A Bermuda College course launched in 2012 to address a shortage of nurses on the island has yet to produce a single qualified nurse.

Seventeen students have so far graduated from the college’s Nursing Pathways Programme with an Associate Degree in Science (Nursing) (ADN) but none has yet sat the formal exams needed to become a registered nurse and none have applied for a licence to practise on the island.

The course still has to be accredited by an overseas body, though it first applied to the US-based Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing three years ago. Former registered nurse Meredith Ebbin, who is also a retired journalist, told The Royal Gazette she flagged up concerns about the course last year when the college’s overall accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges was up for review.

“The accreditation committee invited comments in writing from members of the public,” Ms Ebbin said. “My comments were passed on to the college, with my permission. I heard nothing more. The college retained its accreditation status.

“My comments were specific to the nursing programme. I said that if a college is accredited, then its students have a right to expect that its programmes are in good standing. The nursing programme is not accredited and there has been silence on which licensing exam the graduates will take in order to qualify as registered nurses.

“It is my opinion that the college is being less than forthright about the standing of its nursing programme and was doing a disservice to the nursing students.”

College spokeswoman Evelyn James-Barnett said eight students who graduated in 2015 and nine who graduated this year were in the “testing phases” to write an exam which allows nurses to become licensed in the United States.

She said the Bermuda Nursing Council, which regulates nurses on the island, had approved and recognised the college course as it went through the ACEN’s accreditation process.

“Arrangements have been made and approved by the University of the State of New York, and the State Education Department Division of Professional Licensing Services, for Bermuda College ADN students to take the National Council Licensure examination (NCLEX),” Ms James-Barnett said.

“Graduates of the class of 2015 and 2016 are currently in the testing phase and are eligible to take the licensing examination in the US.

“They will become registered nurses after successful completion of the NCLEX.”

She added: “Bermuda College is committed to continuing to provide a quality nursing programme for its students.”

Golinda Fox, chairwoman of Bermuda Nursing Council, said the council issued licences by endorsement to practise nursing in Bermuda and “to date, the BNC has not received any applications for licensure from the Bermuda College programme graduates”.

Ms Fox said the council was aware the college had graduated students from the programme, adding: “The council has approved in principal the Nursing Pathway Education Programme, pending approval from the Accreditation Commission of Education in Nursing.”

A desire to attract more locals to the medical field sparked plans for a nursing programme at the college about a decade ago.

In 2007, this newspaper reported that the Bermuda Hospitals Board was in talks with the college about the scheme and, in 2008, a partnership was launched between the college, the BHB and the Ministry of Health.

College president Duranda Greene said the aim was to address the “current nursing shortage”.

The government pledged in its 2009 and 2010 Budget speeches to launch the nursing programme but it did not begin until autumn 2013.

In October of that year, Nalton Brangman, who was Minister of Education, told the Senate that Bermuda College was aiming to get its nursing degree accredited by the US-based ACEN.

Ms James-Barnett told this newspaper the course was developed using the ACEN’s standards and the college was due to host an ACEN team on the island later this year “as part of its international pre-candidacy application”.

She said the start of the programme was postponed for several reasons and the accreditation was also delayed due to the accreditation body in the US being renamed.

Asked whether any graduates were now working as nurses, she said the course co-ordinator was off island and she could add no further details.

The course prompted controversy when it was first proposed, with Louise Jackson, the Shadow Minister of Health at the time, claiming an associate degree would bring the standard of nursing down on the island, as a bachelor of science degree in nursing would ordinarily take four years.

Nelson Bascome, who was Minister of Health, said students would work towards a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing but could gain an associate degree by completing two years at the college and a year on clinical rotation overseas.

Ms James-Barnett said students trained at the college in a nursing simulation laboratory — the “first of its kind in Bermuda” — and completed the clinical element of the course at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, SickKids Hospital in Ontario and Philadelphia’s Temple University Hospital.

Asked to comment on the programme, a Ministry of Health spokeswoman said: “The ministry is not directly involved in running the Bermuda College’s nursing programme.

“Details about its status must be obtained from the organisers directly. The ministry can confirm that to date there are not any graduates from the programme working at the ministry.”

A BHB spokeswoman declined to comment.