Hello.
My name is Pierre Godbout. I am the director of the School of Nursing, which offers programs at three campuses: in Moncton, Shippagan, and Edmundston, which my colleague is representing today.
The School of Nursing is the only institution east of Quebec that offers a bachelor of nursing in French. The school has a rich tradition, having marked its 50th anniversary about two years ago. So we have been training nurses for a long time.
The last time the Canadian exam was given, the pass rate was about 93%; the rate was similar in the years prior. The pass rate was high and employers made favourable comments. In 2015, when the new exam format was introduced, the class had a pass rate of 32%. That was an insult to us since our students had worked long and hard throughout their bachelor program. In 2016, the results were similar, with a 39% pass rate. Things have not improved.
As a result, students have to write the exam several times, which is very problematic since it costs about $450 each time. Some students in the class of 2015 wrote the exam up to six times. It took two years for the pass rate of that class to reach about 88%. The students have until the end of May to complete it.
In New Brunswick, programs have to be approved by the Nurses Association of New Brunswick to ensure they meet standards. They must also be approved by the CASN. Our programs therefore meet the training requirements of both the provincial body and the national body. So this exam was a huge insult to us.
It is also very important to remember that New Brunswick is an exception, owing to its francophone population. We are working very closely with the Nurses Association of New Brunswick to find solutions. That is why we are here today.
Thank you.