Ontario's nursing college proposes registering thousands of international nurses amid shortage
CBC
Ontario's nursing college is proposing to register potentially thousands of internationally trained nurses on a temporary basis.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones recently directed the College of Nurses of Ontario to develop plans to more quickly register internationally educated professionals within two weeks, amid a nurse staffing shortage that has led to temporary emergency room closures.
The college provided its response to the ministry today, and said there are 5,970 active international applicants currently living in Ontario.
It says the college could make a regulation change — if the minister supports it — that would allow internationally trained nurses to be temporarily registered while they go through the process of full registration, such as completing education and an exam.
The college proposes to allow applicants who have completed nursing education approved in another jurisdiction to temporarily register, and to only revoke a temporary certificate after two failed exam attempts, instead of the one attempt they currently are allowed.