Good news for international nurses currently in Ontario.
THE HOSPITAL FACING NURSING STAFF SHORTAGE IN ONTARIO.
As hospitals have to face issues regarding the shortage of nurse’s staff, Ontario must act fast to implement proposed changes.
The issues in Ontario’s health care system have been ongoing for years, but this summer’s, the issues regarding the shortage forced the Ontario Government to act.
ONTARIO HEALTH MINISTER APPROVED A PLAN FOR INTERNATIONAL NURSES.
This month, Ontario health minister SYLVIA JONES approved a plan from the province’s nursing college to get more internationally trained nurses into practice more quickly.
Ontario’s minister of health told the province’s nursing college to move forward with regulatory changes that could get thousands more internationally trained nurses into practice more quickly.
Last month Sylvia Jones directed the College of Nurses of Ontario to develop the plans to more quickly register internationally educated professionals as staffing shortages have led to temporary emergency department closures across the province.
INTERNATIONALLY TRAINED NURSES WILL ALLOWED TO BE TEMPORARILY REGISTERED MUST HAVE PRACTICED WITHIN THREE YEARS
Apart from that, Among the College ‘s proposals was allowing internationally trained nurses to be temporarily registered while they go through the process of full registration, such as completing education and an exam
It also proposed to make it easier for about 5,300 non-practicing nurses living in Ontario to return to the workforce, if they want to.
CURRENT RULES say a nurse must have practiced within the last three years to be reinstated, but that could be removed.
JONES has also told the college to draft those amendments to regulations right away.
The college has said that the changes could potentially help the 5970 active international applicants currently living in the Ontario, but JONES has asked the regulator specifically how many nurses it expects will benefits.
The nursing college had also said that with temporary registrations, it could change the rules to only revoke a temporary certificate after two failed exam attempts, instead of the one attempt nurses are allowed currently.
On the measure, the ministry said it will rely on the college’s expertise about what exactly should be included in the regulatory amendments it is now drafting.
INTERNATIONALLY NURSES HAVE TO BE MONITORED BY RPN, RN.
Temporarily registered nurses have to be monitored by a registered practical nurse, a registered nurse or a nurse practitioner.
THE COLLEGE HAD CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DO MORE
More objective is to provide international nurses with more education opportunities.
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE MINISTRY AND TH COLLEGE
JONES responded that she has asked the ministry to work with the college and the other health system partners on that.
CLAUDETTE HOLLOWAY, WELCOMED THE MINISTER’S RESPONSE AND URGED THE GOVERNMENT
CLAUDETTE HOLLOWAY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE REGISTERED NURSES’ ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO, welcomed the response of the ministry and also forced the government to work on a long-term recruitment and retention strategy
She said in an interview, “we are glad to hear there is an action to expedite the process for our internationally educated nurses.”
“We have been asking for this for some time and many of them have been waiting for the years to be processed. We desperately need them in Ontario on the front lines to deal with the nursing shortages that we have.
THE HEALTH MINISTER HAD GIVEN THE APPROVAL TO CPSO
The health minister also gives the approval to the College of the Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to create a temporary, three-month registration for physicians licensed in other provinces.
THE COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTED A NEED TO THE MINISTER
The college also highlighted to the minister a need for practice ready assessments, which would allow internationally educated physicians to be rapidly assessed over a 12-week period of supervision and direct observation.
The college also wrote to minister,” In seven other provinces. program like this are already used and are especially designed to deploy physicians to underserved communities and provide a path to licensing”
A PROGRAM COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY.
“With government funding and co-ordination among key system partners, a program could be implemented immediately and begin injecting a new supply of internationally educated physicians into the system as early as spring 2023 and onwards.”
JONES RESPONDED THAT THE MINISTRY IS LOOKING CAREFULLY AT THIS CONCEPT.
Yes, definately good news for international nurses.