Accelerated reference program available in some provinces for foreign-trained nurses
Foreign nurses with international training will be licensed more quickly in some parts of Canada under a new qualification program introduced by the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS).
NNAS said in a press release on June 21 that internationally trained nurses (IENs) seeking to be licensed or registered to work in Canada in participating provinces will have their most essential documentation reviewed and issue NNAS advisory reports within five days of receipt.
The new expedited service will be available for IENs applicable to any of the following regulatory bodies: Nurses Association of New Brunswick, the College of Registered Nurses and Midwives of Prince Edward Island (PEI), the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba.
In some of those counties it could previously take up to 12 weeks to obtain a report on an IEN’s credentials, Waxman told reporters on June 28.
The NNAS is a non-profit organization that helps IENs submit their documents and apply for a license in the Canadian province of their choice as a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or Registered Psychiatric Nurse (RPN). However, Quebec, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories do their own programs.
The organization says so vision will be so”globally recognized as the gold standard for assessing nurses.”
NNAS receives an application from nurses who indicate which province they wish to find employment in, and the organization reviews and verifies their documents, tests them against provincial regulations, and prepares an advisory report to be submitted to the appropriate nursing regulatory agency.
“The advisory reports bundle and authenticate the documentation IEN regulators need to start the permitting process. They also show how applicants’ international training compares to Canadian nursing competencies,” the NNAS said in its June 21 publication. press release.
Under the new program, the service now reviews only the most essential documentation to speed up the process.
“NNAS’s faster service is possible because we have reduced the requirements and documentation that applicants must submit. For example, applicants will no longer submit their curriculum or undergo individual curriculum assessment,” the organization said in a May 30 post. press release.
“We are excited to work with provincial regulators to make it faster for IENs to get their documents verified and start the licensing process faster, while still maintaining important safeguards to protect the integrity of our healthcare system,” said NNAS director Gayle Waxman in the June 21 press release.
Ms Waxman said the organization has the infrastructure to provide this service to IENs around the world and will work “with all regulatory agencies to take advantage of this more efficient process.”
According to the NNAS, nurses from other countries have traditionally had a “long road” to get certified in Canada.
“NNAS recognizes the valuable education and skills IENs provide to Canada’s healthcare system,” said the organization on June 30 in a press release.
Earlier this year, the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) said it would also work to remove barriers to IENs seeking to work in the province.
“The regulations must change. There must be a balance between risk and regulatory processes. The current system has too many unnecessary barriers for internationally trained nurses to be recognized for their competencies and skills,” CRNA said in a statement. rack on April 4.
The organization said that for IENs who transferred their license in the past five years, most applicants were trained in the Philippines (40 percent) or India (37 percent).
