'A lot of torment': A nurse from England awaits certification in New Brunswick

While the provincial government'snewnursing strategy aims to hire 130 nurses each year for the next decade, one nurse from abroad living in Fredericton has been waiting over a year to work in her field.

The new strategy focuses on attracting and accommodating internationally trained nurses and providing better education opportunities for nursing students at home.

Pascia Birch graduated from a nursing program in England and then moved to Fredericton. She's been waiting a year and a half to work as a nurse in New Brunswick.

She first had to have documents sent to Philadelphia for a report detailingher qualifications and experience. She said that took six months. It was then sent to the Nurses Association of New Brunswick.

"After the documents came to New Brunswick unfortunately there was another six-month delay where I didn't hear anything from the nursesassociation or anything concrete in terms of what my application was doing, because it was actually on hold," Birch said.

So far she'sspent about $5,000 trying to get certified.

"I did know that it was going to be a long process. I just didn't know that it was going to turn out the way it has with some unforeseen delays and really sort of a lot of torment."

Normally, after the nurses association receives the report, applicants take an exam in Halifax. Following that there are either a series of courses or the official nursing exam for New Brunswick.

Birch started the process in February 2018, and said the stalled process just got moving again in February2019.

Now she still isn't scheduled for the exam, but said "everything is really hopeful at the moment." She hopes she'll be able to take the exam early next year.

$2.3 million to implement strategy

Department of Health spokesperson BruceMacfarlane said Tuesday $2.3 million has been allocated to implementing the strategy as part of the 2019-20 budget.

Some of that money will be used for an assessment and bridging program for nurses like Birch. That will include a "navigator" who will help out-of-country nurses register and go through the certification process, as well as look for ways to streamline the process.

The province currently has 8,000 nurses. Horizon Health Network said in early June there are 200 permanent full and part-time vacanciesat Horizon hospitals across the province.

Health Minister Ted Flemming said Tuesday the shortage has caused multiple closures.

Cautiously optimistic

Despite the delays, Birch said her experience is considered good compared to some.

"Other nurses that I've spoken to who are from countries such as the Philippines have been doing this process since 2016. One of them started in October 2016 and she's at the same point that I'm at now."

She said it's been difficult to hear about struggles with hospital staffing and nursing shortages in the province while she waits to be allowed to work.

"It's very challenging to hear about that and not be able to make an active difference."

She said she understands why nurses must go through the process to make sure they are ready to work in the province, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

She saidthe strategy unveiled by the province last week is a great startandshe's cautiously optimistic about how effective it will be. She doesn't expect improvements to come quickly.

"But I think eventually we can improve the process for everyone."