The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

STUDENTS in the nursing programme at Terreve College in Grand Bahama claim that they are being denied access to clinical training at the Rand Memorial Hospital as a result of the delayed signing of a memorandum of understanding by the Public Hospitals Authority. The nursing classes at Terreve have been suspended now for an entire semester while students and college officials continue to await word from the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA).

“It is now the second month in a new semester and we are still not in classes and the MOU is still not signed,” the students said in a letter addressed to the Minister for Grand Bahama Dr Michael Darville.

At the beginning of their second year in the registered nurse programme, students were informed that classes could not progress because the MOU was still not signed after months of waiting, and that classes had to be put on hold until it was signed by officials at the PHA’s legal department.

When contacted on Monday, Herbert Brown, PHA managing director, said that a request was in fact received from Terreve College for the PHA to enter into a MOU to allow their students to carry out internships at Rand Memorial Hospital (RMH).

He said that the PHA is under no obligation to accept students from Terreve College.

“This institution was advised verbally and in writing that in light of the (Department of) Public Service taking a particular position, and I am advised that a ruling was made to remove them from their list of recognized tertiary institutions. Obviously, as an arm of the government and if one agency had made the decision, we have to understand and await some ruling as to the outcome of this matter.

“I understand that this matter was taken before the courts and there was a ruling, but the Public Service has not yet made a determination as far as I am aware. Therefore, the PHA is not prepared until such time as we are in a position to understand the final outcome to accept any students at this time.”

Mr Brown stated that once the matter has been resolved at the DPS level, PHA will look at the request again and will make a determination.

“I made that abundantly clear to the principals of that college,” he said.

He stated that PHA provides internships to hundreds of students in Grand Bahama.

“It is not a matter of PHA not wanting them doing the internship, it is simply saying when the matter is cleared up we would be happy to consider their request, and I told this to the college verbally and in writing,” he reiterated.

Last year June, the Department of Public Service removed Terreve College from its list of recognised institutions after implementing policy changes.

Terreve College then brought a judicial review case against the Department of Public Service. In January, Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder ruled in favour of the college and ordered that the decision to revise the policy be quashed.

The nursing students at Terreve believe that they are not being treated fairly as students at other institutions.

The students’ letter said: “We work hard. We are required to pay for uniforms, medicals book, nursing kits and our school fees on our own, which we do. We do not receive any stipends or nursing grants from the government, so please, we would like to know, if we are only asking to be facilitated to do our practicals and training, why can’t we be accommodated?

“When the programme was being announced we had all the praises and blessings of the minister responsible for Grand Bahama. The government was pleased that there would be more nurses to fill the shortage in nursing in the country. But now it seems as though we have been forgotten or pushed to the side.

The letter added: “Why are we the students being punished? We have seen and know of another foreign nursing school that came to the island of Grand Bahama and trained in our hospital and clinics in the past. Why are we Bahamian nursing students being treated this way?”

Terreve College, the students said, has received the necessary documentation from the Nursing Council, which has also approved its nursing programme.

The students said they are unable to advance to their next courses because they need certain perquisites, as well as clinical hours.

“The government says it is creating jobs in Grand Bahama. From our point of view this is hard to believe, and if they are, can an official from DPS, PHA or the minister for Grand Bahama explain to us why the students of Terreve College are being treated like second class citizens?”

“We are trying our best by sacrificing time from our families to prepare ourselves for the job market. Why is our programme being held up and why are we being told that our degrees are not as good as others when in fact they are?” the students’ letter asked.

“Why should our government continue to import foreign nurses when we have able bodies willing to do the task and give back to our community? We want to know the real reason why we are being treated this way and we call on the minister of Grand Bahama to assist us in this matter.”