WATERLOO -- The province has announced plans to deploy internationally trained nurses to hospitals and long-term care homes to combat staffing shortages.
Imma Marie Yamat, an internationally educated nurse from the Philippines living in Kitchener now has a chance to step back onto the front lines in the coming weeks.
“I’m glad they’re able to realize and to utilize us,” said Yamat, who is finishing her last semester at Conestoga College’s enhanced practice for internationally educated nurses.
She has nearly 8 years of nursing experience specializing in trauma and critical care in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.
Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliot said in a press conference Tuesday, the province will be deploying internationally trained nurses to healthcare settings in need of staffing support due to COVID-19.
The launch of the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership is led by the College of Nurses of Ontario and Ontario Health.
Matthew Anderson, the president and CEO of Ontario Health said the program will offer nurses supervised experience while allowing them to meet their application requirements to become fully licensed.
“We will have a preceptor at the hospital who will receive these folks and supervise them and their care through the system,” said Anderson.
It’s estimated there will be 300 internationally educated nurses in the first cohort of the program who will be matched to about 50 Ontario hospitals as soon as possible.
Lee Fairclough, the head of Waterloo-Wellington hospitals said they are looking at all options to bring skilled healthcare workers including this program.
Yamat is looking forward to finally stepping off the sidelines and continuing to give care where she’s needed.
“It [the program] will expedite our application and of course help in healthcare,” Yamat said, “It will be a win, win situation.”
