rate of relocation was close to the rate given by former Nursing/RN/RPN students, and a little higher than the rate of those from programs. Well over a Relocated to attend program Other RCA 14% Female Parent Median age 19% Note: Family status was while they were studying; age is at the time of the survey. Nursing/RN/RPN 23% Former students from patient care programs were somewhat less likely to identify themselves as Aboriginal than were other former Applied students 3.2 percent versus 4.8 percent. Former Resident Care Attendant/Home Support (RCA) students were more likely than all other respondents from patient care programs to report that they were Aboriginal (5.8 percent, which was 23 respondents). Other 11% 22% 38% 31% 59% Page 4

5 third of the former students from had moved to study, while closer to two-thirds of former students had relocated. programs are offered by one B.C. public institution at a number of locations in B.C. RCA and respondents were much less likely to have relocated resident care attendant and nursing upgrading programs are offered at multiple institutions and locations throughout the province. Educational Experience A number of issues determine the value of an educational experience to students: the quality of instruction, the organization of the program, how much practical experience the program includes, how courses are delivered, how up to date the courses are, and even how students support themselves while in school. The survey asks respondents to rate many aspects of their educational experience. Students who learned English as a second language In 2005, 18 percent of all respondents to the survey had learned English as a second language. (Data on learning English are not available from the 2006 survey, as the question was not asked that year.) Former students from RCA, Other programs, and programs were more likely than others to have learned English as a second language. Respondents who learned English as a second language When respondents learned English as a second language % n Before age 13 As a teenager As an adult RCA 24% % 17% 43% 19% 44 50% 14% 36% Nursing/RN/RPN 10% 31 57% 13% 30% 17% 38 62% 14% 24% 14% 23 26% 22% 52% Other 24% 41 59% 15% 27% 27% 37 57% 22% 22% <3 Other Applied Programs 18% % 28% 24% Note: Percentages for when respondents learned English are out of those who learned English as a second language. and to the content of their courses being up to date; in each case, 83 percent said they were good or very good. Most former patient care students agreed their program s courses were up 92% 89% 87% 77% 61% to date; although former Nursing/RN/RPN students were the least likely to give that item high ratings and considerably less likely than others to say that the quality of instruction was good ( good or very good ). Program Ratings (good or very good) 70% 78% 80% 80% 82% 83% 86% 87% 85% Respondents from programs gave higher ratings, and former RCA students gave very high ratings to both areas. Although the ratings that former Nursing/RN/RPN students gave were lower 78% 80% Program Ratings In general, respondents from all Applied programs (including patient care) gave high ratings to the quality of their instruction RCA Nursing/ RN/RPN Quality of instruction Other Courses up to date Page 5

6 than the patient care average, some members of that group were more positive than others. Fifteen percent of the Nursing/RN/RPN group (46 respondents) were former psychiatric nurses and they tended to give higher ratings in these categories: 83 percent said the quality of their instruction was good and 91 percent said courses were up to date. In comparison with these ratings, the ratings given to program organization were a little lower. Sixty-eight percent of respondents from all patient care programs said the organization of their program was good or very good. With regard to specific patient care programs, 90 percent of respondents from RCA programs gave a positive rating to program organization, as did 77 percent of former students. Respondents from Nursing/RN/RPN programs were less likely to say that program organization had been good, although psychiatric nurses were more positive (67 percent of RPNs versus 47 percent of Nursing RNs rated the program organization good or very good ). When the former students from nursing and registered nurse programs were asked what could be done to improve their programs, respondents offered suggestions. At least 24 percent of those comments were about updating equipment and improving the organization of the program. The skills should be taught over both years as opposed to the skills being taught in the second year. Include more clinical practice time, better quality lab equipment, more case studies for pathophysiology. The program needs to be reorganized so that courses flow more smoothly. The program should have a practical focus on topics like physiology, pharmacology and skills related to nursing throughout its entirety, not just in the second year. Longer study time, better use of labs, more availability of labs, and better and more up-to-date equipment. Provide some change in the curriculum to better reflect current technology. At least 33 percent of those who made suggestions focussed on practical experience: more practical work, more hands-on experience, more clinical time, etc. Ten percent of the respondents specifically mentioned adding more training in pharmacology or medication. There should be more clinical, practical, and lab hours in the program. This program needs more clinical experience at the hospital and more training on medication. The program should offer more clinical experiences and cut back slightly on the theory taught. The teachers should increase the instruction in pathology and pharmacology. Approximately 34 percent of the comments focussed on instruction and teachers. My program would be improved if the instructors had more recent experience in the field. Increase the accessibility to instructors; have them more available after class either by phone, , or in person. The program should give students more class time and instruction. While a large majority of former students were positive about the quality of their instruction and the currency of their courses, only 29 percent said the organization of their program was good or very good. This result could be due to programming changes that were in progress before and during the 2006 survey, and the survey may have included a mix of students from a few different program formats, including a new pre-employment program for people wanting to be employed by the BC Ambulance Service. Former students may also have had difficulty in non-urban areas getting appropriate work experiences to meet Canadian Medical Association certification requirements. The Justice Institute of BC has advised that administrative and educational changes in paramedic programs are ongoing. Course Delivery In 2006, 14 percent of the former students surveyed had taken at least one course by a non-traditional means of delivery (now commonly called distributed education); 95 percent of those non-traditional courses were taken entirely or partially online (other delivery methods included video and radio). Students from, Nursing/ RN/RPN, and programs were the most likely to have taken a distributed education course; former students were not as likely, and of the s that had taken the distributed format, 63 percent said it was because the course they wanted was only available through that delivery method. Respondents from RCA programs had not taken any distributed education. Page 6

7 Student Finances Former students surveyed in 2006 were asked to give the top sources of funding they relied on to pay for their education. 3 The most-often-cited sources of funding for all respondents to these questions were personal savings, family or friends, employment while studying, and government loans. These four were also the most frequently mentioned by former Applied students and by those from patient care programs. Personal savings Family or friends Student loan Employment Bank or credit card Scholarship Top sources of funding 14% 9% 11% 11% 33% 31% 32% Patient Care Programs Other Applied Programs 41% 43% 40% 43% 41% Not too many respondents cited employer funding only about 4 percent of Applied respondents overall. Very few patient care respondents mentioned it either except those from and programs. Respectively, 27 and 26 percent of these respondents said employer funding was an important source of financial support. Overall, 37 percent of former Applied students said that they received free or subsidized room and board while they were studying. The percentages of respondents from patient care programs who reported having room and board varied from group to group. Only 20 percent of RCA respondents reported this form of financial support, while at 43 percent, Paramed- ics were the most likely to say they received room and board. High percentages of former students and Nursing/RN/RPNs also said they received room and board: 38 and 36 percent respectively. Age could well be a factor, as those groups of students with median ages below 30 were the groups with higher rates of free room and board. Nursing/RN/RPNs were significantly more likely than other patient care respondents to say they had used government loans; they also had a fairly high rate of loans from other (non-government) sources. Overall, 52 percent of respondents from patient care programs borrowed during their studies, either from a government student loan program or other sources. Except for Nursing/RN/ RPNs (over half of whom said employment was an important source of funding while they studied), the patient care program respondents were less likely than other Applied students to say they relied on employment for funding. The Nursing/RN/RPNs relied less on personal savings than did other patient care and Applied students, and they also cited help from family and friends more often. 27% 25% 41% 37% 60% 38% RCA Nursing/ RN/RPN Government student loan Loan from other sources Student loans 30% 32% 47% 41% 30% 27% Other 18% 32% 13% Other Applied respondents Government loan: 32% Loan from other sources: 25% 26% Page 7

