Government announced new initiatives for the recruitment and retention of registered nurses today.
Government is cutting the red tape for nurses outside the province and internationally to come work here. Health Minister Tom Osborne says the College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador can now register and license applicants faster. Background checks will now only be done by the College and not duplicated with the employer doing the same. College Executive Director Lynn Power says this streamlines the application process by speeding it up 92 percent. The college is working closely with 7 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, India, the Phillipines, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Power says these nurses have the same education, with literally the same textbooks. This province needs upwards of 600 nurses to fill the void. Government recently hired 200 registered nursing grads here and there are 200 internationally trained nurses living here now. 2-3 hundred nurses from India will be working here in the province later this year.
NL Health Services dealing with an outbreak of Invasive Meningococcal Disease in the Central zone
Police investigating a possible case of animal cruelty after a small dog was found dead near Port aux Basques
RNC say one person is dead after an early morning impaired single-vehicle rollover in St. John's
Corner Brook peewee baseball coach talks about the experience youth will get at the NL Summer Games
Port Saunders RCMP nab motorcyclist who was speeding, stunting, and also fled from police
