Re: Regina LPN's bridging into RN Originally Posted by Fiona59 
After much googling, the only thing I could find was a link to a proposal to the Liberal plan to improve healthcare if they won the election in Sask.
And I don't think they won the provincial election.
Here's the article pls read:
Liberals suggest retraining LPNs Veronica Rhodes, Saskatchewan News Network; Regina Leader-Post; with files from The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, October 05, 2007
REGINA -- The provincial Liberal party is proposing 1,000 licensed practical nurses (LPN) be trained and reassigned as registered nurses (RN) as a way to quickly address nursing shortage and retention problems.
On Thursday, Saskatchewan Liberal Leader David Karwacki was joined by Saskatoon Southeast candidate Dr. Mark Lemstra to announce their party's $73-million-per-year plan that proposes additional training be provided for 600 LPNs, who can then be reassigned as RNs with clinical duties.
Karwacki said due to the on-the-job experience of LPNs, the training, examination and certification time could be condensed, making it possible for the new RNs to enter the job in roughly six months.
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"We need RNs and we need them quickly. It is our plan to move those LPNs over; we know we can transition them quickly. We can fill the void of 600 nurses that needs to be filled," Karwacki told reporters outside of Regina's General Hospital.
The Liberals are also proposing that another 400 LPNs become registered nurses, allowing more current RNs to work in community health centres and schools.
In turn, to replace the LPNs, 1,000 nursing assistant positions would be created. The new non-clinical positions would perform all administrative and non-professional tasks previously handled by RNs. SUN president Rosalee Longmoore said a bridging program used to exist in the province for LPNs to become RNs and it is something the union would work toward in the future. While the Liberal plan addresses some of the issues SUN is raising, Longmoore said more could still be done.
"It seems like a practical plan to address the immediate shortage of registered nurses. I think that's likely to offer some hope to SUN members," said Longmoore.
In Saskatoon on Thursday, Health Minister Len Taylor admitted he was not familiar with the Liberals' plan for nursing, but added the provincial nursing committee and the Health Department have discussed similar recruitment and retention ideas.
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007 
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