Subj : Overseas-trained nurses told not to apply for some vacancies
To   : All
From : News Person
Date : Sat Feb 24 2024 01:38 pm

By Corazon Miller, 1News Reporter
Friday 7:00pm

Hundreds of internationally qualified nurses are being told not to apply for
some job vacancies - despite the fact there's still a significant shortage of
nurses across the country.

1News can reveal a number of nursing jobs in Canterbury were listed that
explicitly said applications from nurses who'd just recently completed their
competency assessment programmes (CAP) would not be accepted.

The roles were at Te Whatu Ora / Health New Zealand - Waitaha Canterbury, in
the maternity, oncology, and acute general surgery wards.

After being asked about the job ads the health ministry's chief people
officer, Andrew Slater, told 1News the wording was "a bit of a mistake and is
in the process of being changed".

"Sometimes there are certain departments recruiting that are looking for a
specific skillset. For example, how we deliver maternity services is quite
unique and New Zealand training is very different to what you would see
overseas."

The job ads were taken down after 1News drew attention to them. Slater
reassured job applicants that those who had the right qualifications and
experience would be "given a fair chance".

"Internationally qualified nurses have always been a really important part of
our workforce and we'll continue to see that in the future."

But 1News has spoken to several recruiters who say they are being inundated
with foreign nurses desperate for work.

Devastated and depressed
Filipino nurse advocate Leizel Deligero says many of the nurses who came here
hoping for work are feeling depressed and devastated at the constant
rejections.

She says many had given up jobs and taken on debt to move here, as well as
paying around $10,000 to complete their competency course.

"They are hardworking, have perseverance, and are committed to quality care
for their patients," Deligero said.

There has been a large influx of internationally qualified nurses coming to
New Zealand ever since our borders reopened. The latest Nursing Council
figures showed of all newly registered nurses in the October to December
quarter, 63 per cent were trained overseas.

In addition, 48 per cent had completed their competency course - a
requirement for nurses who are unable to receive their registration on the
basis of their qualification alone.

'Am I not good enough?'
One nurse, who did not want to be named, said it had been extremely
frustrating to be turned away from positions she was qualified for.

"I've received over 20 declines and, just this week actually, it's 10
declines. it's quite bad."

She estimated she had spent about $15,000 on competency courses and
registration, only to have her applications declined - apparently without
consideration.

She said other nurses were feeling they were just not good enough in New
Zealand's eyes. "That's exactly what I feel too... that maybe I'm not good
enough."

Looking for experience
Gore Hospital chief executive Karl Metzler says he recently advertised for an
ED nurse and had over 80 applicants, but most were newly registered from
overseas.

"That volume of applicants is unprecedented for a rural health care
facility," he says. But he says none quite had the experience he was looking
for.

"Just purely based on the paper exercise on their CVs they just don't have
the background and skills to work in a rural emergency department."

He's trying to support the unsuccessful applicants into other roles in his
health service, but knows he can't help them all.

Accent Health recruiter Prudence Thomson says she's inundated with around 50
requests a day from internationally qualified nurses looking for work - a
number she says is unprecedented.

"It's quite heartbreaking when you see their application, and they are really
quite aggressively applying to 50 jobs. I'll talk to the DHB and 'no',"
Thomson said.

A dire shortage
New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels says there is still a
shortage of nurses nationwide.

"The shortage is absolutely dire, and nurses are going to work in fear of
whether or not they are going to have their registration put at risk because
of the unsafe working conditions," she said.

"We absolutely need more nurses."

While Daniels was surprised to hear of the advertisements telling
international nurses their applications wouldn't be looked at, she sensed
that was more because many services felt they didn't have the resources
required to adequately support them into work.

"I suspect that it's got a lot to do with investment and funding. Any nurse,
no matter where they are from, takes about 18 months to two years to get up
to speed. That requires good orientation and support."

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