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Ontario Deploying Internationally Trained Nurses to Deal With Healthcare Staffing Shortages

Tuesday, 11 January 2022 at 13:22

By Linda Morgan

The province is teaming up with Ontario Health and the College of Nurses of Ontario to deploy internationally trained nurses.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says the province will deploy internationally trained nurses to help address staffing shortages at hospitals and long-term care homes. 

Elliott told reporters today that the province is pairing up with Ontario Health and the College of Nurses of Ontario for the initiative, which will give international nurses "the opportunity to meet their applications requirements by working in health-care settings under the supervision of a regulated health-care provider."

"Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario’s hospitals and health care providers have worked tirelessly to protect the health and safety of patients," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "Our government has continued to make critical investments in our hospital and health workforce to ensure no resource goes untapped so that our hospitals have the staffing and resources they need to care for patients during this challenging time."

The deputy premier noted that 1,200 applicants have expressed interest, and will be placed in hospital and long-term care settings later this week. 

She also spoke about intensive care units, saying 600 ICU beds remain available, and 500 more are available if needed. 

As well, Elliott noted the length of intensive care stays are decreasing. 

She says the average stay for a COVID-19 patient is now at seven days, which is down from 20 during the peak of the Delta wave. 

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