The Nursing Council yesterday denied various claims made by Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan, saying he has misinformed the public about the failure rate in the licensing examination for nurses. The charges were made by several council members during a press conference held at the T&T Registered Nurses' Association's head office at Fitzblackman Drive, Port-of-Spain.
A member of the council, Russel Salcedo said the failure rate of the exam was only three to four per cent and not 40 per cent as the minister said on Monday. He said the exam is administered by the council and is a requirement for anyone wishing to practise nursing in T&T. On Monday Khan announced five major changes to the Nurses and Midwives Act, which included the elimination of the exam and automatic registration of nurses with degrees or diplomas.
Salcedo said those coming from training institutions or foreign countries had three chances to pass the test over a five-year period. He said the 40 per cent referred to by Khan did not take into account those who took the exam more than once. People who fail the exam three times are permanently barred from practising.
Salcedo said the exam helped to assess the "capability and aptitude" of those desiring to practise, adding that maintenance of standards was necessary of public health and safety. Salcedo presented statistics from the exam for 2008-2011. In 2008, 66 per cent passed the exam and 34 per cent failed; in 2009, the figures were 84 per cent/16 per cent; in 2010, 62 per cent/38 per cent; in 2011, 64 per cent/36 per cent.
The council also denied being the cause of the shortage of nurses in the health sector. Council member David Murphy said there were 207 locally-trained nurses who passed the exam but were currently unemployed. He also said in the past four years the nursing certificate programme run by the Ministry of Health has not accepted new students.
Vice president of the Nursing Council Karin Pierre said the body had had no dialogue with the ministry on changes to the act, although it had submitted proposals and requested meetings. She presented a letter from the ministry's legal adviser which said the ministry had "found no merit" in suggestions made by the council.
Amendments to the Nurses & Midwives Act approved by Cabinet and announced by Minister of Health Dr Fuad Khan:
• Change the composition of the Nursing Council (from 22 to 13 members)
• Remove the need for a licensing examination for graduates of institutions accredited by the Accreditation Council
• Allow the Nursing Council to register everyone holding a degree or diploma from an institution recognised by the Accreditation Council and who satisfies the council that he or she is a fit and proper person to practise nursing
• A new cadre of nursing personnel such as the advanced nursing practitioner
• Mandatory continuous education
Proposals by the Nursing Council:
•Council should have 15 members, the majority elected, including seven registered nurses, one midwife, one lay person, one nurse supervisor, one Tobago representative, one mental health nurse and appointed district health officers and nurse educators
•Don't remove the exam
•Yes to the advanced nursing practitioner and continuous education.