CKHA actively recruiting nursing retirees, graduates and students
To ensure a large complement of human resources are available during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is actively recruiting nursing retirees, nursing graduates and nursing students.
Hospital officials say the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) has been given authority from the provincial government to issue Emergency Class certificates of registration to qualified Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses who have retired or have an expired registration.
The CNO is devoting resources to expedite these registrations as well as the temporary class registrations for nursing students who have completed the nursing program but have not yet written the registration exam, CKHA officials say.
“I am returning to work at CKHA for the same reasons I started nursing 34 years ago and that is for my patients,” stated Janice McFadden, Registered Nurse, a retiree with 31 years served, in a media release.
“I also want to support my fellow nurses, staff and physicians at the hospital as best as I can when they are feeling overwhelmed during this unprecedented time. Everyone can help stop this virus by physical distancing and staying at home and I can help by supporting our health care team.”
According to the CNO, the Emergency Assignment Class comes into effect when the province declares an emergency and asks the College to register qualified nurses in the Emergency Assignment Class, hospital officials say.
There is no fee to register in this class, CKHA officials added.
Current members of the Non-Practicing Class who have practiced nursing within the last three years and former CNO members of the General or Extended Class whose current membership status is Resigned or Expired, who have practiced nursing within the last three years, can apply for reinstatement under this expedited process, hospital officials say.
Also, local nurses who are currently registered in another Canadian or U.S. jurisdiction who have not been previously registered with CNO, but would like to register, can complete and submit an application.