Foreign nurses say they've been waiting almost a year for RN postings in St. John's
More than 60 internationally educated nurses are waiting for an available job position in the St. John's area
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador made a big deal about recruiting foreign medical professionals to reduce the boiling pressure on the province's health-care system.
But, as CBC News has confirmed, at least 60 internationally educated nurses from India are waiting to get to work as registered nurses, with some waiting nearly a year so far.
The internationally trained nurses were recruited as personal care attendants and have been working in St. John's. They were told by recruiters that if they got their Canadian nursing licence they could then apply for RN positions. That process can often take a year.
However, when some of those nurses did get over that hurdle, they were told they had to wait longer because there were no positions available in St. John's.
Nurses who spoke with CBC News didn't want to be interviewed in fear of jeopardizing their careers.
Thomson Philip is a member of the the city's Indian community. He's a friend of some of the nurses and is their spokesman.
"They are little bit disappointed that they are not able to progress into the right position they were looking for," Philip told CBC News.
He says the nurses have over a decade of nursing experience in India, and working as PCAs is like working at a beginner level for their skills.
Nursing vacancies within the province has been a hot button issue for the nurses' union and elected officials for years.
Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services told CBC News that there are limited permanent full-time positions for registered nurses in St. John's.
"When we share a time frame, what we're really sharing is the natural attrition and turnover rates within the St. John's area," said Collette Smith, director of recruitment, education and culture with NLHS.
Smith said the health authority recruited 375 international nurses specifically to work as personal care attendants in 2022, as that role was also in demand. As of this year, around 150 of them are working as registered nurses, she said, adding that NLHS is aware of the group still awaiting permanent nursing jobs and will communicate with them when job opportunities arise.
"We're very thrilled to have had a lot of success in recruitment within the St. John's area," Smith said.
During question period in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Health Minister John Hogan addressed the issue. He said he had spoken with NLHS officials, and told them to "make every effort to make sure anyone who has the capability to be a RN, who wants to be an RN, is offered a job."
Registered nurse positions in rural areas
The nurses who spoke with CBC News said they were told they could get a permanent RN position faster in rural communities. However, after living in and near St. John's for a couple of years, relocating is neither an appealing option nor a feasible one for many.
"They are well settled in the city now. They've bought houses, their children are attending schools and universities here," Philip said, adding that the city offers better access to their cultural food, a larger community of people who speak their language and easier opportunities to practice their religion.
"Losing the comfort that we get in the city is another big decision."
Another challenge, he says, is finding jobs for their partners who are often equally educated and skilled, but struggle to secure positions. Consequently, moving out of St. John's would further limit their opportunities, Philip said.
Smith acknowledged the concerns about rural relocation and says NLHS is discussing solutions that could include transportation that would allow nurses to remain in their homes.
Nurses' union calls for increase to core staff
As the international nurses waited for job openings, they voiced their concerns to the Newfoundland and Labrador Registered Nurses' Union.
Union president Yvette Coffey says she was surprised to hear about the limited number of RN positions available in St. John's, as she frequently hears from members working in the city's hospitals about being under staffed.
"They're working overtime, 16, sometimes 24 hours," she said.
"I've heard about private agency nurses working here in psychiatry. So don't tell me there's no vacancies in St. John's."
She says the current staffing levels are based on outdated data that fail to reflect today's health-care demands and patient acuity. More core staff positions need to be added, she said.
In the meantime, the longer the international nurses wait, the greater the risk that they will look for opportunities elsewhere.
"In a year or two, if they don't get into the position, there are chances that people might move out of the province," Philip said.
"Everything depends on their mindset, the willpower to wait."
With nursing licences in hand and permanent residency status, these international nurses are not tied to the province, he says. They can opt to move to larger cities in other provinces, with more job opportunities and also a larger Indian community.
Recruiters from those provinces are already scouting, Coffey says.
"We have to welcome each and every registered nurse and nurse practitioner into the system and work with them," she said.
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