GNIE: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

As recently as between 12th to 19th Mar-2013, when my cohort of GNIE graduates received our CRNE result notification from the CRNBC, we were reminded of our outstanding requirement towards finalizing our registration with the CRNBC. To quote the CRNBC letter: 

"In order to finalize your registered nurse registration with the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC), you must provide a satisfactory reference from a Canadian employer for whom you worked at least 250 hours while holding provisional registration."

During the 2nd semester of GNIE, some of my classmates discussed about joining/infiltrating the CRNBC and the nurses' union to eventually fight against the (IMHO) discriminatory 250 hours requirement for GNIE graduates. [See "changes to XYZ" in the blog post here.] Back then, all we could hope for was to survive the process "as-is", and (with luck) eventually create the change we want to see for future generations of GNIE graduates. We never thought that change would be possible for our cohort of GNIE graduates.

In fact, if not for the "reception" we received at an Open House of a certain health authority back in 27-Nov-2012, we would not have been stirred up enough to launch into advocating for ourselves. As a Chinese saying goes, “塞翁失马 焉知非福”。 ["A blessing in disguise and vice versa."]

We first heard rumours about a change in policy on Wednesday 20-Mar-2013. On Thursday, some of us called up CRNBC for a verbal confirmation of the rumours. On Friday 22-Mar-2013, many of us received an email from CRNBC stating the following.

"There has been a change to our registration requirements which affects you." [... snip ...] 

"1. You are now eligible for practising OR non-practising registration." 

"2. You do NOT need to have an employer send CRNBC a reference after 250 (hours) of practice."

You can imagine the waves of celebratory joy going around amongst us. We were standing on the shoulders of giants. The change in policy, and thus the course of history for GNIE graduates, is made possible with the support of some very important people and organizations. 

• BCNU (B.C. Nurses' Union) and its various members and committees, 
• KPU (Kwantlen Polytechnic University), especially the GNIE staff,  
• MLA Mike Farnworth (B.C. province NDP politician), and last but not least, 
• CRNBC (College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia) and its board member(s) and its "committee working on the IEN requirements".

Thank you all for recognizing the discrimination we faced as GNIE graduates and changing the unjust situation.

[29-Mar-2013 Update: Click here for the full impact of the change in CRNBC policy.]