An apparent mix up between two Alberta colleges has left eight recently graduated nurses without a licence, and work.
The nurses, recent graduates of the Licensed Practical Nursing program at CDI College, recently had their temporary licences suspended after being told that their diplomas are null and void.
They were issued temporary licences by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses (CLPNA), based on diplomas issued by CDI College directly.
“This was done in error as CDI College does not have the authority to issue any diplomas for this program,” said a release issued by Bow Valley College.
The Licensed Practical Nursing program at CDI College is offered in partnership with Bow Valley. Under that partnership, Bow Valley is supposed to issue diplomas to students after “undertaking a rigorous review of each student’s academic and related records,” explains the school’s release.
On Friday, the eight nurses were told they had to stop work immediately after Bow Valley contacted the CLPNA upon realization that the students had been issued diplomas from CDI, not Bow Valley.
Linda Stanger, head of the CLPNA, says the decision to suspend the licences had to be made.
Stanger says there was no way the nurses could be allowed to continue working without the proper credentials.
To become a licensed practical nurse in Alberta, a candidate must pass a national licensing exam. However, the CLPNA can issue temporary licences after receiving a diploma issued by an accredited school.
Both CDI and Bow Valley College officials have been meeting with students for the past couple of days and say they will continue to due so to try and resolve the issue in a timely matter.
Bow Valley officials say they have launched their own investigation and will now take on a more active role in the monitoring and quality assurance of the program.
This is the first year that the LPN program has been offered at CDI in partnership with Bow Valley College.
With files from Jenna Bridges, Global News and The Canadian Press
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