Government’s decision to lock nurses out of their workplaces tomorrow instead of allowing an overtime strike or binding arbitration will negatively impact 266 student nurses who were supposed to start their clinical placements earlier today, says Opposition Leader Yvonne Jones.

Student nurses complete clinical work-terms in hospitals throughout the province as part of their required training. Each year, different tasks are placed upon nurses in their work-terms so they gain as much experience as possible during their degree program. As a result of government’s decision to lock-out nurses, clinical work will be postponed and could affect some students’ graduation.

“Government’s heavy-handed approach to nursing negotiations will put our health care system into chaos,” said Ms. Jones. “While patients will be the most impacted by this lock-out of nurses, student nurses will also have their educational training delayed. This is not what is needed during a time of recruitment and retention challenges and when our health care system is over a 1000 nurses short.”

Most of this year’s graduating class of 80 nurses at the Centre for Nursing Studies alone has already indicated that they will not stay in the province under the NAPE/CUPE contract template that government is threatening to legislate. This type of contract would do nothing to address the many recruitment and retention issues facing nurses as outlined by the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses Union.