8 The amounts borrowed by former students varied considerably, with those who were in the longest programs (Nursing/Registered and ) borrowing the largest amounts. Not only do Nursing/RN/RPNs have the highest rate of government student loans, the typical amount they borrowed was the highest at $20,000. As part of the series of questions on student financing, former students were asked if, for financial reasons, they had interrupted their studies or attended part time. Overall, 8 percent of Applied students interrupted their studies and 10 percent attended part time for financial reasons. students seemed to have the most financial difficulties: 11 percent had to interrupt their studies and 24 percent attended part time for financial reasons. Only 4 percent of Nursing/RN/RPNs attended part time due to finances, while 7 percent had to interrupt their studies. Student loan amounts for the 52 percent of former patient care students who borrowed much less likely to say they were very satisfied. Interestingly, former RCA students were considerably more likely than others to say they were very satisfied. RCA Nursing /RN/RPN Other Satisfaction with education 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% RCA Nursing/ RN/RPN Other $8,000 $2,000 $13,000 $6,000 $20,000 $8,000 $17,500 $9,000 $11,000 $5,000 $11,500 $3,000 $15,000 $4,000 $2,800 $5,000 Very satisfied Satisfied Practical Experience Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied One of the most important aspects of education to many students is the amount of practical experience they receive with their training. The majority of all former Applied students rated this good or very good. Of the former students from patient care programs, former Practical experience rated good or very good Government student loan RCA 91% Loan from other sources 69% Note: Loan amounts are medians, based on those who borrowed. Satisfaction Nursing /RN/RPN 74% 82% 78% Almost all of the respondents to the survey (95 percent) said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the education they received. In spite of their more critical ratings of certain aspects of their programs, former Nursing/RN/ RPN students had virtually the same total satisfaction rating (93 percent) as other respondents, although they were Other Other Applied Programs 52% 82% 73% 79% Page 8

9 students were somewhat less likely to give practical experience high ratings and former students the least likely. On the other hand, almost all RCA respondents said the amount of their practical experience was good or very good. Analyse & think critically Resolve problems Work effectively with others Employability Skills 87% 85% 79% 79% 86% 87% did well or very well. There was considerable variation in how s rated the different items, although they tended to give the lowest ratings. Former students gave fairly high ratings and s followed close behind. Skills Development A number of questions in the survey are asked to assess the effectiveness of post-secondary programs at providing opportunities for skill development and personal growth. These qualities are important in preparing students to be successful in their careers and to contribute to their communities. Over and above basic academic competencies, there are skills that are particularly valuable for employment, such as thinking critically and working with others. When asked how well their programs helped them to develop these employability skills, large majorities of former students said well or very well. Compared with other Applied respondents, former students from patient care programs gave slightly higher ratings to developing analytical and critical thinking skills, although most ratings were virtually identical. Former patient care students gave the highest rat- Learn independently Manage work effectively Patient Care Programs Other Applied Programs 82% 83% 81% 80% Notes: Percentages are respondents who said their program did well or very well in answer to the question, How well did your program help you develop the following skills? Manage work effectively was asked of a 50-percent sample. ings to the way their programs helped them develop analytical and critical thinking skills; the lowest ratings were given to their opportunities for learning to resolve issues and problems. There are sizeable differences by program group and Analyse and think critically differences among items for each program group. RCA respondents were the most likely to say their program had helped them develop skills, and they were the most consistent: for every skill listed, 90 to 93 percent said their program Resolve problems Work effectively with others Career Paths Job Search A substantial number of the former patient care students who were employed at the time of the survey had the same job before their studies: 26 percent. This percentage ranged from a high of 65 percent for s 4 to a low of 12 percent for former students. The comparable number for the former Applied students who were not from patient care programs was 30 percent. Programs encouraged development of employability skills Learn independently Manage work effectively RCA 91% 93% 92% 90% 92% 89% 79% 86% 79% 81% Nursing/RN/RPN 86% 73% 87% 79% 78% 85% 73% 82% 80% 79% 90% 81% 91% 83% 83% Other 80% 76% 87% 81% 77% 84% 76% 81% 87% 80% 82% 69% 73% 72% 67% Patient Care Overall 87% 79% 86% 82% 81% Notes: Percentages are respondents who said their program did well or very well in answer to the question, How well did your program help you develop the following skills? Manage work effectively was asked of a 50-percent sample. Page 9

