The Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority paid tribute to 15 licensed practical nurses during a graduation ceremony held last Friday in Gimli.
The nurses were enrolled in a two-year LPN program that was taught in Arborg. Twelve of the new LPNs have been hired by the IERHA. That will help address the rural nursing shortage in the region.
The two-year LPN course was coordinated by Ashern-based Fieldstone Ventures and offered by Assiniboine Community College. It was taught at Arborg’s training facility by Dawnett Osioway and Heather Johnson, LPNs who’ve been working in the Arborg area for about 30 years and who have experience in acute care, home care and long-term care.
Osioway said the 15 nurses, who started the program in September 2022, just finished their senior practicum, and those hired by the IERHA are working in communities across the region.
“It’s great that a number of communities in the region now have these graduates working there. Most of the students were from the rural area. We had one student who drove from Beausejour for two years to take the course. We also had students from Riverton, Teulon and Fisher Branch,” said Osioway. “They’re working in acute care in hospitals and home care. They’ll be able to help with some of our staffing crises.”
Osioway and Johnson emceed the graduation, paying tribute to each nurse before presenting them with their diploma. The IERHA’s chief executive officer Marion Ellis and chief nursing officer Tanya Cheetham also attended the ceremony.
Ellis said the training of rural people results in a majority of graduates opting to work in the region.
“Interlake-Eastern RHA greatly benefits from in-community health-care training sessions like those Fieldstone Community Ventures facilitates with educational institutions such as Assiniboine Community College. We are fortunate that a majority of graduates from these programs, especially licensed practical nursing and health care aide training, are typically recruited to the regional health authority,” said Ellis.
“New hires’ positive influence on continuity of care is immediate. Their appreciation of rural living and the compassion they can extend to patients is always welcomed. This work towards investing in locally accessible health care training and the contributions to health care recruitment are exemplary and a model for establishing training elsewhere in the region. Each training session represents a significant expanse of community-based investments and partnerships. We are grateful that residents of the region who are interested in pursuing purposeful work in health care can acquire this training locally.”
