Introduction
This project focuses on developing professional development resources for nursing faculty and clinical nurse educators working with Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs). The basis of the project is grounded in the feedback garnered through a literature review on issues related to IENs and an environmental scan conducted by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing. Those activities were undertaken as two elements of a Health Canada funded project coordinated by the Association of Professional of Medical Colleges (AFMC). The results of these two activities indicate that there is a need to expand the AFMC project to develop resources that would enable and support nurse educators in preparing IENs to practice in Canada. It is expected that this “Toolbox" will be used in both post-secondary education institutions and service agencies that work with IENs.

The overall objective of this project is to design and implement a national Professional Development Program for nurses (e.g. teachers, clinical supervisors, program directors and educational administrators) working with IENs in an attempt to enhance the teaching and learning experiences and facilitate IENs integration into the Canadian workforce. In particular by the end of this project we will have developed: an orientation program for teachers and supervisors of IENs, a Professional Development “toolbox" consisting of content specific modules; a cultural diversity training program specific to nurse educators; guidelines for site-specific Professional Development training initiatives; and an effective dissemination plan. This work builds upon the work completed in the project for International Medical Graduates (IMG) through the AFMC project funded by Health Canada.
(Source: A Proposal for a Professional Development Program for Educators of Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs; written by Maxine Mott; Submitted to Health Canada March 2005).

Please note that the modules are only available in English at this time. The modules have been translated and are being piloted.
IEN Module - Assessing Learner Needs
IEN Module - Delivering Effective Feedback
IEN Module - Educating for Cultural Awareness
IEN Module - Evaluating Clinical Skills
IEN Module - Language Challenges
IEN Module - Orientating Nursing Educators
IEN Module - Patient Centred Care

Site-specific Guidelines

In order to guide the activities as the project proceeds and the modules are developed, an Advisory Committee has been struck with the following interprofessional membership:

Maxine Mott; Kwantlen University (Lead on the IEN Faculty Development Project)
Lori Shortridge; Kwantlen University (Lead on the IEN Faculty Development Project)
Yvonne Steinert; McGill University (Lead on the IMG Faculty Development Project)
Allyn Walsh; McMaster University (Lead on the IMG Faculty Development Project)
Susan Maskill; Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada
Jo-Anne Swanson; CASN Staff Liaison
Colleen Ferris; CASN Staff Liaison

Look for updates on this initiative in upcoming issues of the CASN Newsletter as the modules continue to be developed.