Unions: Nursing training course not enough
Reported February 27, 2009
The province is going ahead with a pilot program to help foreign nurses get accreditation in Canada.
But the union representing nurses says it doesn’t go nearly far enough to address the shortage.
There are currently around 13-hundred nursing vacancies in the province.
The pilot project will train roughly 60 nurses at Bow Valley College. The courses will run two years and will address shortfalls in the training international nurses have received.
The program could be expanded if it is a success.
Nursing unions say pilot projects are not enough to address the current shortage and are calling for more funding for local training programs.
The new course is free and is open to immigrants who have recently arrived in Canada or are permanent residents.