10 Of the employed respondents who did not already have a job, 76 percent of Nursing/RN/RPNs found one in less than a month and 98 percent had a job within three months of leaving their studies. respondents, RCA Nursing/ RN/RPN Other RCAs, s, and s also had high levels of success finding employment quickly. Overall, former patient care students were likely to find employment in less time than other former Applied students: within three months, 93 percent of patient care respondents had jobs, compared with 87 percent of other Applied respondents. Time to find a job Employment For the most part, former patient care students had very high rates of labour force participation most of the patient care groups had rates of 95 percent or higher. (The labour force consists of those who are 52% 49% 56% Less than one month Within three months 64% 67% 65% 76% 79% 85% 94% 97% 95% 94% 98% 93% 91% 95% 94% 79% employed or unemployed and looking for work, with the exception of those who are looking for full-time work while studying full time.) Not surprisingly, respondents from the Nursing/RN/RPN category had a lower labour force participation rate, because they were much more likely to be studying at the time of the survey probably finishing their nursing studies in a degree-level program (see page 14). The unemployment rates for all groups of former patient care students were very low half of the groups, including s, RCAs, and s, were barely at 1 percent unemployment the highest rate was 4 percent for former students. (The unemployment rate is based on those who are in the labour force but not employed.) At the time of the survey, most of the respondents from patient care programs 1% 1% 3% 2% 4% 2% 1% 1% RCA Nursing/ RN/RPN Labour force participation 99% 97% 95% 93% Other were employed at significantly higher rates than respondents from other Applied programs. Again, the lower employment rate for Nursing/RN/RPN students reflects their higher participation in continuing education. The rates of full-time work, which is defined as 30 hours or more per week, varied: former students were the most likely to be working full time, while Nursing/RN/RPNs were most likely to be employed part time. However, of the former Nursing/RN/RPNs who were not studying at the time of the survey, 89 percent were employed full time. s and respondents had the highest rates of permanent employment (95 and 92 percent respectively), while Nursing/RN/RPNs were the most likely to be working in temporary positions because so many In labour force Unemployment rate 98% Page 10

11 were continuing their studies, it is possible they were less likely to pursue permanent positions. The RCA respondents had the next highest level of employment in temporary positions. Compared with respondents from other Applied programs, respondents from patient care programs were much more likely to have more than one job: 18 versus 32 percent, respectively. The rates ranged from 39 percent for RCAs and 37 percent for s to 23 percent for Nursing/RN/RPNs and respondents. The median number of hours spent at work differed slightly; they ranged from 35 hours per week for Nursing/RN/RPNs to 41 hours for s. RCAs worked, on average, 36 hours a week and s, 37.5 hours. In comparison, respondents from other Applied programs said they 93% 96% 79% 81% 89% 88% 76% 61% 74% RCA Nursing/ RN/RPN worked a median of 40 hours per week. 5 Characteristics of employment 97% 86% 86% 93% 93% 92% 91% 91% 87% 88% Other 80% 92% Full time Permanent Employment rate Note: Full Time and Permanent percentages are out of those employed. Employed former Applied students reported a typical wage (from their main job, if they had more than one) of $16 per hour. 6 Former patient care students reported earnings that were considerably higher: $21 per hour was the median. On average, respondents from Nursing and Nursing/RN/RPN programs reported the highest wages ($27 and $25 per hour, respectively) while former students reported the lowest wages ($17 per hour). Regional Employment 97% 95% 86% After their studies, most employed Applied respondents stayed in the region where they had studied. 7 Former patient care students were less likely than other former Applied students to stay in their study region: 87 percent versus 92 percent, respectively. Employed s were the least likely to remain in the same region, at 47 percent, while almost all employed respondents from RCA programs stayed where they studied. This is probably due, in large part, to the comparative availability of programs around the prov- Hourly wages at the time of the survey RCA $19 $21 Nursing/RN/RPN $25 $24 Other $17 $19 $27 Employment in region of study RCA 98% Nursing/RN/RPN 91% 95% 65% Other 88% 91% 76% $20 47% Note: The amounts reported are medians. Note: Percentages are for employed respondents only. Page 11

