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Internationally trained nurses will be required to address a looming shortage in New Brunswick鈥檚 health-care system, a new government report says.聽
The recruitment of internationally educated nurses (IENs) is one of four so-called 鈥渁ction items鈥� that the province鈥檚 Nursing Resource Strategy says are needed to meet the accelerating聽demand for health services and long-term care among New Brunswickers.
The document notes that the province鈥檚 population is ageing faster than any other jurisdiction in Canada, prompting what it calls a 鈥渃ritical demographic situation.鈥�
鈥淣ew Brunswick has one of Canada鈥檚 oldest populations and is ageing at a greater rate than other jurisdictions,鈥� it notes. 鈥淣ew Brunswick has the highest percentage of population over 65 years of age when compared to the rest of Canada.鈥�
The province鈥檚 nurses are not exempt from this trend 鈥� 41 per cent of registered nurses (RNs) in New Brunswick are 50 years of age or older, the report says.
Combined with declining enrolment in the province鈥檚 bachelor of nursing programs and an attrition rate of 30 per cent for nursing students, the province鈥檚 ministry of health projects a shortage of at least 130 registered nurses (RNs) each year over the next 10 years.
鈥淭his means that by 2028 there could be a deficit of approximately 1,300 RNs in the New Brunswick health-care system,鈥� the document notes.
During this same period, it is estimated that 4,376 RN jobs will open.
鈥淭he province finds itself at a crossroads where the number of nurses in the workforce is decreasing and the demand for their services keeps increasing.鈥�
Internationally educated nurses to the rescue
Among the four key remedies identified is the active recruitment of IENs from countries identified as having 鈥渘ursing education programs with similar nursing professional standards, competencies, and credentials鈥� to New Brunswick.
Doing so, the document says, will increase the odds of immigrant nurses meeting the province鈥檚 registration requirements.
As to these requirements, the government calls for an examination 鈥渢o identify any barriers, areas for improvement or efficiencies鈥� for IENs and to improve the application process.
The strategy also recommends the establishment of a program that would help IENs find work in New Brunswick鈥檚 health-care sector while their applications for registration are in progress 鈥渢o allow for a positive integration into the workforce.鈥�
Among the strategy鈥檚 other action items are a process for offering permanent employment (full-time and part-time) to New Brunswick graduates and RNs recruited from other provinces or countries and the possibility of a signing bonus in exchange for a three-year commitment to serve in rural areas of the province.
鈥淣urses play a significant role in the provision of high-quality care in an efficient, patient-centric health-care system,鈥� New Brunswick鈥檚 Health Minister, Hugh J. Flemming, said in a statement. 鈥淲e are going to continue to face a shortage of nurses unless we take action now to ensure we have enough nurses to serve our population.鈥�
鈥淭he Nurses Association of New Brunswick supports any effort to address the nursing shortage and will continue to participate on the nursing resource strategy, as we anticipate immediate action to further implement the plan,鈥� added association president Maureen Wallace.
New Brunswick鈥檚 Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister, Trevor Holder, said a number of the strategy鈥檚 action items 鈥渁re already underway.鈥�
No details were mentioned as to how IENs may be selected or what immigration programs would be used to recruit them.
Earlier this week, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) announced that it will conduct occasional searches of the for skilled candidates who meet the province鈥檚 labour.
These searches will be conducted through the NBPNP鈥檚 Express Entry-linked .
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