The University of Saskatchewan (USask) will start it’s new Master of Public Health Nursing (MPHN) program next September. The aim of the two-year online graduate program is to equip nurses with the skills they need to become front line leaders in facing public health challenges brought on by an increase in poverty, homelessness and food insecurity.

The program is a collaboration between the USask College of Nursing and School of Public Health. College of Nursing Associate Professor and Graduate Chair Dr. Wanda Martin, whose expertise is in homelessness and food insecurity, says the program will give nurses an expanded understanding of the issues that are affecting public health.

“We have an opportunity for nurses to be leaders, if we’re looking at housing for example and what the city’s doing with housing. So, if we have people who are really educated in this area, they can really contribute to some of the solutions that are needed. And same with food insecurity, are we really understanding the implications of food security on health?”

Dr. Martin says the program has been in the works for some time and was developed with input from people working in public health.

“There’s a lot of processes to go through, plus meetings with the School of Public Health. We did consultations as well with people who are working in public health and public health nurses across the country to understand what would be the important things to include.”

Applications are now open and the program will have 5 seats in it’s first cohort.