expatriate to a senior management position after nurses threatened industrial action.

Last night it was revealed that the post of programme manager of surgery will be re-advertised in accordance with Immigration regulations.

And the board has also ordered a full inquiry into staff concerns, and has agreed to set up an initiative to help nurses get promotion.

Talks between the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Bermuda Public Services Association began last week after nurses at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital threatened to take industrial action because of the appointment of Leslie Shane to the management position.

Ms Shane, an expatriate, only started work at the hospital earlier this year.

Last night, BPSA general secretary Ed Ball Jr. and a spokeswoman for the Bermuda Hospitals Board both declined to comment further on the outcome of the talks.

But in a joint statement made by Mr. Ball and the hospital's director of human resources Donna Harvey-Maybury, it was confirmed that the vacancy is to be re-advertised.

"After four days of intense discussions the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Bermuda Public Services Association have reached a resolution that is acceptable to both parties,'' the statement read.

"The parties have agreed to the following. The Bermuda Hospitals Board agrees to readvertise the position of programme manager of surgery in accordance with immigration guidelines and requirements.

"There will be a full inquiry into the concerns expressed by the staff. The Board agrees to develop a human resources capital development initiative to address the needs of nurses currently pursuing nursing credentials.

"The Board is currently developing a career opportunity for a senior nursing administrator to assume the position of transitional coordinator.

"The Board agrees to implement the employee assistance programme's critical incident stress debriefing exercises/workshops for all staff to enable them to more fully adapt to the organisational changes.

Both parties thanked mediator Neville Darrell, of the Department of Labour, fpor his help.

"With the mediation experience behind them both parties agree that the continued transition to programme management will proceed in a timely fashion,'' the statement said.

The programme manager of surgery is one of five key management positions that have been created as part of a massive restructuring programme at the hospital.