The critical shortage of intensive care nurses is set to be tackled with plans to send Bermudians overseas for specialised training.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) is proposing to recruit four trained nurses from the Island's two hospitals for the intensive four-month courses in Canada, which will qualify them to work in the intensive care unit (ICU).

The nurses, who must all be Bermudian, will have their salaries paid as normal, as well as having their tuition fees and accommodation financed.

It will be the first time nurses in Bermuda will have had all overseas training and costs paid for by the board.

But chairwoman of the BHB Ianthia Simmons-Wade said she hoped it would not only help to meet the shortage of specialised ICU nurses, but would also enable nurses to better their training.

In the past, she said, some nurses may have been unable to finance the course or their accommodation, as well as meeting family and financial commitments in Bermuda.

The chairwoman added: "It is necessary for us to take such a major initiative to deal with the shortage of ICU nurses.

"We should have two people going for the course in September and then another two in January or February. When they return to Bermuda, they will move immediately into the ICU.

"After those two courses, we will have to review it to see if there is a need to do it again.

"Shortage of ICU nurses is an issue, all over the world. They are in such demand, they can go almost anywhere and get huge incentives.

"In the US, they are offering ICU nurses $12,000 sign-up bonuses, as well as paying off student loans. This is what we are up against.

"We realise that ICU nurses may decide to leave at any time, but we are hoping that if we get Bermudian nurses trained and qualified in our hospital, they will be less likely to leave and go overseas.'' The Royal Gazette revealed last month how staff resignations and sickness had left the ICU in a critical staffing condition. On one shift, only one ICU-trained nurse had been available to work. The rest had to be brought in from other wards.

However, this month, two additional nurses started in ICU full-time, helping to stem the problem.

And last night, Health Minister Nelson Bascome said he hoped the new measure would go even further to meeting the shortfall.