“The Wellness Centre offers care for the whole person, and I love working within that health model. I can use the full scope of my practice and knowledge and apply it in a comprehensive way that I’ve never experienced in nursing before. ...I know God has led and gifted me to be a nurse. I am very excited to continue to be a part of the Wellness Centre and connecting with the students and staff."
— Kristen Klassen, RN, Public Health Nurse at TWU's Wellness Centre
Kristen Klassen, Public Health Nurse at TWU's Wellness Centre, says that she became a nurse for the opportunity to walk alongside people through difficult and vulnerable moments.
“I value connecting with people on a deeper level and nursing opens that door. It’s a unique privilege.”
Klassen graduated from UNBC with a bachelor of science in nursing. She has been working in public health for over 15 years, in addition to specializing as a diabetes educator for 7 years.
She first moved to Langley from Prince George in 2006 to support her husband’s professional training as a counsellor. The family has been here ever since and has no plans to leave.
Now Klassen is the mother of two teenage daughters and has been married nearly 20 years. She says she enjoys all kinds of home DIY projects, “which recently includes a bathroom renovation.” She also loves travelling, the outdoors and camping.
In 2020, Klassen joined TWU's campus clinic, the Wellness Centre, as a public health nurse. Altogether, there are more than 10 part-time and full-time nurses at TWU’s campus clinic, plus doctors and mental health counsellors.
“Working as a clinical nurse at the Wellness Centre this year has utilized all my nursing skills, as well as teaching me many new ones,” said Klassen. “I can use the full scope of my practice and knowledge and apply it in a comprehensive way that I’ve never experienced in nursing before.”
"Our clinic Director Michele Regehr has encouraged autonomy in my practice while supporting me in learning new nursing skills."
On any given day, Klassen might give immunizations, take bloodwork, give an injection, take a COVID swab, and provide assessments for a variety of other concerns.
“The Wellness Centre offers care for the whole person, and I love working within that health model. I feel that I can use my whole self and not just a limited set of skills in this environment," she said.
“I know God has led and gifted me to be a nurse. I am very excited to continue to be a part of the Wellness Centre and connecting with the students and staff.”
See this story in Prince George Daily.
See also — Campus physician Dr. Derek Hitchman celebrates 30 years at TWU:
TWU News
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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