P.E.I., Saskatchewan Polytechnic sign agreement for nursing programs

To meet the growing demand for nurses in Prince Edward Island, the government has signed an agreement with Saskatchewan Polytechnic to bring two programs to the Maritime province.

According to a news release from the P.E.I. government, the agreement will bring Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Transition to Registered Nursing in Canada and Registered Nurse Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Nurses courses to the Island, allowing students to take theory classes online and in-person education training in P.E.I.

“P.E.I. has a growing population, and we have an aging population,” said Health and Wellness Minister Mark McLane in the release. “We know nurses are needed to make our health care system work for Islanders and we need to help internationally educated health care workers get to work faster. This partnership is another step to address the staffing challenges across the province.”

The release says the two programs help internationally-educated nurses understand the Canadian health-care system, including medical technology, drug therapy theory, ethics, safety, and more. Saskatchewan Polytechnic has been running the programs since 2008.

The programs began in P.E.I. with 11 learners on Wednesday.

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