BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: St. Kitts beat out several Caribbean countries as the site for a nursing university in the Caribbean that will train hundreds of nurses from the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Eastern Europe, the Far East and Africa. Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas speaking following a signing ceremony between his St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party Administration and Dr. Robert Ross of the International University of Nursing on Wednesday afternoon, said his new venture will not only resolve an issue confronting the international health center in the provision of professionally trained nurses and adequate nursing care, but will also impact the local nursing profession. Construction of the International University of Nursing complex is to begin next month, close to the existing Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Classes begin in January 2005. “I have had the luxury of being approached by many other Caribbean countries who wanted me to establish an international University of Nursing. I selected St. Kitts because of the good relationship over the last 22 years. Mrs. Ross and I have had great pleasure with the fondness that we have for the citizens of St. Kitts,” said Dr. Ross. He said there exists in the United States alone a shortage of 125,000 nurses and the United States Department of Labour has indicated that over the next several years that number is going to increase to one million. “You also have an international shortage of nurses worldwide and I decided that I was going to give the opportunity for every candidate, who wanted a profession as a nurse and we are accepting high school graduates from Eastern Europe, from the Far East, Africa, the Caribbean, from Central and South America, who will spend three semesters in St. Kitts. After completing the three semesters they will go to the United States and complete another two semesters of clinical rotation,” said Dr. Ross, who added successful candidates, will obtain an associate Registered Nurse. Dr. Ross said the International University of Nursing will find employment for the graduates at a starting salary of US$40,000 to US$50,000 per year. “The enhancement of having financial rewards is more important serving humanity and is a key issue here,” said Dr. Ross, who added that St. Kitts would make its mark and prosper and will become an important factor in the medical, nursing and other educational programmes. Prime Minister Douglas in expressing thanks to Dr. Ross noted that he has over the past 22 years impacted the entire world community by providing trained veterinarians. Dr. Douglas, a physician by profession, said the new International University of Nursing is expected to have a positive impact on the health sector of St. Kitts and Nevis with the training of persons in nursing. Noting that Dr. Ross had to chose from Antigua, Jamaica, Dominica, Grenada, other Caribbean nations and countries further afield to locate the educational facility, Prime Minister Douglas credited the decision to select St. Kitts, not only based on Dr. Ross’ own experience over the past 22 years, but also the political stability which exists in the Federation and the enhancement of the investment climate by the Public Sector making it conducive for private sector investment and development. “This is a school that in 10 years will be training up to 1,500 nurses, who would be going not only to North America, but to the international nursing community. We are please that Dr. Ross has come to our shores again,” said Prime Minister Douglas. It was disclosed that two nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis will be granted full scholarships to pursue a career in nursing annually. “We are not interesting in taking nurses away from this country. You have many students that will be coming here. They will be coming in love with St. Kitts, its people and the environment. They may want to stay on, but they will have that opportunity of being able to as we will have a cross section of the world here and many of them will not have been down to the Caribbean. Some are coming from very cold countries like Russia, Hungary, Poland, and Siberia who like the sun and may want to stay on,” noted Dr. Ross. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com