12 ince. RCA programs are offered at the most locations, while other programs, such as and, are offered in fewer locations. Also, because of the range and types of field experience required to meet clinical standards set by the Canadian Medical Association, some field experience can be obtained only in urban areas, so more students are likely to be required to relocate to those areas for their education. By region, the results are similar, that is for most regions, the majority of former patient care students stayed and worked in the region where they studied. Employed in region of study, by region Northern BC 77% Interior & Kootenays Lower Mainland Vancouver Island 84% 86% 97% Note: Percentages are of employed respondents who stayed in the region where they studied. The region is based on location at the time of the survey. Not surprisingly, the majority of the employed respondents were in the Lower Mainland region at the time of the survey. Well over two-thirds of Nursing/RN/RPNs and 61 percent of those from and programs were in that region. Although the numbers were lower, significant percentages of former students, RCAs, s, and s were in the Vancouver Island region. Usefulness of Training Employed former patient care students were more likely than respondents from other Applied programs to say the knowledge and skills they gained in their programs were useful (that is, very useful or somewhat useful ) in performing their jobs: 94 percent versus 83 percent. Almost all RCA and respondents (97 percent) said the knowledge Nursing/RN/RPN Other and skills they gained were useful. Those who did not have their job before or during their studies were asked if their education had been useful to them in getting their current employment almost all said yes ( very useful or somewhat useful ). Ninety-six percent of former Nursing/RN/ RPN students, 99 percent of s and 98 percent of RCAs said their education was very or somewhat Knowledge and skills gained were useful RCA 97% 97% 93% 94% 92% 90% 89% 96% Notes: Percentages are of respondents who said the knowledge and skills they gained were very useful or somewhat useful in performing their jobs. Distribution of employed respondents by region Interior & Kootenays Lower Mainland Vancouver Island Northern BC Total RCA 9% 17% 42% 32% 100% 6% 29% 33% 32% 100% Nursing/RN/RPN 2% 4% 71% 22% 100% 5% 14% 61% 19% 100% 7% 19% 41% 33% 100% Other 3% 18% 54% 25% 100% 7% 16% 61% 17% 100% 6% 16% 47% 31% 100% Employed population in B.C.* 7% 16% 60% 17% 100% useful. Respondents from Other and programs were not quite as likely to say their studies helped them get a job: 91 and 90 percent, respectively. *Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census Custom Tabulation, Prepared by: BC Stats, December Page 12

13 Training-Related Jobs Most of the former students from nursing and other patient care programs tended to find jobs that were related to the training they took. Survey respondents from the specialties of and RCA were most likely to say their jobs were related to their education, as were respondents: over 95 percent of each of those program groups said their jobs were very or somewhat related to their studies. Occupations The actual occupations of former students confirmed their assertions that their employment was related to their studies. In each category, a large majority of Program Group RCA Occupation Related occupations by program Number employed Percent of respondents Aides & Orderlies % Visiting Homemakers & Related Occupations 68 18% Registered Nursing Assistants % Nursing/RN/RPN Registered s % Registered Nursing Assistants 15 6% Aides & Orderlies 14 6% Tech Cardiology Technologists 16 8% Medical Laboratory Technicians 45 23% Medical Radiation Technicians 47 24% Medical Sonographers 17 9% Medical Laboratory Techs & Pathologist Asst 11 6% Respiratory Therapists & Clinical Perfusionists 30 15% Assistants % Therapists & Hygienists 33 17% Other Community & Social Service Workers 18 11% Inspectors in Public & Environmental 22 13% Other Aides & Assistants % Other Professional Occupations in Therapy 16 10% Registered s % Ambulance Attendants % Relationship of education to current employment RCA Nursing /RN/RPN Other 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Very related Somewhat related Not very related Not at all related respondents were employed in the occupation they trained for in particular, almost all s and RCAs were working in directly related occupations. Further Education The majority of Nursing/RN/RPN students who were surveyed in 2006 said they were continuing their training most in nursing degree programs at universities. The rate of further study in nursing was high because of the transition to requiring a degree to practice nursing in B.C. Compared with former Nursing/RN/RPN students, those who left other patient care programs were much less likely to take further studies. In fact, they were less likely to continue studying than other Applied respondents, who took further education at a rate of 33 percent. RCA respondents were the least likely to return to take further education after leaving their programs. Page 13

14 Rates of further education RCA 13% 19% Nursing/RN/RPN 64% 15% 22% Other 17% 27% 30% Baccalaureate Nursing Graduates four-point scale will result in more positive responses.) At the time they were surveyed, 96 percent of the former baccalaureate nursing students were employed; 97 percent were in the labour force (i.e., employed or looking for work). Of employed respondents, 24 percent held more than one job and 85 percent worked full time (30 hours or more per week). The majority of these respondents (78 percent) were living in B.C. when they were surveyed, and most of these former students were Approximately two years after completing their baccalaureate programs, nursing graduates are surveyed by the Baccalaureate Graduate Survey (BGS). 