Cecilia and Mandy He chose Langara’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) together, building bedside confidence through strong clinical placements and supportive simulation labs. During preceptorship at Lions Gate Hospital, the sisters carried that same teamwork into patient care, helping each other stay grounded while learning how to make a meaningful difference from day one.
When Cecilia and Mandy He entered Langara’s Nursing program together, they brought the same “we’ve got this” energy into every part of school. Their story starts with a shared childhood experience that made caregiving feel personal from the very beginning.
Cecilia explains that her interest in nursing began after seeing her grandfather collapse. “That experience stayed with me.” She remembers feeling helpless, and she wanted to become the kind of nurse who could support families and bring reassurance during emergencies.
Mandy’s inspiration came from the same event: “The only thing we could do was help translate English and try to comfort our family so they wouldn’t be too scared. We started to realize how challenging medical emergencies can be for families.”
Seeing how calm and supportive nurses were at the bedside convinced both sisters that they wanted to help during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.
Langara appealed to them because it offered more than classroom learning. The Nursing program gave them steady opportunities to practice hands-on skills, learn in clinical settings, and build confidence before graduation.
Langara’s Nursing program combines classroom learning with clinical placements every term and simulation labs designed to help students build confidence before entering practice. Along the way, supportive instructors and hands-on mentorship helped Cecilia and Mandy feel prepared for the realities of patient care.
Cecilia explains, “The program provides hands-on clinical placements every term, which allows us to continuously build bedside experience before becoming a real nurse.”
Mandy also highlights practicum and practical skill-building: “a strong focus on practicum and hands-on learning.” For her, Langara was the right choice because it combined nursing theory with practical skill-building in real patient care environments.
Going through nursing school with a built-in support system made the demanding parts feel manageable, academically and emotionally.
Their preceptorship at Lions Gate Hospital also added a real-world layer to that sisterly teamwork. Even on different units, they could lean on each other during the intensity of moving from student to practice-ready nurse.
Cecilia describes their unique preceptorship setting as “a really special experience” because being at the same hospital gave them comfort and encouragement.
Mandy felt it too: “[Being there with my sister] made the experience less stressful.”
They checked in with each other during breaks and reflected after shifts, helping each other process the emotional parts of nursing practice and turn that shared experience into continued motivation.
Langara also strengthened their readiness through simulation labs, where students can practice, make mistakes, and grow before real clinical responsibilities.
Mandy sums up the value well: “practice skills, make mistakes, and learn from them.”
That combination of safe learning and real clinical exposure helped them build the confidence and competence they need to care for patients with empathy and skill.
Ready to grow into a confident, compassionate nurse? Explore Langara’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and see how hands-on clinical placements, simulation labs, and supportive mentorship can help you turn caring into practice, with a support network that lasts beyond graduation.
National Nursing Week draws attention to nurses, increasing the awareness of the public, policymakers, and governments of the many contributions of nursing to the well-being of Canadians. In 1971, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) designated May 12, the birthday of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, as International Nurses Day. In 1985, Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) members passed a resolution to begin negotiations with the federal government to have the week containing May 12 proclaimed as National Nurses Week annually. Soon after, the federal minister of health proclaimed the second week of May as National Nurses Week. In 1993, the name was changed to National Nursing Week to emphasize the profession's accomplishments as a discipline.
