VICTORIA, B.C. - Today, during National Nursing Week, the B.C. Green Caucus is calling on the BC NDP to create paid practicums for nursing students.
“Nurses are crucial to our healthcare system, caring for us from birth to end of life,” said Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the B.C. Greens and MLA for Cowichan Valley. “However, they have been overlooked for too long, leading to burnout and a shortage of nurses. Unlike tradespeople who, justifiably, receive paid apprenticeships and subsidized tools, nurses often come out of school with significant debt.
“It's time for the government to make nursing a more attractive and sustainable profession that is fairly compensated for their labour. Other jurisdictions have found success in providing educational subsidies and financial supports for nursing students.
“Paying nurses for their required practicums would reflect the value of their work and improve pay equity between male and female-dominated professions. This is an important step towards creating a stable profession for nurses and will ultimately deliver better healthcare for British Columbians.
“We urge the BC NDP to introduce paid practicums for nurses.”
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Media contact
JoJo Beattie
Press Secretary
B.C. Green Caucus
+1 250-882-6187 | [email protected]