Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital has found a way to cut the number of canceled surgeries by using foreign-trained nurses to bolster its staff, even as they wait to get accreditation in this country.

In December, up to four of the hospital's 25 surgery units were closed at any one time because there weren't enough nurses to staff them. The hospital has cut that number in half, Dr. Doug Davey, chief of surgery at the hospital, told CBC Wednesday.

Davey said it normally takes months for foreign-trained nurses to get their accreditation to practise in Alberta. In the meantime, the hospital has decided it will employ those awaiting accreditation as licensed practical nurses, who require less training.

'It allows us to free people, particularly free RNs to function at different job levels.' —Dr. Doug Davey,
Royal Alexandra Hospital

"It helps," Davey said. "Not just surgeries, but it helps across the region. It allows beds to be open on other sites. It allows us to free people, particularly free RNs to function at different job levels."

About 60 new foreign trained nurses are being hired every month in an effort to fill the shortage of nursing staff across the city, Capital Health said.

The lack of nurses has also become a central theme of the Conservative campaign for the March 3 provincial election. The party's leader, Ed Stelmach, has promised to train an extra 350 registered nurses and 220 more licensed practical nurses every year.