Re: Critiquing journal paper Originally Posted by GradRNKylie
I am just ranting here: I dont understand in the end why Canada's standards are so high with nursing. In which it makes it really hard for International Nurses to study Pediatric and Obstetric courses, when in the end I have no interest to work in. Realistically, I find nothing different in the way Canadians and Australian nurses work. I find both are efficient, safe and hardworking.
Margaret Hadley, the president of the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) says this, "Government and employers have been focusing on recruiting internationally educated nurses to help address the nursing shortage and the number of international applicants tripled in the last part of 2007. While CARNA believes that international recruitment is a short-term strategy for addressing the shortage, staff have worked very hard to streamline processes in order to ensure that any qualified individual, whether educated internationally or domestically, receives a practice permit as soon as possible. The primary focus is always on ensuring that the public can receive
safe, competent and ethical nursing care from all RNs registered in the province."
CARNA's provincial council notes from November 30, 2007 regarding Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs): "CARNA has been asked to consider alternative temporary licensing arrangements for IENs who have defined areas of deficit in nursing education,competence and.or experience, and therefore do not currently meet all existing CARNA requirements for licensure as a registered nurse, including eleigibility to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam (CRNE). After careful consideration of the issues, potentially viable options, implications, potential cost benefits and the potential impact on patient safety, Provincial Council decided not to support the development of temporary limited licensure for IENs."
Regulatory bodies in Canada take their responsibility to the Canadian public very seriously. They are responsible for ensuring that nurses provide "safe, competent and ethical nursing care" to all patients in a variety of often complex health care settings. The standards to which they hold all RNs are very high; to suggest those standards be watered down for graduates of foreign nursing schools is insulting to we nurses who were educated in Canada and are holding Canadian licenses. It is a requirement in Canada for
all nurses to have education in
all areas of nursing, whether the nurse intends to ever practice in those areas or not. The Canadian patient has a right to expect the same basic level of education and clinical competence from all licensed personnel caring for them since it is their tax dollars paying the wages of those personnel. I have never had any interest in nursing adults or working in psychiatry or obstetrics, but in my pediatric ICU practice I care for children hours old and those who are adults in all but chronology and every age in between. They may have medical or surgical illnesses, mental health issues, substance abuse problems, developmental concerns or congenital anomalies. Some have been pregnant or new mothers. My education in all areas of nursing care makes me a more effective nurse for my patients and their families.
Very far off topic here, but I felt this needed to be addressed.