8 The 2006 BGS collected information from 448 former students, out of 774 who had graduated from baccalaureate nursing programs in 2004 from eight B.C. public post-secondary institutions. Of the former Nursing/ RN baccalaureate students who answered the 2006 BGS, 93 percent were female. Respondents from nursing programs tended to be older than most former students who answered the BGS: 53 percent of the Nursing/RN respondents were age 30 or over, compared with 29 percent of BGS respondents overall. Very few of the former Nursing/RN baccalaureate Institution students identified themselves as Aboriginal: only 2 percent (7 respondents). Former Nursing/RNs who answered the BGS survey gave quality of instruction high marks: 95 percent of respondents said it was good or very good. (This question uses a fourpoint scale this differs from the scale used in the similar DACSO question, which has five values. A Former baccalaureate nursing students in the 2006 BGS Survey Respondents 2004 Former Students Response Rate BC Institute of Technology % Kwantlen University College % Malaspina University-College % Thompson Rivers University % University of British Columbia % University College of Fraser Valley % University of Northern BC % University of Victoria % TOTAL % cent also said that friends and family were an important source of support. Almost all (97 percent) of the former baccalaureate Nursing/RN students who answered the BGS said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their education. In fact, 45 percent said they very satisfied, 52 percent said satisfied, and only 2 percent said they were dissatisfied. Baccalaureate Nursing/ RNs had a fairly high rate of government student loans: 38 percent incurred government sponsored student loan debt to pay for their baccalaureate nursing program 38 percent also said student loans were an important resource for them, although they were more likely to cite employment (49 percent) as a source of funds for their education. Thirty-one peron the Lower Mainland or on Vancouver Island. Of the residents outside B.C. who could be found for the survey almost half (9 percent of respondents) were in other Canadian provinces. Their median annual income was $58,000; only 8 percent of respondents reported income amounts of less than $40,000. Most of the employed nursing graduates (95 per- Page 14

15 Note re comparing the Baccalaureate Graduate Survey (BGS) results with DACSO survey results: The BGS contacts students two years after their graduation, a longer period out than the DACSO survey. The BGS surveys only graduates, while the DACSO includes near completers. For these and other reasons, direct comparisons of results from the two surveys are not possible. cent) said their job was related to their program of studies 77 percent said it was very related. BC Vancouver Island BC North BC Southern Interior Alberta Ontario Other Canada U.S.A. Unknown Three-quarters of the employed respondents were employed full time as registered nurses; another 4 percent as head nurses or supervisors. Other occupations cited included managers in health care, college instructors, and health policy researchers. A significant number of the 2004 baccalaureate nursing graduates went on to take further education 47 percent. The largest group went back for college (applied) program certification. Place of residence at the time of the BGS survey BC Lower Mainland 46% 3% 2% 1% 4% 6% 9% 11% 17% Type of further education Conclusion In a number of ways, the former students who took patient care programs differed from the other former Applied students who responded to the 2006 survey: former patient care students were older, much more likely to be female and have children, and they had much higher rates of previous post-secondary education. On the other hand, they relocated to study at about the same rate as other Applied respondents, and as a group, they had roughly the same percentage who learned English as a second language. For the most part, patient care respondents evaluated their recent post-secondary education programs favourably, giving the highest ratings to the quality of their instruction and course content. Former nursing students (the Nursing/RN/ RPN group) were less likely than most other patient care respondents to give high ratings on these items. Former RCA students consistently gave very high Of those who took further education n % Undergraduate degree 7 3% Masters degree 48 23% Doctoral degree 1 0% College (applied) program certification 79 38% Professional association certification 52 25% Other 16 8% ratings to all areas of their educational experience. Almost all respondents from patient care programs said they were satisfied with the education they received. Former patient care students were also likely to say their training helped them develop a number of valuable employability skills, including analysing and thinking critically, resolving problems, managing work, and working effectively with others. Again, former RCA students gave the highest ratings, followed by former students and s. If the respondents to the 2006 survey are any indication, the health care professionals that train at B.C. s public post-secondary institutions do very well in the labour market. At the time of the survey, most of the former students from patient care programs were employed at significantly higher rates than respondents from other Applied programs. The unemployment rates for the patient care groups averaged less than 2 percent. In comparison with former students from other Applied programs, respondents from patient care programs were much more likely to have more than one job; however, the total number of hours they worked per week was slightly less, on average. The hourly wage Page 15

