Manitoba nursing regulators lower benchmark language-test scores

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/11/2022 (1096 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nursing regulators in Manitoba have lowered their standards for English-language proficiency tests as part of ongoing efforts to license more internationally educated nurses.

On Monday, the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba and the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba announced they would immediately adopt new benchmarks for English-language testing.

Notably, applicants must score a 7.0 and a 6.5 in the listening and writing components, respectively, of the International English Language Testing System Academic exam, a reduction of 0.5 points in both categories.

A score of 9 and 4 — representing a full-point reduction — will also be accepted for the listening component of the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses and Test d’Evaluation de Français Canada exams, respectively.

The changes follow a review of language requirements by the Canadian Nurse Regulators Collaborative and were unanimously approved.

“Taken together, the updated language proficiency cutscores are scientifically defensible and better aligned with language demands required for safe, ethical and effective nursing practice at the entry level,” said Ryan Shymko, deputy registrar with the CRPNM.

Martin Lussier, communications manager with the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, said his organization will accept any test result within the past two years that is considered a pass under this new benchmark.

“So, if an applicant has an IELTS or CELBAN test result on file that meets the new requirements, but did not send their test results to us… as long as it is from within the past two years, we would accept that result as meeting the requirements for registration,” Lussier said.

Other colleges may have different polices and regulations in place, he noted.

Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson said the changes are helpful, but the benchmark levels are an old way of measuring proficiency.

“Perhaps what would be better would be to look at the assessment itself to see if perhaps it no longer reflects the people,” Jackson said in an emailed statement. “What we need is for leadership to dig deep and create a measurement that reflects modern speech and modern requirements in our short-staffed health care system.

“Something is clearly wrong if nurses born and raised in Manitoba are also failing this test.”

Earlier this month, the Manitoba NDP and First Nations northern health organization Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin called for changes after a nurse from Tataskweyak Cree Nation was told she could not practise without passing the English exam, despite receiving her education in English at the University of Manitoba and passing the national nursing exam.

KIM chief executive officer Dr. Barry Lavallee said language is an important component in the safe care of patients, but English-language testing remains problematic. More than a dozen First Nations nurses have come up against this same barrier in Manitoba, he said.

“They are denied access to provide efficient and culturally safe care, and racism-free care, in Manitoba when we’re really in an emergency situation right now,” he said.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca