Faster licensing, registration process announced for Nova Scotia nurses

Nova Scotia’s nursing regulator has announced a new registration and licensing process for those looking to practice in the province.

The Nova Scotia College of Nursing (NSCN) says the new approach will come into effect in a few weeks. It says it will be fast, predictable and the first of its kind in Canada.

Under the new process, registered nurses with “good standing and good character” and who are licensed in Canada, or one of seven specific countries, will be eligible for registration and licensing in Nova Scotia immediately.

Nurses will not need any additional requirements, other than passing the national entrance exam.

The NSCN says 87 per cent of its current international applicants come from the following seven countries:

• Philippines
• India
• Nigeria
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• New Zealand

The NSCN says the new approach will reduce the application process timeline for Canadian nurses from five days to 24 hours, effective March 29.

It adds that it will also reduce the overall application process for international nurses from more than a year to a few weeks, effective May 1.

“The new approach will significantly decrease licensing time; increase licensure of nurses; reduce administrative requirements; and is aligned with new initiatives of health-care partners. It’s a safe and faster process for nurses who want to work in our province,” said Sue Smith, the CEO and registrar of the Nova Scotia College of Nursing in a news release.

The Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union president, Janet Hazelton hopes the changes will help with nursing shortages across the province.

”I’m hoping this will be one, one of the pieces we need to deal with our nursing shortage,” said Hazelton.  “And the most important is once we get them here, and we get them in our system that we keep them.

The NSCN says funding from the provincial government’s Nursing Strategy and Department of Health and Wellness allowed for organizational resources to be put towards the new strategy.

“We need more nurses across the province, and we need to make it easier for nurses who want to come and build their lives here to get to work quickly,” said Minister of Health and Wellness Michelle Thompson.

 “During COVID, the college saw the need, and responded quickly to support patient care. These most recent changes continue on this work and deliver solutions that align with government’s direction to all health system partners in the province to think differently and move quickly.”

The NSCN says it registered 282 international nurses last year, more than in 2021, 2020 and 2019 combined.