HELPING NEWCOMERS
FEEL AT HOME

L-R: Sherry Porter, We Are campaign chair, QEII Foundation; Nicola Ray Smith, senior regional vice president, Atlantic region, Scotiabank; Susan Mullin, president and CEO, QEII Foundation; Dr. Annette Elliott Rose, chief nurse executive and vice president, clinical performance and professional practice, Nova Scotia Health; and Prakash Kulkarni, registered nurse, South Shore Regional Hospital, celebrate Scotiabank’s visionary support.


HELPING NEWCOMERS FEEL AT HOME

L-R: Sherry Porter, We Are campaign chair, QEII Foundation; Nicola Ray Smith, senior regional vice president, Atlantic region, Scotiabank; Susan Mullin, president and CEO, QEII Foundation; Dr. Annette Elliott Rose, chief nurse executive and vice president, clinical performance and professional practice, Nova Scotia Health; and Prakash Kulkarni, registered nurse, South Shore Regional Hospital, celebrate Scotiabank’s visionary support.

$500,000

TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONALLY-EDUCATED CARE PROVIDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

We proudly celebrated a $500,000 gift from Scotiabank’s ScotiaRISE initiative supporting the Nova Scotia International Community of Health Care Workers Engagement (NICHE) program. NICHE helps newcomers build long-term connections in their communities — ultimately aiming to attract and retain sought-after medical talent from around the world to increase access to care in communities across the province.

This ScotiaRISE funding is playing a big role in helping internationally educated and trained healthcare professionals and their families settle into their new communities faster and ultimately make Nova Scotia their long-term home. Although NICHE initially focused on recruiting nurses, it has expanded to other high-demand international health professionals, like medical laboratory technologists, medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and more.

Scotiabank’s gift is a vital investment in the community side of NICHE — supporting everything from cultural awareness training and education programs to language supports, mentorship and transition services.

My wife and I worked as registered nurses in India for over 14 years. Through the NICHE program, our family moved to Nova Scotia a year ago — making Bridgewater our home. I’m very grateful for all the help we received, and that Scotiabank’s support will help other families like ours.

— Prakash Kulkarni, registered nurse and NICHE participant

WHAT DONORS ARE MAKING POSSIBLE:

Helping recruit and retain new healthcare providers across the province — ultimately improving access to care at the QEII and beyond.

Donor-funded community supports are ensuring newcomers and those returning to Nova Scotia feel more welcomed and supported as they start their new healthcare roles.

Through the NICHE program, more than 700 internationally educated nurses have been hired throughout Nova Scotia since May 2023.