The province is making it easier for former nurses to return to work in Manitoba.
The Manitoba government is working with three nursing regulatory colleges to create a streamlined path that will ensure former licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses who worked in Manitoba’s health-care system in the last five years and were in good standing with their regulatory college have a faster, more flexible pathway to return to their profession.
“We need every trained nurse in Manitoba to be working in health care to deliver the quality of care that Manitobans deserve,” said Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara. “After seven years of the former government’s mismanagement and cuts, we want nurses to know that it is a new day in Manitoba and that we’re working to make the culture of health care better. This announcement, which is the result of collaboration with the nursing colleges, will help nurses who have left the profession to return with the knowledge, experience and mentorship our health system needs.”
Effective immediately, all three colleges will reduce the number of recent practice hours required for reinstatement and will have more options to meet requirements for currency of practice including conditional registration or a supervised return to practice.
The hope is to make these changes permanent by spring.
“This is a wonderful step forward in trying to return experienced nurses back into the public system,” said Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union. “We’re excited to work with the government on this and other steps to support nurses and help address the shortage of nurses across Manitoba.”
Former nurses who are interested in returning to the public health-care system are encouraged to contact the regulatory college associated with their profession for more information on the new reinstatement criteria.