Mount Royal University

I have not yet graduated, but having had a few issues over the past two years has given me enough perspective to do this.

First of all, yes, early exposure to clinicals is great, but keep in mind that you can absolutely coast by shadowing and get through classes with no problem. So, in that sense, you have to make the most of your own learning, and you cannot blame anyone but yourself if that aspect has not gone well for you thus far.

However, clinical instructors have an unjustifiable level of autonomy when it comes to failing students, which I think is very, very unfair. So, if you value clarity and coherence and are not afraid of having uncomfortable conversations or voicing concerns, you may have an incredibly difficult time getting through the program depending on who you get for your clinicals. That should not be a criterion, but it truly is.

If you are not fine with responses like, “It is how we have always done it,” or, “Be a fly on the wall,” then good luck, my friend. The world needs more of you, but the MRU Nursing program has maturity issues. Instead of being humble and admitting there is a problem when something is unreasonable, they will turn it around so that you are the problem.

Who do you go to when the people who are supposed to help and guide you do not communicate to understand, but to blame?

PS: Lecture instructors have been the opposite and the kindest of people I have met, so credit where credit is due. Truly, I have cried from how kind some were.

The terrible stars are STRICTLY for clinicals and coordinators who coordinate to fail people they do not like.

Regardless, I wish you the very best!

Mount Royal University is an amazing school that focuses heavily on fostering community, practical undergraduate education, and reconciliation efforts. I have always felt like I belong at MRU. The nursing program is one of the best in the country, having students in clinical as early as first year. The program also features theory courses regarding nursing history, policy, social justice, advocacy, and indigenous studies.

The structure of the program is uncoordinated and very often frustrating. This is what happens when you have a program chair who doesn't actually feel any accountability for making sure the students taking the program have a cohesive and worth-while experience. Instead, the program has a club and all responsibilities for student social life are passed on to the poor suckers who volunteer to take on the role of representatives. Which you'd think would guarantee a lot of networking and profs putting you on a platter with industry, but nah. They just want your free labour and then shrug when you can't find an internship.... which you pay a course fee for, just for the prof in charge of that to tell you to go look for internships yourself, great use of my money. And speaking of profs, they sure will give you very biased and often irrelevant crits then get frustrated when you stop showing up for daily studio even though showing up is simply not helpful. But don't worry, they'll gossip about you openly in the middle of the room too. You need to have a job to pay for food? Nah, you are just lazy and not committed to your education. I'm on my last semester of this hellscape and I can tell you it doesn't get better - it actually gets worse, which is insane that for a THESIS project you get no form of autonomy or reward for having made it this far. I have not met one person who had to show up to daily check-ins to review their thesis. I actually feel more micromanaged and infantilized in my last ducking year in this program than I did last year, which has absolutely ruined every speckle of joy for having made it this far. You can bring up comments to faculty, but they will only be ignored and you'll get labelled as problematic, even though your classmates have always been whinny babies who get extensions left and right. Again-bias. I could go on about all of the frustrating, unfair and ridiculous realities of being in this program, but my point and advice to you would be to look for another CIDA accredited program if you can find it. If not just be ready to be frustrated and disappointed a lot through your experience with the program.