General Information

What do I need to know before relocating to Edmonton?
Students are permitted to travel to Edmonton as a requirement of their program. Please review the travel restrictions and recommendations on the Government of Alberta website prior to arranging travel to Edmonton. Additional resources are available on the University COVID-19 Information website under Travel.
Will remote delivery of lab content allow us to sufficiently learn and master our required skills for clinicals?

Remote delivery of lab content is an effective strategy to develop beginning competency with various clinical skills (such as health assessment and foundational skills) and thus is a preferred safe method of learning in our current context wherever possible. Clinical practice that is scheduled concurrently with these labs or in the next term is designed to reinforce lab skill development and to allow for practice under the direct supervision of the clinical instructor. The Faculty is doing future course planning with the realization that additional direct practice under the supervision of an instructor may be necessary for advanced skill development.

Remote delivery of labs is also used to review clinical skills for the preceptorship experience.

Will students have access to the simulation lab in order to be prepared for our clinical settings?
The Nursing Simulation Centre (NSC) is being prioritized in Fall term for courses requiring advanced clinical skill development. As resources allow, the NSC may be able to open up for practice labs for foundational courses.
What happens if I am unable to complete clinical course requirements due to illness or clinical placement disruptions due to COVID-19?

If you are not able to complete your course requirements due to not being able to attend in-person classes or clinical shifts, here are some steps to take:

  • If you are not able to attend for a COVID-related reason and you have started the course, contact your instructor or course lead to let them know of your situation. They will help determine what is needed to complete your course or whether it may be necessary to withdraw or be granted incomplete status in your course. Incompletes will be offered for extenuating circumstances. There may be alternate learning experiences that will help meet course requirements depending on the timing of the interruption. If it is necessary to miss in-person labs due to illness there may be an opportunity to participate in another scheduled lab via videoconferencing. Please take the required health measures should the absence be illness-related. See above for directions.
  • Contact the Nursing Student Advisor through your student portal to discuss program planning and accommodation requirements.
  • If clinical situations change during your course and access to the site is denied due to COVID, the Faculty will determine whether there are any other possible experiences that could be implemented to meet the course objectives. This may mean going to another clinical site or completing virtual activities where available. If virtual or alternate experiences are not available, students will be offered incomplete status in the course and another plan will be implemented with additional course experiences.
How can I get in touch with a member of the Student Services staff?
Although there are no in-person Student Services available at this time, all staff can be reached by email, or by leaving a detailed voice message. Contact information for the Undergraduate Programs Student Services staff is available under the 'Faculty of Nursing Contacts' on the Undergraduate Student Resource site on eClass. General inquiries and inquiries from new students can be sent through your student service portal.
Who do I contact if I am experiencing challenges with my learning?

If you are experiencing learning challenges and want to discuss the course or program modifications, please reach out to the Student Advisor through the student service portal.

If you have concerns about course delivery or instructor related concerns, please contact the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs, Dr. Christy Raymond, at craymond@ualberta.ca.

If you would like to seek confidential advice on University processes related to academic, discipline, interpersonal, and financial issues, please contact the Office of the Student Ombuds at ombuds@ualberta.ca.

What are the technology requirements for remote learning?

Please refer to the Technology for Remote Learning website. Additional course-specific requirements will be communicated through the course eClass site before the start of term.

Important tips: 

  • Synchronous, proctored assessments require a webcam and the Google Chrome web browser.
  • Chromebooks/ tablets and iPads do not support most virtual simulation and exam technology.
What are the clinical requirements for new and returning students?
A complete list of clinical requirements along with deadlines is available here.
How will I be notified of changes to my program?
To ensure that students are receiving frequent updates, and have easy access to important information related to their program of study, the Faculty of Nursing will be updating the COVID Information for Nursing Students website weekly. Instructors will also be sending course specific details via eClass announcements. Please monitor your ualberta email, your eclass page sites, and this page for updates.
What do I do if I am showing symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19?

Self-isolate, complete the AHS COVID-19 self-assessment and follow the instructions provided.

If any student in a remote lecture, lab or onsite lab or course activity identifies as self-isolating or COVID positive, they need to contact their instructor and provide their contact details. Instructors have directions on where to submit this information. Processes are in place through the Dean of Students Office to handle the contact tracing and University tracking requirements related to COVID-19, which the undergraduate office will activate. Those in solely remote learning situations may not require any additional contact tracing.

If a student in a clinical setting identifies as self-isolating or has received a positive COVID test result, or has been told to self-isolate immediately, they need to contact their instructor immediately and provide contact details. Clinical situations involving COVID patients or staff are overseen by Occupational Health and Safety in those settings and our clinical placement teams will be working with them related to any student related clinical COVID matter. Both University and Occupational Health and Safety from clinical sites may be involved with students who are in clinical courses.

More information is available here.

What monitoring and onsite safety measures will be completed for any approved onsite learning activities?
Students will be monitored for signs of illness through a variety of measures that may include temperature checks, symptom self-assessments and other public health questions. Students will be asked to wear a non-medical mask in areas where social distancing may not be possible, including hallways and other spaces on campus when attending any learning activities. Please consult your eclass pages for more information and direction. Pandemic learning resources are available via eclass and completion will be required prior to access to clinical and lab activities. Students and faculty are expected to follow all directions visible in the lab setting and will be following all placement directives provided by our placement partners.