16 that patient care respondents reported was considerably higher than that of other Applied respondents. On average, nursing respondents ( and Nursing/RN/ RPN) reported the highest wages. It seems that these former students were able to put the skills they learned into practice fairly quickly the majority of patient care respondents were employed within a month of leaving their programs of study, and most had their jobs within three months. Almost all of the employed former patient care students said the knowledge and skills they gained in their programs were useful in performing their jobs. They were also likely to say that their jobs were related to their studies; in fact, About the Survey when compared with other Applied respondents, they were much more likely to say their jobs were very related. Almost all the s and RCAs said their jobs were very related to their education. In addition to the differences between former patient care students and other Applied students, there are notable differences in characteristics, evaluations, and outcomes across the different patient care groups. In particular, the RCA respondents stand out. They were the most likely to give high ratings to their programs and they were the most satisfied with their education, although they were less likely to be employed full-time or have a permanent job. They were more likely to be Aboriginal, less likely to borrow, less likely to relocate to study or to move after studying, and the least likely to take further education. s from diploma and university transfer programs, on the other hand, were the most likely to continue studying (for their BSN, now required for practice in B.C.), and they were less likely to give high ratings to the discontinued diploma programs. Former BSN students gave the quality of their instruction high marks and almost all said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their programs. It is worth reiterating that the main difference between former patient care students and other former Applied students is the excellent employment outcomes enjoyed by these health care professionals. The BC Diploma, Associate Degree, and Certificate (DACSO) Survey (formerly the BC College and Institute Student Outcomes Survey) is an annual province-wide survey of former students from B.C. s public post-secondary institutions who have taken diploma, certificate, or associate degree programs. It is conducted with funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development and from the participating institutions. Former students are contacted 9 to 20 months after completing all, or a significant portion, of their program of study and asked to evaluate their educational experience and to talk about their employment outcomes, further education, and personal development. The results of the survey are used by the institutions to improve programs and services. The Ministry uses the information for post-secondary policy development and accountability. Students, parents, and the general public can view Student Outcomes Reports through the BC Student Outcomes website or Education Planner www. educationplanner.bc.ca to help them make informed post-secondary education choices. The British Columbia Outcomes Working Group (OWG) oversees the survey project. The OWG is a long-standing partnership among the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, the participating institutions, and a number of system-wide organizations. For more information on the DACSO Survey and student outcomes, please see outcomes.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/. Endnotes 1 Between 2006 and 2026, B.C. s population is projected to increase by 30 percent. In the same period, B.C. s senior population (65 and older) will increase by over 75 percent. Source: BC Stats British Columbia Population Projections 2009 to 2036; Estimate: Statistics Canada; Forecast: BC Stats. 2 Respondents who answered this question may include those from discontinued diploma programs. The last diploma graduates in nursing completed their studies in The questions on student finances were asked of a 50- percent random sample of respondents. 4 Many employed paramedics take advanced training to upgrade their skills and to further their careers. 5 The hours reported here are median hours worked at all jobs. 6 The salary amounts shown are medians. 7 Respondents were assigned to one of four regions based on their postal code at the time of the survey: Vancouver Island, Northern BC, Interior and Kootenays, or Lower Mainland. 8 Data for this section of the paper come from: The University Presidents Council of B.C., B.C. University Student Outcomes, 2006 survey of 2004 Baccalaureate Graduates, Detailed Summary of Survey Results, All Institutions, 6 Digit CIP: : Nursing (R.N. Training). Available at bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/ BGSReports/y07_cip_ ALL_ pdf. BCStats Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Page 16