– Minister of Health says Nursing Council must produce evidence exam papers were leaked

UNLESS the Guyana Nursing Council can provide credible evidence of the National Nursing examinations being compromised by students, the Ministry of Public Health is not prepared to have those students re-sit the examinations.Some 250 nursing students sat the state examinations on October 18 and 19, 2016 but were informed on November 11 that they’d have to re-sit the examinations because they were “compromised”. No further explanation was provided.

Minister of Public Health Dr. Norton explained that upon hearing of leaked state examination papers he launched an investigation and summoned a meeting with the Chief Nursing Officer – who is also the Chairman of the Guyana Nursing Council – the Director of Health Sciences Programme and the Principal Tutor of the Georgetown School of Nursing.

The invited parties were required to inform the health committee of the breach, but unfortunately information was not forth coming.

“I made every effort …but I could not get any information…no attempts were made to furnish them (nurses) with the particulars as to how, where, when the information was compromised. The nurses don’t know anything about it and it is unfair for them to re-write the examinations,” said Dr. Norton.

The Ministry of Public Health, he said, stands resolute with the nursing students who are also from private hospitals like the St Joseph Mercy Hospital.

“…this creates a situation where one is forced to think things are not as transparent as they are supposed to be; unless the Ministry is provided with facts or evidence to show the student nurses are at fault then we agree with the nurses.”

The Minister made it clear that while the Nursing Council by statute has certain responsibilities, everybody must also recognise that it is not all about the Nursing Council. “There are 250 students affected; it seems to have been done without their welfare in view.”

Dr. Norton is also of the opinion that the Nursing Council should have conducted a thorough investigation before making a decision. “What is the cause? Who is responsible?” he asked as he noted that his Ministry has some difficulty in determining the competency of the Nursing Council.

“If one is compromised then the others are likely to be compromised,” he declared, noting that if the stalemate continues the matter would be best addressed by the Courts. “The Police are investigating the matter, but if we have to engage the courts then so be it!” a seemingly frustrated Dr. Norton exclaimed.

“We need nurses in the Public Health system,” said Dr Norton who dubbed the situation as unfortunate.

During a meeting held Wednesday afternoon with the Minister of Public Health and student nurses representing the Georgetown and New Amsterdam Schools of Nursing, the Charles Rosa School of Nursing (Linden) and the St Joseph Mercy Hospital, declared that the Guyana Nursing Council is being unfair and is with-holding vital information from them.

According to the students, they would have spent three years six months on the programme and are not prepared to re-write an examination.

Many of the student-nurses became emotional as they recounted the many sacrifices they would have made to complete the programme.

Jeanel Lewis, a student-nurse of the Georgetown School of Nursing said it has been physically, mentally and emotionally taxing on her. “It is not easy being in a programme for 3 years, six months and when I received the letter I was really upset…I cried,” she told reporters.

Lewis believes that the Nursing Council is being unfair to the students and called on the body to “deal with the person who compromised the examinations internally…it is the Council that prints the papers.”

Like Lewis, Vibert Forde also of the Georgetown School of Nursing said “It is not ethical, right or fair!” for the Nursing Council to take such a position.

“When questions were asked there was a lot of red tape…we are not aware of persons trying to cheat the exam,” Forde said noting that even the manner in which the student-nurses were informed leaves much to be desired.

Representing the Charles Rosa School of Nursing was Orlando Roland, who like his colleagues, argued for the Nursing Council to produce evidence of the examination papers being compromised.

“There is no evidence that we tried to buy or cheat…it was a tedious period for us; many people made sacrifices, left their children…it is very hard and when we received that notice my batch mates collapsed and were rushed to the hospital.”

Roland contends that it is unreasonable for the Nursing Council to demand that students re-write all four of the examinations. “To re-write all four (courses) and to prepare in such a short time” is unacceptable.

An emotional Lovern Sam, also from Linden, was moved to tears as she recounted her struggles over the past three years to complete the programme. “I made a sacrifice to be here for three years leaving my two children and it is hard to stay another six months…I would just like that the decision being made is unfair to us as students because many of us have made sacrifices to be in the programme.”

Like her colleagues, Ashana Halley, of the New Amsterdam School of Nursing, said it has not only been a physical, emotional and mental challenge for her, but a financial one. Halley who was reluctant to speak for fear of victimisation pleaded with the Nursing council to conduct a thorough investigation.

“If there is evidence, why not investigate? I think it is not fair to the students,” she stated.

Additionally, Aleea Caesar, of the St Joseph Mercy Hospital, said she and other nursing students at the private institution worked very hard to prepare for the exam and made it clear that it is unacceptable for them to re-sit the exam when they know nothing of the leak.

“Compromised? Is that a fair explanation as to why we have to go through mental turmoil? I don’t think it is fair to the students or the tutors because they invested in us…we are not looking for a fight we just want what is fair. The ‘Peter paying for Paul’ method can’t apply in this situation. We need to get to the source…we did not do this; where did the leak come from?”

The students are required to re-write Functional Paper 1 which comprises of 50 multiple choice questions and Functional Paper 2, which comprises of four essay type questions. This is in addition to Clinical Paper 1, which comprises 100 multiple choice questions and Paper 2, four essay type questions.

Meanwhile, in a letter dated November 15 and dispatched to the Registrar of the Guyana Nursing Council and copied to the Principal Tutor (acting), Cleopatra Barkoye, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Public Health, Trevor Thomas and Dr. Norton, Attorney Anil Nandlall reminded the body that the students who wrote the examination are on a scholarship contract for three years which was expired on or about June 24, 2016.

“Currently, the Government of Guyana is in breach of this arrangement. In the circumstances, these students are demanding that their examination papers be marked and the results disclosed. I am to convey to you that at this point in time, they are unprepared to sit another set of examinations,” the letter stated.

Additionally, Nandlall urged that the matter be resolved amicably to avoid litigation.