Becoming Future-Ready through Experiential Learning: Carleton’s new Nursing Program
The learning curve for new nurses entering the workforce is steep. The theory-to-practice gap that exists between the classroom and high-pressure hospital or other clinical settings can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate, leaving new nurses feeling less than confident as they transition into their careers.
Carleton’s new nursing program is determined to prepare students differently.
“Why this program is so groundbreaking is because we’ve been able to take nursing education in a slightly different direction than other universities have been able to do because we’re starting from scratch,” says Maria DeRosa, dean, faculty of science at Carleton University.
In partnership with the Queensway Carleton Hospital, the conceptualization of this program and curriculum design reflects the current on-the-job challenges facing nurses today.
The program will emphasize learning through practice using simulated scenarios and clinical placements. With a core component of experiential learning, students will develop skills through hands-on training in their first year of study — a model that is unique to Carleton.
By incorporating a core component of experiential learning sooner, students are better equipped with specific skills, which ultimately increases quality of care.
“We’re providing this experiential learning to bridge and bring in some of that good stress that providers need to be able to identify, adapt to and work through,” says Danielle Manley, director, School of Nursing at Carleton University.
First-year nursing students at Carleton will work with task trainers, a lifelike model of a part of human anatomy. Task trainers, augmented and virtual reality headsets and simulated environments at a new lab space in Kanata, will facilitate hands-on skills development and are an essential component of preparing practice-ready nurses.
“Medical simulation is this opportunity where you have manikins [medical models] that are usually to scale. It allows a provider to get in there and engage in a low-stakes environment but in a high-stress scenario,” says Danielle Manley.
Since the program was announced in November 2024, catalyst donors have generously funded elements of the experiential learning model, including direct support for task trainers and manikins, which carry a significant but necessary cost to experiential learning for medical practitioners.
David and Margaret Thomas made a donation to the program in memory of Margaret’s Mother, Edith Foy O’Neill who was a nurse at the Almonte and Arnprior Hospitals during the 1930s and ‘40s.
“Edith loved her profession and would be very pleased to know of this program,” says donors David and Margaret Thomas.
Support for experiential learning is an incredibly impactful way that individuals and organizations can continue to help prepare nursing students for the future through Carleton.
Preparing students for the future requires a holistic approach to teaching and learning. There is increasing emphasis and expectation that universities should provide students with experiences that build life skills and foster community connection, while also teaching students how to learn.
Carleton has formalized its commitment to ensuring all programs offer an experiential learning component by 2025 and is delivering on this strategy in innovative ways.
Carleton Nursing will welcome its first cohort of students in September 2025.