To help address Ontario’s critical healthcare staffing demands, Durham College (DC) has launched two new initiatives designed to increase the number of qualified nursing professionals in the province.

The two initiatives are:

• Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) – This tuition-free initiative is designed to provide nurses who are trained outside of Canada, the opportunity to gain the skills required to meet the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) education requirement.

• Personal Support Worker (PSW) to Practical Nurse (PN) Bridge – This initiative is designed to provide an opportunity for individuals who have graduated from an Ontario PSW program to continue their studies toward qualifying to practice in Ontario as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN). PSWs who complete the PSW to PN Bridge will be eligible for advanced entry into Durham College’s four-semester Practical Nursing (PN) Program.

“We are proud to offer these programs at Durham College which allow healthcare professionals to enhance their careers while also helping to address an urgent need in our provincial healthcare system,” said Nora Simpson, Dean of Professional and Part-Time Learning at Durham College. “By improving access to these opportunities and delivering them in a way that meets people’s needs, we are providing valuable solutions to students and the community.”

Applications and course registrations are open now.  These initiatives have been developed and funded through the Ontario government’s Nursing Program Transformation in Ontario’s Colleges initiative and are designed to offer flexible study options to allow students to continue to work while they upgrade their skills.