IEN Mentorship Program

IEN Mentorship Program (IENMP)

The CASN IENMP was launched in 2024 to address the retention and integration of internationally educated nurses (IENs) into the Canadian workforce by reducing transition stress and culture shock.

Importantly, the mentorship program assumes that IEN integration is a two-way process:

1. IENs receive transition support; and
2. The health care agency (HCA) provides an equitable and inclusive workplace to respect diversity.

Like CASN’s Nurse Residency Program (NRP), this program is a partnership between HCAs and CASN.

1. The HCA assigns an experienced staff nurse to take the virtual IENMP through asynchronous modules and facilitated discussion.
2. These modules include preparing existing nurses in the HCA to mentor IENs.
3. Then, to further support IEN integration, CASN delivers three full-day virtual workshops to the IENs during the 3-month mentorship period.
4. The IENs also take four online virtual simulations. There will be two cohorts of this program starting in September 2024 and ending in May 2025.

Learn more about the program from CASN Executive Director, Dr. Cynthia Baker, in this short video:

IENMP Flow Chart

Cost– **FREE PROGRAM**

This is a free program offered by CASN to support IENs transitioning into the Canadian health care workforce. Costs for the Program (Curriculum, Workshops, and Mentor Training) will be covered by Health Canada.

For information about the program, contact CASN’s Don Flaming at dflaming@casn.ca.

 

Program Partners

Interested HCA	Interested IEN
Grow a retainable nursing workforce through a partnership with CASN to deliver the IENMP.	Ease their transition into the Canadian health care workforce.
HCA role Provide experienced nurses to serve as mentors to IENs in the program. Provide IENs with adequate time and support while they complete the program.	IEN role Learning while working, with mentoring and support from their HCA.

Learn More

The main goal of CASN, as a member of the healthcare eco-system, in offering the IENMP is to ease the transition of the IENs into the Canadian health care workforce. With the help of Health Canada, this program is a cost-effective way for HCAs to retain their nurses, thus ensuring appropriate staffing levels and decreasing costs to human resources departments.

Program documents:

• CASN IEN Mentorship Program Brochure

For information about the program, contact CASN’s Don Flaming at dflaming@casn.ca.

Production of this document has been made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada.

About the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing

The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing is the national voice for nursing education, research, and scholarship and represents baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs across Canada. CASN’s mission is to lead nursing education and nursing scholarship in the interest of healthier Canadians.

Learn more about CASN.