The Nursing Directorate

Nursing Strategies

BC's Nursing Strategy for 2005/06

• Introduction
• Recruitment
• Retention
• Education
• Special Funding Initiatives

Introduction

Since August 2001, the government's total commitment to nursing strategies has grown to $84.2 million. These strategies support the recruitment, retention and education of Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses, and Licensed Practical Nurses in BC. For the 2005/06 nursing strategy, the Ministry of Health is providing $4.2 million to build on the successes of the previous four years. In December 2005 an additional $17.1 million was made available for specific nursing strategies. These strategies are consistent with the recommendations of the 2002 Canadian Nursing Advisory Committee Report and have been developed with input from the Nursing Advisory Committee of BC, the Chief Nursing Officers and the Ministry of Advanced Education.

Recruitment

Aboriginal Nursing Strategies
This strategy focuses on recruiting aboriginal youth into the nursing profession, supporting recruitment or retention projects for aboriginal and non-aboriginal nurses to practice in aboriginal communities. A call for proposals and inter-ministerial selection process has been in place since 2003/04. For details of the projects selected, please see Aboriginal Nursing Projects Funded in 2005/06.

Return to Nursing Fund
The Return to Nursing Fund, which is targeted at non-practising Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), provides funding support to individuals for nursing refresher, qualifying and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses required for nurse registration. Specifically, this funding supports under-employed and non-practising Canadian and internationally educated nurses already living and working in British Columbia to complete the education required to enter the nursing workforce. For more current information, see: 2006/07 Return to Nursing Fund.

Nurse Practitioners
An infrastructure will be put in place to support the orientation and evaluation of BC's first group of Nurse Practitioners (NPs). For more information, see Nurse Practitioner.

Nursing Education
The Nursing Educators Council of BC will identify the factors, patterns and nature of student progression within RN programs to better assess attrition rates. A coalition of the Council, the Health Care Leaders Association of BC, and the College of Registered Nurses of BC (CRNBC) will continue to develop strategies for entry-level registered nursing education.

Student Nurse Recruitment
Health Match BC will develop a provincial educational tool, encouraging student nurses to work in BC after graduation.

Retention

Implementation of Canadian Nursing Advisory Committee (CNAC)
Recommendations
This fund will be used to facilitate projects within the health authorities that flow from BC's identified CNAC priorities. A multi-stakeholder CNAC committee developed a Request For Proposal (RFP) and selection process to identify projects that meet these criteria. For details of projects funded by the Nursing Directorate in 2005/06 see: CNAC Projects Funded in 2005/06.

Specialty Geriatric Workshops - Health Authorities
Since 2002, this internationally recognized strategy has educated more that 2,000 nurses to care for older adults with acute illness. Clinical nurse specialists have developed and provide the program through workshops and web-based learning. In 2005/06, the focus will be on collaborating with Telehealth to reach rural and remote areas.

Nursing Practice Council Grants - Health Authorities
This grant allocates funding to each of the six health authorities for Nursing Practice Councils to facilitate best practices.

Nursing Advisory Committee (NAC) Projects
NAC has developed a strategic plan consistent with the government's health care policy directions. In 2005/06, projects will focus on:

• increasing the capacity of nurse educators, clinical placements, and nurse leaders
• enhancing collaborative nursing practice
• workplace safety
• nursing roles in primary health care and chronic disease management

Operating Room Initiatives
Projects will increase nursing capacity in operating rooms.

Registered Psychiatric Nurses Strategic Initiatives
These initiatives will elevate awareness and understanding of the psychiatric nursing profession and improve collaborative practice with employers and educators.

Nurses Bargaining Association Policy Discussion Projects
Work on responsive shift-scheduling and options for long-term care will continue.

Return to Work Options for Nurses on Workers' Compensation Board(WCB) and Long-Term Disability (LTD)
Transition funding was provided to health employers to assist nurses on WCB or LTD benefits to return to full practice or to practice in other areas of the health care system. This funding sustains nurses who are currently in customized supernumerary positions and in transition to regular nursing positions.

Nursing Knowledge Enhancement Fund
Special projects will receive one-time support. An example is a nursing conference on the Health Canada funded Nursing Sector Study.

New Graduate Integration into the Workplace
In December 2005, health authorities received funding to support newly hired graduates to receive eight weeks mentorship and to be hired into supernumerary positions for a period of six months. This program will include LPNs in Long-Term Care and complex care settings.

Education

Continuing Education Initiatives and/or Mentorship/Preceptorship
Programs
Each health authority received funding for nurses 'continuing education for nurses and/or preparation of new mentors/preceptors to assist new graduates and employees. In December 2005, additional funds were allocated to address the specific needs in health authorities.

LPN Upgrade Program
Individual LPNs will be supported to complete pharmacology and physical assessment modules enabling them to practice at their full scope. For more current information, see: 2006/07 LPN Upgrading Fund.

Rural and Remote BC Recruitment, Retention and Education
Projects will include:

• Phase two of BC's continuing work to develop BC specific strategies based on the Nature of Nursing Practice in Rural And Remote Canada study.
• Telehealth based continuing nursing education for nurses in remote areas.
• Development of a provincial, practice-driven, rural-focused, post-basic nursing education program.

Specialty Education Review
A review of the specialty education programs in health authorities that were funded by the Ministry of Health will be completed and a framework for sustainability established. This will include exploring options and developing curriculum plans with the health authorities and educational institutions.

Building Capacity in Public Health and Community Nursing
This funding will support development of competencies, curriculum, and education sessions for public health and community nurses related to immunizations, Tuberculosis (TB), sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and reproductive health.

Safer Health Care Now
In December 2005, funding was allocated to health authorities to provide for release time for nurses to work on special projects, continuing education and skills upgrades related to Safer Health Care Now initiatives.

Implementation of RN Regulations
The new Nurses (Registered) and Nurse Practitioners Regulation came into force August 19, 2005, establishing RN scope of practice, including certified practices. The funding will support the health authorities and the CRNBC with the identification, development and implementation of certification courses and policies related to sections 8, 9 and 10 of the regulations that impact practice within each health authority.

Special Initiatives

Undergraduate Nurses (UGN) Education
Health authorities will employ third and fourth year nursing students in supernumerary positions. This program has operated in two health authorities since 2001/02 and will expand to all health authorities in 2005/06. A three year evaluation study identified that undergraduate nurses in this program are more job ready and more likely to stay in the health authority.

Nurses Specialty Education
As a result of policy discussions between the Health Employers Association of British Columbia(HEABC) and the Nurses Bargaining Association (NBA) (chaired by the Ministry of Health) funding has been allocated over two years to allow 600 nurses to obtain education in such needed specialty units as Emergency Rooms, Operating Rooms and Intensive Care.

Nurse Practitioner Generated Diagnostic and Referral Costs
Nurse Practitioner generated diagnostic tests and referrals billed to the Medical Services Plan will be funded.

Nurse Practitioner Expansion
Health authorities will be supported over the next three years to implement the role of Nurse Practitioner and increase the number of Nurse Practitioners. Funding in 2005/06 will support 26 positions.