According to a news release from the Manitoba Government, 45 nurses are set to complete specialized critical care training, which prepares them to work in hospitals across Manitoba.
Minister Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care, emphasized that new nurses won't just go to Winnipeg or other urban centres.
"[The nurses] are going to be at ICUs around the province. We'll have some in ICUs in Winnipeg, we'll have some folks in Brandon, about 6 nurses are going to be in Brandon, and we have some seats that we're going to be filling specifically for Dauphin as well," said Asagwara.
In previous years, the number of nurses completing the specialized training program was much lower, on average 25 nurses per year, meaning seats designated for more rural areas like Dauphin often went unfilled.
"Sometimes the intakes were as low as maybe 6 nurses, we're finally seeing through a lot of work with all of our partners the demand be where it needs to be, and actually be above what we need to fill the seats...now we're in a position where those dedicated seats for Brandon and for Dauphin are being filled which means there will be nurses that know going into the training that they're going to be working in Dauphin and Brandon, which is really exciting," said Asagwara.
One major contributor to the increase in the number of nurses completing specialized training is the inclusion and encouragment of LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurse) in the program.
"LPNs in Manitoba have the broadest and most comprehensive scope in all of Canada, and so for us it made complete sense, and if LPNs want to take this training and work in ICUs, we should absolutely support them in doing so...everything we've been doing, it's great to see that these seats are finally being filled. It's great to see that for the next intake we already have 80 nurses who put their names forward, and even if folks aren't currently eligible, we're going to work with them, and they'll be supported so that they're prepared for the next intake," said Asagwara.
Minister Asagwara said the government is definitely aware that rural Manitoba is in need of nurses and health care professionals, and that they don't intend to slow down their plans to address those issues.
"Some of the communities hardest hit by health care cuts for almost 8 years were rural and northern communities. Not only were health services cut, health care workers were entirely ignored or neglected in these communities, and we're still seeing the massive impacts of that today...we're expanding our LPN training capacity across rural Manitoba, we are working very hard to make sure that we're taking a 'grow your own' approach in making health care training more accessible to those living in rural and northern communities. We're seeing the benefits of that, but I can't emphasize enough there's still much more work for us to do, we cannot take our foot off the gas," said Asagwara.
In the province's news release, they say more than 600 internationally educated nurses have engaged with Manitoba's Health Care Retention and Recruitment Office.
