P.E.I. to cover tuition costs for resident care workers

P.E.I.’s minister of well being has introduced a plan to foot the price of tuition charges for as much as 100 Prince Edward Island residents who research to turn into a resident care employee, beginning this spring.

P.E.I.’s long-term care sector has been confronted with a scarcity of employees who’re certified to work in eldercare. This scarcity was made worse by COVID-19 outbreaks in private and non-private long-term care houses beginning in January. A whole lot of long-term care employees contracted COVID-19 throughout the Omicron wave, which resulted in greater calls for on their co-workers who remained at work. Well being authorities have conceded that the required variety of care hours for residents was not all the time met consequently.

In a press release earlier than the legislative meeting asserting the tutoring protection on April 6, Hudson didn’t point out COVID-19. He did say the funding could be accessible for any scholar coaching at RCW packages at Holland Faculty, Faculty de L’Ile or the Marguerite Connolly Coaching Institute.

“Resident care staff are critically essential members of the health-care crew for seniors and others who stay at our province’s nursing houses or group care services,” Hudson mentioned.

“There’s at present a requirement for skilled RCWs in our province. I anticipate that this announcement will spark some curiosity from younger individuals starting their work careers in addition to from individuals who could also be occupied with a change in career.”

SaltWire Community requested for particulars on how a lot this system would value taxpayers however was not supplied a solution by deadline.

The announcement was welcomed by Inexperienced Opposition well being critic Michele Beaton. Beaton famous her caucus had launched a non-binding movement calling for the province to cowl the tutoring prices of RCWs, in addition to licensed sensible nurses and registered nurses.

“It’s a no-brainer to do that, to make sure that there are zero limitations to ensure that Island college students to start out working in a health-care profession,” Beaton mentioned.

“I applaud this announcement. However it will probably’t cease right here as a result of one of many largest challenges that now we have for our RCWs is what’s their profession path.”

Liberal MLA Robert Henderson was additionally complimentary however urged the price of tuition was not the principle purpose for shortages within the long-term care sector.

“I did not really feel that that was the largest obstacle,” Henderson mentioned.

“The precise query is what number of extra seats are going to be supplied to college students throughout P.E.I. who wish to entry this program?”

Henderson additionally mentioned he was involved the RCW packages wouldn’t be supplied in additional rural areas like his O’Leary-Inverness district.

A press release from the Division of Well being mentioned college students would want to use to SkillsPEI in an effort to have their tuition prices lined. Employees of SkillsPEI would additionally meet with candidates to make sure they meet the standards of this system. Canadian residents, everlasting residents and guarded individuals below the Immigration and Refugee Safety Act are eligible to use to have the tutoring charges lined. Functions should be accredited by SkillsPEI earlier than the course begins for the prices to be lined.

In January, a letter circulated to employees of the Public Faculties Department urged informal instructional employees to work quickly in long-term care houses as RCW’s. The province later admitted this was circulated in error after the Union of Public Sector Staff, in addition to the proprietor of the Backyard Residence, in Charlottetown mentioned employees with out correct coaching can’t present care to residents.

Regardless of this, greater than 50 people, together with PSB employees and scholar nurses, labored inside long-term care services that had been hamstrung by absences as a result of COVID-19 outbreaks.

In late February, the Union of Sector Staff launched a number of movies containing audio of long-term care employees talking about working circumstances. Many mentioned the shortage of employees had meant they may not present correct ranges of care. Others mentioned they’d been pushed to work time beyond regulation shifts, and that the majority of their coworkers had contracted COVID-19.