Adaptation, Aptitude Testing Needs Overhaul: Migrant Nurses Ireland | Europe | Pravasi | Deshabhimani

DUBLIN> The Nursing Board has confirmed that it will consider Migrant Nurses Ireland’s demand for a comprehensive change in adaptation and aptitude test methods. Migrant Nurses Ireland officials have raised the issue that both of these should be revised in a migrant-friendly manner based on the many complaints received about the adaptation and aptitude test methods that are currently conducted in a manner that is not migrant-friendly. The issue was raised in an online meeting with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) on Wednesday.

NMBI was represented by CEO Sheila McClelland, Head of Registration Ray Healy and Head of Education Caroline Donohue and Migrant Nurses Ireland was represented by Varghese Joy,
Vinu Kaipilli, Agnes Febina and Somi Thomas also attended the meeting.

The NMBI CEO was told that supervisors were taking an approach that did not take into account the inexperience and stress of migrant nurses arriving in Ireland with huge cultural differences, leading to nurses’ failure to adapt and subsequent poor performance. The meeting also discussed the complaints raised regarding the misbehavior and approach of adaptation operators. Migrant Nurses Ireland officials demanded that NMBI carry out regular inspections and audits of all the hospitals it operates and take a feedback/opinion survey from all candidates during and at the end of the adaptation program to address the shortcomings of the adaptation programme.

Grievances related to aptitude test were also discussed. Officials of Migrant Nurses Ireland raised complaints about the misconduct of the examiners before and during the examination.

Demands were raised that the exam visa that was given before the aptitude test should be restored and the aptitude test should be conducted at other centers as opposed to the current situation where only the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland conducts the test. Migrant Nurses Ireland officials raised the issue of appeals for nurses who failed the adaptation program at the meeting.

CEO Osheela McClelland explained in the meeting that they can check the issue of exam visa and NMBI had asked other institutions to conduct the exam and only the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was willing.