More than two years ago, she began the process of applying for a job as a nurse in Ontario, looking for new opportunities. “In Canada, I see a much wider range of career development than I see here,” he told Global News. But he recently put his Canadian dream on hold, shifting his focus to the United States. She said she will soon start working as a nurse in Texas. The labor process in Ontario, he said, was “very complicated” and “impossible to navigate.” Tonžetić has struggled to find a role as a foreign-trained nurse in Ontario, as the province’s health care system is under significant strain. Emergency rooms have been forced to close and intensive care units have reached capacity in recent days. Story continues below ad
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The current crisis, caused by several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, has been exacerbated by the shortage of nurses. In a statement to Global News, the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) said it was “outraged by the severe nursing and health care staff shortages plaguing hospitals.” “Shortages are reported in emergency departments, ICUs, medical units, surgery and more,” the organization said. In a round of media interviews Tuesday, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said nurses trained outside Ontario were a key part of the solution to the province’s struggling health care system. The government will introduce “additional measures” to boost production capacity, he said, specifically citing a backlog of internationally trained health workers waiting for certifications. “We know there’s a lot of people waiting for these certifications,” he said. “How can we, as a province, help make sure that whatever upgrades are needed or whatever assessments happen can be done in an expeditious manner?”
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Story continues below ad A 2020 report by Ontario’s justice commissioner found that 14,633 internationally educated nurses were actively seeking licensure through the College of Nurses of Ontario. In the same year, just over 2,000 international applicants became fully registered members. Trending Stories
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Jones did not specify how long it would take to train nurses abroad and work in Ontario hospitals. “Honestly, finding and evaluating and quickly vetting foreign-trained professionals to see if they qualify … (is) one thing that I think is an important piece, but it’s not the whole puzzle,” he said.
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In Croatia, Tonžetić said he found the system for applying for a job as a nurse in Canada confusing to the point of being impractical. He cited ID document requirements and the need to have notarized information from “multiple sources” as two examples of the bureaucratic hurdles he tried to overcome. “I’m really sad to see that they don’t give us a chance to show our skills and show … our tenacity to work somewhere overseas and try our luck somewhere else.” The need for more people to boost the nursing ranks in Ontario was made clear in a study released Wednesday by the Ontario Association of Registered Practical Nurses (WeRPN). Story continues below ad 2:34Hospitals in Ontario are facing significant staffing shortages Ontario hospitals are facing significant staffing shortages The survey found that 68 percent of nurses say they don’t have enough time or resources to properly care for patients. 66 percent said they needed to see more patients with a higher patient-to-nurse ratio. The survey was conducted in May 2022 and was titled “The State of Nursing in Ontario: A 2022 Review.” More than 760 RPNs across the province were surveyed. It was a follow-up study from December 2020 to measure the conditions of the provincial health care system through the perspectives of nurses. It also found that 86 percent of nurses surveyed said they were asked to take on more shifts or overtime to cover staffing shortages.
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Story continues below ad Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province needs more nurses, but did not announce details of any new plans. “We need more nurses — as many as we can get,” Ford said. A spokesperson for the University of Toronto Health Network recently told Global News that the hospital is hiring for 371 registered nurse vacancies — about 10 per cent of its 4,000-strong nursing complement. Meanwhile, Tonžetić is preparing to receive an offer to work as a nurse in Texas. 1:59 PM Doug Ford rules out calling in army to help Ontario hospitals Premier Doug Ford rules out calling in army to help Ontario hospitals © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
