Hospitals across Canada are grappling with significant nursing shortages, prompting many to rely on agency nurses to maintain staffing levels. At Yukon Hospitals, one of the key efforts is the introduction of a new training program designed to integrate Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) into the health care system
The Internationally Educated Nurses program, which launched in August 2024, aims to harness the potential of nurses trained abroad who have already obtained their Canadian licensing and credentials, but haven’t yet started working in the Canadian healthcare system.
“This represents a very large, untapped resource for healthcare workers,” says Jessica Mulli, Director of Nursing. The new program is designed to help IENs successfully transition into the workforce, while providing high-quality care to patients.
Partnering with the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN), Yukon Hospitals created a comprehensive program for IENs. Drawing from the association’s model, this new program focuses on communication, skills building, and hands-on mentorship for nurses to gain practical competence and confidence.
Mulli says that the key to the success of the program are the educators and nursing preceptors who help to train the IENs.
“We identify people who would be great preceptor mentors, and they go through a specific mentorship program for IENs.”.
To date, 9 nurses have been trained in the preceptor program, which includes components on cultural sensitivity and communication, to help guide IENs as they transition into the workforce.
The program runs for 12 to 16 weeks, incorporating practical components, including skill-building labs and critical incident simulations. Initially, IENs start by providing basic patient care, gradually taking on more advanced tasks like medication administration and patient assessments. Throughout the program, IENs are paired with preceptors, shadowing the experienced nurses during their shifts, while progressively increasing their responsibilities.
Christian Conel, an IEN who formerly worked in the Philippines as an operating room and surgical nurse, was one of the nurses to graduate from the new program in 2024. He thrived under the mentorship of surgical staff who were “incredibly supportive” throughout his training.
“The surgical team here is trying to teach us everything they can,” he says. “When I was shadowing as a scrub [OR] nurse, they were very helpful.”
Despite his reservations about Yukon’s colder climate, Conel has adapted. He says he enjoys the slower pace of life in Whitehorse. He encourages other IEN to apply to Yukon Hospitals.
“This is good for many reasons because it’s contributing towards building equity and diversity in our workforce,” says Mulli. “But also because, with staff from different cultures who speak different languages, we are cultivating a representative workforce that provides improved patient care.”
She highlights the essential role of staff educators and preceptors who’ve worked so hard to make the program a success. Mulli notes that, while the program requires a significant amount of work, the long-term benefits will be substantial.
“This is really going to pay off. These nurses are now taking on positions in our hospital, which will reduce our reliance on agency staff and provide better care for the people who live here,” Mulli says.
Photograph provided by Christian Conel