Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide Members with a progress report on nursing education in the Northwest Territories.
As Members know, one of the objectives of our recruitment and retention strategy is to attract more Northerners to the nursing profession. Nursing is a noble profession and attracts people who are motivated to help others. There are many opportunities in the Northwest Territories for nurses to work in a variety of settings -- hospital wards, community health centres, public health clinics and home care, to name a few.
The foundation for developing a well-trained, highly competent northern nursing workforce is a strong nursing education program, developed and delivered here at home. Over the past two years, the Department of Health and Social Services has partnered with Aurora College and the Northwest Territories Registered Nurses Association to fully develop nursing education in the Northwest Territories. The shared vision of these partners is a flexible and progressive range of programming that allows both first-time students and experienced nurses to pursue a full range of nursing education, from basic through to advanced, without having to go south.
I am pleased to report, Mr. Speaker, that we have made significant progress towards that vision.
Members already know of the successes of our current nursing program offered at Aurora College. The Legislative Assembly was there to applaud the first graduating class of 1998 where every single student passed their national nursing examinations on their first writing of the exam. We have recently seen the same level of excellence with the class of 2000. Mr. Speaker, this high calibre of academic achievement is seldom seen elsewhere in Canada. Since the program began, Aurora College has graduated 57 nurses, with another 12 to graduate this year. I am happy to report that almost all of these graduates are working in the Northwest Territories.
There are also new developments in nursing education. This fall, registered nurses will have the ability to pursue their bachelor's degree in nursing through studies offered at Aurora College. This additional level of education has been made possible through an agreement between the college and the University of Victoria. Also this fall, Aurora College will offer registered nurses access to an accredited 16-month nurse practitioner program in partnership with the Centre for Nursing Studies in Newfoundland. Together, these advanced studies offer our nurses the ability to increase their skill levels and competencies so that they can better meet the challenges of nursing in the Northwest Territories.
In addition to these advances in educational programming, we have also established initiatives to help new graduate nurses successfully make the transition into the Northwest Territories nursing workforce. Under the Maximizing Northern Employment Initiative, new graduates will be guaranteed employment, as well as on-the-job orientation and mentoring. Ensuring that new nurses have effective support, training and backup during their first few months of employment and the opportunity for ongoing professional development will also help with retention.
Mr. Speaker, these are indeed exciting times for nursing education in the Northwest Territories. With each year, there will be more northern nurses graduating from Aurora College to fill the vacancies. The introduction of the Bachelor of Science nursing degree program and accredited nurse practitioner program provides northern nurses with ongoing opportunities to enhance their skill levels and knowledge base.
With the fast-paced development of new technologies and treatments, lifelong professional education for nurses is a necessity. It will be important for us to continue to support investment in quality educational opportunities for all nurses, and to ensure that our young people are encouraged to consider the wonderful opportunities offered by a nursing career. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause