[oli888]

Hi, I'm very excited to start my first year (BScN Nursing - 4 years) in Sept At Dalhousie University. I know they have a great program there but I'm thinking of transferring to Ottawa University for my second year as I want to get closer to my family. Does anyone know if the program is just as good at the University of Ottawa ?

[madascanbeRNtobe]

Don't know too much about either university. Maybe someone else can answer that.

But make sure Ottawa will accept your 1st year credits from Dalhousie. Some universities ( e.g. Ryerson University do not allow transferring of nursing credits (as far as I know)). Ottawa could be the same.

Then you would end up with 1 year at Dalhousie, and 4 years at Ottawa ( which is not necessarily a bad thing, more a matter of opinion, if finishing in 4 years is that important to you)

Hope you get some more helpful replies, about the universities.

[NurseScarlett]

Hi,
I can't speak for the Ottawa program, but I just graduated with my BScN from Dalhousie University in May, and it is a very good program.

The most important tool of comparison that I would look at, if it were my decision, would be the length and nature of clinical placements. For example, the final clinical preceptorship at Dal is 10 weeks...but at some universities in the Maritimes (St. FX, UNB for example) it is much less. As a new RN, I am glad that I had a lot of clinical time over the four years, as opposed to some of the other new RNs I'm working with now, who are still trying to get more orientation shifts in their new jobs because they got shortchanged on clinical experience as students.

Good luck with your decision! The four years will fly by.

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NurseScarlett, RN