Ochsner Health, a not-for-profit health system based in New Orleans, recently announced it will be the first U.S. hospital system to commit to an innovative program that will offer employment to Ukrainian nurses.
Ochsner Health will be the first U.S. hospital system to commit to the “Passport2Liberty” initiative created by CGFNS International. The Passport2Liberty will help Ukrainian nurses who want to migrate to the United States and continue their careers here. CGFNS is the largest credentials evaluation organization for nursing in the world.
Ochsner Health and the Catholic Health Association of the United States will pilot the program with help from The American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Organization for Nursing Leadership, and an international nurse placement agency. Ochsner Health encompasses forty hospitals and more than 300 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Gulf South.
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Ochsner Health expects to welcome eight Ukrainian nurses into their ranks this fall, employing them and providing them with support as they integrate into their new homes. Warner Thomas, President and CEO of Ochsner Health, said in the release, “I am so proud of our creative and empathetic nursing teams at Ochsner Health, who saw a need to help their fellow nurses from Ukraine, and shared with leadership this idea to participate. Not only will this program be part of our international RN recruitment strategy, but it’s the right thing to do.”
In a release issued by his organization, CGFNS President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Franklin A. Shaffer spoke of the need that the Passport2Liberty initiative is filling.
“CGFNS created the Passport2Liberty initiative to address the challenges faced by Ukrainian nurses during this time of crisis,” he said. “It is grounded in the belief and commitment that safe, orderly, regular migration is a human right, and that the global community has a responsibility to ensure that refugees in all situations are aptly supported and empowered.”
The eight Ukrainian nurses will commit to remaining with Ochsner for a minimum of two years. Speaking of her enthusiasm for the role that Ochsner will play, System Chief Nursing Officer Tracey Moffatt said in the release, “I’m grateful that we are able to sponsor nurses from the country of Ukraine and hope that they can heal and find joy in their work here at Ochsner. Nurses have a legacy of bravery and strength in the most difficult times, starting when Florence Nightingale brought nurses to aid soldiers in the Crimean War. We welcome these brave nurses and their families into our community.”
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To learn more about the program, visit passport2liberty.org. Ukrainian nurses seeking information specific to their situation can fill out the general information form at www.passport2liberty.org
Sources
- “Helping Refugees Re-Build a New Life.” passport2liberty.org Accessed August 4, 2022.
- “Ochsner Health is Founding Partner in Pilot Program to Bring Ukrainian Nurses to USA.” ochsner.org. Accessed August 4, 2022.
- “Passport2Liberty Opens Ukrainian Nurse Migration to United States.” cgfns.org. Accessed August 4, 2022.
- “We risk dying when going to work – Ukrainian nurse shares her message on Nurses’ Day.” who.int. Accessed August 4, 2022.
