Scaling clinical readiness of internationally educated nurses to address nursing shortages
Canada needs more nurses. Getting them into the workforce is only the first step.
Nearly 1 in 5 Canadian nurses who left the profession in 2023 did so after just one year on the job, and 34% of new nurses leave within their first two years of practice. For internationally educated nurses, there’s a further step: translating existing clinical experience into Canadian practice.
Bluedrop ISM built AccelerateCR to address that gap. The program pairs online learning and one-on-one coaching from experienced clinical educators with VR simulation on Lumeto’s experiential learning platform. AccelerateIEN, the first program in the suite, is designed specifically for internationally educated nurses.
It starts before the cohort begins. Two weeks out, participants receive a VR headset and skills kit at home. Week one is e-learning and learning to navigate the VR experience. Weeks two and three move into simulation: daily worksheets, screen-based and VR scenarios, live educator support, and a full day dedicated to skills practice. Each nurse is paired with a mentor before the cohort finishes, and that support can continue for up to eight weeks after the program ends.
A Newfoundland and Labrador pilot with 95 internationally educated nurses shows what that adds up to. Participants reached independent practice in about 11 weeks, against 15 weeks through traditional onboarding. Bluedrop estimates $15,000 to $20,000 in savings per nurse, or $1.5 to $2 million across every 100 nurses onboarded.
The speed and the savings are the easy part to measure. Confidence is harder. Sajida Chagani, an RN with NL Health Services who went through the program, said it helped her build confidence and start to thrive in Canadian practice rather than simply adjust to it.
That’s what the program is built for: giving internationally educated nurses the preparation and support to apply the experience they already have. AccelerateIEN is one approach to that.
Learn more about AccelerateIEN.