Council Clarifies: Nurses Were Given Multiple Extensions for Exam

The Nurses and Midwives Council of Belize has issued a statement on temporary nursing licenses and licensure examination following the controversy over foreign nurses departing Belize.  The council says it would like to clarify certain statements made in the media about the process since they are the licensing and registering body for all nurses and midwives.  For background, the council says in August of 2020, all nurses on temporary licenses were told that to regularize their status in accordance with the Nurses and Midwives Council Registration Act; they must sit the licensure examination.  They say the nurses were given a two-year grace period and that at no point did they refuse to issue nursing licenses. In fact, the council says it issued fifty-seven temporary nursing licenses with expiration dates into 2022/2023, and so all nurses are currently licensed.  In view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the chronic shortage of nurses, the council has approved an additional year making it a three-year grace period for nurses that are on temporary license to sit the exam.  The extension of the temporary license will provide the nurses with four opportunities to sit the examination. Note that all nurses, including Belizeans, are required to sit this exam to obtain a license to practice in Belize.